The Orthodox Church in Ukraine doesn’t mince its words when it comes to homosexuality, same-sex ‘marriages’ and adoption – as pop star Elton John, 62, has just discovered.
In fact, his expressed desire to adopt Lev – a 14-month-old Ukrainian baby whose mother is thought to be HIV positive – was pretty much like waving a (or should that be the?) red flag to a bull in the eyes of Church spokesman Father Georgy Gulyaev.
In a verbal attack on the singer – who, in 2005 entered into a civil partnership with his partner David Furnish – he is quoted as saying: “Thank God it’s impossible under Ukrainian law for Elton John to adopt a child.”
Of the Church’s stance, Fr Gulyaev adds: “People pretend to have good intentions, create semi-marriages and so-called families, and moreover they dare to adopt children. Unlike people who are blessed by God to create natural families, these are people who succumb to their passions.
“This is definitely a sin – there is no other word for it – and the Church will never agree that people who have created same-sex ‘marriage’ could also dare to adopt children.”
Well, I think we all (well, the vast majority of us, anyway) get the good Father’s message, don’t we?
But having said that, the story does not end here. For Ukraine Families Minister Yuri Pavlenko – who, just days ago refused to even contemplate the child’s adoption because of Sir Elton’s age and same-sex marriage – has come up with a compromise.
The move, which could prove to be extremely controversial, could allow the pop star and his partner to bring up Lev in the UK, while also involving the child’s mother who would retain parental rights.
Call me a cynic, but doesn’t that sound like a form of watered down adoption? It will certainly be interesting to see whether or not Lev’s mother warms to this compromise.
In the meantime, silence from the direction of Sir Elton’s camp.
YOU CAN’T BEAT IT
Oh no! Phil Collins has just revealed that he may never play the drums again – to which the obvious punchline is: “I didn’t know he could, anyway!”
Sorry fans (or fan, for that matter – as it seems a heck of a long time since anyone has heard from him), but apparently 50 years of drumming while in a poor posture has taken its toll on the 58-year-old star, who now says his hands aren’t functioning normally and it is impossible for him to play either the drums or piano.
Poor old Phil! How on earth will he manage to survive on his millions?
WATER REVELATION
I’m never, ever going to take another shower because … well, it’s just plain dirty!
At least, that’s what American scientists at the University of Colerado have concluded after research on 45 shower heads showed nearly a third harboured potentially dangerous bacteria (mycobacterium avium to be exact, a bug linked to lung disease) – just waiting to be sprayed all over whoever’s trying to scrub him/herself clean. Horrible thought, eh?
Apparently, slime that builds up inside the shower head acts as a breeding ground for bacteria, giving protection from deadly chlorine in the water, which would provide a terminal solution – to the bugs, that is.
On second thoughts, having considered the alternative to showering – i.e. basically bathing in your own diluted dirt – I’ve reconsidered my position and will resume ‘dicing with death’ in the shower with immediate effect!
LAMB CHOPPED
When will grown-ups – particularly teachers – ever learn that children become extremely upset when something they love dies?
In this case it was Marcus the sheep, who ‘got the chop’ this week after being nurtured for three years by pupils at Lydd Primary School in Kent, which has its own farm.
So it comes as no surprise to learn that most of the youngsters were absolutely heartbroken by Marcus’s demise, which headteacher Andrea Charman described as an exercise to teach children about the food chain and the local economy.
Well, ten out of ten for teaching pupils that meat does not just come from supermarkets, but zero for the way it was executed (if you’ll forgive the pun).
Maybe it would have been better for youngsters not to have become so emotionally attached to a living thing that was destined for the dinner table, accompanied by mint sauce.
However, I fear the lesson still has not been learned because the school’s masterplan was to raffle joints of Marcus’s meat for cash to buy a few pigs. And guess what’s going to eventually happen to those cute little piggies?
Just don’t mention sausages to the pupils, Mrs Charman!
Have a good weekend, everyone else.
