Religions > Atheism > OT: The Trials and Tribulations of Christian Bigotry, Ignorance, and Prejudice
| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"stoney" |
| Date: |
27 Jul 2005 11:34:45 PM |
| Object: |
OT: The Trials and Tribulations of Christian Bigotry, Ignorance, and Prejudice |
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GAY_PLATES?SITE=ORMED&SECTION=US
Jul 27, 11:40 PM EDT
Woman Wins Appeal for 'GAYSROK' Car Tag
By MARK THIESSEN
Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The state of Utah can't block a woman from
using her license plate to tell the world "GAYSROK," a judge has
ruled.
The state has no good reason to prevent Elizabeth Solomon from having
that plate - which can be read "Gays are OK" or "Gays Rock" - or
another one saying "GAYRYTS," according to Jane Phan, an
administrative law judge with the Utah State Tax Commission.
"The narrow issue before us is whether a reasonable person would
believe the terms 'gays are OK' and 'gay rights' are, themselves,
offensive to good taste and decency. It is the conclusion of the
commission that a reasonable person would not," Phan wrote.
The state can appeal the July 19 decision.
"We're discussing it, and we have 30 days to do that," Barry Conover,
deputy director of the commission, which oversees Utah's Department of
Motor Vehicles, said Wednesday.
"It kind of opens up the door for all types of people who want to make
a license plate a public forum, for every initiative," he said.
Dani Eyer, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of
Utah, which represented Solomon, countered: "The government can't pick
and choose what subjects it likes and does not like."
Solomon, of Park City, on Wednesday said she considered the judge's
decision as a victory for her daughter, who is gay, and for two gay
male friends.
© 2005 The Associated Press.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LUTHERANS_GAYS?SITE=ORMED&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-07-26-15-38-54
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z2373238B
Jul 26, 3:38 PM EDT
Lutheran Leader Hopes to Avoid Split
By RACHEL ZOLL
AP Religion Writer
The head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the latest
Protestant group in a showdown over homosexuality, said Tuesday he
hoped the denomination would stay united no matter what the outcome of
its debate.
The ELCA General Assembly is scheduled to vote during an Aug. 8-14
meeting in Orlando, Fla., on whether gays in committed relationships
should be ordained and their same-sex unions blessed by the church.
In a conference call with reporters, Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson said
he hoped anyone contemplating leaving the denomination after the
gathering would consider the church's role in the world beyond its
stance on homosexuality.
"I think as a large church body we have great capacity to be in
mission together that is diminished when we are apart," Hanson said.
Of the intense deliberations ahead, he said he hoped "that we will not
take the tensions they create as evidence of a divided church but as a
sign that a church is struggling with what it means to be centered in
Christ."
"I don't look to a tension-free church as the mark of a vital and
healthy church in mission," he said.
The three major Lutheran proposals related to homosexuality would:
-affirm the church ban on ordaining sexually active gays, but allow
bishops or church districts called synods to seek an exception for a
particular candidate;
-uphold the denomination's prohibition against same-sex blessings, but
give bishops and pastors discretion in deciding how to minister to gay
couples;
-call for unity despite differences over what the Bible says about
homosexuality.
The measures could be amended during the meeting, and Hanson would not
say how he would vote. Hanson is also president of the Lutheran World
Federation, which represents 138 churches in 77 countries. He declined
to reveal details of his talks with overseas churches about the
upcoming assembly, but said he plans to discuss the vote with them
after the meeting.
Members of the federation differ on gay issues.
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands, a merger of Lutheran and
Reformed churches, allows blessings for gay couples. But last week the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada rejected a proposal that would
have let local pastors decide whether to bless same-sex couples.
With almost 5 million members, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America is one of the nation's largest Protestant denominations and
the most recent to vote on key gay issues.
Two years ago, the U.S. Episcopal Church sparked a crisis in world
Anglicanism by consecrating its first openly gay bishop - V. Gene
Robinson of New Hampshire.
The other major U.S. Lutheran body, the Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod, is staunchly conservative on homosexuality and other issues.
© 2005 The Associated Press.
--
Contempt of Congress meter reading-offscale.
Hello, theocracy with a fundamentalist US Supreme
Court who will ensure church and state are joined
at the hip like clergy and altar boys.
America 1776-Jan 2001 RIP
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president
represents, more and more closely, the inner soul
of the people. On some great and glorious day the
plain folks of the land will reach their heart's
desire at last and the White House will be adorned
by a downright moron." --- H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
Religion is the original war crime.
-Michelle Malkin (Feb 26, 2005)
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