Committee removes gay pastor from clergy roster / LJWorld.com

Archive for Friday, July 6, 2007

Committee removes gay pastor from clergy roster

July 6, 2007

Atlanta — The openly gay pastor of Atlanta's oldest Lutheran church has been removed from his denomination's clergy roster.

But the Rev. Bradley Schmeling said Thursday he will not leave the pulpit of St. John's Lutheran Church, a decision that could open the 350-member congregation to disciplinary action from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

In a decision issued Monday, a 12-member appeals committee ruled 10-2 to immediately remove Schmeling from the clergy roster. An earlier panel's ruling had allowed the pastor to stay on the roster until Aug. 15.

By ELCA rules, Schmeling is now a lay person within the denomination who shouldn't wear a stole or perform sacraments, said Emily Eastwood of the Minnesota-based gay rights group Lutherans Concerned.

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jonas 6 years, 9 months ago

Okay. Sounds like a good starting line for a song though. I'll get back to you.

spywell 6 years, 9 months ago

Jonas: Musturdseed-head, your always sowing something.

spywell 6 years, 9 months ago

Erod0723: Perhaps you misunderstood the point I was trying to make. Religion, is man made, man makes what ever makes him feel good. That why there are so many different religions. If man wants a gay church, he can make one. The church is the church is the church, means that reguardless of which church your referring to, the church is the individuals faith in the god he worships its not about any one of the many religions. Futhermore, the stories that I referred to are in the bible, I do not know where, but I read them once. I thing you are mixing my post with some other post. But if you feel this strongly about it you should start a gay church. You know, pet the dog.

75x55 6 years, 9 months ago

americorps - you've consistently claimed to be a Christian, and as such you must have some opinion of the nature of sin and the person of Jesus. I would be very interested to know how that opinion shapes your view of this subject of this article (as noted in your post of 6 July 2007 at 2:49 p.m.).

Your repeated claims to be a Christian necessarily means that you hold certain key precepts - whether you think others are trying to 'control your faith' or not. Your answers to my questions regarding sin and Jesus should display those precepts clearly.

Nothing 'passive aggressive' about it - you either have core beliefs in these areas, or don't.

erod0723 6 years, 9 months ago

"If you have a church for gays, man will mold it into what ever he feels society will accept, make you feel good about your self, what ever. Mans best friend." Spywell, You probably believe that people choose to be homosexual don't you? Well, study after study has shown that people are preprogrammed to be gay. According to your religious beliefs, God creates everyone and has a specific purpose for them. Therefore, God is creating gay people. That kinda throws a big kink into your anti-homosexual agenda, doesn't it? Homosexuality is not an abomination, it is a life choice. Read up on the studies on homosexuality in the animal kingdom. Does your dog really care if it's humping a male or a female?

americorps 6 years, 9 months ago

75 you asked nothing but a passive agressive rhetorical question.

Do you have something legitimate to ask or are you simply playing.

I will wait for a question.

There is not room for you to control my faith, and I will never accept that.

75x55 6 years, 9 months ago

Yes, nightie, by all means - lets hear something from Mr. americorps, whom the questions were posed to...

jonas 6 years, 9 months ago

Uh oh, I sense yet another attempt by nightmare to ask about when life begins and where it says so in the Bible.

yourworstnightmare 6 years, 9 months ago

75x55 barbed: "As usual, the key questions are avoided."

What, pray tell, are the key questions that are being avoided? Let's discuss them. I would like to know your answers to them.

Let's talk.

americorps 6 years, 9 months ago

Bubble,

I know many false Christians try very hard to justify hate, segregation and have developed a higherarchy of sins that some they will tolerate and some they will not in priests.

It is all false Christianity and against God. and a load of crap.

I simply will not blow smoke up your behind and pretend it is legitimate Christianity.

Godot 6 years, 9 months ago

"pillow of salt." Now, that is funny.

quietgirl 6 years, 9 months ago

I took Bubbles comment to be a joke...'openly gay'...that maybe she was joking about them doing 'it openly'...but I am hungover right now so I may be way off!!

jonas 6 years, 9 months ago

Ahhhh. . . . I thought it was a general thing. I guess I did notice a couple of questions. I thought it was in reference to the specific topic.

OldEnuf2BYurDad 6 years, 9 months ago

"Jesus walked with Mary Magdalen..."

And others who were called "sinners". Mary's role in Biblical history is that she was a sinner who found her way because of the gospel, and repented of a life of sin. Jesus helped people CHANGE their ways, he didn't hang out with prostitutes in order to show "tolerance", but to show them that they were loved and could turn away from their sin.

75x55 6 years, 9 months ago

jonas - read previous postings, that's the trick. Also, they are directed at americorps.

jonas 6 years, 9 months ago

I know what the Basilica is. I've been there, and it's pretty neat. It's just the rest of what you posted that makes me confused. I'm operating under the theory now that you actually never sleep, which is why your generally interesting ideas lie mostly buried under stream-of-consciousness, slightly mad ramblings and horrific grammar.

And, errr. . . . Mustard head? At least it's a new one. . . .

spywell 6 years, 9 months ago

Jonas: its where Peter is believed to be buried, you know, in Rome. Your such a mustardseed-head, but your honest. Jesus, told his followers, as he ask, Peter, "whom do they say I am" and Peter said "the son of God", Jesus said, "who do you say I am, Peter, " .........and then Jesus said "on this rock I will build the Church". That why I said the church is the church is the church, reguardless who is leading it because the church is about faith and man has made religion his best friend to do what ever man wants it to do. If you have a church for gays, man will mold it into what ever he feels society will accept, make you feel good about your self, what ever. Mans best friend.

spywell 6 years, 9 months ago

Erod0723: The devil works in misterious ways.

jonas 6 years, 9 months ago

I was going to say that the church has a right to deny this man a position as clergy, but then I wondered what would happen if they tried to do it on other criteria, such as race or gender. But still, it is a pretty specifically mentioned part of their religion, fit in with the people with tattoos, beard-trimmers, the salt-spillers, witches, etc. I must admit, though, that I fail to see why a gay person would even WANT a position of power in the archaic institution known as the Christian Church.

In the end, I would say that the rest of the world having as little influence on the church as possible would be a good thing, but that is only because then, hopefully, the church would have as little influence on the rest of the world as possible. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case.

jonas 6 years, 9 months ago

Spywell: "The Basicalia, well that Peters, church, and he's never going to leave that one." Can you, errr, try that one again? I'd like to understand it, but I'm afraid I'm not able to.

Bubbles: I do believe that the first person to mention the method with which homosexuals perform sex was yourself. It's been my experience that gay folk rarely talk about it of their own volition, any more than straight people talk about which positions they do their own companions in. It is usually some somewhat infantile opponent of homosexuality that first starts talking about this particular topic, and it is usually the same that continues to obsess over it.

75x55: If you don't tell us which key questions you're referring to, then how are we to know which ones to avoid?

purplesage 6 years, 9 months ago

ELCA does not spell fundy. Good for them despite the pressure to accept the standards of the world. Romans 1

spywell 6 years, 9 months ago

Again, religion, is becoming mans best friend. Like a dog, you can teach the dog to do new tricks, kick it, step on it and forget to feed it and it still loves you. You can pat it on the head and it will forget all about the bad thats happend.

spywell 6 years, 9 months ago

When Lot left Sodom and God destroyed the cities he ordered Lot and his family not to look back upon these sinful people, but to leave. Lots wife looked back and she turned into a pillow of salt.

75x55 6 years, 9 months ago

As usual, the key questions are avoided.

b3 6 years, 9 months ago

Gay pastors are just wrong, its bad enough that non-catholics allow their pastors to wed at all.

americorps 6 years, 9 months ago

shockchalk,

I am a free american and I do not hate bigoted idiots, I pity them.

I also disavow that their version of my God is about hate, discrimination and seperation.

I do not, however, try to use all my power and the laws of this nation to make them believe as I do...

I simply resist your attempt to force others to conform to your false image of Christianity.

But supremecists seldom see the difference.

beatrice 6 years, 9 months ago

Homophobia is queer.

erod0723 6 years, 9 months ago

"If your homosexual behavior is bothering you listen to your conscience. It's there for a reason." Mick, That has really stopped all the catholic priests, the adulterous heterosexual couples, and heterosexual couples that get divorces at astonishing rates these days. You, sir, are a hypocrite.

75x55 6 years, 9 months ago

You'll have to explain that last paragraph, Stain. It doesn't seem to pass the 'rational thought' test - though it does get high scores for hate-filled rant.

Hey, americorps - in addition to the place for 'sin' in your view, whatcha think about Jesus?

Stain 6 years, 9 months ago

shockchalk (Anonymous) says: Americorps::::How come you don't worry about all of the hate spewed out towards Christians in this country?

Nobody ever spewed anything negative toward Christians in this country until the Christians decided to become their own political party and spew hatred toward other (I know, they call it "moral values" but it's hatred, plain and simple).

gogoplata 6 years, 9 months ago

It is thier church, they can run it how they want to. If you don't like it, to bad. Don't be a part of it. My church would not allow a gay pastor. If they did, I'd switch churches. If you want to be gay, that is your choice, it's none of my business. Just don't expect the rest of the world to be ok with it.

jimincountry 6 years, 9 months ago

Send the pastor to the Pakistan/Afghanistan.......if he converts a bunch of taliban-types, make him a bishop!

consumer1 6 years, 9 months ago

Fight like a liberal "on your knees".

mick 6 years, 9 months ago

If your homosexual behavior is bothering you listen to your conscience. It's there for a reason.

shockchalk 6 years, 9 months ago

Now you're getting it Chief. You see, tolerance is a myth that the left spreads thick and liberally (pun intended). They really only have tolerance for those who share their views.......You have to hate Bush, Republicans, conservatives, Christians, and especially unborn babies.

Chief_Tonganoxie 6 years, 9 months ago

All Lutherans must accept one person or else they'll be labelled as bigoted, intollerant and closed minded. But those labelling Lutherans are exempt from the same criteria........hmmmm

shockchalk 6 years, 9 months ago

Americorps............How come you don't worry about all of the hate spewed out towards Christians in this country? I guess you have no problem with hate as long as it's directed towards those you disagree with? Maybe you should pray for yourself.

75x55 6 years, 9 months ago

Is there no room for sin in your gospel, americorps?

americorps 6 years, 9 months ago

I do not believe that homosexuality is a sin nor against the laws of God or nature.

However, even if they were...

Jesus walked with Mary Magdalen and the modern Christians push hate and discrimination in the name of God.

The modern Christian Supremecists have no connection to God nor Faith, they are simply hateful bitter bigots who have lost their way.

I pray for them and their hatred.

Pywacket 6 years, 9 months ago

Bubbles: WTF are you talking about? If you're discussing something you read outside THIS article, please reference it. What's got you so sweaty?

In THIS article, Rev. Schmeling does not make any mention of "how he does it." No graphic details to offend your delicate sensibilities, no list of preferred positions. All I see is an account of someone unjustly released from his job.

Do you have an opinion about the Lutheran church's actions on this matter? Or did this just look like a good opportunity to voice your paranoia and prejudice about gays? If the latter, don't look now, but heteros talk about sex (how they do it, how often they do it, how many partners they enjoy, etc) just as much as gays do.

hawkperchedatriverfront 6 years, 9 months ago

He can come to Lawrence.

smitty 6 years, 9 months ago

Stud..stallion...good lay...easy...prostitute...s & m...anal.. fridgid...voyeur...3 second wonder...asexual...auto erotic..etc...Too complicated for the curiously simple minded? Whooo hooo...Weird.

How they do it can be found at your nearest library, complete with photos and if you are lucky, a description. I know plenty of people that identify either bi/homo/hetro/autoerotic who choose to keep it to themselves how they do "it" thus do not discuss the topic except privately cause it is private.