[Vision2020] Fw: Letter to the Editor: Church is noninclusive

[Paul Rumelhart]

Jumping in the middle of this because I had the same thoughts as Dick did...

Because I can't conceive of such reasons off the top of my head doesn't 
mean there aren't any.  If I had to spin the Wheel of Fate and place my 
bet, it probably wouldn't be put on the "Pastor is Prejudiced" or 
"Church Hates the Disabled" areas.  I'd go more for "Liability Concerns" 
or "Inadequate Equipment for Adult-Sized People" ones.

I'm fully willing to condemn the pastor for this action, but I don't 
have enough information one way or the other.  I don't like judging 
people anyway, but especially when I have only one side of the story.

I notice that Mr. Smith didn't make any accusations at all in his 
letter, he was just perplexed.  I respect him for that.  I empathize 
with him and Ginger and I would encourage the pastor and the director of 
children's ministries to communicate the reasoning for their refusal to 
him if they have not done so already.  Perhaps he could then communicate 
it to us so we would have some actual reasons for our stances on this topic.

Who knows, maybe they prayed about it and God suggested they refuse her 
based on whatever His plan is.

Paul

Tom Hansen wrote:

>Dick Sherwin stated:
>
>"Remember, there are always two sides to every story and no one has
>presented the other side here in the forum.  To date, we do not even know
>what church is involved.  Therefore, to jump to emotional conclusions would
>be only adding fuel to a fire that may not even exist."
>
>Is there any reason why we should identify the particular church at this
>point in time?  If we were to identify the particular church, wouldn't we be
>opening the flood gates of supposed "religious persecution"?  Yoshi Smith
>(the author of the letter in question) did not identify the church.  We
>should honor her desire for the church's anonymity.
>
>Without supposing any facts which are not known, what circumstances would
>corroborate the church's denial to a disabled person in need of acceptance?
>
>What reason(s) would provide sufficient grounds for a church (any church) to
>deprive a parishioner access to a vacation Bible school? 
>
>Tom Hansen
>Moscow, Idaho
>
>"People only see what they are prepared to see." 
>
>- Ralph Waldo Emerson 
>
>
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