Blogger Kevin likens Anglican Church policy to the old policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in the armed forces!

The Huffington Post reports that just as the formal repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy took effect, Navy Lt. Gary Ross and his partner were married before a small group of family and friends. The two men have been together for 11 years. Ross said he plans on having a full career in the military. "We're thrilled the policy is gone," he said of his and Swezy's reaction to the end of "don't ask, don't tell." Pentagon press secretary George Little said Monday that the military is prepared for the end of "don't ask, don't tell," a practice adopted in 1993 that allowed gays to serve as long as they did not openly acknowledge their sexual orientation. Commanders were not allowed to ask. Last week, the Pentagon said 97 percent of the military has undergone training in the new law.

Unlike the military, The Sydney Anglican diocese continues with it's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy towards LGBTIQ people, and encourages the application of this policy throughout the wider Anglican community. The Age newspaper reporter states...Sydney Anglican, Bishop Robert Forsyth barely blinks when I report that lesbians in large numbers are working for Anglicare. Forsyth, who was on the board of his church's mighty welfare arm for many years, insists this is news from the blue: ''It was never discussed. Ever."
Kelvin makes a good point on his blog... Well, the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy is similar (though not identical) to the situation for many gay clergy. To be blunt, you get rewarded for staying in the closet. Come out and you don’t know what will happen to you. Come out and you could be removed from your post by your bishop. Or the next bishop who comes along. Or the Vestry might make life impossible because there are no established guidelines to stop them. Come out about your relationship and you don’t know where you are in the morass of ethics and values regarding who you can live with and what are the rules.

So the Anglican church knows that a small percentage of the population are gay, but they are not prepared to public acknowledge it! Instead they promote a policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell... that way they can protect gays from prejudical behaviour because if they do come out it is mandatory that the church does discriminate against them!