‘Under the Blanket’ with a Christian Democrat Leader Vital Rymasheuski
“Lukashenka should lead a gay parade. He should be in front with the rainbow-colored flag,” — Vital Rymasheuski, co-chairman of ‘The Belarusian Christian Democracy’ organizing committee shared his opinion on sexual diversity. The leader of Belarusian Christian Democrats regards homosexuality as a sin and equals it to adultery.
— Can LGBT representatives be members of your party? What’s your attitude towards them?
As a Christian, as an orthodox Christian, I consider it to be a kind of lechery. A sin, to be precise. It’s just the same as committing adultery. It’s the sin of adultery. I think we shouldn’t mark it out among other sins, as people might abuse it in this case.
— Do you have a feeling that the topic is over-exaggerated?
Of course I do. Basically, there are no demonstrations of, let’s say, adulterers. On the other hand, I admit there are people with Nazi or totalitarian inclinations, and they might make short work of gays. But there might be a sin in any person. Undoubtedly, violence that can be used by the authority against these people… Lukashenka doesn’t live in marriage. So, there’s no difference between him and homosexuals. He demonstrates it publicly. His son is being brought up without a mother. The society looks upon it in silence. They look at him presenting textbooks of Belarusian. Such standard of behavior is imposed on citizens. In this respect, Aliaksandr Lukashenka is rather a European man, and I recommend the gay community to accept him to its ranks.
— European? What about the Arab world, Asia – don’t they commit adultery? What do you mean?
I have no right to judge, but I feel for both Lukashenka and the gay-community, because they’re under the power of sin.
— What if it’s not a sin?
As a Christian, an orthodox Christian, I deliver the opinion of the church, not my own.
— But what if it’s physiology? What if it’s not a sin? Then the whole concept collapses.
What does a concept have to do with it? This is something stated by the church. All Christians have the same attitude, no exception.
— What about the Pope, who said “Who am I to judge them?”
This is what I’m talking about. I don’t have the right to judge them either. The church never judges sinners. The church judges sin. You can ask the Pope again. I don’t think I can judge, but I think it’s a sin. And I do realize that it’s a person’s misfortune.
— These people say they feel as if they’re outcasts in society. What should be done about the gay parades? After all, they want to draw people’s attention in this way. It’s one of the means in their opinion. Should gay-parades be banned?
One has to take into consideration the culture, the environment they exist in, the public reaction, and, finally, the goals they pursue. Everyone has the right to be protected against violence, even sinners. In Belarus, we have a group of people who commit this crime. And we also have a group of people who feel absolutely scot-free. I mean Lukashenka, who has been cheating on his wife. Against this background gays are beaten groundless. Gays are beaten illegally by the SWAT. But at the same time we have lechery propaganda in our country, and Lukashenka is the chief propagandist. Some representatives of democratic opposition are also close to that.
— What do you mean? The people cheating on their wives?
Cheating too.
— So, do you think it would be fine to arrange gay-parades in our country?
In some countries they are arranged in such a form, that they can be regarded as propaganda tools of lechery. In our situation, we haven’t had any gay-parades yet.
— If Belarusian gays get the permission to hold a gay-parade, what will be the politician Rymasheuski’s attitude?
The permission for a gay-parade in Belarus would be a logical consequence of the policy held by president Lukashenka.
— Why doesn’t he give the permission then?
He’s contradicting himself. He should be the leader of the parade. He is worthy to be in front with their flag. We shouldn’t replace the concept of human rights protection with propaganda of lechery.
