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Schiavo Case: Judge Greer parts ways with his church on pastor's advice
St. Petersburg Times ^
| 03.22.05
| Times Staff
Posted on 03/22/2005 5:58:03 AM PST by Dr. Marten
The Terri Schiavo Case
Judge Greer parts ways with his church on pastor's advice
By Times Staff
Published March 22, 2005
CLEARWATER - Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge George Greer left his church last week after the pastor wrote him a letter suggesting "it might be easier for all of us" if he leave.
Greer, whose orders on the Terri Schiavo case have brought him criticism, is a Southern Baptist who attended Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater.
Though he had other unrelated problems with the church, Greer's attendance faltered after a Baptist publication the church supported criticized his decisions in the Schiavo case. He stopped his donations to the church, but remained a member. He briefly discussed his relationship with the church in a March 6 St. Petersburg Times article.
Four days later, Calvary Pastor William Rice wrote Greer a letter: "I am not asking you to do this, but since you have taken the initiative of withdrawal, and since your connection with Calvary continues to be a point of concern, it would seem the logical and, I would say, biblical course."
Rice's letter became public when he sent a copy to the Clearwater courthouse. Rice also said the church supports keeping Schiavo alive, though he said he was "truly saddened and embarrassed by the level of harassment and vitriolic nature of so many comments that purportedly come from people of faith."
Rice, who has been pastor at the church for five months, added: "But you must know that in all likelihood it is this case which will define your career and this case that you will remember in the waning days of life. I hope you can find a way to side with the angels and become an answer to the prayers of thousands."
Greer responded with a letter severing his relationship with the church.
TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: bino; judgegreer; schiavo; terri; terrischiavo
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To: Dr. Marten
"But you must know that in all likelihood it is this case which will define your career and this case that you will remember in the waning days of life. I hope you can find a way to side with the angels and become an answer to the prayers of thousands."Yep. A good response from the pastor.
To: Dr. Marten
Doesn't sound like the church discipline I'm familiar with. Did they go to him and point out the error of his ways? Give him an opportunity to repent?
3
posted on
03/22/2005 6:04:14 AM PST
by
sweet_diane
("Will I dance for you Jesus? Or in awe of You be still? I can only imagine..I can only imagine.")
To: Dr. Marten
This is sad in more ways than just a matter of a member losing faith in his Baptist church roots because Greer, no doubt, will become an Episcopalian...
4
posted on
03/22/2005 6:04:21 AM PST
by
meandog
To: Dr. Marten
Greer's membership in any church was merely a political convenience.
5
posted on
03/22/2005 6:04:43 AM PST
by
Conspiracy Guy
(Okay, you evolved. I was created. Get used to it.)
To: Dr. Marten
Whoa - it must really suck to be Greer. Baptist churches don't disown you on a whim.
6
posted on
03/22/2005 6:05:22 AM PST
by
daybreakcoming
("Courage is being scared to death -- and saddling up anyway." - John Wayne)
To: Dr. Marten
Calvary Baptist is a solid bunch, I think. Disfellowship seems to be in order.
7
posted on
03/22/2005 6:05:31 AM PST
by
the invisib1e hand
("remember, from ashes you came, to ashes you will return.")
To: Conspiracy Guy
Nice to see Christian gloating in the morning.
8
posted on
03/22/2005 6:11:45 AM PST
by
OldFriend
("If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child might have peace." Thomas Paine)
To: sweet_diane
>Doesn't sound like the church discipline I'm familiar with. Did they go to him and point out the error of his ways? Give him an opportunity to repent?<
The separation occured because he failed to accept church discipline and then held the church up to ridicule by announcing to the world he was withholding his tithe and no longer attending.
9
posted on
03/22/2005 6:17:08 AM PST
by
Blessed
To: the invisib1e hand
Is Bill Rice any relation to John R. Rice ?
I know John R. had a son Bill who ministered to the deaf and had the Bill Rice ranch.
Any connection?
10
posted on
03/22/2005 6:17:18 AM PST
by
knarf
(A place where anyone can learn anything ... especially that which promotes clear thinking.)
To: OldFriend
Please let me paraphrase; Nice to see Christians exerting their beliefs within their own Church in the morning, rather that outside lawyers.
11
posted on
03/22/2005 6:21:22 AM PST
by
wrathof59
("to the Everlasting Glory of the Infantry".........Robert A Heinlein)
To: sweet_diane
He stopped his donations to the church... Sounds like he knew full well the disagreement his church had with his choice(s), and tried using his offering$ as leverage. I believe Southern Baptists are hard against public education, too. They're definitely living in tension with the worldly.
To: polymuser
It's always been that way
13
posted on
03/22/2005 6:24:17 AM PST
by
wrathof59
("to the Everlasting Glory of the Infantry".........Robert A Heinlein)
Comment #14 Removed by Moderator
To: Dr. Marten
And to think that Howard Dean left his church over a bike path. Dimwits are plain insane.
15
posted on
03/22/2005 6:25:45 AM PST
by
peyton randolph
(Warning! It is illegal to fatwah a camel in all 50 states)
To: Dr. Marten
Though he had other unrelated problems with the church, Greer's attendance faltered after a Baptist publication the church supported criticized his decisions in the Schiavo case.Other unrelated problems?
16
posted on
03/22/2005 6:27:17 AM PST
by
technochick99
(Self defense is a basic human right ; Sig Sauer is my equalizer)
To: sweet_diane
"Doesn't sound like the church discipline I'm familiar with. Did they go to him and point out the error of his ways? Give him an opportunity to repent?" The BTK killer wasn't even kicked out of his church. This doesn't seem like the Christian thing to do.
To: OldFriend
"Nice to see Christian gloating in the morning".
I have no idea what this means. The only people who are gloating in this case are the HINO and liberal "culture of death" justice system who are determined to kill this woman to prove whatever perverted point they are trying to make.
For the church to point out the unchristian acts of one of their own and then urge he separate due to his intransigence is not "gloating". In fact, the request that he leave the church voluntarily rather than as a result of a process is quite Christian.
18
posted on
03/22/2005 6:28:29 AM PST
by
Bushforlife
(I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born. ~Ronald Reagan)
To: OldFriend
You'll have to explain that one.
19
posted on
03/22/2005 6:29:27 AM PST
by
Conspiracy Guy
(Okay, you evolved. I was created. Get used to it.)
To: ThePaladin
Terri is the one who needs Jesus' love.
20
posted on
03/22/2005 6:34:00 AM PST
by
mlc9852
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