Church says it will ‘reconsider’ Indianapolis convention if governor signs anti-LGBT bill

[KamaAina]

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2015/03/church-threatens-to-cancel-indianapolis-convention-if-governor-signs-anti-lgbt-bill/

Organizers of large church gathering say they’re considering moving their event from Indianapolis over a “religious freedom” bill that critics say would legalize discrimination against LGBT people.

Leaders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) wrote Wednesday to Gov. Mike Pence urging him to veto the proposal prohibiting laws that “substantially burden” the ability of people to follow their religious beliefs.

Church leaders say they are reconsidering plans to hold their 6,000-person General Assembly in Indianapolis in 2017 because of concerns that some members might face legally sanctioned bias.

“Our perspective is that hate and bigotry wrapped in religious freedom is still hate and bigotry,” Todd Adams, the associate general minister and vice president of the Indianapolis-based denomination, told The Indianapolis Star. Adams said the Disciples of Christ would instead seek a host city that is “hospitable and welcome to all of our attendees.”

This is not even a particularly liberal denomination.

[stone space]

1. They wanted to see religious freedom. Well, this is what religious freedom looks like.

Be careful what you wish for!

You might just get it!

[riversedge]

2. time to leave--do not do a Rush Limpballs!

[Politicalboi]

3. WOW!

I've been waiting for something like this to happen. Now we need the bigger churches to chime in.

[hamsterjill]

4. “Our perspective is that hate and bigotry wrapped in religious freedom is still hate and bigotry,”

I really love that quote! Says it all!

[oldandhappy]

5. WOW Well done

Yes. "... hate and bigotry wrapped in religious freedom is still hate and bigotry..." Absolutely.

[angrychair]

6. Pence don't care

He is already securing the militia, tea party, NRA and KKK conventions for Indiana. They must be so proud!

[KamaAina]

7. You laugh and you scoff

but Indiana was a KKK hotbed into the 1920s.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

8. He signed it

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/indiana-governor-signs-religious-freedom-bill-that-legalizes-discrimination-against-lgbt-people/comments/#disqus

[MisterP]

9. hey, "liberal" is always super-broad--so we get things that may surprise us

Iran is much more trans-friendly than the Caribbean, the Vatican's condemnations of abortion come from the same rationales as its condemnation of the death penalty, and Gregory XVI was considered an ultrareactionary precisely for condemning capitalism and demanding that the state butt out of nominating clergy!

the important thing is to suss out tactical alliances, ones that don't compromise (social) liberalism at all

[Warpy]

10. I understand GenCon is talking about leaving

but contracts will keep them there until 2020. They will likely leave if this horror of a bill isn't declared unconstitutional.

I do love the smell of backlash in the morning. Pence has stepped into a wasp nest with this one.

[Cha]

11. Wow.. great! A Chuch! Disciples of Christ would instead seek a host city that is “hospitable and

welcome to all of our attendees.”

This is a BFD! mahalo KA

[KamaAina]

12. Honolulu?

[Cha]

14. Very much so!

[Ms. Toad]

13. 89 leaders of religious communities in the Disciples of Christ signed the faith based amicus brief

in support of same gender marriage in the current Supreme Court cases on same gender marriage. So it doesn't surprise me.

http://www.kramerlevin.com/files/upload/Brief_Obergefell.pdf (start looking on page 5a)

(I'm actually named in the brief )

[Cha]

15. Very Cool.. mahalo, Ms Toad~

[Ms. Toad]

16. Thanks!

The faith based group I am part of has participated in 12 (if I remember the count correctly) of these, including one filed in the Windsor case which was then picked up and quoted by the court in the Kitchener case. It's been quite fun.

So having my name in this one (especially if the case goes the right way) will **almost** make up for being the bio mom in the only appellate same gender adoption case in my state (which went the wrong way )

[appalachiablue]

17. 1958 establishment of the JBS, the John Birch Society in Indianapolis, Indiana by

founder Robert Welch and 12 leaders including Fred Koch of Koch Industries and father of Charles and David Koch. The ultraconservative group was named for the American soldier killed in 1945 by the Communist Chinese. The group is active. Values include Christian principles, anti Federal Government, anti Communist and collectivist and anti Civil Rights.

Award winning author and *DU member Claire Conner is the daughter of JBS founder Robert Welch. At age 13 Claire was made to join the group by her national leader parents, but later left and went on to tell the story in her book, "WRAPPED IN THE FLAG" (2012) which warns how the radical right plans to take America back to 1900. See: The Red Scare, McCarthy Era

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Birch_Society

[KamaAina]

19. 1900? I didn't realize they were that progressive!

Slavery had been abolished by then.

[appalachiablue]

20. Post Slavery came Jim Crow, or slavery by another name. Now meet James Crowe, Jr. and

John Birch Jr., quite a pair. 1900 does seem like an era of progress esp. compared to the many challenges now, extinction for one.

[raven mad]

18. Decent folks come in all religions - and none of them!

Thanks for the surprise and a good quote: "hate and bigotry wrapped in religious freedom is still hate and bigotry"

Sometimes, the ball rolls UPHILL! Thanks for your post - it does my heart good!

Edited to add: off the same site is a reminder that private enterprise isn't the only thing that can boycott: "http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2015/03/ncaa-says-it-will-monitor-impacts-of-indiana-religious-freedom-bill/ "