Bishop Scruton, of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts, said he had interviewed David A. Lewis, a church member in Manchester, Vt., who sent an e-mail message to bishops on Sunday night that accused Bishop-elect Robinson of harassment in November 1999 at a church conference in Holyoke, Mass.When Bishop Scruton called Mr. Lewis on Monday, Mr. Lewis said he "regretted having used the word `harassment' in his e-mail," Bishop Scruton said. Mr. Lewis described two conversations with Bishop-elect Robinson at the conference, Bishop Scruton said. Mr. Lewis said the bishop-elect had touched him on the arm and upper back during the talks, which were in front of other people.
Mr. Lewis said that the gestures struck him as too familiar and that they "made him feel uncomfortable," said Bishop Scruton. But he acknowledged that other people might view the exchange as normal and natural and told Bishop Scruton two times that he did not want to pursue the matter further, Bishop Scruton said.
Mr. Lewis said he sent his message on Sunday night after hearing that Bishop-elect Robinson had been approved by the House of Deputies, one of two decision-making bodies in the Episcopal Church, along with the House of Bishops. Mr. Lewis said that he "found himself late Sunday night needing to tell someone of his experience," Bishop Scruton said.
Bishop Scruton also cleared Bishop-elect Robinson of a second accusation, made late Sunday night by his opponents in the House of Bishops. Bishop Scruton said he had found that the bishop-elect had no involvement in a Web site for young gay people that also had links to a Web site that included pornography.
Bishop-elect Robinson helped found that the organization with the site, Concord Outright, meant to help gay and lesbian teenagers. Bishop Scruton said the bishop-elect had no involvement with it since 1998. The organization created its Web site last year.
Thank you for posting the articles. Have you seen this website www.outright.org of which Robinson was the co-founder?
It's charter says:
There is a reason why homosexual predators target the young: their naivete is more easily exploited while at the same time their youthfulness enhances the predators lust. It is tragic that these people are devouring the helpless and the innocent under the guise of an "affirming environment." That the board chose to ignore this is a pox on their souls.