The organizers of the Intimate Conviction Conference series say they note with alarm the heightened and sometimes hostile anti-LGBT rhetoric that is being generated by some religious leaders across the Caribbean, which is in response to current and impending challenges to regional anti-sodomy laws.
“As people of faith we believe that Christians should show the world how to respectfully disagree. We are therefore troubled that some of the language being used by clerics who oppose decriminalization will incite violence against LGBT people,” the organizers say in a statement.
“As such, we are urging all Caribbean bishops, pastors and priests to exercise restraint, even if they express their opposition to ending laws that criminalize consensual same-sex intimacy.
“In addition, we would like to invite persons, on whatever side of this debate, to join us for the next Intimate Conviction conference from April 24-26, 2020 in Barbados.”
According to the organizers, this global dialogue will continue to examine the role of churches in anti-sodomy laws that started with the first conference in Jamaica in 2017.
“As Caribbean Christians we pray that this public dialogue will help our region to achieve greater harmony and understanding and in the meantime, we urge careful and critical discussions of this very topical issue by all stakeholders.”
