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News Story: Gay man wins £47k church payout

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Paul_UK, Feb 8, 2008.

  1. Paul_UK

    Paul_UK Guest

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    A gay Christian who won a claim against the Church of England has been awarded more than £47,000 in compensation.

    John Reaney took the Hereford diocesan board of finance to an employment tribunal after his appointment as a youth worker was blocked.

    Bishop of Hereford Anthony Priddis has apologised and gay rights group Stonewall said the "substantial compensation" sent a clear message.


    Full story here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7234617.stm

    Note how the church are trying to crawl out of this though, saying it is not to do with sexuality but sexual relationships outside of marriage.


    Anni Holden, spokeswoman for the diocese of Hereford, said.....

    "We are now aware that when making such an appointment we must make it clear if it is a genuine occupational requirement that the post-holder should believe in and uphold the Christian belief and ideal of marriage, and that sexual relationships are confined to marriage."

    "This is the crux of the matter, not sexual orientation."
     
  2. beckyg

    beckyg Guest

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    It seems anti-gray groups (both churches and other right wing organziations) are using very different terminology to support their anti-gay rhetoric. Even the James Dobson - Love Won Out conferences are doing this. I have a PFLAG conference call on Saturday and we're going to be on the phone with Lambada Legal who is going to share some of this terminlogy with us. It should be very interesting!
     
  3. Jeimuzu

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    I'm glad to hear that. I don't like religion - it seems like a lazy substitute for understanding the world, a pull-the-blankets-over-our-heads-pretend-this-isn't-happening attitude to life and death, and an excuse to be prejudiced for no good reason all rolled up into one huge ball of scripture.
     
  4. Paul_UK

    Paul_UK Guest

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    I agree.... though I wouldn't have said it so strongly!
     
  5. Jeimuzu

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    :slight_smile: No, most wouldn't. I'm not normally so harsh, but religion can be so damaging - especially to those, like us, of an alternate sexuality. So yeah. I always think that you can't be gay or supportive and still be religious; being supportive or indeed homosexual is against most religions.

    I want everyone to turn Wiccan. I don't think it makes any more sense than the others, but it makes just as much, and one of the Goddess' main points (tenets? Maybe...) is "All acts of pleasure are my rituals." Which means that if it feels good, she's already given her blessing.

    It's my favourite religion, from an objective perspective.
     
  6. suburbs_of_sodom

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    Just to respond to Jeimuzu, it's completely possible to be gay and religious, even Christian. I'm Episcopalian, and at my church, half our clergy is gay. Our associate head rector is actually an African-American gay female, showing that it is entirely possible to be a deeply religious Christian and still a member of any minority.

    How do we justify homosexuality in the church when there are a few references in the bible to homosexuality being a sin? Quite easily through two means. 1: Jesus gave us a new commandment: to love our neighbors as ourselves, a commandment to be held only second to "you shall have no other god but me." And 2: God created us all, and if God doesn't make mistakes, how can our innate qualities be wrong? As I understand it, sin is derived from the incorrect choices that we make which lead us away from god, not from the natures which god bestowed to all of us.

    I'm sorry, I just get very annoyed when people make sweeping generalizations about topics they know little about, simply based on a few limited perceptions. While I agree that there are many Christians, as well as others, who use their faith to attack gays, to say that Christianity is the problem is simply wrong. The problem is that certain people are so prejudiced that they will turn to technicalities in doctrines of love to espouse their hateful views.
     
  7. Alex89

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    "sexual relationships are confined to marriage."???

    How many christian people do you know that HAVEN'T had sex before marriage?

    If they did a check I'm sure the church would be kicking out its entire congregation. =S