N E W S - June, 1998

In response to the failure of the Methodist church to discipline Rev. Jimmy Creech for officiating at a same-sex union, twenty-two Methodist pastors are requesting to leave the body of the church and take their congregations with them.

In a signed statement to their church the pastors wrote, "Evangelical theology is incompatible with the dominant values of tolerance and inclusion held by the [Methodist] conference leadership. The differences touch every area of church life."

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Pakistani Christian Ayub Masih was accused by his Muslim neighbor of praising Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses." Masih denies the claim. But in Pakistan only one witness is required for a blasphemy charge which carries the death penalty. Two hundred Christians are in prison in Pakistan facing the death penalty for blasphemy. As a minority population they are particularly vulnerable to local populations seeking to banish them and take their land.

Catholic Bishop John Joseph, in response to Masih's charge, led a protest last week to the local courthouse. The 65-year-old priest then put a gun to his head and killed himself. Joseph's action has drawn international attention to the situation in Pakistan.

Masih's sentence has since been suspended.

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The Wisconsin legislature signed into law a bill putting a pregnant woman's body under the jurisdiction of juvenile courts. The right of the court exists at the time of conception, which civil libertarians find problematic. This allows the court to confine a woman found using illegal drugs to a treatment program, a hospital or jail, or place her in the care of a physician or a relative. Social service agencies in Wisconsin report that there are not enough openings in treatment centers for pregnant women who come forward voluntarily, let alone those under court order.

Opponents of the bill are concerned that pregnant women who use drugs will avoid their physicians and prenatal care altogether further endangering the state's fetus.

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State Representative Tom Feeney of Florida sponsored a bill to publish another special license plate. This one has two child-like figures with the slogan, "Choose Life." Portions of the profit will be divided among not-for-profit groups that support women who choose to give their children up for adoption. Feeney and his supporters refused to change the slogan to the less biased "Adopt a Child."

Two Florida doctors have been murdered for performing abortions and several Florida abortion clinics have been bombed. Feeney has chosen to ignore these facts.

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Governor Paul Patton of Kentucky signed an amendment into state law that allows members of the clergy to carry concealed weapons. Rural clergy had argued that they needed protection against armed robbers that might come after the collection plate.

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A disgruntled Vatican Guard shot and killed his superior officer and that officer's wife, then turned the gun on himself. The victim Alois Estermann had been captain of the guard and had shielded Pope John Paul during the 1981 assassination attempt.

The shooter, Cedrich Torney had been upset by recent treatment at the hands of his superior, Estermann. Rumors that he was upset by the required gay and frilly uniform, designed by "friend of Dorothy" Michelangelo, are unfounded.

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Many thanks to frederique, our news slave, for sending all the clippings.

Female Sex Characteristics in Christianity | Poppy's Church Diary | Miss Helen's Testimony
The Christian Honeymoon | Jesus Commercials | The 1997 Sex Tour
Curiosities of the Bible: The Two Ladders, Pt. 2

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