Posted on 06/02/2004 9:41:22 AM PDT by zechariah
Public baptism sparks controversy
Wednesday, June 2, 2004 Posted: 8:31 AM EDT (1231 GMT)
Pastor Todd Pyle baptizes Mark Maynard in the Rappahannock River at Falmouth Beach in Virginia.
RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- The Rev. Todd Pyle thought it was the perfect spot to baptize 12 new members of his church. The river was calm and shallow, and there was a shaded area offshore for people to stand.
"It was a very serene place," he said. "It was special."
But officials at the Falmouth Waterfront Park, a public park just outside Fredericksburg, weren't pleased. They tried to break up the ceremony, claiming it might be offensive to nearby swimmers or other people using the park. Pyle was able to finish the baptism, but then he was asked to leave.
The incident has outraged free-speech advocates.
"These people are being discriminated against because of the content of their speech," said the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, who heads the Christian Defense Coalition. "It's one of the most egregious violations of the First Amendment I have ever seen."
Mahoney's group has threatened to file a lawsuit if the park refuses to allow future gatherings by religious groups, something for which the park admits it has no written policy.
Pyle said he chose to hold an outdoor baptism, still common in parts of the South, because his Cornerstone Baptist Church in Stafford lacks an indoor baptismal pool. He said few people seemed to notice the small congregation during the 30-minute ceremony May 23.
But park officials said religious groups seeking to perform a service in the park still need to apply for a permit or else gather under a shelter or inside.
"We don't want to tread on anybody's First Amendment or constitutional rights," said Brian Robinson, director of the Fredericksburg-Stafford Park Authority. "What we try to discourage is anything not formally permitted that just sort of occurs spontaneously."
John Whitehead, director of The Rutherford Institute, a Charlottesville, Virginia-based civil liberties organization, said that's a clear violation of the church members' constitutional rights.
"Could a church have a picnic in the park and sing hymns? Of course they could," he said. "Parks have been forums since time immemorial to do these types of things."
The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia also said in a statement: "If the park rules allow people to wade and swim in the river, then they must allow baptisms in the river."
Robinson said the park's board has formed a special committee to examine its policy and to put it in writing. If the church applies for the proper permit, he said it's "certainly possible" they would be allowed to use the river for another baptism.
Meanwhile, Pyle said he will find another place to hold outdoor baptisms.
"We're disappointed," he said. "Every single person that was baptized thanked me afterward, saying [the river] made their experience more meaningful."
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
It's another moron moment brought to you by a gubmint hack.
-"The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia also said in a statement: "If the park rules allow people to wade and swim in the river, then they must allow baptisms in the river."
This is so obvious, even the ACLU can't weigh in on the wrong side."-
Unfortunately, the parks are afraid BECAUSE the ACLU is already threatening them to remove religious evidence, monuments, plaques, etc., so the parks' over-reactions to things like this are quite understandable. The ACLU take away, and giveth all in the same breath.
Saw the same thing in Lake Tahoe last summer while on vacation. Sure people stopped and looked. Nobody seemed upset or offended. We thought it was great.
Well, The Master stood off shore, the flock may as well give it a try.
(Good catch)
I'm surprised that after saying the traditional "in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit", that they weren't carted away for "hate speech".
Oh for crying out loud - what is this, Mecca, or the United States? They need a *permit* to have baptisms? It's time for a big fat lawsuit.
That's right - all Christianity must occur in designated Church buildings - otherwise it will infringe upon the public's general welfare.
Just curiously rhetorical...when (not if) we're attacked again, and the country starts singing "God Bless America" again, to which one will they be singing?
Can you imagine how some people would FREAK OUT if they heard a voice from Heaven saying "You've taken me out of your schools, your courtrooms, your laws, your city logos, your parks...everything but your money...and now that you're in trouble, NOW you call on me?"
Now, had they been druids, or muslims, or...............
"We don't want to tread on anybody's First Amendment or constitutional rights,"
Well sir, you may not want to, but you and your ilk are doing a damn bang up job of it.
This PC crap of denying religious groups public access and free speech has now become the religion of the left.
Creeps all, they scream about religious people forcing their beliefs onto others. This while the repressive PC Nazis strive heartily at taking away our freedoms. It is now past passive resistance, it is time to get in their freaken faces and expose them for what they are. "NAZIS" whom wish to impose their beliefs and doctorines upon us all.
How inconsiderate! They should have said they were performing a nude gay wedding ceremony.
I wonder if the "offended" persons were of the Mohammedan persuasion...
Probably.
INTREP - SECULARIZATION OF AMERICA ALERT!
hey....
don't start disparaging the druids...
One step closer to CWII.
All that is not permitted is forbidden, Comrade.
Is your church ATF approved?
How many officials does the park have, anyway? Why don't they just admit it was one uneducated "I'm-in-touch-with-nature" park ranger's assistant who got a bee in her or his bonnet about Gaia being so desecrated? That's my guess. Christians just don't appreciate nature, ya see.
People are shocked that the world hates Christ and his followers. LOL. People don't even want the slightest inference of God to remind them that they are responsible for their actions. Their parents didn't, their government doesn't, who is God... (/sarcasm).
Just think, if it were handled like free trade, some here would just say "get over it, it ain't your religion".
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