The real issue is equality
New to Coeur d'Alene since spring, I have enjoyed having The Press delivered to my doorstep. It has informed me about my new community, entertained me and on occasion left me with, "OMG, how could anyone think that, let alone write it?"
What prompted me to write concerns the mayor's race and the recent ordinance on equality. That was a major issue in the Coeur d'Alene Press when I arrived in town. Wanting to get a sense of my new community, I attended the council meeting that dealt with this issue. I was encouraged by the council's vote for equal protection for all its citizens, but recently read what amounts to waffling among two of the mayoral candidates. I had considered writing a letter a couple of weeks ago, but in the interim, others addressed this issue with eloquence and historical background. Then, I read a My Turn piece by Pastor Bryan and felt a response was in order.
Discrimination in any form is wrong and throughout history our country has struggled to eliminate its many forms. Discrimination argued on religious grounds, which constituted the prevalent opposition presented to the council and the column by Pastor Bryan is particularly egregious to me.
When a church discriminates, it becomes little more than a private club, certainly not the open arms of the unconditional love of Christ. Pastor Bryan stated in reference to our moral compass, "Christianity resolves this dilemma by appealing to an objective moral standard that stands over and above every human society - Christian and non-Christian."
Frankly, he lost me here since non-Christians know nothing of the sort, not taking their moral or religious cues from the Scriptures, as well as the fact that many Christian scholars can't even agree among themselves on some of the context of the Scriptures.
Concerning equality, solid evidence of diverse standards and beliefs is that several mainstream churches now ordain gay clergy. When I lost my husband of 42 years last year, one of the wonderful people who helped me most is an ordained minister in not one, but two, mainstream protestant denominations. This pastor not only lives the Christian faith of servant more than almost anyone I know, but quite incidentally happens to be gay.
It's hard for me to imagine a Christian faith so narrow that it would inform anyone to treat this pastor with less love, less inclusiveness and less rights simply because of orientation. We are a multi-cultural country with diverse religious views, and/or no religious views, with our equal rights rooted in our founding civil documents. Government is based on civil law, not a singular theocratic doctrine. I would hope our new mayor and new council will continue to stand up solidly for something as basic as equality and human rights.
Patricia Melsha is a Coeur d'Alene resident.