In The Life: Intersections of Church and State

In The Life video series normally seen monthly on my other blog GLBTQ Jamaica is an independent LGBT organization that does documentary typed series with unbiased and straight forward analysis of issues, this month's edition called Intersections of Church and State takes a look at issues in the US on legal matters and theocracy issues.


Please view bearing in mind our own theocracy issues where the religious groups and certain persons such as the Governor General and Prime Minister Golding holding key postions of service to the nation but yet using said platforms to evangelise and influence decisions with unfair outcomes in some instances such as the Charter of Rights Bill with the exclusion of any discrimination legislation with respect to sexual orientation.



Summary:

The separation of Church and State is a fundamental tenet of the U.S. Constitution. Increasingly policies that funnel taxpayer dollars into faith-based organizations challenge this important principle. This month on our June Pride episode, IN THE LIFE follows the money to expose some faith-based initiatives that sanction homophobia here and abroad.

Part 1: DEMOCRACY OR THEOCRACY? (00:12:00)

The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects religion from governmental interference, at the same time it ensures government is protected from religious influence. But faith leaders with close ties to Capitol Hill, target the LGBT community by using religion as a basis to deny our equality and blur the line distinguishing our democracy from a theocracy.

Part 2: EXPORTING HATE (00:13:04)

In 2009, the Ugandan Parliamentary proposed an anti-homosexuality bill that would impose the death penalty on serial offenders of homosexual acts. Inciting fear and sanctioning homophobia, the bill has caused LGBT Ugandans to be hunted in their communities and forced into exile. IN THE LIFE focuses on the man behind the bill and his supporters, and exposes the political and financial influence used by powerful conservatives in the U.S. to export their anti-gay agenda overseas.