On Sunday, the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops will meet in Washington, D.C. for three days.  The National Conference of Catholic Bishops will be greeted with a protest launched by Soulforce, a radical Christian group that seeks to change Christianity’s teachings on homosexuality.  Their goal is to wage a “Stop Spiritual Violence” campaign against the bishops by surrounding them as they proceed to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Monday.

Leading Soulforce is Rev. Mel White, a one-time ghost writer for Rev. Jerry Falwell who previously subjected himself to exorcism and electroshock therapy hoping to rid himself of his homosexuality.  He is joined by Rev. Jimmy Creech, a defrocked minister of the United Methodist Church.  They are being supported in this effort by Dignity, a group of homosexuals who reject the Catholic Church’s teachings on homosexuality and are not recognized by the Church.

Catholic League president William Donohue commented as follows:

“It is the politics of intimidation that Soulforce is now using to get Catholics and Protestants to recognize the legitimacy of sodomy.  In an open letter to the Catholic bishops that was released yesterday, Soulforce said ‘the official teachings of the Roman Catholic Church about sexual minorities lead to suffering and death for our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender sisters and brothers.’  They actually believe this.

“Soulforce is wrong.  Here’s why: Leather Fest 2000 is now being held at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in New York City celebrating ‘20 years of pain and pleasure’ by holding workshops on ‘rope bondage, mummification, fisting, flogging, and others.’  In short, this is what kills gays, not talks on abstinence.  And to top it off, on October 20, HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo gave the Center a check for $75,000.  Now if Soulforce were rational, they would be protesting the Center and Secretary Cuomo, not the bishops.”