Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Six Memphis Pastors Oppose Equal Protections for Gays
Posted by Bianca Phillips on Tue, May 26, 2009 at 2:51 PM
"This is a very dangerous piece of legislation,” said Pastor Steve Gaines of Bellevue Baptist Church. "It will add unnecessary burdens on employers doing business in Shelby County."
The "unnecessary burdens" Gaines refers to would mean county government, county contractors, and private employers in unincorporated Shelby County with over 15 employees would be forbidden to discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.
If passed, the ordinance proposed by county commissioner Steve Mulroy would provide the first such protections in the state. The ordinance will go to the commission for a full vote on Monday, June 1st.
Gaines went on to say that a gay and trans-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance could mean that cross-dressers wouldn't be fired from their job, "even if they were teaching elementary-age children."
Several African-American pastors scoffed at the idea of the gay rights struggle being compared with the civil rights struggle.
"We did not march for a select group of people to have civil rights and to have the civil rights struggle be hijacked," said William Owens, founder of the Coalition of African American pastors. "I was born black, and I will die black. This [ordinance] is not a civil rights issue because those with that [gay] lifestyle chose that lifestyle."
Other pastors publicly opposing the ordinance at the conference included Edward H. Stephens of Golden Gate Cathedral, Andrew Jackson of Faith Temple Ministries, Chuck Herring of Collierville First Baptist Church, and Danny Sinquefield of Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett.
Plenty of supporters of the ordinance turned out for the conference, but Bunker quickly silenced any opposition to the pastors' statements by threatening to take the conference inside a private room in the Shelby County Building if there was too much heckling from ordinance supporters.
Bill Neely, pastor of Neshoba Unitarian Universalist Church, supports the non-discrimination ordinance and stood quietly in the crowd until the conference was over.
I've heard six pastors talk of God's love and then advocate for discrimination of God's children," Neely said. "This is about equality and justice, and those are causes that we all should be supporting."
For more on the county's non-discrimination ordinance, including Steve Mulroy's take on the issue, check out the story in tomorrow's Memphis Flyer.
Comments (35)
Showing 1-35 of 35
The sooner society understands that orientation and identity are NOT chosen, the easier it will be to pass such issues.
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This kind of ignorance is beyond flabbergasting. Even if these lunatics stick to their blatant denial of scientific evidence, they have absolutley no constitutional right to bring THEIR churches' mumbojumbo into OUR state politics.
And I'm sorry, but if we were all "made in the image of God" and there are, by nature, homosexuals...doesn't that mean that...well, perhaps I should leave that one alone before I'm beheaded in the name of the Loving Almighty. Long live the American Constitution.
Did they remember to stop and pray over the Karl Marx quotes in front of the main library too?
Steve Gaines needs to mind the store at Six Flags Over Jesus and stop meddling in what should be a secular issue.
Hypocrites, one and all.
God bless Bill Neely for standing up for what's right.
Steve Gaines should be ashamed of interjecting himself and Bellevue into this discussion. That church knowingly and deliberately covered up the sexual abuse of a child by one of their elders, regardless of their attempts to sweep it under the rug. there is no telling how many other incidents of abuse have occured there as well. The children of Bellevue would be a lot safer with gays and lesbians for caregivers than those sanctimonious power hungry jerks.
I'd like to know how William Owens knows I wasn't born gay? His statement makes as much sense as the church's faith-based belief of long ago that black people weren't of God.
I was born gay, and will die gay. And, God loves me.
God bless Bill Neely.
If I own a private business, I should be able to hire or fire any one for any reason. I am all for equal rights, and those rights should extend to business owners as well. There is no reason for the government to dictate my hiring practices, or any other portion of how I run my business. If the public doesn't like it, then I will not make money.
I encourage you all to write letters of support for Bill Neely...what an amazing pastor and Christian example. Also, it wouldn't hurt to share our comments with the pastors mentioned above as well as the county commission.
William Owens, like so many religionists, pretends that civil rights are somehow inextricably tied to immutable characteristics while disingenuously ignoring the fact that his religious beliefs are not immutable or innate, but in fact are CHOSEN BEHAVIORS for which he and others who simply claim to be members of some religious faith are afforded SPECIAL RIGHTS.
Fact of the matter is that most of the rights protected in the Bill of Rights are for chosen behaviors like speaking, publishing, peaceably assembling, keeping and bearing arms, petitioning for redress of grievance, refusing warrantless searches, refusing to testify against ones self...all behaviors that a person can choose to engage in or not.
Choice has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not a behavior should be protected by civil rights laws, and anyone making that case is not only ignorant of the law, but makes a case for rescinding the very religious freedoms that they themselves enjoy.
I believe this issue will go away soon after it ceases to galvanize the evangelical fear machine. I still agree with some who suggest this all boils down, in large part, to a choice of vernacular. For now, it seems, the definition of "marriage" shall be protected in its current (and in my opinion, archaic) terms. Perhaps, just now, the fight for that word is still an uphill battle in terms of advancing LBGT rights... and that's OK (fine, I'll take "civil union"). Remember, with the rich and mighty, always a little patience. This issue is only interesting to the Church as long as it continues to fill the pews (and the coffers).
gays haven't picked enough cotton to get to the front of the discrimination line. try being a very well qualified fireman/policeman and can't get promoted because your hair is too straight.
Small country, small town, small minded! It is still amazing that peoples lives are so driven by an overated fairy story that has managed to survive since it was formalised in 300AD.
They stoned Stephen for promoting equality and justice and the man that these hypocrites quote in their condemnation of homosexuality held the Pharisees' prayer shawls while they did it. It was and is a bad day for Christianity.
scout's correct of course. the culture warriors on the far right have lost this war, although most of them don't realize it yet. Oh yes, they'll win a few battles here and there, but it's always going to be a rear-guard action (snicker) they're fighting. In 50 years, people will wonder what all the fuss was about. Most younger people already DO wonder what all the fuss is about. Nothing you can do about it, wingut religionists....nothing you can do to stop it.
The real point here is the government dictating what a business should do. If a business man chooses to only hire a certain group over another is strictly his decision (Hooter's guys???). All this does is lead to quotas which is nothing but government sanctioned discrimination. It seems the line between private and government gets more and more blurred everyday.
Everyone supporting the ordinance, please contact Tennessee Equality Project and the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center to learn how you can help with the fight for equality.
mad merc, then in principle, a business owner (being an Ayn Rand superman after all) should be able to refuse to hire (or even serve) black people, or Asians, in violation of federal law, right? Our duly enacted by representative legislature laws and the Supreme Court disagree...btw, if you would read any history at all, you would know that government and big business have been in bed with each other for well over 150 years in this country. The railroads, the mining industry, the agribusiness concerns, etc., etc. That "line" got blurred a loooong time ago.
Churches that try to get involved this directly in politics should lose their tax-exempt, nonprofit status with the IRS.
This is crazy. If we offer gays/lesbians equal protection there will be chaos. Gay pride parades during lunch hours. Gay recruitment drives to intice our children to other side. The ole red whitie and blue will be in jeopardy. Pastors and priests will be flooding out of the closets. There will be a mad rush on leather chaps. There will be Arabic translators on the front lines. A max exodus from the Interior Design field as they pursue jobs with greater benefits. Chaos I say. Thong clad dancers roaming Bellevues parking lot. Eye liner shortage nationwide. I shudder at the probabilities.
This is crazy. If we offer gays/lesbians equal protection there will be chaos. Gay pride parades during lunch hours. Gay recruitment drives to intice our children to other side. The ole red whitie and blue will be in jeopardy. Pastors and priests will be flooding out of the closets. There will be a mad rush on leather chaps. There will be Arabic translators on the front lines. A max exodus from the Interior Design field as they pursue jobs with greater benefits. Chaos I say. Thong clad dancers roaming Bellevues parking lot. Eye liner shortage nationwide. I shudder at the probabilities.
Actually Packrat, yes. That should be a business decision. Not something mandated by more legislation. Yes the government/big business tryst is in desperate need of sundering, the point here is more about local government and local, or small business. Honestly this isn't about religious zealotry to me like the "ministers" quoted above. All I'm saying is that isn't freedom a two way street? What if I only want to hire gay men to work in my store? No one is offended then. That is my point.
I am not opposed to gay marriage or equal rights for gay couples. I'm against the government running my business.
It's not that I don't understand your points either, I'm just sick and tired of more "popular" legislation. The local government should be concerned with property taxes and crime...both of which are out of hand. After that smart growth (reigning in suburban sprawl), education, encouraging business growth, and a dozen other more important issues. We all get side tracked with these bits of lawmaking that truly make little impact, but get everyone fired up.
I hear you, your point is well-taken. I still support this though, mainly b/c of what it would say about our community if it were to pass; i.e., that we are welcoming, open-minded and not a bunch of hide-bound religious goofballs. But I'm letting my bias show.....
"Bunker quickly silenced any opposition to the pastors' statements by threatening to take the conference inside a private room"
...please do take yourself inside Mr Bunker, because nobody wants to hear your angry ranting.
These pastors are in no position to preach - half the people in their own community live below the poverty line, yet they drive around in $50,000 cars. Go figure.
I will say this (and it's my last word on this particular post): it really is gratifying to see such a bipartisan and biracial group come together to hate on 'dem queers, ain't it! Who says Memphis isn't making progress?
I guess we really agree, we just arrive at it from different directions.
You are right about trying to change Memphis' image, although it appears that certain evangelical leaders (is that an oxymoron?) see otherwise.
Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's. Just had to get that out because it's been running through my head for the last couple of weeks.
So now, little Bunkie has found something other than the sidewalk in front of the Central Library and Bible classes in SCS to rail about. Remember when he and Marilyn Loeffel claimed the art on the sidewalk in front of the library was "un-Christian" and was going to make every kid in Memphis a Communist?? LOL!! And when he proposed teaching Bible classes in county schools, he claimed he was defending the "Greco-Roman" civilization. (But he couldn't even pronounce "Greco"---he called it Greeek-o) This guy is dumber than a rock and on a mission from Jeeeeezus. Like the airport police, he's been given a little authority, so he's dangerous. Word on the street is he barely made it out of high school and hung out at strip clubs with boy pole dancers. But I guess that was before he found the Lord, and joined Bellevue, so that makes everything okay.
I am a religious (Catholic) gay man. In 2002, I had a satisfying job at a local Catholic religious employer and had been there for six fulfilling years. I wasn't exactly closeted, but I kept my orientation quiet on the job merely for the sake of being professional, and I received good marks on every evaluation. One day, for NO apparent reason, I was ousted and even told that I would not receive any recommendations from them for employment at a religious institution nor involving children. Local and national gay advocacy groups couldn't and wouldn't help me because a religious entity was involved and what they did to me was completely legal. My self-esteem and my faith life were irretrievably shattered that day. The Flyer published a small story on my ordeal, which helped, and I ultimately found a more accepting workplace.
Employment discrimination is WRONG, no matter what group to which one belongs (if any)--which is why I like the wording of the County Commission's resolution. Regardless of one's opinions about any group of people, no one deserves to be kicked out of one's job for any reason except one's own job performance. This is about the basic human dignity of the right to work for one's living.
(Getting bigots ingrained in their own self-promoting exclusionary braying to face the reality that sexual orientation is an immutable, morally neutral trait will take some time.)
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