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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 19520
[Religious]
Date Posted:
3/27/2008
3:04:20 pm EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 4,867
RSS: 12,100
Comments: 10
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Religious Leaders Speak About Faith And Homosexuality
Author: J.J. Alcantara Source: The Daily Reveille (LA)
Title: RELIGIOUS LEADERS SPEAK ABOUT FAITH AND HOMOSEXUALITY
Four religious leaders spoke to University students about the stances of their respective religions on homosexuality. The Gays, Bisexuals, Lesbians, Supporters United hosted the interfaith panel Wednesday evening in the University Student Union.
Don Meeks, reverend of the Wesley Foundation, said the United Methodist Church follows the position that they are people with open hearts, open minds and open doors.
The Rev. Keith Mozingo of the Metropolitan Community Church said the struggles he faced between his own sexuality and religion hindered him and held him back.
Velvet Rieth, archpriestess of the Covenant of the Pentacle Wiccan Church, said doctrines do not mean anything if people who do not have an Earth to stand on.
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Community Thoughts: There are 10 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| I Was Saddened... | Mar 29th. at 8:08:16 pm EDT
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DodiaFae (Rhode Island, Rhode Island) - Email Me
Not only that Rev. Velvet's words were misquoted (so typical of many reporters, but luckily not all) , but that there didn't seem to be a Catholic priest on the panel.
But, all in all, I think that this was a very good thing to take place. Thank you, Rev. Velvet, not only for representing the Pagan community in such an enlightened way, but also for clarifying where the article went wrong.
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| The Rabbi Was Dead On | Mar 29th. at 3:56:44 pm EDT
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Jenna (Cary, North Carolina) - Email Me
About what he said about homosexuality and Scripture being interpreted in the context of the times. When the Torah was written, loving, committed relationships between two men or women of similar age did not exist. What were homosexual relationships back there were little more than sexual slavery employed by the Greeks and Romans. In order for a young boy to earn his apprenticeship, he had to allow himself to be used sexually by his master. The Jews saw this as being cruel and against humane treatement of the young and hence spoke out against it. Also, bear in mind, that the Jewish community was very small in proportion to the Pagans and every person of maturity was needed in order to breed more Jews. Obviously, with overpopulation, we don't have that issue anymore. It's wonderful to see a Wiccan priestess on the panel. It's about freakin' time! I'm happy to see that the religions are coming together to review this issue. However, when you have a faith that teaches that everything wrritten in its Holy Text comes directly from God and must obeyed without question and never changes, I don't see how there can be much progress. If, as many liberal Jews and nonfundalmentalist Christians do, the Bible is viewed as an allegory and an evolving book and not a set in stone creed from the Creator of the Universe, why hold on to it at all? How can anyone determine what is true and "holy" and what should be regarded as a relic of the unenlightened past? The only problem with Luther was that he did not go the one baby step further and question the validity of the Bible itself. When a faith holds that it has the answers of life straight from the Creator's mouth, it either must be questioned in its entirety or accepted in its totality. One should not pick and choose and consider himself to be a good Christian or Jew. Choosing what seems to be true and right for the age in which we live is absolutely no different than what moral atheists and other nonreligious do, and should be regarded by all as being the same. Morality is decided by the age and the mentality of the times; not by dusty texts.
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| Atleast It Was Interfaith This Time | Mar 29th. at 12:39:27 am EDT
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Mordechai (Edmond, Oklahoma) - Email Me
i hate it when they say interfaith and its just a bunch of xians talking about which demonination can claim the title of most bigoted.
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| A Few More Things You Should Know... | Mar 28th. at 10:44:27 pm EDT
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Rev. Velvet Rieth APS C.P.W.C.- ATC (Metairie, Louisiana) - Email Me
The Rabbi DID relate that older doctrine about Homosexuality must be taken in the context of the times....that it was written a long time ago and we must consider that.
Rev. Meeks, the Methodist Pastor, was very candid in admitting that his Church still struggles with the issue of Sexual Orientation vis a vis the Bible etc. He said all are welcome and that they are 'working on it' so to speak. I admired his honesty, as did the folks in the room.
The Pastor from the MCC, was funny, enlightened and Gay. He was fair minded and his first person perspective enriched the discussions. He was also Wiccan friendly.
We touched upon such topics as Civil Liberty, Marriage, Celibacy for Clergy, gay and straight, in the Methodist Church, spiritual purity...confrontational hardliners...etc.
It was a rich and well rounded discourse, and the young participants were smart, funny, honest, candid and so very introspective, and had genuine concerns regarding the work of Spirit.
I had a really wonderful discussion about the Hebrew Agregarian Calendar and celebrations, and that of Wicca and there is a plan in the works, to create rituals wherein in we find what is common in the work of Spirit, in both calendars.
Thanks for reading. Vel
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| The Danger Of Taking A Quote Out Of Context | Mar 28th. at 10:30:38 pm EDT
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Rev. Velvet Rieth APS C.P.W.C.- ATC (Metairie, Louisiana) - Email Me
Hi Folks! Velvet, here!
The remark about ecology was in an opening statement about Wicca and our thoughts on what is sacred, and I said that we consider the Earth to be so, and all of her creatures too...flora and fauna.
I also said that all the debate about religeous doctrine meant little, if we had no planet on which to continue to wage religious wars, so to speak. I spoke of our Agregarian calendar too.
This was one part of a much longer dialogue.
I did address the G,L, Bi, Transgender issues...my own opinion and that of my very diverse church circles, which have Jewish Witches, Christian Witches and others, as well as Wiccans.
What I said was that we have no doctrine to share about such a matter, as we considered each person to be sacred, created as the God/dess intended....and did not have an issue to discuss. I had students at this lecture, who verified being a part of a 'family' wherein they were accepted and loved without exception.
The brick wall remark was made, when a lovely young woman was asking what to do when a hardline zealot was in her face, diatribing about being the one with the TRUTH. I suggest that she not lose her cool or her joy in her Spirituality, and not engage in the arguement those fools are generally seeking...but to simply wish them well in their faith and while walking away, suggest that she would do the same......I also said that we all are free to answer to the voice of Spirit, that is our God/des, that calls to us.
It was a good time, a fruitful event and it went really well.
I regret that the 'reporter' quoted out of context....but I assure you all...gentle readers.....that I am a seasoned lecturer and work really hard to put our Old Ways out into the World, with intelligent discourse. It was a really good event and a privilge to participate. BB Vel
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| What?! | Mar 28th. at 11:04:14 am EDT
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Lady-hearted Mojo (Irving, Texas) - Email Me
"Velvet Rieth, archpriestess of the Covenant of the Pentacle Wiccan Church, said doctrines do not mean anything if people who do not have an Earth to stand on.
"You cannot debate with a brick wall," Rieth said."
Please, please, please tell me there is more to this article...and I use that term loosely. I mean, what kind of response was this regarding how Wicca views and approaches homosexuality. So much could have been said, yet we get some nonsense about not having a Earth to stand on and debating brick wall! Did Ms. Rieth really not have anything more intelligent to say?!
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| Was A Wonderful Panel | Mar 27th. at 6:40:51 pm EDT
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Shadow (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) - Email Me
I'm a student at LSU and was present for the panel. We all had a great time, and it was interesting to see how these religious figures responded to questions as to how to respond to homophobia. I'm hoping we'll be able to make this a tradition at our school and that it will grow with age.
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| Making Progress | Mar 27th. at 5:45:04 pm EDT
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Nocturnal Light (Camp Humphreys, Kansas) - Email Me
Before I started down a more Pagan/occult path starting last year, I was a "liberal" Christian. While I am not gay myself, I was part of a quiet but growing movement in Christian circles that is pushing for full acceptance of homosexuals as "brothers and sisters in Christ" and re-examination of what the original Biblical scriptures really say about homosexuality.
I'm probably being overly optimistic, but I'm glad there seems to be some progress in orthodox religions to rethink some of thier dogma.
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| Speech Is Fine. They Need To Do... | Mar 27th. at 4:16:36 pm EDT
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
It is one thing to preach a good game, it is another thing to practice it. Many christian denominations are very welcoming, until they find out the stranger in their midst is a different denomination, Atheist, Pagan, or Gay. Then you see the welcome go by the wayside in a hurry.In fact, one is lucky if they don't try to push them bodily out the door in an effort to hustle them away for fear they might be contaminated by something.
Gays are people and deserve to be treated as such, and it is past time that christians figured that out.
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