Author Topic: Woman Fired for Being a Female. (Read 1606 times)

rpm · « **on:** August 23, 2006, 03:31:27 AM »

This is why you keep church and state seperate.

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WATERTOWN, N.Y. - The minister of a church that dismissed a female Sunday School teacher after adopting what it called a literal interpretation of the Bible says a woman can perform any job - outside of the church.

The First Baptist Church dismissed Mary Lambert on Aug. 9 with a letter explaining that the church had adopted an interpretation that prohibits women from teaching men. She had taught there for 54 years.

The letter quoted the first epistle to Timothy: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."

The Rev. Timothy LaBouf, who also serves on the Watertown City Council, issued a statement saying his stance against women teaching men in Sunday school would not affect his decisions as a city leader in Watertown, where all five members of the council are men but the city manager who runs the city's day-to-day operations is a woman.

"I believe that a woman can perform any job and fulfill any responsibility that she desires to" outside of the church, LaBouf wrote Saturday.

Mayor Jeffrey Graham, however, was bothered by the reasons given Lambert's dismissal.

"If what's said in that letter reflects the councilman's views, those are disturbing remarks in this day and age," Graham said. "Maybe they wouldn't have been disturbing 500 years ago, but they are now."

Lambert has publicly criticized the decision, but the church did not publicly address the matter until Saturday, a day after its board met.

In a statement, the board said other issues were behind Lambert's dismissal, but it did not say what they were.

Ah, those wacky Baptists. I wonder if he will reinstate stoning as well?

Nilsen · « **Reply #1 on:** August 23, 2006, 05:18:32 AM »

So no ladies can work there, but i bet killers and rapists etc that have done their time and found jesus could.

awesome

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 23, 2006, 08:24:14 AM »

I know RPM is trying to get a rise out of us. But this isn't all that amazing or concern worthy.

Nilsen · « **Reply #3 on:** August 23, 2006, 08:29:30 AM »

why not?

lets discuss.. (and yes, im having a slow day)

lazs2 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 23, 2006, 08:52:01 AM »

I am having trouble seeing the relavance of the seperation of church and state in this case.

I don't think we have had a relevant case of seperation of church and state ever coming up tho.

lazs

midnight Target · « **Reply #5 on:** August 23, 2006, 08:56:30 AM »

If anyone is staunchly for separating church and state, they must also go along with the decision of the Baptists.. no matter how much it makes your skin crawl.

lukster · « **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2006, 10:57:40 AM »

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Originally posted by Nilsen
So no ladies can work there, but i bet killers and rapists etc that have done their time and found jesus could.

awesome

That's quite a leap to go from not letting women teach men to letting no women work there. This woman was a Sunday school teacher, they usually do not pay Sunday school teachers. Just clarifying the "work" part.

I'm not condoning their action but it hardly compares to "stoning" women which is still practiced by some religions. http://www.iran-e-azad.org/stoning/women.html

mora · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2006, 11:11:06 AM »

I don't see a problem in a religious group acting upon it's beliefs if they don't hurt anyone else in the process. Of course they should be able to choose who "works" for them.

slimm50 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2006, 11:18:25 AM »

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Originally posted by midnight Target
If anyone is staunchly for separating church and state, they must also go along with the decision of the Baptists.. no matter how much it makes your skin crawl.

MT, I agree. It's just that one church body, though. Not The Baptist Church, as a whole. Also, as I'm sure you're aware, there are at least several Baptist denominations.

BTW, this preacher's ruling does make my skin crawl, and I'm a Bible-believing Christian.

lukster · « **Reply #9 on:** August 23, 2006, 11:22:48 AM »

You wanna talk some serious discrimination:

"The penalty for adultery under Article 83 of the penal code, called the Law of Hodoud is flogging (100 lashes of the whip) for unmarried male and female offenders. Married offenders may be punished by stoning regardless of their gender, but the method laid down for a man involves his burial up to his waist, and for a woman up to her neck (article 102). The law provides that if a person who is to be stoned manages to escape, he or she will be allowed to go free. Since it is easier for a man to escape, this discrimination literally becomes a matter of life and death."

Masherbrum · « **Reply #10 on:** August 23, 2006, 11:33:14 AM »

To hell with Iran.

Chairboy · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2006, 11:54:22 AM »

Yep, the religions can do what they want, just so long as they don't push their agenda on other folks. I don't think anyone is calling for any sort of government intervention (I get the vibe that's what Lazs is suggesting), that'd be completely inappropriate, just saying "this sucks".

I'd hope anyone choosing a religion would research the church/books/history first to make sure they're getting what they expect. Like buying a car/choosing a flight instructor, etc.

Sandman · « **Reply #12 on:** August 23, 2006, 12:40:31 PM »

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Originally posted by midnight Target
If anyone is staunchly for separating church and state, they must also go along with the decision of the Baptists.. no matter how much it makes your skin crawl.

I think it depends on whether she was an employee or not. AFAIK, anti-discrimination laws apply to churches just like any other business.

lukster · « **Reply #13 on:** August 23, 2006, 12:47:19 PM »

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Originally posted by Sandman
I think it depends on whether she was an employee or not. AFAIK, anti-discrimination laws apply to churches just like any other business.

I know of no Baptist church that pays their Sunday school teachers solely for being a Sunday school teacher. Sometimes paid employees do serve in that capacity but only voluntarily. While I don't know about all Baptist churches I do have more than a little experience with them.

Chairboy · « **Reply #14 on:** August 23, 2006, 12:51:18 PM »

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Originally posted by lukster
I know of no Baptist church that pays their Sunday school teachers solely for being a Sunday school teacher.

He brings up an interesting point, though. Even if she was also paid for other duties as an employee but she was released because of the sunday school teaching, why wouldn't the anti-discrimination laws apply?

I was originally thinking in terms of "let them do whatever" because I assumed she was a volunteer, but if she's an employee, I can see why this would be a discussion point.