Editing Destiny Church (New Zealand) (section)

===Opposition to homosexuality===
Destiny Church and its leader Brian Tamaki have been known for their vocal opposition to homosexuality. On 23 August 2004, Destiny Church organised a large public rally known as the "Enough is Enough" march in Wellington to oppose the [[Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand|Fifth Labour Government]]'s proposed [[Civil Union Act 2004|Civil Union Act]]. For the march, Destiny Church members wore black shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Enough is Enough." The march generated considerable media and public attention with critics such as Labour MPs [[Georgina Beyer]] and [[David Benson-Pope]] likening the marchers to Nazis.{{sfn|Lineham|2013|pp=12–22}} Bishop Tamaki attracted controversy when he blamed the [[2010 Canterbury earthquake|2010]] and [[2011 Christchurch earthquake]]s on sinful behaviour such as murder and homosexuality during a sermon on 13 November 2016. These statements preceded the [[2016 Kaikōura earthquake]] by a few hours.<ref>{{cite news|title=Watch: Brian Tamaki tells followers, 'the weight of human sin' caused the Christchurch earthquake – hours before Kaikoura|url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-brian-tamaki-tells-followers-weight-human-sin-caused-christchurch-earthquake-hours-before-kaikoura-disaster?auto=5212114211001|accessdate=17 November 2016|publisher=[[1News]]|date=16 November 2016|archive-date=17 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117211208/https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-brian-tamaki-tells-followers-weight-human-sin-caused-christchurch-earthquake-hours-before-kaikoura-disaster?auto=5212114211001|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Strongman|first1=Susan|title=Bishop Brian Tamaki blames gays, murderers and sinners for earthquakes|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11749215|accessdate=17 November 2016|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|date=17 November 2016|archive-date=17 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117064008/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11749215|url-status=live}}</ref> Tamaki's remarks were condemned by several leading New Zealand public figures including the [[Mayor of Christchurch]] [[Bob Parker (mayor)|Bob Parker]], [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]] [[John Key]], and the [[Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia|Anglican]] [[bishop]] of [[Dunedin]], [[Kelvin Wright]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Sir Bob Parker demands 'off beam' Brian Tamaki apologise to Christchurch, Kaikoura for blaming quake on sins|url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/sir-bob-parker-demands-off-beam-brian-tamaki-apologise-christchurch-kaikoura-blaming-quake-sins|accessdate=17 November 2016|publisher=1 News|date=16 November 2016|archive-date=17 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117144906/https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/sir-bob-parker-demands-off-beam-brian-tamaki-apologise-christchurch-kaikoura-blaming-quake-sins|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Strongman|first1=Susan|title=Shock over Destiny leader Brian Tamaki's homophobic remarks|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11749423|accessdate=17 November 2016|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|date=17 November 2016|archive-date=17 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117064307/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11749423|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=McNeilly|first1=Hamish|title=Bishop of Dunedin on Brian Tamaki: 'He's telling porkies'|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86576726/bishop-of-dunedin-on-brian-tamaki-hes-telling-porkies|accessdate=17 November 2016|work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=17 November 2016|archive-date=27 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027114558/http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86576726/bishop-of-dunedin-on-brian-tamaki-hes-telling-porkies|url-status=live}}</ref> One [[Auckland]]-based critic Aaron Smithson also organised a [[Change.org]] petition calling for the revocation of Destiny Church's tax-free status.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Akoorie|first1=Natalie|title=Petition to stop Destiny Church having tax-free status gaining support|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11749796|accessdate=17 November 2016|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|date=17 November 2016|archive-date=17 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117211002/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11749796|url-status=live}}</ref> On Saturday 1 June 2019, Bishop Brian Tamaki formally apologised to all homosexual people for his conduct in the past. The event where this apology took place was at the Stand conference<ref name="youtube.com">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211206/TVepWTZCnCo Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200516031729/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVepWTZCnCo&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=77&v=TVepWTZCnCo| title = Love Is Greater Than Hate – Stand! Conference Saturday PM Service | website=[[YouTube]]| date = 8 June 2019 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> in Destiny Church Auckland. He invited his good friend Jevan Goulter who spoke on the matters as well as influential homosexual figures. Brian stated that all homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people were welcome to his church.<ref name="youtube.com"/>