06/19/2006
When asked, newly elected Episcopal church leader Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori says homosexuality is not a sin: "I don't believe so. I believe that God creates us with different gifts. Each one of us comes into this world with a different collection of things that challenge us and things that give us joy and allow us to bless the world around us. Some people come into this world with affections ordered toward other people of the same gender and some people come into this world with affections directed at people of the other gender."
Gay Iraqi hostage James Loney to receive "fearless" award from Pride Toronto. Says greatest fear was that captors would Google him and find out he is gay: "I was worried that if the captors did find out, that it would substantially change my treatment or would, or could, endanger my life. It would have entered a whole kind of range of unpredictability into the situation that didn't need to be there."
The latest rumor: Apple planning to release "ultraportable" computer.
Joining Tim Andreadis at Dartmouth, Ryan Fournier rises to the top as Ohio State University's first openly gay undergraduate student government president.
Faculty members at Ryerson University in Toronto turn their backs on anti-gay commencement honoree: "Can you image gay and lesbian students sitting there getting their degree and someone is being honoured at their graduation who says, 'You shouldn't have your rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?'"
Ringleaders in cowardly Santa Fe gay bashing of James Maestas in February 2005 are sent to rehabilitation rather than prison. Judge: "You both would be ruined if I sent you to prison. I would be throwing you away. I don't want to do that."
Posted 4:16 PM EST by Andy Towle in Apple, Crime, Education, Elsewhere, Religion | Permalink
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My boyfriend and his dad are Episcopalians. I used to think they were just full of it, because they kept saying things like "Oh, we're Episcopalian, you can believe whatever you want." Then I read about Queen Elizabeth codifying that philosophy, roughly saying that you can believe whatever you want in your heart, but everyone participates in these assoorted common rituals. So now I have to keep my mouth shut. But Yay Episcopalian President Lady! All this and I'm listening to Paul Anka's version of It's a sin.
Not anymore Paul!
Posted by: David | Jun 19, 2006 5:14:09 PM
By "ruined," do you suppose that judge meant "fresh meat turned rotten?"
Posted by: Circuit Mouse | Jun 19, 2006 6:21:46 PM
One still longs for the time when there are not judges left who feel more sorrow for those violent than their victims.
A more reasonable judge was involved in another trial. Those interested might tune into Lifetime tonight for the movie about the murder of transgender Gwen Araujo, more brutal in its own way than even Matthew Shepard's. And as I keep ranting: one imagines Elizabeth Vargas, her out gay producer, and ABC's "20/20" doing a special report "proving" it was Gwen's fault. That was certainly the thrust of the attorneys for her killers.
Posted by: Leland | Jun 19, 2006 7:38:16 PM
Three cheers for Katherine Jefferts Schori!
In the early years after Christ's crucifixion and from it's spread out of Judeah and Israel, women were accepted as equals in Christian groups and were often preachers, prophets and evangelisers. But after the church's acceptance, the patriarchs of the Roman empire banned them from taking a full part in the religion they followed.
And now we've returned full circle, with women now starting to return to positions of importance within the movement. However, only once the Vatican finally accepts and starts appointing female priests, bishops and, dare I say it, a female Pope (I can dream, can't I?), will we know that things have returned to the way they were meant to be.
Posted by: Ian | Jun 20, 2006 2:02:53 AM
I'm all for gender equality, but let's not kid ourselves. Women can be just as craven, ruthless, and idiotic as men can be. All we have to do is look at Margaret Thatcher and Hillary Clinton to prove it. (Elizabeth the first was no delicate flower either... ) A female pope would likely be no more receptive to our plea for fair treatment than the Evil-Emperor-from-Star-Wars-lookalike who currently has the job. Maybe even less so.
Posted by: Brian | Jun 20, 2006 8:49:11 AM
compassion is worthless when it's applied only when it suits us. i applaud the judge's decision. if the rehab works, that is. we all deserve to improve our lot.
Posted by: Brad | Jun 20, 2006 9:08:49 AM