Federal lawsuit filed against "The Star" (Fundies sue rightwing paper)

[IndianaGreen]

Fundies are so rightwing that they sued a rightwing newspaper!

Federal lawsuit filed against "The Star"

(The Indianapolis Star is a newsgathering partner of Eyewitness News.)

Scott Swan/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis, June 15 - "We don't preach. But, we simply reflect who we are. We're Christians." James Patterson and Lisa Coffey say The Indianapolis Star discriminated against them for their religious beliefs.

So they've filed a federal lawsuit.

Patterson says management became upset after he says he wrote an editorial asking people to pray for US troops in Iraq. "I didn't go around writing editorials every day about Christian beliefs, but I'm a Christian. And, you cannot totally separate who you are from what you write."

Lisa Coffey said her problems began after newspaper editor Dennis Ryerson rejected her proposed series on sodomy.

She said the relationship soured during an email exchange with Ryerson about world views. "He said he didn't believe in absolute truth that people in life search for their own personal views of truth and I told him that I actually believe in the Bible and the Holy Spirit."

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=3475633&nav=9Tahb2yw

[Skip Intro]

1. Oh, the poor, persecuted "Christians" - well, at least they don't whine.

Metting the standards of your employer - some bosses demand it.

Doesn't she have a marriage to stop, or a yellow ribbon to buy?

[xchrom]

2. poor, poor persecuted christians.

boo-hoo.

[merwin]

3. Uh, you work for a newspaper. You're not entitled to print whatever the

hell you want. It has to be approved by management. It doesn't matter if it's religious or not, they have the right to not print something if they don't want to.

[hippiechick]

4. I guess the daily prayer wasn't enough for them ...

.... I almost barfed when I first got my hands on a hardcopy of The Star and saw that they really do print a prayer everyday.

All I need from my newspaper is NEWS, thank you. :puke:

[mondo joe]

5. "Christian sues for freedom to due whatever the fuck he wants...

...because, y'know, he's a Christian."

Funny how so many now demand being a Christian = the right to do (or not do) anything they choose.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Fundies have convinced themselves that this country was founded as

a Christian nation by such Christian luminaries as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. This is why there is such a move afoot to merge the state with the church, their church that is.

What is sad is how the mainstream Christians have allowed their Taliban brethren to dictate what is acceptable behaviour and what isn't. I cannot imagine how inappropriate it must have been Linda Coffey's articles about "sodomy" that a rightwing newspaper like The Star would not print them.

[Lautremont]

6. "Her proposed series on sodomy."

Why is that so funny?

[depakid]

8. If the shoe was on the other foot....

And a Wiccan had asked people to envision a zone of protection around the troops- or God forbid- cast a protective spell- I wonder what the reaction would have been?

[mondo joe]

11. Just think: a woman was fired for a Kerry bumpersticker - but these

people feel they not only can't be fired but they can do ANYTHING they want and not be fired.

[billyoc]

9. Sounds like these moonies are pissed

about being discriminated against for attempting to discriminate against gays. :crazy:

Tell me again about this "tort reform" stuff? :shrug:

[POAS]

10. can you say frivilous lawsuit?

[mitchum]

12. Bring on the lions!

I am sick of these asses

[mondo joe]

13. The old Money Right doesn't realize what it's gotten in bed with.

Partnering up with the fundies must have seemed like a means to an end. But they didn't know what a cancer they've attached to themselves.

[PurityOfEssence]

14. They won't bend every fiber of their being to support my god, THE FIENDS!

Since when is persecution defined by not supporting MY beliefs? (Well since the primitive dawn of egocentric man...)

[Bluerthanblue]

15. She's a liar-

she says she actually believes in the 'bible' and the holy spirit-

The 'bible' says (and if she REALLY means what she says, she wouldn't be working at a newspaper, nor would she hold any position of 'authority' outside the home)

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak”-- 1 Corinthians 14:34).

But more importantly, is the issue of using the COURT which is a 'civil' institution to settle her 'dispute'-
The bible clearly tells people to NOT be 'sue ers' and to avoid litigation at all costs- from the old testatement through the new testament-

If she is stuck on sodomy old testament 'rules' she must abide by the ENTIRE 'law'-

including:

" Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. " (Matthew 5:23-25)

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:17-21

No one brings suit justly,
no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
conceiving mischief and begetting iniquity.
Isaiah 59

“If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints?” -- 1 Corinthians 6:1 NIV
or the older version 1 Corinthians 6:1-12
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?

“Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1) and “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged, condemn not and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37)

i'm sick of the religious hypocricy-

i'm also doing what i'd 'want done to me'- if i was spouting the kind of crap she is i'd want to be called on it-

walk the talk-

[atreides1]

16. She's not a liar

She's part of that new Christian Sect, more commonly referred to as the "Buffet Christians".

They pick which parts of the Bible that they want to adhere to, the only problem is that they fail to be consistent.

[Bluerthanblue]

18. beg to differ, but i still

say she's a liar-

if she believes the bible to be the infalllible, 'god-breathed' 'Word' of God-
(as defined by most fundementalist cultic bible churches) i was in one, and it is those of us, who believe there is some 'truth' in the bible, but that is not something to be worshipped, or held up as a weapon against those who live lives which 'we' decide is unacceptable- (while doing things that violate some other portion of 'the law')-

it is WE who don't call the bible 'the final word' who are called smogasboard 'christians'-

i believe Christ offered a way of living that is quite a change from the life advocated by most 'bible believing fundies' - a life that does bring hope and change- and an end to selfish legalism-

i understand what you're saying- but the fellow in the 'suit' at least said he embraced other 'views' - SHE said she 'believed the bible'- and that's not consistant with her behavour-

thanks for the reply

[daleo]

17. "her proposed series on sodomy"

I thought that was what Dan Savage's columns were for (among other things).

[Felix Mala]

19. Too bad, Patterson did some good until lately... Got Hoosiers

thinking about racial issues, something they definitely need. But he was so far out on Gays, you wondered what his "ultimate solution" might be. He also believes Middle Eastern terrorists were involved in Oklahoma City bombing... He should have stuck with civil rights issues.