Desmond Tutu's by far our favorite religious leader (sorry Gene Robinson). The outspoken Anglican Archbishop and outspoken civil rights figure has blasted Peter Akinola and his haterific homies for their tenacious war on homosexuality. As the Anglican Communion gears up for its annual meeting - a meeting at which Archbishop of Canterbury, will no doubt get an earful - Tutu chided:

I am deeply disturbed that in the face of some of the most horrendous problems facing Africa, we concentrate on 'what do I do in bed with whom'... For one to penalise someone for their sexual orientation is the same as penalising someone for something they can do nothing about, like ethnicity or race. I cannot imagine persecuting a minority group which is already being persecuted... The God I worship would not consider that (gay clergy) to be a priority concern.

He's referring, of course, to the aforementioned Robinson, the openly gay bishop whose 2003 ascension provided the spark for the 70 million strong movement's potential schism and endless infighting.

In other Episcopal-related news, 365 Gay reports that a number of US Episcopal leaders are filing a lawsuit against 11 anti-gay parishes who split off to join Peter Akinola's Nigerian-based movement. Though leaders hoped to resolve the issue out of court, the parishes refuse to turn over an estimated $25 million in property as requested. Bishop Peter Lee of Virginia - where two of the nation's largest parishes led the succession - says:

No longer am I convinced that such [a settlement] is possible, nor do I believe that such a move at this time is dishonorable.

One of the leaders of breakaway Falls Church, Jim Pierobon, replied, "We intend to protect our churches' property rights to the fullest extent of the law..." And if that doesn't work, they're going to break out the fiddles and do it the old fashioned way.