LGBT organization intends to sue Filaret
Head of the UOC-KP Filaret Denisenko. Photo: echokieva.com
On March 23, 2020, the Ukrainian public organization Insight LGBTQ NGO, which protects the rights of the LGBT community, said that it intends to sue the head of the UOC-KP Filaret Denisenko.
"The public organization Insight LGBTQ is suing Patriarch Filaret, who claims that same-sex marriages are the reason for the emergence and spread of the coronavirus epidemic," the organization explained on its Facebook page.
In the text of the statement, Filaret was called "Honorary Patriarch of the OCU”.
"We believe that Honorary Patriarch of the OCU Filaret, being a public person, has a great influence on people belonging to the religious community. And his words can be an incitement to discrimination," stressed the Insight LGBTQ NGO.
They said that the organization's lawyers are already working on a lawsuit against Filaret. The organization's employees fear violence against gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexuals.
"We consider such statements unacceptable at all times, and the dissemination of false, blatantly discriminatory information by a public person now, during the pandemic, can cause a wave of hate-based violence against LGBT communities," said employees of Insight LGBTQ NGO.
Earlier, the head of the UOC-KP stated that same-sex marriages were one of the causes of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read also
Petition Warns Canada’s Hate Speech Law Could Criminalize Scripture
Thousands of Canadians have signed a petition urging the Liberal government to drop proposed hate-speech changes that critics warn could criminalize quoting the Bible and other religious texts.
JD Vance: Criticizing Israel Is Not Antisemitism
Vice President JD Vance said opposing Israeli policies is not the same as antisemitism, sparking debate over where criticism of Israel ends and hatred of Jews begins.
First Orthodox Prayer Book Published in Indonesian Language
The first Orthodox prayer book in Indonesian has been published and presented in Bekasi, providing local faithful and new converts with a vital resource for prayer and liturgical life.
OCA Joins Legal Challenge to Illinois Abortion Referral Law
Amicus brief argues mandate violates religious freedom and compels pro-life providers to contradict their faith.
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked Ukrainian Memo Says Religious Freedom is ‘Achilles Heel’
In an emergency strategy meeting held in response to the Society of St. John's Day of Action, D.C.-based Ukrainian lobbyists acknowledged the weight of the religious freedom issue as it pertains to the Ukrainian government’s public perception.
Historic $2.9 Million Bequest Strengthens Greek Orthodox Foundation
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Foundation has received a record $2.9 million bequest from the late Andy Efthim, a devoted layman whose faith-filled generosity will support the Church’s mission for generations.