Mississippi church refuses to marry black couple

[{ Emilia }]

Seriously? What the hell is this.

Mississippi church rejects black wedding

There has never been a black wedding at the First Baptist Church in Crystal Springs, Miss., since its founding in 1883. According to Pastor Stan Weatherford, some church members objected so strongly to breaking that precedent, they threatened to oust him from his pastorship.

Rather than risk his job, Weatherford, who is white, said he decided to marry the pair at a black church down the road.

I hope the conservatives on this board will not tell me how it's okay for a pastor to refuse to marry blacks as long as it "causes no physical harm"?

 

[JarodRussell]

Mhmm... I love it. *shakes head*

 

[Rhaven]

It's pure BS, that's what it is.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

Colour me surprised, liberals want to force churches to perform unnatural marriages against their religious beliefs and conv... Wait, they weren't a gay couple? Hm...

Well...

Um...

Uh...

Um...

I...



I don't think that there's any substantial difference between this and other acts of discrimination and unfairness that certain church officials would have no shame to indulge in, and I don't think they are any more or any less in violation of the gospels that they presumably follow. If Jesus were a present-day figure, he would most definitely side with the couples in all instances where the church refused to marry them.

I'm actually happy that they did something more prominent that would outrage more people, because it means that more people will take it for what it truly is and won't buy into the religious beliefs excuse.

Then again, people can always surprise you, I'm waiting for someone to jump in and defend the church by saying “I don't agree with what the church did, but doing anything about it would be a slippery slope to forcing them to marry Hortas!”

 

[Gotham Central]

Seriously? What the hell is this.

Mississippi church rejects black wedding

There has never been a black wedding at the First Baptist Church in Crystal Springs, Miss., since its founding in 1883. According to Pastor Stan Weatherford, some church members objected so strongly to breaking that precedent, they threatened to oust him from his pastorship.

Rather than risk his job, Weatherford, who is white, said he decided to marry the pair at a black church down the road.

I hope the conservatives on this board will not tell me how it's okay for a pastor to refuse to marry blacks as long as it "causes no physical harm"?

These last few years, the open racists have been coming out of the woodwork. They no longer feel ashamed of their attitudes and know that they won't face much social stigma for acting on such feelings.

 

[The Dominion]

I'd love to hear them try to defend their position from a Biblical perspective, the hypocrites.

 

[gturner]

It may have nothing to do with racism, as the bride went to the church, her uncle worked there, and her dad was a member, as was the black woman interviewed for the story. Her wedding had already been set weeks before, so obviously the pastor and the staff at the church had no idea that anything was amiss. Someone else raised the issue, possibly based on a prophecy made in 1913 by the old gypsy woman outside town, that the first black couple to wed in that church will die in a fire on their wedding night and their spirits will forever wander the samps. The old folks in the town probably know all about it.

 

[Gov Kodos]

It may have nothing to do with racism, as the bride went to the church, her uncle worked there, and her dad was a member, as was the black woman interviewed for the story. Her wedding had already been set weeks before, so obviously the pastor and the staff at the church had no idea that anything was amiss. Someone else raised the issue, possibly based on a prophecy made in 1913 by the old gypsy woman outside town back, that the first black couple to wed in that church will die in a fire on their wedding night and their spirits will forever wander the samps. The old folks in the town probably know all about it.

You have a link for this alleged (and fairly obvious racist) story? The article quoted above distinctly says they the decision to change venue was because the couple is black.

 

[E-DUB]

You are now entering Mississippi. Please set your watch back fifty years.

 

[gturner]

You have a link for this alleged story? The article quoted above distinctly says they the decision to change venue was because the couple is black.

Of course it was because the couple was black, if the prophecy is that the first black couple married there will die in a wedding night fire and have their souls wander the swamps, which could be why a church founded in 1883 that has black members hasn't ever had a black wedding. It could be black members there that threw up the red flag on the gypsy prophecy, screaming "You ignorant white folks don't know about the prophecy?!!!!"

 

[The Dominion]

It may have nothing to do with racism,

Stop right there and consider this: they didn't want the couple to be wed at the church because they were black. How do you logically get "It may have nothing to do with racism" from that?

Of course it was because the couple was black, if the prophecy is that the first black couple married there will die in a wedding night fire and have their souls wander the swamps, which could be why a church founded in 1883 that has black members hasn't ever had a black wedding. It could be black members there that threw up the red flag on the gypsy prophecy, screaming "You ignorant white folks don't know about the prophecy?!!!!"

What gypsy?

 

[Knight Templar]

I'd love to hear them try to defend their position from a Biblical perspective, the hypocrites.

You cannot defend it from a Biblical perspective.

I find it regrettable.

But it is the church of the members there and is strictly up to them to decide what to and what not to do.

 

[The Dominion]

But it is the church of the members there and is strictly up to them to decide what to and what not to do.

I agree, a church shouldn't have to marry anyone that the religion disagrees with. That's why churches aren't the only way to get married. But that doesn't change the fact that those people were acting out of blatant bigotry that has no base in their religion, and the pastor was a coward to not tell them to go to hell if they didn't like it.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

It may have nothing to do with racism,

Stop right there and consider this: they didn't want the couple to be wed at the church because they were black. How do you logically get "It may have nothing to do with racism" from that?

Of course it was because the couple was black, if the prophecy is that the first black couple married there will die in a wedding night fire and have their souls wander the swamps, which could be why a church founded in 1883 that has black members hasn't ever had a black wedding. It could be black members there that threw up the red flag on the gypsy prophecy, screaming "You ignorant white folks don't know about the prophecy?!!!!"

What gypsy?

What is wrong with you guys? Have you never read a gturner post before?

He made it up. That's what he does. That's all he does.

 

[Balrog]

It may have nothing to do with racism, as the bride went to the church, her uncle worked there, and her dad was a member, as was the black woman interviewed for the story. Her wedding had already been set weeks before, so obviously the pastor and the staff at the church had no idea that anything was amiss. Someone else raised the issue, possibly based on a prophecy made in 1913 by the old gypsy woman outside town, that the first black couple to wed in that church will die in a fire on their wedding night and their spirits will forever wander the samps. The old folks in the town probably know all about it.

It's like some kind of racist Scooby Doo episode.

 

[Roger Wilco]

That pastor is a fucking pussy. You claim to believe in the bible, then put your fucking job on the line to defend it, for fuck's sake. What kind of defense is that?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

That pastor is a fucking pussy. You claim to believe in the bible, then put your fucking job on the line to defend it, for fuck's sake. What kind of defense is that?

Most people turn out to be incredibly risk-averse when their livelihood is on the line, no matter what they profess to believe.

 

[The Dominion]

There's a bit of a double standard with pastors though, because their job is to preach the truth of god's word regardless of the Earthly consequences.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Most people turn out to be incredibly risk-averse when their livelihood is on the line, no matter what they profess to believe.

Of course, but it's kind of different if you say work at Chick-Fil-A and are gay, or you're a fucking pastor and claim some sort of moral superiority and to be able to tell others what's right and wrong, wouldn't you say?

 

[Peacemaker]

The pastor also has to keep the congregation together. A teaching elder is supposed to keep the church together through teaching, and it's up to the board of elders, or in this case, deacons, to exercise discipline over members that fall into this kind of error, and there is a process for that in Bible. You don't climb into the pulpit and name names, for example, you confront each person individually, then take witnesses if that fails, then you take it to the whole church. That's not possible to do in the course of a few days.

Apparently, news of this has reached his association and the MS Baptist State Convention. It has also reached Fred Luter in New Orleans, the new SBC president, and the first black SBC President. I know Fred Luter. I haven't asked, but I would be surprised if Rev. Luter doesn't wind up gracing the pulpit of this church in the next few weeks to say a few choice words that the pastor may be unable, at present to say.