Taiwan Church News
3487 Edition
December 24 – 30, 2018
Topical News

A Funeral Service Held On Street For A Suicide Gay Christian

Reported by Lin Yi-yin

On December 22, on the sidewalk in front of the Bread of Life Christian Church in Shilin at Taipei, a funeral service is openly held to commemorate an anonymous gay Christian, Terry, who committed suicide after the result of a prevalent anti-LGBT referendum vote revealed.

In this special sidewalk service, civic groups like Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan, Front of Faith Revival and many cross-denominational Christian youth come to the site to pay their tribute to Terry because his parents cannot accept Terry’s gay rights and sexual identity and refuse to give him a farewell ceremony.

During the proceeding of this solemn memorial service, a more sarcastic moment comes to make the audience even more heart-broken: the Bread of Life Christian Church in Shilin decided to broadcast and bombard the site with a superb-amplified Christmas song to demonstrate their discontent of this service.

Citing Luke 16:19-31, a story about the rich man and Lazarus, Rev Chen Sih-hau of Kuh Ting Presbyterian Church in his street sermon strongly criticized and accused the attitude of current Taiwan church toward LGBT Christian community is no less cruel and cold-blooded than that rich man toward the poor Lazarus.

“We are Christians. But, it’s a pity, we are not able to tell you that you are a wonderful creation in the eyes of God and you are deserved to be loved,” Rev Chen says to Terry in his sermon. Later, Rev Chen hosted a “micro-communion service” on the street in tea and sweet potato with the crowd.

Translated by Peter Wolfe