Several speakers spoke of the cost B033 has extracted from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons within the Episcopal Church. “Gays and lesbians are asked to make sacrifices the rest of us are not asked to make,” said the Rev. J. Frederick Barber (Fort Worth). The Rev. Michael Russell (San Diego) said, “We can sacrifice ourselves, but it is immoral to pick out a group and sacrifice them for our comfort zone.” The Rev. Liz Zavanov (Hawaii) asked, “Will we continue to sacrifice a portion of God’s people for a false sense of security with those who don’t want to be with us?”
The need to stay in relationship with other members of the Anglican Communion was a common thread among those who favor retaining B033.
The Rev. Dan Martins (Northern Indiana) noted that the resolution had accomplished a great deal, including getting Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori invited to the Primates Meeting and Episcopal bishops invited to the 2008 Lambeth Conference. But relationships within the Anglican Communion still are fragile, he said, “and we need B033 to stay in ubuntu [mutual] relationship with the rest of the Anglican Communion.”
This whole discussion has so totally turned logic on its head that it can only be described as “Orwellian.” The only sacrifice homosexuals are being asked to make is to repent of their sins, the same sacrifice we all are asked to make.