Elders at Ridgedale Church of Christ appear not to have read John 8:7: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Instead, the elders gathered themselves and their stones this week to ban a mother because she would not renounce her own child. The Tennessee church banned two relatives for good measure after they supported Kat Cooper, a lesbian detective with the Collegedale Police Department. Her mother, Linda Cooper, was given the choice: denounce your daughter or leave the church. It was not much of a Sophie’s Choice: she left the church and with her was any evidence of God’s grace that this church may have had.
Kat Cooper had been fighting publicly for for health benefits for her same-sex spouse, Krista. She eventually prevailed with the support of her family, friends, and the Board of Commissioners. The Church elders, however, went after her mother and relatives. Her father, Hunt Cooper, said that the choice was clear: “Loving her daughter and supporting her family was not a sin.”
Yet, Ken Willis, a minister at Ridgedale Church of Christ, stated that “[t]he sin would be endorsing that lifestyle.” However, he later declined interviews and said “[t]his is an in-church private issue. Because emotions are so inflamed at this point, I choose not to comment any further.” I guess being an “in-church private issue” is more controlling than an “in-family private issue.”
The Coopers have been members of the church for 60 years.
Linda Cooper can do better. After all, “if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8. I wonder what it says for those who seek to stop mothers from providing for and loving their children?
Source: CNN
Aaaaand, what else is new? This is SOP in fundamentalist christian cults as well as the mormon cult.
James Knauer
“There is nothing christian about this ‘church.’”
Are you always in the habit of bearing false witness, in violation of your own religion’s rules?
A christian is someone who believes in the myth of jesus christ, whether you like them or not. The overwhelming majority of atheists despise communist regimes, but you don’t hear anyone spewing crap about “They’re not TRUE atheists…!”
And your point is, Oxa? Really, in all sincerity, please explain your post. Do you feel the story is not worthy, or that it doesn’t belong on a legal blog? What’s your point?
Kat Cooper, Lesbian Detective. So cool!
Andy Berke, the mayor of Chattanooga, seems like a really neat guy. He was in the Tennessee legislature when all that crazy stuff was going on a couple of years ago (and opposing it), like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
And the point of this blog post is …?
We went to Christ Steak House the other night and there was some fellow there bellowing about a bent bone in his steak. The owner kicked him out for not sticking to the gospel–whatever that is. Why would there be a Christ Steak House anyway? Getting kicked out for itchinBay about a bent bone. Jeso.
The Church of Christ is congregational in its governance.
The power to make decisions lies in the congregation.
The mother and uncle were confronted in a meeting after Sunday services by the minister and elders. The family had been members of this stellar group for 60 years.
“When a person is in sin they are asked to repent, to make a statement, renouncing their participation in sin,” said Wills, the minister who the congregation pays to sort out the bad apples.
Since the daughter does not attend the church any longer, the congregation went after the extended family members who do attend.
Hunt Cooper, the young woman’s father, said his family rejects the notion that being gay is a lifestyle choice. And his wife, along with her brother and sister, believed repentance would be hypocritical. So the decision to leave, devastating as it was, was a simple one.
“There’s no sin to repent for,” he said. “And she’s not going to turn her back on her daughter.” (http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/aug/21/repent-or-leave/)
Well, if the mother, sister, and uncle want to hang out at the Ridgedale Church of Christ in Tennessee, turning their backs on the daughter is the only way to worship God in that building and with those people.
Yuck.
I live in Tennessee. On behalf of all sane, non-bigoted residents and visitors to the Volunteer State, I apologize.
OS: I’m often apologizing for Kentucky. In fact, my (mostly former) church refused to let someone on the sex offender registry worship on Sundays, they provided a separate (but unequal) service, just for him, on Tuesday nights. Is the only church in the area that could be called liberal, so I’m SOL.
There is nothing christian about this “church.”
Jesus wept. – John 11:35
What Mike S said.
“War begat the King” and “war begat feudalism”, which eventually scarfed up even main stream churchianity, and the church publicly “became a vassal”.
When history is not repeating itself, it lingers in the shadows.
Her father, Hunt Cooper, said that the choice was clear: “Loving her daughter and supporting her family was not a sin.”
He better understood Christianity than Rev. Ken Willis.
“Lord forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Religion – the greatest hoax ever pulled on humankind.
As a committed follower of Christ, I feel safe in saying they’re doing Christianity wrong.
I think that the churches view are wrong…. But, this is what the national COC mantra is….
DEB,
That’d be go De-FROCK yourselves…..
Hey, Church…. go FROCK yourself!!!!!!
“However, he later declined interviews and said “[t]his is an in-church private issue. Because emotions are so inflamed at this point,”
Sheesh, I guess the “blow torch” blow hard preacher is qualified to guage whether people are too inflamed to reason. That’s where his money is. Keepin the sheep too ignited & bedazzled to reason for themselves.
Fox news and hate radio learned all they need to know in Sunday school.
In fairness this tactic is used by all fanatic agitators.
….
Calling Pastor Willis: Christ called “you’re fired!”.
Many religious sects are as bigoted and prejudiced as any supremacist group or gang. They don’t do the work of God, they do the work of small minded humans.