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.
Joshi my husband who is a doctor could tell you anal and vaginal sex can be dangerous. But for the mass of people who engage in either, they simply have no problems. I guess we are bit more worried about people using an Ipod while crossing the road or riding a bike.
There is no religion that actually follows the teachings of the Bible without preconceived ideas.
I refuse to join the SDA church because I don’t need the validation of the leaders… Christianity in it’s purist form is an individual experience, not a mass-produced spiritual fast-food.
From my research, the bible never condemns homosexuality; it only states that anal sex is dangerous which is a scientifically justified statement. Advances in understandings of health, infection and anatomy enable people to engage in various forms of sexual interaction with minimal risk.
The bible is to be a guideline for living a better life, if it doesn’t set you free, it’s not working for you.
Was there really a thought of God when the police were called in to stop the teacher addressing his students a final time? When the teachers were sacked, and the students shocked, when the migrants trying to learn English turned up to be told we are shutting down the language centre, was it really the word of God? The teacher was dragged through the mud, and a vitriolic attempt has been made to destroy his reputation. Sure he is seeking legal redress, but I simply do not get the need to be so cruel to someone who on facebook simply supported the Civil Rights of others. He is celebrant, and not likely to benefit from marriage, but lives a lot closer to the life of Jesus then his persecutors. His message is of love and tolerance for others, he demonstrates a rich and deep humanity. The message of discrimination is simply so at odds with the fundamental message of Jesus. No, Jesus was not a hate monger, he did not declare the marriages of same-sex attracted Roman Soldiers invalid.The first law against same-sex marriage was not passed until some 349 years after the death of Christ. The early Christian movement simply had no problem with homosexuality, that was for the power hungry who eventually gained control, and so ordered same-sex couples who are married to be put to death. This was always about power, the power to be cruel and say you own the Bible.