Kershaw Takes a Stand: Christian Faith Day vs. Pride Night

Photo edit of Clayton Kershaw and the "Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence." Credit: Alexander J. Williams III/Pop Acta.
Photo edit of Clayton Kershaw and the "Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence." Credit: Alexander J. Williams III/Pop Acta.

The Dodgers’ inclusion of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in their Pride Night game has sparked criticism. Clayton Kershaw, the team’s star pitcher, disagrees and will relaunch Christian Faith and Family Day. He opposes ridiculing religions, specifically the group’s portrayal of Christianity. The Dodgers initially removed the Sisters but later re-invited them and apologized following discussions.

Kershaw’s disagreement is solely about the group’s actions towards religion, not the LGBTQ+ community or pride itself. He emphasizes support over condemnation, stating that Christian Faith Day was a collective decision with his wife and respected individuals. Kershaw plans to participate in the Pride Night event, embracing diverse experiences and loving everyone as a follower of Christ.

Clayton Kershaw told the Los Angeles Times on Monday:

“We had plans to hold Christian Faith Day this year, but the timing of our announcement was accelerated. Selecting a date and organizing the event were factors that influenced the timing. Yes, it was a response to the attention given to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence by the Dodgers.”

In expressing his viewpoint, Kershaw remarked:

“I don’t support mocking other people’s religions. That’s the bottom line. It’s not about anything else. I firmly believe that regardless of your faith, it is inappropriate to ridicule someone else’s religious beliefs. That’s something I strongly disagree with.”

Regarding the thought process behind Christian Faith Day, Kershaw explained:

“In discussing this with my wife and individuals whom I respect, we considered the appropriate response. It’s always a challenging situation because it seemed to provoke a reaction. For us, we felt that instead of making a condemning statement or anything of the sort, the best response would be to demonstrate what we do support, rather than what we don’t. And that’s Jesus. So, making Christian Faith Day our response is what we believed to be the best decision.”

Kershaw continued:

“This issue is not about the LGBTQ community, pride, or anything of that nature. It’s simply about a group that was mocking a religion, which I don’t agree with.”

As a follower of Christ, Kershaw added:

“We are called to love everyone unconditionally. I believe that means being present in different places and being a part of various experiences.”

Last week, the Dodgers’ decision to re-invite the anti-Catholic LGBTQ group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, to their Pride Night sparked controversy and a backlash. Initially, the inclusion of the self-proclaimed “trans nuns” from this left-wing group on the honoree list faced strong criticism. However, the situation escalated even further when the Dodgers removed the Sisters from the guest list, causing LA Pride to withdraw from the event.

The Dodgers reversed their stance, committing to reflection and growth, and expressing their dedication to further educate themselves in collaboration with LGBTQ+ partners. However, this change drew criticism on social media. Critics were also concerned about the absence of offensive visuals on the Dodgers’ social media platforms, potentially offending a significant portion of their fanbase.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, or the Order of Perpetual Indulgence, is an anti-Catholic and far-left LGBTQ organization that organizes protest activities and street-drag performances. They use drag and religious symbolism to shock and target the Catholic faith and religious beliefs in general. Their hyper-sexual lifestyle contradicts the teachings of many major religions. Originating in San Francisco in 1979, this group of gay men began dressing as Catholic nuns in public to challenge societal norms and spread their message.

Their actions have been considered objectionable and offensive by various religious communities.

The Dodgers would take to Twitter, saying:

“After much thoughtful feedback from our diverse communities, honest conversations within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization and generous discussions with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Los Angeles Dodgers would like to offer our sincerest apologies to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their friends and families,” the organization said.

“We have asked the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to take their place on the field at our 10th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night on June 16th. We are pleased to share that they have agreed to receive the gratitude of our collective communities for the lifesaving work that they have done tirelessly for decades.

“In the weeks ahead, we will continue to work with our LGBTQ+ partners to better educate ourselves, find ways to strengthen the ties that bind and use our platform to support all of our fans who make up the diversity of the Dodgers family.”

According to Fox News:

The team faced initial uproar for inviting the leftwing group of so-called “trans nuns” from their honoree list and then more piling on after it removed them from the list of guests. After LA Pride announced it was pulling out of festivities, the Dodgers did another 180.

In its latest reversal, the Dodgers faced more scrutiny.

The MLB team initially announced that it would be honoring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group of “queer and trans nuns,” during a June 16 event, but quickly received backlash from religious groups for the decision given the history of anti-Catholic messaging and shocking performances.

The Dodgers’ decisions on the anti-Catholic group come amid a trend of well-known companies being called out for sponsoring individuals with controversial viewpoints and lifestyles.

The Dodgers’ re-invitation of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to their Pride Night festivities sparked criticism. Initially included on the honoree list, their removal led to LA Pride withdrawing. The Dodgers’ subsequent reversal, while expressing support for LGBTQ+ partners, faced scrutiny online. Critics raised concerns about the team’s failure to showcase offensive visuals on social media, potentially offending a portion of their fanbase.


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