When I was asked to write another article for Evangelical Times, it didn’t take long before I knew what I wanted to write about: I would like to show, with the help of some examples, how the situation in Germany is regarding the LGBT issue. Because this is the topic on which we Christians are currently under the most pressure – not only in Germany, but in the entire Western world. And I would like to show how we as a church in Frankfurt deal with this issue, and thereby hopefully encourage some.
The situation in Germany
When the so-called Pride Month started on 1 June, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, took the opportunity to be photographed holding up a huge rainbow flag. The photo was circulated nationwide in the media. The flag was obviously made of a cheap plastic fabric and was completely wrinkled.
I think this symbolically showed how superficial most people’s interest really is in the LGBT issue. But you have to signal your virtue, I guess. At the same time, rainbow flags were raised on many public buildings, museums, supermarkets, hardware stores, etc., all over Germany. Many companies displayed the rainbow colours on their websites or incorporated them right into their logos.
In addition, laws have already been enacted that criminalise conversion therapy – of course, the wording of the law is broad enough to include counselling sessions with pastors – and more laws are planned, even an amendment to the Constitution to place sexual and gender ‘identity’ under constitutional protection.
