Pastor arrested at gay pride festival (Handed out flyer: Homosexuality is a sin)

kansas.com ^ | 06.30.08 | DANIEL MCCOY

[Coleus]

For the second consecutive year, a gay pride parade and festival was marked by the arrest of a Wichita pastor.
But for the vast majority of those who gathered Sunday afternoon at Naftzger Park for the event, the day was one of celebration. "It means a lot to me," said Ken Gehmlich, president of Wichita Pride, which sponsors the annual event. "I think it's great that we can come together as family." Organizers estimated that about 100 people walked in the parade and that more than 1,000 attended the festival, which featured live music and vendors. After the parade traversed a parking lot near the intersection of Main and English to the festival grounds, the group encountered a familiar face.

 

Pastor Mark Holick of Spirit One Christian Center and around 20 of his church's members had gathered near the park to distribute religious literature and express their belief that homosexuality is a sin.

 

"We expected him to be here," said Thomas Witt, vice president of Wichita Pride. Holick was arrested at last year's event on a charge of criminal trespassing, which was later dropped. In January, Holick filed a federal lawsuit against the city, claiming his free speech rights had been violated.  On Sunday, according to witnesses, Holick and other Spirit One members had entered the park and were attempting to hand out their literature.

 

Because the Pride organization had rented the park, it had the right to refuse entrance to anyone, Witt and police said. Holick and the others were asked to leave.

 

Protesters were allowed to congregate on the adjacent public sidewalks, provided their actions did not constitute disorderly conduct, added Sgt. Lem Moore of the Wichita Police Department. Police said witnesses told them that upon exiting, Holick removed his $5 admission button, asked for his money back and threw it at Witt, striking him in the arm. The incident was witnessed by several bystanders, including one who captured it on a hand-held video recorder Moore said. Witt decided to press charges. Holick was arrested on suspicion of battery, police said.

 

"At that point we took the individual into custody," Moore said.  Some Spirit One members expressed anger over Holick's arrest. Others hoped the incident wouldn't overshadow the group's reason for protesting. "We're not against the people. We just disagree with the lifestyle," said member John McDonald said. For Bruce McKinney, who helped organize the first such parade in 1990, the protest and Holick's arrest did nothing to dampen the mood of celebration.

"Everybody I've talked to loved the park and loved the event," he said. "I really feel like it was a phenomenal day."

[Alouette]

Was the Phelps gang picketing this gay event or do they only do their thing at military funerals?

[Thinkin]

Have you ever taken notice that the Normal ( moderates and conservatives ) people don’t riot..slash, burn or destroy other peoples property ??

The rioting, slashing, burning and destruction are done by__________. You fill in the blank.

[doc1019]

So do we just fold our tents and move on ?

And if we resist...under what leader ???

You pose several relevant questions.

So do we just fold our tents and move on?

No, never … we must continue to struggle and attempt to enforce our 1st Amendment rights. We may lose, however, we would have tried.

And if we resist … under what leader???

To each his own, however, I will not vote for the lesser of two evils (never have, never will) … I will not vote this time around. And at my age and health, this will probably be my last presidential voting opportunity, I will pass (so to speak).

[Manfred the Wonder Dawg]

I agree - thin ice for free speech that is not PC, even though we have the 1st Amendment; which our neighbors to the north do not have. Recall the twisted application of RICO, with the “safety bubbles” around abortion mills? No free speech if it makes abortion seekers uncomfortable.

[Thinkin]

LOL

“He was arrested for battery. “

The pastor took a button and threw it and it hit the other guys arm...
A Button for gods sake... A BUTTON !!!

[TheBattman]

Holick removed his $5 admission button, asked for his money back and threw it at Witt, striking him in the arm. The incident was witnessed by several bystanders, including one who captured it on a hand-held video recorder Moore said. Witt decided to press charges. Holick was arrested on suspicion of battery, police said.

Umm.... battery, for a little button thrown at someone (hitting the person in the arm)?

[Thinkin]

I understand how you feel... I feel much the same way.

However , a vote for “one” BLOCKS us completely..

A vote for the “other”...well..then we conservatives will still have a window of opportunity...

Hold your nose and vote. ;-)

[Fiji Hill]

Was the Phelps gang picketing this gay event or do they only do their thing at military funerals?

Good question, since the Phelps gang's base in Topeka is only 140 miles away.

[B-Chan]

1. He shouldn’t have thrown anything at anybody.

2. He was crashing a private event.

3. Homosexual intercourse is a sin. So is remarriage after divorce. So is playing with oneself. So is the use of artificial birth control. Why is it that we Christians spend so much time and energy objecting to the first sin and less on the others? It can’t be that gay sex is worse than other sins — divorce and contraception in particular cause far more damage to society (and to human beings) than does b-—f-——g.

We are all sinners; the Gospel is a gift of love from one sinner to another, not a missile to be thrown at people. While I sympathize with those who desire to evangelize homosexuals, I do not see how being a dick brings them any closer to Christ — the only Hope any of us have.

[Sherman Logan]

I disagree with the park being off-limits; renting out a government owned facility doesn’t turn it into private property.

Sure it does. If I rent a government-owned stadium to put on a concert, I get the right to exclude anyone who doesn't pay admission or meet whatever other requirements I may put in place, subject to civil rights legislation and other restrictions. I can certainly eject anyone who is disrupting my event.

[Thinkin]

Christ turned his back to no one.

He was and is is lovin and forgiving to all.

BUT...there was a caveat...

“GO AND SIN NO MORE”

Simple........

[SeaHawkFan]

Holick was arrested at last year's event on a charge of criminal trespassing, which was later dropped. In January, Holick filed a federal lawsuit against the city, claiming his free speech rights had been violated.

When the city dropped the charges, they pretty much lost this case. It is a slam dunk for Pastor Holick now. Same thing will happen with this arrest.

[ikka]

Homosexuality is a direct attack on the family and society, in a way that divorce (as bad as it is) and birth control is not.

[Sherman Logan]

This is what brought the glorious Roman Empire to its knees.

FWIW, the maximum acceptance of open homosexuality coincided in time with the high point of both the Greek and Roman civilizations. As tolerance for these activities declined, so did the civilizations.

The death penalty for sodomy was in place in the Empire more than 100 years before the Western Empire collapsed.

More critically, Greeks and Romans had ideas about sex between men that just don't fit any modern template.

BTW, the Roman Empire often wasn't all that glorious for the majority of the inhabitants.

[doc1019]

As someone who served in VN, I have nothing but praise for McCain’s service and his many obvious sacrifices for his country and fellow service members. However, over the past twenty years or so of service in our government … I see little to distinguish him from the liberals across the isle, and that worries me.

[Rca2000]

Tick....

Tick....

Tick....

....

.....

.

[Jonah Johansen]

I hope the Denver police watch the tape and use the same standards when deciding which protesters to arrest during the Democratic National Convention.

[Thinkin]

You can google Homo / Bi sexuality in the Roman world and come up with a very ugly “can” of worms..

Spin it as you wish...

Nasty stuff.......

[Sherman Logan]

I didn’t say it wasn’t ugly. I said it was very different from any of today’s sexual patterns.

[Thinkin]

No... I respectfully disagree.. however..

to late to debate.....
sleepy

thanks for giving me another area to to research :-)