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."

[MBB1984]

I would like to know the pastor’s side of the story before I come to any conclusion. The media is notoriously pro sodomite.

[massgopguy]

Because Gays have a Master Race mentality.

[MrB]

These are the

“evolving standards of decency in a maturing society”

that Justice Kennedy referred to.

[Xenophon450]

I am so proud of my city... /s

[MrB]

Wichita, Kansas

Partial Birth Abortion capital of the World.

Step back, take a look - it’s about the destruction of the family, one of the communist (and Satan’s) goals for America.

[MrB]

are not being promoted with flags on the street, newspaper editorials, big fat parades, etc.

And you aren't threatened with criminal action (threat of deadly force from the government) for speaking out against contraception and divorce.

[PetroniusMaximus]

“Why is it that we Christians spend so much time and energy objecting to the first sin and less on the others? “

Joke, right?

[wagglebee]

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[B-Chan]

LOL

[B-Chan]

[W]hy the hell should I have to jump through hoops because the Vatican wants some documentation?

"The Vatican" (the Church) doesn't give a damn about "documentation"; its job is to keep the Sacraments inviolate, among which is Holy Matrimony.

Your opinion of the teaching of the Church with regard to marriage is irrelevant. The Church is the Body of Christ, and as such cannot teach error. Here is what the Church teaches on this issue:

The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman form with each other an intimate communion of life and love, has been founded and endowed with its own special laws by the Creator. By its very nature it is ordered to the good of the couple, as well as to the generation and education of children. Christ the Lord raised marriage between the baptized to the dignity of a sacrament (cf. CIC, can. 1055 § 1; cf. GS 48 § 1).

The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved his Church; the grace of the sacrament thus perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life (cf. Council of Trent: DS 1799).

[ ... ]

Unity, indissolubility, and openness to fertility are essential to marriage. Polygamy is incompatible with the unity of marriage; divorce separates what God has joined together; the refusal of fertility turns married life away from its "supreme gift," the child (GS 50 § 1).

The remarriage of persons divorced from a living, lawful spouse contravenes the plan and law of God as taught by Christ. They are not separated from the Church, but they cannot receive Eucharistic communion. They will lead Christian lives especially by educating their children in the faith.

Source: Catechism, Arts. 1660-1665

This is what Christ commands. It is not optional. One either believes it and practices it, or one deliberately disobeys Christ. The refusal to cleave to the teaching of the Church on remarriage is no less a heresy than the refusal to cleave to the teaching of the Church on so-called gay marriage. In both cases, an attempt is being made to redefine marriage to suit one's personal whim, which is tantamount to elevating oneself to the status of God.

As your fellow sinner and struggling Christian, it is my duty to point out to you that (barring annulment) you are still married to your "first" wife. Your "remarriage" is a sham, invalid in the eyes of God. In charity, I will pray that you will rearrange your life in order to reconcile yourself to the Church, and I hope that you will pray for me that I may turn from my many and equally damnable sins.

[B-Chan]

Deadly serious.

[buccaneer81]

God and I will have to discuss the whole deal someday (hopefully far in the future.) But I’m not dealing with The Church about it. The catechism doesn’t seem to recognize fault, much like our wretched civil courts. Well, I recognize fault, and it’s not on me. If that makes me a heretic, I’m in good company with guys like Copernicus.

[firewalk]

I do not see how being a dick brings them any closer to Christ

[gidget7]

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.

Hahahaha, battery for throwing a PIN? Hope it didn't break his fragile little arm! Perversion on Parade folks. These people no longer even attempt to hide their agenda. They carry signs that read "We Recruit". (there is a picture of one such sign at massresistence, but I don't know how to post pictures here) and hand out pamphlets on how to get around the foster care system. If your town is subjected to one of these perversions of culture, steer clear. Maybe have your churches sponsor family picnics for folks who are member, as far away from the parade as possible. If you have businesses along the parade route, close for the day. Anything to avoid being in the area. Do not give them the audience and attention they crave. Those who organize to protest these perversions, more power to you, you have stronger stomachs than I do.

[stevio]

Try to call a major talk show about this. I.e. Rush, Hannity, you’ll be laughed off the phone. And they have the nerve to worry about The Fairness Doctrine.

[ikka]

Thanks for the info on Epaminondas, but I asked for a source and you did not give me one.

[stevio]

Are you frikin’ blind??? You don’t see this as an all out attack on the family and society in general? They are infesting our schools and trying to corrupt our children. Or is it not that big of a problem because, if it was, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity would talk about it?

[gidget7]

While indeed we are all sinners, and most of the practices you sited are sins, no one is disputing that. I have yet to see an adulterer, a pedophile, or a remarriage “Pride” parade. Nor have I seen any government, state or local, writing laws and ordinances forcing people to hire them, or not say a word contrary to their lifestyles.

AND most are sins, ONE is an Abomination.

[Turret Gunner A20]

But he was stupid and did his cause a disservice when he threw the button.

He'd have done a greater service if he had thrown a -- never mind.

[Sherman Logan]

Most writings on the subject are by gay apologists. Here’s a reasonably unbiased article.

http://oregonstate.edu/~blakena/cs195/final/Other/Writing/RomanHomosexuality.html

The author stresses, quite accurately, that there were very few homosexuals in the modern sense in the classical world. Bisexuality was considered the norm.

The Emperor Claudius was apparently the only one in the first two centuries of the empire who didn’t do both men and women. He was considered odd.