I think that the real reason Israeli gays insisted on running the event in Jerusalem was to be safe from God’s wrath. They know almost for sure that the Sodom and Gomorra incident will not recur in the holy city. There is too much to lose: all religions have sacred sites there, and the city is just too important to be obliterated. So they decided to play it safe and risk a mild stoning from ultra-orthodox Jews that comprise a third of the city’s population to evade a more serious one from the heavens. You know, just in case.

I wonder if a right-wing zealot would accept a final agreement ensuring Jerusalem’s integrity for all eternity, but with a small proviso: an annual Gay Pride Parade has to take place on the city’s main streets, for just as long. Hmm, a tickler.

Hundreds of observing citizens have gathered to practice their democratic right to congregate and express protest. There were about 2000 parade participants and roughly the same number of police officers. The religious prayed while the gays marched through the city’s center, waving rainbow and Israeli national flags. No violent incidents have been reported; no earthquakes, no acid rains.

The fun has certainly been tarnished by the tight security, and instead of a free-spirited festival the event turned into a tense but quiet political and ideological confrontation. “Don’t sodomize Jerusalem,” said the slogans of one party; “Gay rights are human rights” said those of the other. I actually think the first one is punchier. It’s ironic, something nobody would expect from the ultras.

But wait... what were they asking? A petition not to turn Jerusalem into Sodom may also mean an appeal to God to spare the city! It could be that the religious folks were actually cooperating, terrified of God’s retribution. One has to wonder — does God know about this?