RESPONSE: To Pastor Paul Van Noy

God created all human beings to love each other regardless of their spiritual, moral, or social standing. God, a power of the universe greater than I can comprehend, can, and has made man and woman capable of loving whom they choose. Injecting conservative Christian dogma into this conversation only serves your narrow view of right and wrong. I am not questioning that right to do so. Your right to do so ends with you and your beliefs. If people follow your kind of Christian teaching, that is their choice. It’s not for everyone. So, stop claiming that we, as human beings, must believe and think like you.  

My question for you, Pastor Van Noy is, have you bent a knee to lift up the poor … have you bent a knee to lift up the disenfranchised … have you bent a knee to lift up an LGBTQAI human being … have you bent your knee to lift up another person from any other different spiritual path? Your pastoral approach, Pastor Van Noy, is working with your congregation, but it is not serving our diverse community.    

And, Pastor Van Noy, there is a separation of church and state in our Constitution. The belief you hold that your Christian views are exclusive and must be the only representative faith with our City Council disregards the many forms of faith that are represented in the opening prayer at the City Council every meeting. All faiths are part of your diverse community.  

RALPH SHAY

Coeur d’Alene