Church dumps teacher over marriage views
A Seventh Day Adventitst church has shut down a language school because its founder supports marriage equality.
The Age reports the Gateway Adventist Centre in Melbourne closed its outreach language program for international students, migrants and refugees on April 15 because program founder Keith Paulusse professed his support for marriage equality on Facebook.
Paulusse, a celibate gay man, said he received an email from Gateway chief elder Johnny Wong telling him his views were not in line with the church.
Paulusse also told The Age he intends to take legal action after another Gateway elder told two friends that he was a paedophile.
Nearly all of the teachers at the language school were gay or lesbian and not Seventh Day Adventists.
After the language school was closed, Paulusse said police were called when he tried to address a worship service on April 21.
He was arrested and ordered not to attend for four months.
The language school has since been reopened under a different name.
The church has said Paulusse’s views are incompatible with Gateway’s position on marriage.
I am familiar with Seventh-day Adventists. I like the fact that the Adventist church has helped win legal battles with employers who refused to make reasonable accommodations and allow Adventist employees to have Saturday off work. I am also aware of how rigid and intolerant some Adventists are and that the denomination can be. Religious liberty within Adventist circles is not always extended to those Adventists who disagree with formal church policies and doctrine.
Wow, I had no idea Sanitarium is not a business of the 7th Day Adventist Church. They better start paying taxes then, and hand back the hundreds of millions stripped from the community in tax exemptions gained from being a business of the Church.
I am still stuck on the 7th Day Adventist Church official position that homosexuality is a sin. I do not recall Jesus ever saying homosexuality is a sin, or Sack Thy Gay Neighbour. I cannot see why the need is to create Jesus as a sort of hate monger, destined to call into question God’s creation.
The Sanitarium Healthfood Company is not the same company as the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, although they opperate closely: see, one is a religious institution, the other is a food company whose CEO is a Catholic man.
Now if we discriminate by association, then we may not be treated in Saint Vincent’s hospital since it’s owned by a Catholic group and Catholics don’t support gay marriage either. How about not buying Chinese products because the Chinese government aggressively represses freedom of information and expression?
Before you “thumbs-down” me for pointing out an alternative view, consider the (hypocritical lack of) logic behind the “arguments” supporting discrimination of association.
Ultimately the discrimination towards homosexual relationships expressed by most SDA’s is biblically and ethically wrong, but convincing them of that is as easy as making a gay man straight. :p
If you take peoples taxes, if you require councils to charge higher rates to others, so you do not have to pay rates, then you are taking a community resource, and you are accountable to all members of the community. If you claim to represent the teaching of the Bible, and declare any acts of homosexuality a sin, then you are accountable to other Christians and the community, the majority who the polls show over and over, do not think homosexuality is a sin and support same-sex marriage. Would I be a hate monger if I declared all 7th Day Adventist a sin? The Church cannot hide from being accountable to the public, and their supporters.
The Age article on this was not legally challenged if it was so defamatory? It is reported the employer smeared the victim’s name, contacted his previous employer, and the list goes on and on. Organized campaign? PR companies……. When you close a school down, that must not be sacking anyone or letting students down then? What did the article say about the sexuaity of the other teachers “Stood Down”?
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/school-closed-over-gay-message-20120430-1xv50.html
If you ask me, I think Dave is trying to spread HATRED for the SDA church in the same way BIGOTS try to spread HATRED for LGBTIQ people.
As an Adventist, a GAY Adventist at that, I can say that I have recieved nothing but support. True, I associate with liberal SDAs (yeah. We have right and lefts within this church too). But there is a change amongst the younger generation.
Sanitarium has nothing to do with this. It is owned by the church but it is self-governing.
DAVE- Don’t be what you despise. A Hate-mongerer. Don’t hate the whole group for what one church does. Yes, there is an official stance- most Bible-believers are against homosexuality.
But I have experienced a level of acceptance/tolerance. Some who say “Well, you know- maybe we should look at this again.” and that group is growing.
But if you stifle it out of them by your hate-brigade- you’re just as bad as Johnny Wong who chucked Mr Palusse out.
I must advocate on behalf of the wider SDA church, of whom my family are members, and of which I am a former member ( I am now a Unitarian based on belief)
The SDA church in question is known to be a very conservative church. I know for a fact that churches near me not only tolerate Gay people, but actively incorporate them into Church life.
Just a few weeks ago I attended a viewing of a fabulous documentary- Seventh-Gay Adventists, highlighting the journey of 3 gay people and their experience in the Church. One of whom was accepted whole-heartedly into her Church, along with her partner and their daughters. They were even made leaders of the Children’s club- Adventurers.
Not all Adventists are this heartless. This has sent shockwaves through our community too. The actions of this one church should in no way be a reflection on the larger SDA community.
PLEASE don’t assume the actions of one church are the very same beliefs of the whole bunch of us! To assume such is to show the same ignorance that Mr Wong of Gateway Adventist Centre has shown.
Federal Labor needs to explain why they are giving hundreds of millions of our taxes away to a church who owns WheatBix, while saying they want nothing to do with people who do not hold the churches absolute beliefs. It is simply economic vandalism giving away millions of our hard earned taxes.
Thanks Jan – That definitely clears up a lot. I don’t know why people are talking about Sanitarium, Weetbix or anyone getting sacked according to what actually happened.
Just checked. My Uncle Tobys is made by Nestle. Phew!
Press Release:
The 7th Day Adventist Church takes millions in tax breaks from people wanting to marry, and those who are wanting others to marry, but sacks a bloke for wanting to marry?
I hope the clan at the 7th Day Adventist Church are not able to run a power company with their millions in tax breaks, or I fear Mardi Gras and a few suburbs would be dark at night.
PRESS RELEASE RE: Gateway Adventist Company
Communications Department, South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Today the Melbourne Age reported on a dispute between Keith Paulusse and the leadership of Gateway Adventist Company. There are credible reports from those involved that there is substantially more to the story than was reported. These additional details are critical for a balanced understanding of events.
Keith Paulusse was an active participant at Gateway. He informed the leaders he was gay, but celibate. Rather than react with hatred or homophobia, Gateway continued to embrace Keith. He served as a religious teacher on Saturday mornings and Gateway permitted Keith’s conversational English language school to operate on its premises free of charge.
It came to Gateway’s attention, however, that Keith was advocating for the redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples – both on social media and in person to visitors to Gateway. The Adventist Church in Australia, with which Gateway is affiliated, has publicly defended marriage against efforts to redefine it. Gateway’s leadership, therefore, informed Keith that his advocacy in opposition to the Church’s position was incompatible with him continuing in his current capacity. Keith was unwilling to alter his advocacy.
There is no Adventist region-wide policy on how to interact with local church members who support the redefinition of marriage. Rather, precisely who can serve in various church capacities is a question for the local church board. Gateway’s board decided to end its relationship with Keith’s language school.
The Adventist Church stands behind the principle that every entity in a free society has the right to determine whether the views espoused by those who represent or associate with it are compatible with its values. In our diverse society, there are innumerable other locations where the school can meet. Indeed the school has relocated and is operating successfully at the new location. The Adventist Church wishes Keith well in this endeavour, and is working to bring together those involved in the dispute.
For the Seventh-day Adventist world church’s official statements on marriage, including the biblical basis for those views, please see:
http://adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat16.html
http://adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat46.html
http://adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat53.html
We will sack you if you want to marry? But have no problem taking hundreds of millions in tax breaks and paying no council rates, from the Australian community, the majority of who support same-sex couples having equality in marriage. The polls even show a majority of Christians support this. What a compromise on the organizations values and beliefs when money is involved……. Perhaps the 7th Day Adventist Church could be honest to its followers and apply the same standards they set of followers, and hand back the millions to the people of Australia. You know, those they take money from who do not follow the beliefs of the organization.
So other Christians, who want to marry same-sex couples, are not really Christian? Like Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Anglican Arch-Bishop Desmond Tutu. He of course is not really Christian according to the Hate Thy Neighbour Brigade.
Sound like a cult?
People should not marry because I said so?
Only my Bible interpretation is valid, and the world must live by that?
People of other religions or no religion, cannot marry as I own marriage?
God talks to me, and me alone, it is clear what he said.
Jesus went around saying “Sack Thy Neighbours if you disagree!” I wonder if he shouted “God you are so wrong”, when he saw the odd Gay Rooster?
Centurions having same-sex marriages around Jesus, and what about King Solomon, and the good all those wives and concubines, he was the wisest king! Interesting times.
Grammer (or more specifically spelling) Nazi here. W eEtBix (WeetBix) and SanitArium. Sanatorium is a place to go and stay at for a long time to get better, like a health retreat.
Sanitarium is also run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and if was being run by someone who was not practicing the values of the church he/she is working for then they would also have to find a job in a company that DOES share their values and morals. Sanitarium had nothing to do with the sacking of this man. They never could. But if WeetBix is not your thing then, sure, stop eating them!
My question would be this: Why do people want a Christian (or Biblical) marriage if they:
A) Live contrary to Biblical principles.
OR
B) Do not believe the Christian position, are secular, anti-religious etc.
There really shouldn’t be a conflict here.
I personally know Keith Paulusse and Johnny Wong. And I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. The Seventh-Day Adventist church does not support gay marriage because there are no Biblical grounds for it. That doesn’t mean that we hate homosexuals – homosexuals also fall under the broad category of neighbours in Yeshua’s statement: “love your neighbour as yourself.”
It just means that the organisation stands on sola scriptura, and will not move – because every concession will lead to another concession, until we stand for nothing. Personally, I wouldn’t oppose civil unions – but there is no basis for homosexual marriage within the Seventh-Day Adventist philosophical standpoint.
Usually, when someone who is employed by an organisation and espouses viewpoints or philosophies that are contrary to the organisation’s established position, it results in termination of that individual. In secular, religious, and quasi-religious (darwinistic/naturalistic) organisations. It’s the default.
Where’s CAAH? They should be fighting this battle! Calling CAAH? Calling lost and found?
Just wait, I got my coffee. Now until recently the Church lumped homosexuals as paedophiles, now they have mellowed, we are just all SINNERS! Sex is only permitted in marriage, so of course we cannot marry legally in Australia, so we are doomed by birth to a life without sex, unless we pray really hard, and God says “Are you really sure lovey?”. So when God created the insects, the animals, and fish, such as Gay Dolphins or the gay Fruit Flies, he must be wrong- Poor God!
Welcome the Hate Thy Neighbour Brigade. Sanatorium is a 7th Day Adventist Company, receiving hundreds of millions in tax breaks over the years.
I am sorry I am not with some members of your church here.
Play by the rules? Wanting to marry is now illegal.
It’s not hate sacking you, we just do not like your type here. Not a hard quantum leap?
At least they stand for something? They are not like all the rest of those other churches? Sacking people for wanting to marry must be a good thing then.
We do not know all the facts…. It’s a media conspiracy by the majority of media?
Looks to me like the the 7th Day Adventist Church wants to control people well after work, and into their thoughts.
Wow what a quantum leap! Where in the article did it say that someone or an organisation hated gay people?
Are you suggesting that if someone disagrees with your views / beliefs they hate you?
Such an assertion would mean that anyone that is not gay must hate gays and clearly that is not the case.
Hi gents – the report says this is a decision made by the Gateway centre’s leader, not Sanitarium. If you want to know where Sanitarium stand on the issue, ask them – but please don’t make up your mind for them.
When you join in to play a game, you play by the rules, whether you agree with them, or not. Break the rules, and you’re out. That’s the way it it’s always been.
I think we need to understand the whole story before we pass on any judgement because I know media sometime cannot be trusted.
wow!!!!!!! really? lets talk about business ethics for a second. if you hold a position in a company and speak openly against or differently or outside the views of that company in a public forum and get the sack its perfectly ok hey it happens to the footballers and people in the spotlight all the time and I’m sure blue collar workers all the time but as soon as a christian organisation stands up for what they believe in they are judged for it! In every christian organisation they have different views we aren’t telling you what you must believe but we are telling you what we believe aren’t we allowed to stand for our beliefs ??? or do we have to believe what you tell us??? we love you by not judging you and supporting you no matter what your decision but what you need to understand is if he is speaking in a public forum people are going to think that is the view of the seventh day adventist church and its not
Good on them , they stand for something they belive in & acted upon it. Just shows that there not a two faced religion like so many are these days.
I agree Brenty. Someone might need to setup a facebook page to get the message out! What a lie to say Aussie Kids are Hate They Gay Neighbour Kids in their advertisments.
Please don’t buy anything ‘Sanatarium’!
No more WheatBix for me.
I had no idea WheatBix are now Hate They Gay Neighbour Bix. This Church business operates with exemptions in tax and council rates. I think we need to remove these. No doubt the sacking was made easier, now the Victorian State Liberal/National party voted to strip workplace protections out of the Equal Opportunity Act for same-sex attracted people, working for religious businesses. The current Attorney General of Victoria, Robert Clark, said of homosexuality,”It is a foolish practice, it is destructive and it is harmful…. it is more harmful then smoking” he told Parliament in 1995.