Perhaps it is not coincidence that the UUC advertisement flap -- the shame of NBC/CBS -- comes at exactly the same time as the United Methodist Church kicks a lesbian out!---The following is from Soulforce --->---Rev. Beth Stroud found "guilty" by the United Methodist Church for "practices 'incompatible' with Christian teaching" and loses her credentials."Verdict shows blatant hypocrisy of the United Methodist's"*****************************************Soulforce Press Release: December 2, 2004 For Immediate ReleaseContact: Laura Montgomery Rutt Cell: 717-278-0592 laura@soulforce.org****************************************(Spring City, PA) On December 2, 2004, Rev. Beth Stroud was found guilty by a jury of her peers in the United Methodist Church for "violating 2702 1b of the Book of Discipline by engaging in a practice declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teaching." Stroud loses her credentials as an elder in the United Methodist Church.Rev. Stroud, a minister at First United Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG), was on trial because she is an "out" lesbian in a committed relationship. The trial took place in Eastern Pennsylvania, at Camp Innabah near Pottstown, PA."The United Methodist Church's deceptive marketing slogan is 'Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors', but the Church's heart, mind, and doors are not open to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people," declared Laura Montgomery Rutt, Director of Communications for Soulforce, Inc. "This verdict shows the blatant hypocrisy of the United Methodist Church and poignantly illustrates the spiritual violence that the Church perpetuates against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, both inside and outside the church."Soulforce defines spiritual violence as "the misuse of religion to sanction the condemnation and rejection of any of God's children." Soulforce was present outside the trial, carrying signs that challenged the church to "Stop Spiritual Violence." Also vigiling were members of FUMCOG, Reconciling Ministries Network, Affirmation, and the Methodist Federation for Social Action.Over the past thirty years, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church has established policies and adopted church laws that discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, denying them opportunity to be ordained clergy and to celebrate loving committed relationships in holy unions. Soulforce was also present at the United Methodist church trials of Rev. Jimmy Creech and Rev. Karen Dammann. Rev. Creech, who is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Soulforce, Inc., was defrocked in 1999 for performing a holy union for two men. Karen Dammann was tried for being a "self-avowed practicing homosexual." Karen was acquitted by a jury in April 2004, in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference.After the verdict and the penalty were announced, Soulforce and Beth's other supporters erupted into the song, "We are Gentle, Angry People" as a means of nonviolent protest to the verdict.Soulforce is a national interfaith organization committed to ending spiritual violence perpetuated by religious policies and teachings against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Soulforce teaches and employs the nonviolent principles of Gandhi and King to the liberation of sexual and gender minorities.
http://www.soulforce.org
