Virginia Presbyterians Defeat Measure to Allow Gay Ordination

As the Richmond Times Dispatch is reporting, the Medieval flat earth element within the Central Virginia Presbytery has defeated a measure that would have allowed non-celibate gays and lesbians to become ordained, preferring instead to embrace the oft modified and manipulated writings of scientifically ignorant and uneducated authors of the Bible. One cannot help but wonder when some denominations will recast their prejudices and bigotry and come into the 21st century. Likewise, one can only wonder how unkindly history will view these benighted denominations that prefer to embrace ignorance as they denigrate others. Here are some story highlights:

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After a concise and civil debate, area Presbyterian leaders voted 192-125 against a constitutional amendment that may allow noncelibate gays and lesbians to become ordained.

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The current constitution calls for fidelity in marriage or chastity in singleness as a requirement for ordination and installation to church office. That language bans sexually active gay people from church leadership. Passed in 1997, the "fidelity and chastity" requirement has been debated and challenged several times since then. At its General Assembly last June, the church's highest legislative body passed an amendment that would basically end that requirement and consider more than a person's sexual life.

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Voting on the measure continues nationwide until June. To become church law, 87 of the 173 presbyteries must endorse it. So far, 30 presbyteries have voted for it and 41 against. Fourteen of the 30 opposed the amendment previously but switched their votes.

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Dodie Rossell, a pastoral psychotherapist and a Presbyterian minister, said the American Medical Association determined in 1980 that homosexuality is not a sickness. "We in the church are often behind the science," she said, adding the church needs committed Christians and "we are smaller when we don't have them."