Basic Rights Or Fundamental Obligations?

Basic Rights Or Fundamental Obligations?

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Story Published: Mar 17, 2004 at 10:15 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:26 AM PDT

By Ken Schram

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SEATTLE - It's the difference between basic rights and fundamental obligations.

Religious organizations certainly have the right to deny gay men and women a role as minister or rabbi.

But I believe they also have a fundamental obligation not to do that.

Rev. Karen Dammann is about to find out if the Methodist Church exercises its rights, or lives up to its obligations.

Rev. Dammann is the ordained Methodist minister who has acknowledged that she lives in a lesbian relationship.

Her church has put her on trial to decide if her sexual orientation is incompatible with Methodist law.

Her calling to God may be denied because of a conflict with leaders of her church.

I believe the following: Most who condemn homosexuality do so insisting that it's a person's 'choice' to be gay or lesbian.

They've GOT to believe that it's a 'choice', or accept that gays and lesbians are as God made them.

Since God doesn't make mistakes, they can't shun homosexuals without also shunning God's children.

I find it incredibly sad how hateful people can be, cloaking their hate behind the love of God.

In this instance, I hope the Methodist pastors will look past what they have a right to do, and accept the obligation of what they should do.

Want to share your thoughts with Ken Schram? You can e-mail him at kenschram@komo4news.com

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