Protest outside Belleville church opposes Christian group

Michael Oosting ,17, discovered the Focus on the Family event hosted at the Calvary Temple through a Google search and decided to organize a protest advocating for homosexual rights. (Photo by Ashliegh Gehl)

By Ashliegh Gehl

A group of protesters waved flags and signs outside a Belleville church Saturday because they believe the group inside opposed gay rights.

They were protesting Focus on the Family, a Christian-based group holding a religious training session at the Calvary Temple.

Protest organizer Michael Oosting, 17, said the organization openly opposes homosexuality, a woman’s right to abortion and opposes Islam.

The Focus on the Family Canada website does not support Oosting’s accusations. However, FOCUSinsights, an offshoot website operated by Focus on the Family Canada hosts blogs and research pieces representative of the Christian worldview. Some of the views discuss homosexuality as being curable.

Stephen Johnson, director of worldview training for Focus on the Family Canada, conducted The Truth Project event in Belleville, a four-hour training program, reintroducing believers to the nature of God.  Johnson refused to comment, but said there is a difference between Canadian and American branches.

“You should see some of the stuff this organization publishes,” said Oosting. “Calling to opening oppose homosexuality, to openly oppose gay rights in general.”

Hank Blok, 62, traveled from Kingston to attend The Truth Project event. He was one of 43 people who attended the training session, but does not represent the views of Focus on the Family.

When Blok arrived at the Calvary Temple he approached Oosting with a hug and inquired about the protest.

“First of all, I said good for you,” said Blok. “You must be making a point and you’re believing in your point, so you’re putting out what you need to do. You’ve got a point to make, good for you.”

Blok said he asked Oosting what the protest was about and claims the protester said Focus on the Family is a homophobic organization.

“I said I’m not convinced of that at all,” said Blok. “I believe that they teach what the bible says. That the bible says that the homosexual act is incorrect.”

“We do believe that the bible teaches very, very implicit things, including that the homosexual act is incorrect, that a man and woman are God’s order,” said Blok. “Maybe he just would have created two men, but he didn’t.

Jamal Marshall, 24, protested against Focus on the Family’s stance on same-sex marriage, a stance limited to the union between a woman and a man.

“It’s a union of two human beings,” said Marshall. “We love each other. We want to be able to get married just like everyone else and have the civil right.”

Just as protesters preached their values on the side of road, Marshall said he has no qualms with Focus on the Family doing the same.

“I don’t mind them preaching their values because they have good values,” said Marshall. “I’m just saying, you’re oppressing other people, and that’s not fair. We should all have equal say, equal rights.”

Marshall said he plans on writing a letter to Focus on the Family to express his thoughts and feelings on the message the ministry is sending.

“I call it verbal jousting,” he said. “They say something, we say something back in response to what they said.”