Kentucky Church votes to ban interracial couples

[Goat]

From http://news.yahoo.com/kentucky-church-v ... 19318.html

A vote to bar interracial couples from a small church in eastern Kentucky has triggered hand-wringing and embarrassment.

Nine members of Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church backed their former pastor, with six opposed, in Sunday's vote to bar interracial couples from church membership and worship activities. Funerals were excluded.

The vote was taken after most of the 40 people who attended Sunday services had left the church in Pike County, near the border with West Virginia. Many members left to avoid the vote.

Most members of the church "didn't want anything to do with this," said longtime church official Dean Harville, whose daughter and her black fiance had drawn pastor Melvin Thompson's ire.

At services earlier this year, Stella Harville, 24, who is working on her master's degree in optical engineering, sang "I Surrender All" with her fiance, Ticha Chikuni, 29, a Zimbabwe native, according to her father. Chikuni, an employee at Georgetown College in Kentucky, played the piano.

"There didn't appear to be any problem," Dean Harville said on Wednesday. "None whatsoever."

But Harville said Thompson told him the couple would not be allowed to sing at the church again. Thompson resigned in August but would not drop the issue.

Thompson told a local radio outlet, "I do not believe in interracial marriages, and I do not believe this (ban) will give our church a black eye at all."

He could not be reached for comment.

The move has drawn scrutiny from the hierarchy of the Freewill Baptist Church, Harville said.

"This kind of thing brands all of us so easily," said Randy Johnson, president of the Pike County Ministerial Association. "That's not who we are. From all the churches I've talked to so far, it's really not anger so much as it is shock."

This kind of behavior was brought up in a few of the gay marriage debates. Is this any different?

[JohnPaul]

From http://news.yahoo.com/kentucky-church-v ... 19318.html

A vote to bar interracial couples from a small church in eastern Kentucky has triggered hand-wringing and embarrassment.

Nine members of Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church backed their former pastor, with six opposed, in Sunday's vote to bar interracial couples from church membership and worship activities. Funerals were excluded.

The vote was taken after most of the 40 people who attended Sunday services had left the church in Pike County, near the border with West Virginia. Many members left to avoid the vote.

Most members of the church "didn't want anything to do with this," said longtime church official Dean Harville, whose daughter and her black fiance had drawn pastor Melvin Thompson's ire.

At services earlier this year, Stella Harville, 24, who is working on her master's degree in optical engineering, sang "I Surrender All" with her fiance, Ticha Chikuni, 29, a Zimbabwe native, according to her father. Chikuni, an employee at Georgetown College in Kentucky, played the piano.

"There didn't appear to be any problem," Dean Harville said on Wednesday. "None whatsoever."

But Harville said Thompson told him the couple would not be allowed to sing at the church again. Thompson resigned in August but would not drop the issue.

Thompson told a local radio outlet, "I do not believe in interracial marriages, and I do not believe this (ban) will give our church a black eye at all."

He could not be reached for comment.

The move has drawn scrutiny from the hierarchy of the Freewill Baptist Church, Harville said.

"This kind of thing brands all of us so easily," said Randy Johnson, president of the Pike County Ministerial Association. "That's not who we are. From all the churches I've talked to so far, it's really not anger so much as it is shock."

This kind of behavior was brought up in a few of the gay marriage debates. Is this any different?

I think there are arguments on both sides of this issue. I personally have no problem with interracial couples but I know many people do. A church is a private, very personal social organization, not a government agency or a public business. I believe the church and its members should be free to decide for themselves who they choose to associate with and grant membership to their little social group. What if their religious beliefs limit it to only one racial group?

On the other hand, a church enjoys Federal tax-exempt status, which to some extent puts it under Federal control. I do not know the exact wording of the tax law which specifically provides for churchs, but I do know that other types of non-profit tax-exempt organizations must agree to provide a charitable or "public service" to the general public to maintain their tax-exempt status. However, it seems to me that loss of Federal tax-exempt status would make little difference to a very small church such as this. After all, I am sure they don't collect millions when they pass the plate. It probably costs them more in bookkeeping fees to make the required Federal reports than they save in taxes.

In any case, the people are free to vote with their feet, as many seem to have done!

John

[micatala]

It seems to me that an organization can have most any requirements for membership that they wish, particularly a religious organization that is protected under the first amendment. So, while I think it is not morally or religiously justifiable, the church can legally, in my view, exclude interracial couples as members.

However, worship services are more complicated. A worship service is typically a public event and anyone can walk in. Perhaps they exist, but I have never been to a church which "checked people at the door" to see if they should be there and I have been to at least a lot of different brands of Christian Churches, from what would be considered the extremely liberal to the very conservative.

How would this church "enforce" a ban on having interracial couples attend services? Call the police to have them evicted?

I suppose the church could post signs designating who is or is not welcome and have a person checking people at the door. In other words, they could voluntarily change their service from a public one to a private (members only) or semi-private event.

One could perhaps make an analogy with some political events. As I recall, Ralph Nader was barred from even attending a democratic debate back in 2000, and similar things have happened at Republican events. I am admittedly unsure of the legal justifications for these types of actions.

However, they usually come across as making the people running the show look bad.

[Goat]

It seems to me that an organization can have most any requirements for membership that they wish, particularly a religious organization that is protected under the first amendment. So, while I think it is not morally or religiously justifiable, the church can legally, in my view, exclude interracial couples as members.

However, worship services are more complicated. A worship service is typically a public event and anyone can walk in. Perhaps they exist, but I have never been to a church which "checked people at the door" to see if they should be there and I have been to at least a lot of different brands of Christian Churches, from what would be considered the extremely liberal to the very conservative.

How would this church "enforce" a ban on having interracial couples attend services? Call the police to have them evicted?

I suppose the church could post signs designating who is or is not welcome and have a person checking people at the door. In other words, they could voluntarily change their service from a public one to a private (members only) or semi-private event.

One could perhaps make an analogy with some political events. As I recall, Ralph Nader was barred from even attending a democratic debate back in 2000, and similar things have happened at Republican events. I am admittedly unsure of the legal justifications for these types of actions.

However, they usually come across as making the people running the show look bad.

Obviously They would physically assault them

[micatala]

It seems to me that an organization can have most any requirements for membership that they wish, particularly a religious organization that is protected under the first amendment. So, while I think it is not morally or religiously justifiable, the church can legally, in my view, exclude interracial couples as members.

However, worship services are more complicated. A worship service is typically a public event and anyone can walk in. Perhaps they exist, but I have never been to a church which "checked people at the door" to see if they should be there and I have been to at least a lot of different brands of Christian Churches, from what would be considered the extremely liberal to the very conservative.

How would this church "enforce" a ban on having interracial couples attend services? Call the police to have them evicted?

I suppose the church could post signs designating who is or is not welcome and have a person checking people at the door. In other words, they could voluntarily change their service from a public one to a private (members only) or semi-private event.

One could perhaps make an analogy with some political events. As I recall, Ralph Nader was barred from even attending a democratic debate back in 2000, and similar things have happened at Republican events. I am admittedly unsure of the legal justifications for these types of actions.

However, they usually come across as making the people running the show look bad.

Obviously They would physically assault them

Somehow I don't think this will be the usual response of the church. The information in the story here is rather incomplete, but the Pastor and at least one Deacon seem likely to be charged by the Pastor's son, one of membes of the gay couple involved. I doubt most Pastor's would, even in "the heat of the moment," risk that happening.

[Goat]

Somehow I don't think this will be the usual response of the church. The information in the story here is rather incomplete, but the Pastor and at least one Deacon seem likely to be charged by the Pastor's son, one of membes of the gay couple involved. I doubt most Pastor's would, even in "the heat of the moment," risk that happening.

Probably not.. but it seems when it comes to gay couples and conservative congregations in the rural areas of the bible belt, emotions run high, and even higher when family is involved.

[McCulloch]

Is this any different [than the behavior of some churches against same-sex couples]?

The only difference is about fifty years.

[David 2.0]

This is what happens when the inmates are allowed to drive the bus.

God is love.
Jesus is not white.
Combined with some "do unto others" and a slice of "love thy neighbor." (Which is patient and kind and...)

Whats that spell?
A ban on interracial marriages!
Go team!

Democracy is over rated.

[Chuck_G]

Nine members of Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church backed their former pastor, with six opposed, in Sunday's vote to bar interracial couples from church membership and worship activities.

These 9 member that backed the pastor are absolutely perfect examples of human garbage. May they rot in their imaginary hell.