Methodist Jury Convicts Lesbian Minister

Posted December 2, 2004, 12:51 p.m.

Another update on this story I’ve been following, a jury in a church trial has convicted Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud of violating United Methodist Church policy on avowed homosexuals in the ordained ministry.

AP makes the same mistake that the Washington Post so often makes, incorrectly referring to pastors (ordained ministers) as ‘ministers.’

As I’ve said in previous posts, I believe the jury made the right decision. Even if you disagree with church policy on homosexuality (which I do not), pastors who voluntarily become ordained ministers in the United Methodist Church agree to follow its rules. Thus, if somebody breaks the rules they should be held accountable.

The penalty phase comes next.

Methodist Jury Convicts Lesbian Minister (Associated Press via MyWay.com).

Scott Bradford has been putting his opinions on his website since 1995—before most people knew what a website was. He has been a professional web developer in the public- and private-sector for over twenty years. He is an independent constitutional conservative who believes in human rights and limited government, and a Catholic Christian whose beliefs are summarized in the Nicene Creed. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University. He loves Pink Floyd and can play the bass guitar . . . sort-of. He’s a husband, pet lover, amateur radio operator, and classic AMC/Jeep enthusiast.

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Christian morality and God’s law are not arbitrary, but are specifically given to us for our happiness.

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In cases of this sort, let us say adultery, rightness and wrongness do not depend on committing it with the right woman at the right time and in the right manner, but the mere fact of committing such action at all is to do wrong.

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