It's not a gay church, It is a church for everyone

Reverend Ouyang Wen Feng has denied reports that he is heading a 'gay church', calling the label “inaccurate and misleading”.

He was responding to a PAS Youth (Wilayah Persekutuan) press statement yesterday criticising him over a Sept 2 news report in Malaysiakini.

“I want to clarify publicly and officially that the church (I co-founded) is not a gay church, It is a church for everyone, regardless of one's class status, gender identity, race and ethnicity, or sexual orientation,” he said.


Ouyang maintains his church aims to be “inclusive” and that it does not reject churchgoers from any group, including gays, adding that he also has heterosexual parishioners.

He attributes the large numbers of gay churchgoers to their willingness to embrace them where “conservative” churches condemn their orientation.

“We differ from most conservative Christian churches as we believe homosexuality is just like heterosexuality; it is a sexual orientation. Homosexuality, or same-sex desires and intimacies, can be found in almost all cultures in recorded history,” said the reverend.


“It is not a new social phenomenon. It can't be farther from the truth to say that it is a new apocalyptic sign,” he said.


PAS Youth had issued a statement claiming that Ouyang was “challenging Malaysia's social institutions” in setting up his church, claiming that it would be of concern to practitioners of Islam and to other religions as well.


Ouyang asserts that “the history of the same-sex relationships and desires is as old as human history” and that sexual orientation “cannot come under the Bible's prohibition.”


He also argues that the traditionally accepted Biblical condemnation of same sex behaviour was a result of mistranslation of the Sodom and Gomorrah episode from its original meaning, which he says referred to “male temple prostitutes, male pimps, molesters or morally weak men" and was a condemnation of “inhospitability, arrogance, xenophobia and selfishness.”


“Almost all gay people could testify that we never choose to be gay, just like heterosexuals never choose to be heterosexuals.


“We believe it is wrong to condemn homosexuality because it is wrong to blame someone for conditions over which he or she has no personal control,” he said.


The reverend notes that apart from citing religious beliefs, no one can articulate “what is wrong with homosexuality, or what harm it does to individuals or the society.”


He expressed disappointment with the PAS' statement, saying, “Modern minds should recognise that we should not impose our religious beliefs on others or label others as immoral simply because they don't share our religious beliefs.”


He said through history the gay community has suffered tremendously out of “homophobia and ignorance”.


“But, today we should know better, because much recent scholarship on human sexuality has shown that homosexuality is just like heterosexuality, it is a sexual orientation,” he said.


Ouyang also cites the American Psychiatric Association, which removed homosexuality from its list of mental illness in 1973, and that the World Health Organization “also does not list homosexuality as a disease”.


He called on his critics not to “let our traditions or beliefs or ignorance blind our intelligence, and perpetuate discrimination”.


“... Gay people are everywhere and a lot of highly respected public figures and personal friends, or family members are homosexuals,” said Ouyang.


The reverend admits that his church tries its best to “educate the public about homosexuality and to comfort the souls of homosexuals who have been victims of a lifetime of discrimination and disempowerment”.


“We have made it our mission, even though we are fully aware of the reality that it is the least favourite and least popular social activism in Malaysia,” he said.


“I urge every good and reasonable person in our society to please do not let homosexuals fight this battle alone.


“Homosexuals are also taxpayers, we are also proud contributing citizens, we are your brothers and sisters, and thus should be treated with respect and dignity, no more and no less than heterosexuals.


“Justice is for all, if justice is not for all, it is not justice at all,” said Ouyang.