Ferndale chaplain rebuked

The Oakland Press Online ^ | October 29, 2002 | Robert Carr

[scripter]

The Ferndale City Council sharply rebuked its police chaplain, and the chief, at a meeting Monday night. The action stems from an incident May 13 when the Rev. Tom Hansen, the police chaplain for more than five years, protested the Motor City Pride event and made disparaging statements about gay people.

In a resolution approved by four of the five council members Monday night, the council said Hansen's statements were "callous, outdated and hostile"and were an affront to the council and the residents.

The resolution said the council respects Hansen's right to free speech but disavowed the comments he made in May.

"This resolution ... categorically and emphatically disavows the public statements of Pastor Tom Hansen ... finding the statements to be offensive to the tenets of diversity and principals of freedom, acceptance and respect for humanity," read part of the resolution, written by Councilmen T. Scott Galloway and Craig Covey, an openly gay man.

Also, the resolution expressed displeasure with the police department leadership for having retained Hansen. The department was directed to hire three more chaplain volunteers by the first meeting in November, and also to come up with policies for the hiring and the management of the police chaplains by December.

Police Chief Michael Kitchen told the council he didn't understand the rebuke.

"How could I have done any differently? This is the only person that wanted to volunteer for the job, which can be very difficult," Kitchen said.

People led by Soulforce, a Ferndale chapter of a pro-gay religious group, petitioned for the removal of Hansen.

Hansen is pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in the city. He is not paid for his volunteer work as the sole police chaplain, a post he's held after other pastors quit or moved away.

However, members of Soul Force said Hansen should not hold a public office because of his anti-gay views, for which he is well-known.

The pastor led a campaign against the Human Rights Ordinance in the city.

The proposed law, which would have protected gays from discrimination in housing, employment and public services, failed in 2000 by a slim margin.

Hansen himself said he's not sorry about what he said. He said he spoke as an individual and did not identify himself as a police chaplain when he spoke against what's also known as Pridefest.

"The council should realize I am within my rights to speak my opinion and leave me alone," Hansen said at the meeting. "I am totally against this resolution."

The resolution does not remove Hansen from the chaplain position. However, it is obvious by the council's remarks that Hansen will be required to keep his anti-gay opinions out of public view while he stays in the position.

Of the five council members, only David Lennon did not approve the resolution. He said he would rather have eliminated the position.

Gary Glenn of the American Family Association of Michigan said the city faced a costly discrimination lawsuit if Hansen had been let go.

"It's an open-shut case that the council would be acting against someone based on their viewpoint," Glenn said. "The national AFA would take the case all the way to the Supreme Court. I don't know if the taxpayers of Ferndale are willing to pay for this lawsuit."

[scripter]

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[Redbob]

As a former resident of Ferndale (just 4 blocks north of Eight Mile!), I'd like to voice my support for Rev. Hansen.

Anyone know where he can be contacted?

[scripter]

As a former resident of Ferndale (just 4 blocks north of Eight Mile!), I'd like to voice my support for Rev. Hansen.

Anyone know where he can be contacted?

Stage left - do you have any info how to contact Rev. Hansen?

[joesnuffy]

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. —1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. —Galatians 5:19-21

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. —Ephesians 5:5

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. —Revelation 21:27

A Chaplin repremanded for "outdated thinking"???.......The Bible Outadated...

Time to out the proclaimer of outdating

[ppaul]

People led by Soulforce, a Ferndale chapter of a pro-gay religious group, petitioned for the removal of Hansen.

"Soulforce"?
How long must our society continue to placate these perverts and deviants?

[L.N. Smithee]

Rev. Tom Hansen, the police chaplain for more than five years, protested the Motor City Pride event and made disparaging statements about gay people...the council said Hansen's statements were "callous, outdated and hostile"...The resolution said the council respects Hansen's right to free speech but disavowed the comments he made in May...Hansen himself said he's not sorry about what he said.

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, WHAT DID HE SAY?

It's very interesting to me that they didn't quote what he actually said. It must not have been that bad, or else they would have said that the statement's outrageousness spoke for itself.

Anyone got a quotation? The poor excuse for a journalist that wrote this forgot about the "Why" part!

[SkyPilot]

Exactly--what did he say?

I guess it is easier for the sodomites to attack him obliquely rather than try to refute his arguments.

Typical.

[AppyPappy]

Soulforce was picketing Falwell's church this weekend. The leader in Lynchburg is a gay minister who abandoned his family for his gay lover.

[CalConservative]

Soulforce, a Ferndale chapter of a pro-gay religious group

There are just so many things to say...where should I start? I'm assuming that this religious group does not claim to be Christian as the Bible (or at least the one I'm familiar with) clearly condemns homosexuality in a number of places. That said, I understand there are a number of groups and churches who claim to be Christian who believe that homosexuality is an acceptable practice before God. The state of Christian society today has apparently become one where we can pick and choose which sections of the Bible we wish to believe and simply ignore the rest. How convenient! Another point that I always harp on is the issue of one-way tolerance. The pro-homosexual groups constantly promote tolerance as an agenda, but their form of tolerance never includes tolerance for dissently viewpoints to their own - thus the one-way tolerance. It continues to scare me to see the blantant harrassment and vindictive public criticism of people who dare to speak out against the pro-homosexual agenda. It seems to be getting worse as many of these "examples" are being made to discourage people from speaking out on their convictions.

[philetus]

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
1149 Hilton Rd.
(248) 542-3500
Rev. Tom Hansen

[stage left]

Hope this works. 1st timer.

Pastor Tom Hansen
Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
1149 Hilton Road
Ferndale, MI 48220
248.542.3500

[philetus]

I found this letter to Pastor Hanson from Soulforce Detroit.

28 August 2002

Pastor Hanson
Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
1149 Hilton
Ferndale, MI 48220

Dear Pastor Hanson,

We received your letter of 20 August 2002 and would like to apologize for causing you to feel threatened. As you know, Soulforce is a nonviolent organization. Any of its members, including us, would never result to any sort of threat or violence to achieve our goal of ending spiritual violence. Perhaps we were too direct in our last letter and we would like the opportunity to better explain our request and our position.
We do agree with you on one point you made -- that our positions are extremely far apart. It is our hope that by meeting with you and praying with you, we can find common ground on which to build a more loving relationship. You must understand that the words you used at the 13 May city council meeting were extremely prejudiced and caused great harm to many of us in this community.
For example, you said, "Its my firm conviction and that of my church and many of our fellow citizens . . . that the practice of homosexual, lesbian, and crossgender lifestyle is immoral, and contrary to the express word of God and the well being of our city." This statement could cause increased hatred toward GLBT people, which could ultimately lead to violence against those people in the name of God. You also stated that homosexuals "are continually an embarrassment to our community." This statement is simply not true. Homosexuals have been pivotal in the resurrection of Ferndale, and its newfound growth, especially in the downtown area.
Because you have refused to rescind your statements, or make a public apology, we have written to Police Chief Kitchen and asked that he replace you as the police department's chaplain. We did not make this request for any other reason except we believe that the spiritual advisor to the men and women who are called upon to protect us without bias should not be one who believes that some of us are less worthy of such protection.
We are asking you again to make a public apology for using these words at the city council meeting. We are asking you again to meet with us, so together we can stop the spiritual violence against gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender persons.

In Christ,


Jennifer (Paty) and Erin (James) Adriel
Soulforce Detroit
304 West Breckenridge
Ferndale, MI 48220
(248)414-3955

Copy to: Police Chief Kitchen

Letter to Chief Kitchen:

01 September 2002

Police Chief Michael Kitchen
310 East Nine Mile Road
Ferndale, MI 48220

Dear Chief Kitchen,

As a resident of the city of Ferndale, I am concerned about the remarks that Pastor Hanson made at the 13 May 2002 City Council meeting. Because he chose to publicly condemn a large part of the city's citizens (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual), I do not believe that he should continue to be the spiritual advisor to the very men and women who are called to protect those citizens without bias.

He stated, "Its my firm conviction and that of my church and many of our fellow citizens . . . that the practice of homosexual, lesbian, and crossgender lifestyle is immoral, and contrary to the express word of God and the well being of our city." He also said that homosexuals "are continually an embarrassment to our community."

I'm sure you understand that his remarks have caused many Ferndale residents to feel less safe and question the unbiased protection promised to them by the city's police. It is imperative that he be removed from his position and replaced with a chaplain who can respect and honor all of the citizens of this city.

Respectfully,




Copy to:
Ferndale City Council

[stage left]

From the Daily Tribune June 2002

Hansen said, "The prectice (of homosexuality) is immoral and contrary to the expressed word of God . . . there is a never-ending effort to force this lifestyle down our throats".

[L.N. Smithee]

Hansen said, "The practice (of homosexuality) is immoral and contrary to the expressed word of God . . . there is a never-ending effort to force this lifestyle down our throats".

Well, no wonder they didn't want to quote him. What he said was 100% accurate.

[FormerLib]

"The Church, ministers and all, needs to stand and be counted and heard and heard and heard. Give no heed to the complaints of offense by the wicked. Be like Stephen, who was Christ like, and spoke the truth until the wicked stoned him to death. He refused to be censured by the objections and protests of the wicked. Speak against baby shredding, speak the Bible truth against morally reprobate homosexuals and speak against child/adult sex, until they give it up or stone you to death." --Freeper Lester Moore

Lester said it perfectly. I can't add a thing.

[stage left]

Ferndale City Council passed a resolution on October 28, 2002 part of which reads:

. . . "And, the callous, outdated and hostile statements about the lesbian and gay community made by Pastor Tom Hansen, Police Department Chaplain, are an affront to the City Council of Ferndale and to the many citizens of Ferndale.

The Police Department shall caution all police chaplains that as representatives of the City of Ferndale, their public actions are a direct reflection upon the City of Ferndale.

And, their actions as a police chaplain should be consistent with the beliefs contained within this resolution"

[CalConservative]

The practice (of homosexuality) is immoral and contrary to the expressed word of God . . .

This is obvously the outdated thinking the City Council was referring to. Unknown to us, God must have changed his mind on this issue and we should be thankful to the City of Ferndale to let us know this. There must be a newly issued 67th book of the Bible where God says "You know those other 66 books of the Bible? Well, just ignore them - they no longer apply, so just do what you want."

[scripter]

Thanks for posting the concat info. Darn good for a first timer, stage left!

[scripter]

concat=contact. Must be late. :-)