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Affirmation Member Witnesses Hate, Homophobia Angelo Berbotto Attended London Service Featuring Gay Bishop Gene Robinson July 2008  Bishop Robinson and Our Struggle against FearAngelo Berbotto, an Affirmation member residing in London, witnessed first-hand the hate that some people feel for Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church. Gene Robinson was forced to halt his sermon at St Mary's Church in Putney, south-west London, after being heckled. Angelo, who was sitting six feet away from the heckler, witnesses the whole incident. “It was frightening for a while,” says Angelo. “I thought the guy was going to hit someone with his helmet.” Despite the incident, Angelo felt the service was very inspiring. Resuming his sermon shortly after the interruption, Bishop Robinson said: “This discussion of homosexuality we are having in the church is not so significant because of what it says about homosexuality, but because of what it says about God.... When someone stands up and says homosexuality is an abomination, does that make you want to get to know God?” Asked if any of the bishops attending were gay but not open about it, Robinson said: “Absolutely.” He added: “I do not think that there is a person around and breathing that believes that I'm the first gay bishop, just the first talking honestly about it.” Many Affirmation members met Bishop Robinson when he was one of the keynote speakers at the Affirmation Conference held October 2007 in Washington DC. “God loves the fact that you are gay, loves your relationships,” Bishop Robinson told Affirmation members on that occasion. “Your mission is for the whole world,” he added, “to witness to a God who has loved you and accepted you and helped you to be who you are.”
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