Universal Life Church

In a follow-up to a story we highlighted over a year ago, a judge has thrown out a Nebraska State Senator’s suit against God.

A US judge has thrown out a case against God, ruling that because the defendant has no address, legal papers cannot be served. The suit was launched by Nebraska state senator Ernie Chambers, who said he might appeal against the ruling.

(BBC)

In the senator’s suit he accuses God of:

…making and continuing to make terroristic threats of grave harm to innumerable persons, including constituents of Plaintiff who Plaintiff has the duty to represent.” It says God has caused “fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes, pestilential plagues, ferocious famines, devastating droughts, genocidal wars, birth defects and the like.

(MJ)

Now Judge Marlon Polk has determined that there is no way for God to be notified of this case and appear as a defendant.

“Given that this court finds that there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant this action will be dismissed with prejudice,” Judge Polk wrote in his ruling.

(BBC)

Though the case has been dismissed, Chambers issued a sharp retort to the ruling.

The court, Mr Chambers said, had acknowledged the existence of God and “a consequence of that acknowledgement is a recognition of God’s omniscience”. “Since God knows everything,” he reasoned, “God has notice of this lawsuit.”

(BBC)

He added that, “he would carefully consider Judge Polk’s ruling before deciding whether to appeal.”

Will the appeal go through? Only God knows that!

- British Broadcasting Company
- Mother Jones BLOG

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In Rome today female Catholics marched to protest sexism in the church.

Catholic women seeking to become priests denounced the church’s ban on female ordination as sexist and unjust, bringing their campaign close to the Vatican on Wednesday during a worldwide gathering of bishops.

The Catholic church does not ordain women, and has continually rejected the opportunity to amend many of their controversial conservative positions. If you want a church that will acknowledge the freedom to practice your religion, your freedom to get ordained, you know where to look.

- Associated Press

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There will be a new bible arriving in stores soon, and gracing it’s pages will be an interesting cast of co-stars: Angelina Jolie, Bono, Martin Luther King Jr., even Ghandi. A Swedish author has compiled the new, Bible Illuminated, unique interpretation of the New Testament.

[Publisher Illuminated World is] hoping for similar success in the U.S. and plan to release the New Testament in October and potentially the Old Testament in March. In the U.S., the New Testament is already pre-selling on Amazon and Illuminated World has contracts with most major bookstores.

(AP)

The book is already making waves in the publishing world, but does the public think about it? Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans, of the blog Get Religion, questions the intent of the consumer.

At the end of the [Associated Press' article], I didn’t know how this new edition is being evaluated by scholars, or pastors, or even readers. Is it being seen as a new tool for evangelism, or simply a cool living room table accessory?

(GR)

The legacy of this, and other new pictorial bibles, is worth considering, along with the publisher’s intent. Larry Norton, of Illuminated World, is banking on a new secular market developing an appreciation for his bible.

“There is a large part of the population that considers themselves smart, educated, conscientious, connected people who are not particularly religious and have not regularly read the Bible,” said Larry Norton, a former publishing executive and president of Illuminated World, the company that is putting out “Bible Illuminated.” “That group of people probably know it would be smarter, more sensitive to their surroundings if they read the Bible if they were religious or not,” Norton said.

(AP)

- Associated Press
- GetReligion.org

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The Supreme Court of the State of Connecticut has now overturned the previous ruling on gay marriage, stating that it infringes upon the rights of their citizens. Connecticut is now the third state to legally validate the individual’s right to a same sex marriage.

In his majority opinion, Justice Richard N. Palmer wrote that the court found that the “segregation of heterosexual and homosexual couples into separate institutions constitutes a cognizable harm,” in light of “the history of pernicious discrimination faced by gay men and lesbians, and because the institution of marriage carries with it a status and significance that the newly created classification of civil unions does not embody.”

(NYT)

And the deciding opinion was not without its dissent,

Opponents of same-sex marriage called for continued steps for a constitutional ban on the practice. “It’s an outrage, but it’s not unexpected,” said Peter Wolfgang, the executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut. “We thought all along that the court would usurp the democratic process and force same-sex marriage on Connecticut.”

(NYT)

Another noteworthy story is that of the proposed “Pride Campus of Social Justice High School” in Chicago.

Pointing to studies showing that gay high school students are at greater risk of dropping out because of stigma and fear of violence, Chicago Public Schools leaders said Wednesday that they will recommend opening a campus aimed at [lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender] students.

(CT)

The proposal is brand new, however it is already making waves in the news media. During a Chicago meeting, citizens were encouraged to weigh in with their opinion.

most in the audience supported the proposed school. Some had questions about where it would be located, its curriculum and even how students would decide which restrooms to use. There were opponents — like LaShawn Greer — who praised the design work but had other concerns.

“It’s not to take away my compassion for anybody here. I try to raise my children righteously via the word of God via the Bible because this is my belief,” Greer said. “I cannot support with my own tax dollars paying for something that I don’t agree with.”

Others had different reasons for opposing the school. Hantas Farmer, a transgender, cited the ground-breaking Brown v. Board of Education school decision.

“Have any of you considered that this is nothing but de facto segregation? I support you in principle. School should be safe for everyone. But I’m not sure segregation is the way forward,” Farmer said.

(NPR)

There is no denying that this has been a noteworthy week for crusaders of social tolerance and equity.

- New York Times
- Chicago Tribune
- National Public Radio

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On Sunday, October 19th, The First Congressional Church of Berkeley (Berkeley, CA), will be holding a celebration of same-sex marriages. This comes on the heels of a recent court decision allowing same-sex marriage in the State of California. The First Congressional Church is holding this ceremony to honor the fidelity of couples that have been able to marry because of this decision.

Regardless of your denomination or faith tradition, you are welcome to come and be celebrated. We will honor several couples in our community who have gotten married and welcome any others who wish to be blessed by this faithful, progressive, welcoming congregation.

(FCCB)

The church has also taken a stance on California State Proposition 8,

The congregation voted unanimously in September to oppose Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriages.

(WSJ)

We applaud the actions of the First Congregational Church and encourage all other California churches to take note of their actions. Please see our Ecclesiastical Proclamation to read more about The Monastery’s stance.

- First Congressional Church of Berkeley
- Wall Street Journal

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Hot on the tail of a recent split, a number of Episcopalian churches in Pittsburgh have entered into a property ownership dispute with their national archdiocese. Bishop Robert W. Duncan has led the local succession movement, and was recently removed of his nationally recognized position by the archdiocese. At the heart of the controversy is which governing body shall retain ownership of the local churches’ assets.

“The people who have given and sustained these places ought to be able to keep them,” said Bishop Robert W. Duncan, who was deposed last month as Pittsburgh’s bishop because of his push for secession and is expected to be appointed to lead the realigned churches at their first convention on Nov. 7.

(NYT)

Duncan’s claim is that the churches and their parishes, the ones who have operated the institutions and contributed to their success, should retain the ownership rights to the property. Rev. Harold Lewis, who voted against the succession, disagrees.

“The idea that you can vote to leave the church and have the assets and the finances go with you is nonsensical,” said the Rev. Harold Lewis, rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, a leader of those in the diocese opposed to secession.

(NYT)

The rift between the Pittsburgh and national arms of Episcopalian church has been growing for years, and it is fueled by a disparity in their ideology. Opinionated writer Astrid Storm, with slate.com, expressed his support for separation nearly two years ago.

some Episcopalians, like me, are relieved that it has finally happened… Most significant, perhaps, is [the nationally bound] churches’ decision to align with controversial Archbishop Akinola—someone whom even many conservatives in the church have serious qualms about. He’s called homosexuality a “satanic attack” on the church and considers gay-affirming churches to be a “cancerous lump” in the body of Christ. He has endorsed the implementation of anti-gay legislation in his country that would ban homosexuals from having relationships and practically eliminate their right to free speech, all at risk of imprisonment—proposals that the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association considers among the most oppressive in the world.

(Slate)

The disagreement is rooted in an ideology that runs deep; let’s hope they take note of our Ecclesiastical Proclamation. - New York Times - Slate.com

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Over the weekend Howard Stern and his long time girlfriend Beth Ostrosky made the leap to marriage.

The radio talk show host known for hosting porn stars married his longtime girlfriend, Beth Ostrosky, on Friday.

Press described the ceremony as traditional, a surprise for the radio star that made his name pushing the edge of the envelope on-air. Among the A-list cast of celebrities in attendance was wedding officiant Mark Consuelos, a Universal Life Chruch minister.

Officiating at the ceremony was actor Mark Consuelos, Kelly Ripa’s husband and an ordained minister.

With credentials from the church, Consuelos was able to register as an officiant with the New York City Clerk’s office.

Congratulations Beth and Howard!

- The Associated Press

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Today we hear again from another couple that has turned to the ULC for a more personal wedding. Posted on The Wedding Bee, an online site chronicling 20 or so real brides across the world, “Mrs. Penguin” explains the legality of her marriage…

Myrtle was ordained online through the Universal Life Church. I had heard countless brides talk about how they were having a friend get ordained there, and presiding over their ceremonies, but I couldn’t seem to come across a married gal that ever came back and said, “Yes! We used the ULC, and it worked!” I probably wasn’t looking hard enough, and was too lazy to ask. But there I was. I had a feeling everything was going to be fine, but I really wouldn’t believe it until I saw that hard copy of our marriage certificate in our hands.

Congratulations!

- The Wedding Bee

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In a unsurprising decision, the Pope chose to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s opposition to contraceptive devices. Making his announcement from Vatican City, Pope Benedict XVI explained that the church supported, “natural solutions to infertility,” however using contraception, “means negating the intimate truth of conjugal love, with which the divine gift (of life) is communicated.”

Though this announcement was anticipated, it was prompted by the appeal of Catholic groups worldwide.

The message came two months after an appeal for a retraction by some 60 Catholic groups who said the Church’s stance had been “catastrophic” for the world’s poorest and weakest…

[An open letter of dissent] said the impact of the 1968 encyclical had been “disastrous in the southern hemisphere, where the Catholic leadership exercises considerable influence on the politics of family planning.”

A spokesperson from the Vatican was on hand to offer additional explanation,

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the July appeal was not about expressing a “theological or moral position but paid propaganda in favour of the use of contraceptives.”

“The spread of AIDS is totally independent of the religious denomination of populations and of the influence of religious hierarchies,” Lombardi said, adding that policies aimed at preventing the spread of HIV through condom use had largely failed.

The church has defended its stance on contraceptives for the last 40 years, and following Pope Benedict’s announcement, it seems unlikely to change in the near future.

- AFP

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