Good news: A black church in Boston says it's called to be a sanctuary

[guillaumeb]

Last edited Thu Oct 12, 2017, 05:13 PM - Edit history (1)

From the article:

Bethel AME is no stranger to political activism. But the mostly African American congregation has taken up a new mission. In late September, the parish decided to give shelter to a man from El Salvador facing deportation. 

To read more:

https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-10-10/black-church-boston-says-its-called-be-sanctuary

EDITED TO ADD:
I posted this with the caption "Good news" because I believe that the specific action taken by this particular church is actual good news. I am not stating, nor am I implying, that I agree with every position held by officials of this particular church.

[trotsky]

1. Do you know if the AME church has changed its stance on homosexuality and LGBT rights?

https://www.hrc.org/resources/stances-of-faiths-on-lgbt-issues-african-methodist-episcopal-church

“The official position of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is not in favor of the ordination of openly gay persons to the ranks of clergy in our church. This position reaffirms our published position papers, public statements and prior rulings, all of which indicate that we do not support the ordination of openly gay persons.”

...Earlier in the year, before marriage became legal for same-sex couples in Massachusetts, the Rev. Gregory G. Groover Sr., an AME pastor in Boston, explained why AME preachers opposed the move. He was quoted in the Boston Globe on Feb. 10, 2004, as saying:

“As black preachers, we are progressive in our social consciousness, and in our political ideology as an oppressed people we will often be against the status quo, but our first call is to hear the voice of God in our Scriptures, and where an issue clearly contradicts our understanding of Scripture, we have to apply that understanding.”

[Act_of_Reparation]

2. Hard to say what Hammond's current positions are, but he lobbied hard against marriage equality.

He was an advisor with Alliance for Marriage back in 04 and 05. Maybe he's changed. Maybe not. I'll hold back on my applause until this gets clarified.

[guillaumeb]

3. I have no idea.

But given the substance of this post, and the topic, what do you think of the topic?

Weak attempt at framing.

[Act_of_Reparation]

4. Framing.

You keep using this word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[guillaumeb]

6. Okay, I am convinced.

[trotsky]

5. "Weak attempt at framing?"

What about your weak attempt out of severe desperation to find SOMETHING good about religion to post that you're willing to overlook clear and plain bigotry to do so?

You're railing about intolerance on another thread. The definition you gave for it is "unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or behavior that differ from one's own."

The AME church appears to be quite significantly intolerant. That was a HUGE concern for you in another thread, but it isn't here?

Why the double standard?

[guillaumeb]

7. The definition that I gave for intolerance

was to help you out because you seemed uncertain about the meaning of the word. And it is not "the definition that you(I) gave for it, it is the actual definition.

And the good news that I posted IS actually good news.

[Act_of_Reparation]

8. In other words:

"I will overlook intolerance when it conveniences me to do so."

Yeah, we know.

[trotsky]

9. Bingo. n/t

[guillaumeb]

10. No, it means that if a poster makes an erroneous claim that I misused a word,

I will rebut that claim. And the claimant has not reiterated the initial erroneous claim.

[Act_of_Reparation]

11. In other words:

"I will beat away on some tertiary quibble to avoid addressing the main idea."

Yeah, we know.

[guillaumeb]

14. I already addressed the idea.

And it is not a quibble if one poster insists on a different meaning for a word in order to attempt to rebut my use of the word.

[trotsky]

17. WOWOWOWOWOWOW

...it is not a quibble if one poster insists on a different meaning for a word in order to attempt to rebut my use of the word.

That sound you heard was the utter destruction of every irony meter within a 300-mile radius of your location.

[guillaumeb]

18. Your title was interesting.

The rest, not so much.

[Act_of_Reparation]

19. No, you didn't.

You whinge ceaselessly about the intolerance of atheists and yet here you are, praising some sycophantic asshat who campaigned against marriage equality. In Massachusetts, of all places. Explain yourself.

[guillaumeb]

20. Sanctuary equals "good news" in my opinion.

Do you agree, or disagree?

[trotsky]

13. So is the AME Church intolerant of LGBT rights?

A simple yes or no question. Please answer "yes" or "no."

[guillaumeb]

15. A reading of your quote answers the question.

[trotsky]

16. Is the answer "Yes" or "No"?

Please answer.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

12. Bethel AME can go pound sand

Hope this man from El Salvador isn't gay and doesn't want to marry a man, because he may find his sanctuary revoked because Bethel AME is a bunch of fucking bigots.

But, hey, yeah, GOOD NEWS!