Minister innocent of misconduct for performing lesbian weddings

[davidinalameda]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/03/03/state/n182646S70.DTL

A veteran Presbyterian minister who was the first of her faith to be tried for officiating the weddings of gay couples was found not guilty of misconduct Friday for violating the denomination's position on same-sex marriage.

A regional judicial commission of the Presbyterian Church (USA) ruled 6-1 that the Rev. Jane Spahr of San Rafael acted within her rights as an ordained minister when she married two lesbian couples in 2004 and 2005.

Because the section of the faith's constitution that reserves marriage for a man and a woman "is a definition, not a directive," Spahr "was acting within her right of conscience in performing marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples," the tribunal said in a written ruling.

A tearful Spahr, 63, a longtime lesbian activist who if found guilty had faced sanctions ranging from a rebuke to removal from the ministry, rejoiced at the verdict. Flanked by her lawyers and the two couples she married, Spahr said she would continue performing same-sex weddings.

:woohoo:

[MadMaddie]

1. God works in mysterious ways!!

:applause:

[MuseRider]

2. That is good news!

Every now and then good sense and good community rears up and does the right thing.

[Maat]

3. Yes, sometimes people do the right thing.

She will keep her position, and hopefully be able to keep on fighting for the rights of GLBTQ individuals in that church.

I'm very happy about the decision, but not so happy that she is fighting an uphill battle in the church I was raised in (but left at 15) so that they will allow openly GLBTQ ministers to become pastors. Why hasn't that occurred already?

[ninkasi]

4. With so much bloodshed and hatred and violence in the world...

it makes no sense to prevent people who love each other from getting married, and enjoying the same status as married heterosexual couples. Why can't people understand that love is always better than hate, and who a person loves is a deeply personal thing , and should not be interfered with by bigots who are afraid of the liberation that loving brings?

If a person is opposed to gay marriage, then don't marry a person of the same sex. That is a person's right. What is NOT their right is to deny the right to other people who feel differently. I am so very, very sick of religion imposing it's beliefs on others. They do not have the right to make personal decisions for themselves, and to deny that right to others.

[davidinalameda]

5. I really hope this sets a precedent for other ministers

this is fantastic news for the GLBT and people of faith

rulings like this will bring more people into the church because it shows that God loves all of us and not just a select few like the fundies would like us to believe

[xchrom]

6. bravo!

:applause: :applause: :applause:

conservative christians are soon going to have to wake up to the fact -- that there are christians out here that believe very, very differently than they do.

that in this time we are NOT all brothers and sisters in christ -- and they are not the sole determiners of the faith.

[Behind the Aegis]

7. Hope is still alive!!!

Even if this was on technical wording, she has shown that G-d is about love!

Have no fear, fellow gays, G-d (or whomever....or not) still loves you! We are equal! We shall always be so, until we relinquish that right!

[JerseygirlCT]

8. Good for her! nt

[cally]

9. From a personal point of view

I can go back to the church I was raised in. :bounce:

[davidinalameda]

10. good for you baby!

:hug: