Denver-area church refuses to show video of deceased gay woman kissing fiancée
Denver-area church refuses to show video of deceased gay woman kissing fiance
A Denver-area church that was about to host a memorial service for a recently deceased gay woman refused to show a video of the woman kissing her fianc.
The funeral at New Hope Ministries in Lakewood abruptly canceled the service and moved the funeral to a funeral home after church officials insisted images of the couple kissing could not be shown in the ceremony.
Gary Rolando, a chaplain contact by the womans family to officiate the service, said Tuesday that the family of Vanessa Collier refused to remove the photos from the memorial video. Rolando is not affiliated with New Hope.
Jose Silva, a friend of Collier's, said some 200 friends and family were asked to leave the church. The woman's casket was taken to a nearby funeral home that had arranged the church service, and the memorial was held there with the complete video, Silva said.
"They asked the family to edit the video, and that was like editing Vanessa's life. It was demeaning," he said.
New Hope Ministries referred all calls for comment Tuesday to Rolando.
Dozens of Collier's friends protested outside the church on Tuesday, Silva said.
"The church policy is that people with alternate lifestyles can have services, but there can be no pictures or videos of overt kissing or hugging," Rolando said. "I understand both sides. The family wanted to honor Vanessa, and the church has to answer to its board and the members who pay their bills."
The church's website says it was founded in 1981 and "is a place where those bound by drugs, alcohol, gangs and violence can find an 'Ounce of Hope.'"
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/01/14/denver-area-church-refuses-to-show-video-deceased-gay-woman-kissing-fiancee/?intcmp=latestnews
Absolutely ridiculous.
Those members of that church waiting for the Second Coming would be well to distance themselves if, in fact He really comes back. Roman Catholic Church too. Remember what Jesus supposedly did to the Pharisses in the Temple at Jerulalem. That would look like a tea party compared to what he would do to those preaching religion in his name, and in fact don't practice what they preach.
Hypocrisy !!
Thank God I am a Methodist!!!!!
I'm not going there for church!
What a shame...
lol...
"The church policy is that people with alternate lifestyles can have services, but there can be no pictures or videos of overt kissing or hugging,"Butit's alright for them to put their money in the offering.?
I wouldn't either.
Why wouldn't it be? No one forced them to join the church, no one forces them to give money. Putting money in the till doesn't give you the right to tell others how to think.
Thank God for the First Amendment!
But which of the 30 different types of Methodist? Some Methodists ban homosexuals from membership, some don't and it seems to change depending on the day of the week.
It seems fairly obvious that you shouldn't join a church that you have fundamental disagreements with about theology.
The Church had no problem with Gay people joining the Church, so, it shouldn't be a big deal to show a video of the couple.
Re: Methodists :
All religions pretty much suck on the issue of homosexuality.
Yup!!
Thank who???
lol....I got it...
HIGH FIVE!!
In response to 'which' Methodist Church.
The United Methodist Church has a policy the members on each individual congregation have the option to accept or deny openly gay members. While voting in the individual poll at my own church myself and many others decided to accept them. After all the ministers son is an openly gay member. There is also a Methodist church less than 10 miles away that is openly gay with a gay minister and congregation.
I laughed, and out loud, too! (says the deranged, but only in the worst psychotic and/or sociopathic not to mention untreatablekind of way, formerstew.)
Hal...
Good question. I could just as well label myself a Christian. Or a Spiritualist, or a Believer, or an Atheist!
Labels are something that is in name only, that we use to identify ourselves to others. White, Black. Norwegian, Texan, male female,... aren't we all human beings? Being a Protestant, I label myself a progressive Methodist and practice that faith in the church that best fits my religious needs. Could I say that if you are a Roman Catholic, then you support pedophilia by priests, subjugation of whole ethnic groups in the name of God. If you are Islamic, do you support, unquestionaly, jihad in the name of Allah. Or if you are an Atheist you shun others simple because they believe in some form of a Higher Power, what ever name you may call it?
What I am saying is that I do not support some factions of the Methodist Church, but will continue to practice my faith in a manner that makes me comfortable, and reject those tenets that do not fit my needs.
Hope that makes some sense to you Hal. Not trying to be argumentative, just stating my opinion.
This is true of the vast majority of religionists though, so I guess you're no different. Atheists refer to this as buffet Christianity, taking what you want and leaving what you don't want. If you use a label like Spiritual, or Believer, or Deist, you don't end up in this conundrum ... but you also aren't going to be as well received by a church of an organized religion. Is there a component to your religiosity that is driven by an eagerness to be accepted into a particular community?
I agree RW!
I doubt that she ever stepped foot in that church alive. Other sources indicate that the family made the funeral arangements and notified the church that she was gay at that time. There is nothing to indicate that she was ever a member of that church.
The church policy is that people with alternate lifestyles can have services, but there can be no pictures or videos of overt kissing or hugging," You're right RW!
Acts 10:34
So Peter opened his mouth and said: Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
AMEN !!