{"id":27849,"date":"2015-11-12T22:00:03","date_gmt":"2015-11-13T03:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/northern-ireland-mayor-youth-should-pray-to-cure-being-gay-video\/"},"modified":"2015-11-12T22:00:03","modified_gmt":"2015-11-13T03:00:03","slug":"northern-ireland-mayor-youth-should-pray-to-cure-being-gay-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/northern-ireland-mayor-youth-should-pray-to-cure-being-gay-video\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern Ireland Mayor: Youth Should Pray to Cure \u2018Being Gay\u2019 \u2013 VIDEO"},"content":{"rendered":"

Northern Ireland Mayor: Youth Should Pray to Cure \u2018Being Gay\u2019 \u2013 VIDEO<\/b><\/p>\n

\"CTNAlbCWsAAUt-1\"<\/p>\n

A Northern Ireland<\/a> deputy mayor has been urged to stand down after he suggested gay<\/a> people can be cured through prayer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) member and Deputy Mayor of Derry and Strabane Thomas Kerrigan made the comments after his party <\/span>again blocked<\/b><\/a> legislation for same-sex<\/a> marriage. A majority of Members of the Legislative Assembly voted in favor of the measure. However, a blocking mechanism allowed the DUP to put an end to the legislation.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/em><\/a>Northern Ireland Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Same-Sex Marriage In Wake of Neighboring Irish Referendum Vote<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n

Kerrigan said that young people who do not attend church are leaving themselves open to “being gay<\/a>” and to drug and alcohol abuse. If “people relied more on prayer,” he added, “it could cure a lot of these problems”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Malachai O’Hara, Health and Wellbeing Manager with the Rainbow Project, <\/span>said<\/b><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

“This isn’t the first time a member of the DUP has made these kind of comments, so it would be useful if the party clarified if this is the party policy.<\/span><\/p>\n

“He needs to withdraw his remarks and apologize for the offensive they have caused.”<\/span><\/p>\n

A DUP spokesman said the party “does not have any [same-sex marriage] policy nor have we any plans to adopt such a policy in the future.”<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2008, DUP member Iris Robinson made <\/span>controversial remarks<\/b><\/a> supporting “ex-gay<\/a>” therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch a BBC report on the campaign for same-sex<\/a> marriage in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

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[Photo via Twitter<\/a>]<\/p>\n

The post Northern Ireland Mayor: Youth Should Pray to Cure ‘Being Gay’ – VIDEO<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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\nMichael Fitzgerald<\/p>\n

Northern Ireland Mayor: Youth Should Pray to Cure ‘Being Gay’ – VIDEO<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n