Methodist panel upholds anti-gay ruling

[kweerwolf]

The United Methodist Church's top court has refused to reconsider its ruling that a minister acted correctly when he refused church membership to a gay man, the church announced on Tuesday.

The nine-member Judicial Council was split on the matter, however, reflecting the continued divisions within many churches on the treatment of homosexuals in matters ranging from same-sex marriages to roles in the clergy.

The tribunal reaffirmed a decision made last October that the Rev. Edward Johnson of the South Hill, Virginia, United Methodist Church was within his rights for refusing to admit a homosexual man to church membership and should not have been suspended for doing so.

The earlier ruling said Johnson followed church law that gives the pastor-in-charge the right to decide who can be received into membership. It said he should be reinstated and given back pay to July 1, 2005, when he had been removed by his bishop.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060502/us_nm/religion_methodists_dc_1

Yet another denomination joins Southern Baptists and Catholics on the list of organized hate groups.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Just joining?

Not ordination? JUST CHURCH MEMBERSHIP? WTF?

Do the Catholics throw gay folks out of the church?

[marmar]

2. I guess that "God is Love" message doesn't apply to everybody....

And they wonder why so many people are turned off by ORGANIZED religion.

[xchrom]

3. can said man get back his tithes he's made?

if any?

i hope bad, bad things happen to the methodists right now.

and yes i know there are wonderful methodists -- but this has an official stamp and i hate that.

catholic priests want to deny the eucharist -- and you couldn't join many catholic churches if you are out and gay, i know i attended a questions class.

southern baptists{many} would do violence to us.

[davidinalameda]

4. so what's going to stop a racist from not allowing people of color?

we all know that haters have used the Bible for generations to support racism