Charity refuses donation from Knights of Columbus because they are an “anti-LGBTQ+ organization”

By Jonathon Van Maren

It is a matter of time before every organization affiliated with a religious institution that still holds to the biblical sexual ethic will be condemned as homophobic and ostracized. Recall, for example, that Pete Buttigieg was accused of working with a hateful organization when a photo “surfaced” of the gay man wearing a Salvation Army apron and volunteering to engage in the bigoted work of feeding the possibly heterosexual homeless. The crazy thing is that nobody thought it was crazy that the Left was going after the Salvation Army. It is, as they say, 2020. This is how we do things now.

But it is getting pretty ridiculous. Consider this little news item, from the B.C. Catholic:

The Knights of Columbus in Burnaby have been collecting bicycles for the needy since 2006, but that all came to an end this week when Vancouver-based PEDAL Society said it will no longer work with the Knights over their “anti-LGBTQ+” beliefs. Holy Cross Council 5423 spokesman Graham Darling said he received a call from PEDAL to tell the Knights it was ending the relationship, alleging the Knights are an anti-LGBTQ+ organization.

“I’m sad that religious intolerance seems to be getting in the way of getting bikes to poor people,” Darling told The B.C. Catholic. He said “no issues have ever arisen” in the 14 years the Knights have been collecting bicycles for the PEDAL Society and others to refurbish and provide to the less fortunate. The closed door came as a surprise and a disappointment to him.

“The first principle of the Knights of Columbus is charity, and I’m sure that’s been a priority for PEDAL Society/Our Community Bikes. It’s a shame when people with moral differences elsewhere can’t still work together in a common cause.” He called PEDAL the council’s “most important partner,” and now that the relationship is ending, the council will have to decide what to do with the bikes that were to be collected at a drive scheduled May 8 this year. Last year, the Knights collected 67 donated bikes in one day to give to PEDAL.

So it seems that the taint of homophobia can even rub off on donated bikes. This isn’t a parade of some sort, with the Knights marching about in their capes and feathery hats. I’m sure the Knights have as much desire to march in Pride as the LGBT activists have to host them, which is to say none. This is turning down a donation for no reason other than the fact that this is a Catholic organization—and the Catholic Church upholds the biblical definition of marriage as one man and one woman. That’s it. Charities like the Knights of Columbus aren’t even engaged in controversial outreach or activism or advertising that might attract negative attention.

It will be interesting to see where this goes. Statistics consistently show that Christians donate to charitable causes at a significantly higher rather than non-religious people, and so if progressives are going to make taking donations from churches, religious organizations, and individual Christians a homophobic practice, a lot of people are going to suffer.

Of course, I’m sure plenty of LGBT activists will think that this is a price well worth paying.