Embrace your identity: be proud and gay
In the heart of Leipzig's east, a unique calendar has been making waves. The black and white calendar, showcasing graffiti and attacks on the "Café Stay," is typically priced at 12.34 Euros. The calendar, however, is not just a collection of images; it serves as a visual narrative of the conflicts surrounding the café.
The "Café Stay," which presents itself as a neighbourhood meeting place, is, in fact, owned by the Zeal Church, a free church that has been under scrutiny for some time. By keeping its Christian aspect well-hidden, the café manages to bypass the vigilance of its visitors, making it easier to normalise ideologies that would otherwise face resistance.
The Zeal Church, with René Wagner as its spiritual leader, has a strong focus on topics such as family, gender, and abortion, aligning itself ideologically with the right-wing political spectrum. The church's stance on these issues has been met with controversy, particularly its stance against queer individuals and deviation from traditional gender roles.
The church does not marry queer couples and advocates sex only after marriage. Furthermore, queer individuals are not encouraged to take on great responsibility, such as preaching, due to their lifestyle not being God's plan. Some ex-members of the Zeal Church and the International Christian Fellowship (ICF) have struggled with being prayed for to be healed from their queerness.
Representatives of conversion therapies have been known to appear at ICF events, adding fuel to the controversy surrounding the Zeal Church. René Wagner, the spiritual leader, often starts his sermons with the sentence: "If this has already triggered you, this sermon is for you."
The attacks on the "Café Stay" aim to actively shatter the illusion of it being a neutral space. The calendar, the broken windows, and the graffiti are a reaction to an order imposed behind latte art and Bible verses: one in which deviation has no place.
The wochenour, a left-wing weekly newspaper, has been documenting these events. The newspaper is available every Saturday at the kiosk and in subscription. While there is no direct information available about a free black and white calendar featuring graffiti and attacks distributed at the "Stay Cafe" in relation to the Zeal Church and its controversial sermons on LGBTQ+ issues and abortion, the wochenour's coverage provides valuable insights into the ongoing controversy.
The "Stay Cafe," despite presenting itself as an expensive café for co-working, is associated with the Zeal Church. As more details and sources become available, they would be necessary to verify or learn more about this item or the affiliations in question.
- The black and white calendar, a visual narrative of conflicts surrounding the "Café Stay," delves into the lifestyle, social-media, and pop-culture discussions that have arisen from the café's association with the Zeal Church.
- The Zeal Church, known for its focus on family, gender, and abortion, has been a topic of debate in the fashion-and-beauty and education-and-self-development spheres due to its ideological alignment with the right-wing political spectrum and controversial stances against queer individuals.
- In tandem with the controversies surrounding the Zeal Church, the "Café Stay," a café that presents itself as a neighborhood meeting place, has been embroiled in the crime-and-justice discourse due to its connection with the church and its active shattering of the illusion of neutrality.
- The wochenour, a left-wing weekly newspaper, has been covering the ongoing controversy, providing insights into the entertainment and general-news aspects of the "Café Stay" and the Zeal Church.
- The protests against the Zeal Church and the "Café Stay" extend to the casino-and-gambling world, with many seeing the church's stance on issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights as a form of spiritual gambling with people's lives.
- In the world of books and sci-fi-and-fantasy, the "Café Stay" and the Zeal Church have been subjects of literary analysis and critique, with many authors exploring the themes of resistance, deviation, and hidden identities in their works.
- Sports commentators have also weighed in on the controversy, with some arguing that the "Café Stay" and the Zeal Church represent a play against ideals of inclusivity and fairness, while others see it as a test of resolve and perseverance in the face of adversity.
