Lesbian & TS Kicked Out of Church

By The Associated Press
AKRON, Ohio (AP)

A lesbian married to a male transsexual was escorted off her church's property by police, and church leaders told her not to come back because she ``remains unrepentant and seeks to mock God.''

Debi Easterday was not allowed inside the Medina Church of the Brethren on Sunday, and police warned that she could face trespassing charges if she returns to the church she attended for four years but never formally joined.

``I feel they are wrong,'' Easterday said. ``I feel in my own eyes that no one has the right to tell me where I can go to hear God's word.''

Easterday married Paul Smith in a civil ceremony Oct. 3. Smith plans to change his name to Denise and undergo a sex change operation to become a woman.

The church's administrative board issued a statement saying church members want to gather for worship, prayer and Bible study ``without the fear of harassment, threats or general chaos.''

The board said it followed biblical principles in handling a difficult situation.

``Despite our initial acceptance, love, generosity and prayers, Debi remains unrepentant and seeks to mock God,'' according to the statement, which did not specify any actions by Easterday.

Easterday, a mother of four, believes she is being banned because she is a homosexual and married Smith. She said church officials have falsely accused her of being ``evil, demonic and a witch.''

``I do not mock God,'' she said.

Not all church members condemned Easterday -- Becky Buckroader said she was renouncing her membership over the woman's ouster.

``You reach people by showing love and acceptance, and you don't reach them by condemning them,'' Buckroader said. ``You can't accept sin. But that doesn't mean you can't reach out to the person.''

Nevin Dulabaum, spokesman for the Church of the Brethren General Board in Elgin, Ill., said the church issued guidelines in 1983 welcoming anyone who believes in Jesus, but also only condoning the relationship between husband and wife. Congregations are free to respond with what they believe is best for their churches, he added.

The Church of the Brethren, a pacifist church like the Quakers and Mennonites, has 144,000 members nationwide in 1,126 churches.


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