Core Issues Trust

[[File:CoreIssuesTrustLogo.png|thumb|300px|right|Sounds kinda gay.]]
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'''Core Issues Trust''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] charity set up for the purpose of supporting "men and women with [[homosexual]] issues who voluntarily seek change in sexual preference and expression." They claim to "[respect] the rights of individuals who identify as 'gay' who do not seek change."<ref>[http://www.core-issues.org/ Core Issues homepage]</ref> Who the charity is helping is anyone's guess.

==History==
Core was founded in [[Northern Ireland]] in 2007 to combat the 
mis
perception that [[Christianity]] there [[The Troubles|lacks both compassion and discernment]]. Apparently they intend to promote their Christian love by repeatedly telling [[homosexuality|homosexuals]] they are living in [[sin]]. Despite rejecting the belief that homosexuality is a disease and as such they are not currently looking for a "cure", this has not stopped people from suggesting Core believe homosexuality is a disease and as such are currently looking for a cure.<ref name="gaycurebbc"/>

They have rejected being branded [[homophobic]], a feat pulled off by [[moving the goalposts|defining]] homophobia as "The victimisation or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex", a definition provided in 2006 by Dr. Andrew Goddard of Fulcrum, the [[Church of England]]'s [[evangelism|evangelical]] wing.<ref>[http://www.core-issues.org/uploads/Documents/Persbyterian%20Church%20Pastoral%20Guidelines.pdf Social Issues and Resources Panel Pastoral guidelines] Core Issues, Section 3.2</ref> Core claim this definition "moves away from defining a person in terms of perceived sexuality. In addition it allows us to state that taking the particular Biblical position we do, as a church, on same sex practices is not in and of itself homophobia."<ref>[http://www.core-issues.org/uploads/Documents/Persbyterian%20Church%20Pastoral%20Guidelines.pdf Social Issues and Resources Panel Pastoral guidelines] Core Issues, Section 3.3</ref>

==Views on homosexuality==
While Core initially comes across as a more moderate and friendly anti-gay organisation than your run-of-the-mill [[Reparative therapy|conversion therapist]] 
bigots
 advocates, it nonetheless exists to convert people experiencing confusion with same-sex attraction to opposite-sex attraction.

==London bus campaign==
[[File:CoreIssuesTrustadvert.jpg|thumb|300px|left|They totally don't mind if you're gay though. Really, it's cool. Don't worry about it.]]

In April 2012 a Core Issues poster campaign on several [[London]] buses was withdrawn by then–London mayor (later prime minister) [[Boris Johnson]].<ref name="gaycurebbc">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17693947 'Gay cure' group's London bus adverts banned] ''BBC News'' 13th April 2012</ref> The posters were apparently a mimicry of another poster campaign running on London buses from [[LGBT]] rights charity Stonewall, which ran posters with the message "Some People Are Gay. Get Over It!"<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/12/anti-gay-adverts-boris-johnson?INTCMP=SRCH Anti-gay adverts pulled from bus campaign by Boris Johnson] ''Guardian'' 12th April 2012</ref> Core's poster used the same red background with black and white lettering running the message "Not Gay! Ex-Gay, Post-Gay And Proud. Get Over It!" The poster campaign was due to run for two weeks along popular Central London tourist routes such as St Paul's Cathedral, Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. The blocking of Core's poster campaign was described by Stonewall spokesman Andy Wasley as "fantastic that no adverts will be promoting 'voodoo, gay-cure therapy' in London."

Anglican Mainstream, a worldwide conservative Anglican organisation which has charmingly equated homosexuality with alcoholism<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/12/christian-anti-gay-ads-buses?newsfeed=true Christian group books anti-gay ads to appear on buses] ''Guardian'' 12th April 2012</ref> and Core's partner in the wacky endeavour, are currently pursuing legal action into whether Transport for London acted legally in pulling the adverts.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17706866 Banned gay bus ad group looks at legal action against TfL] ''BBC News'' 13th April 2012</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.core-issues.org/ Core Issues Trust] website

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Humanitarian organizations]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoting organizations]]
[[Category:We're on a mission from God]]
[[Category:Christian fundamentalism]]

Categories: Homophobia, Humanitarian organizations, Pseudoscience promoting organizations, We're on a mission from God, Christian fundamentalism