Only by signing a covenant stating their allegiance to the belief that homosexuality is devil’s magic can choir singers at Orange County’s Crystal Cathedral truly be good Christians, the megachurch’s officials have decided. Choir members have been asked to sign the “Crystal Cathedral Worship Choir and Worship Team Covenant,” which reads: “I understand that in an era where images of family relationship and personal sexuality are often confused, Crystal Cathedral Ministries believes that it is important to teach and model the biblical view. I understand that Crystal Cathedral Ministries teaches that sexual intimacy is intended by God to only be within the bonds of marriage, between one man and one woman.” Not everyone wants to sign her name to it! But c’mon everyone, the church just wants everyone to be on the same page.
Yes, everyone, take orders from Crystal Cathedral Ministries, which had to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October because it’s racked up some $43 million in debt, slashed staff, sold its property, and can’t even afford to put on its annual “Glory of Easter” soiree this year.
Sheila Schuller Coleman [pictured], daughter of the founder and senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, issued a statement Tuesday saying the document is intended to “clarify expectations placed on them as ministry leaders.” “It is true that our new choir covenant includes a definition of marriage and that may have contributed to the hurt,” she stated. “The definition is the one that our denomination, The Reformed Church in America, and the Crystal Cathedral adheres to, based on its understanding of the scriptures.”
Coleman apologized for the pain the covenant has caused some choir members. “As the church has been engaging in this sensitive dialogue, people that we care for deeply have been hurt,” she said. “We are sincerely sorry. Those of us in church leadership ask for understanding as we seek to obey God and love all of His children.”
Rest assured, homosexual members of the choir: You are not, in fact, banned from singing god’s hymns because of this covenant. But you are being asked to sign your own second-class certificate, so that should really bring out that crisp tenor sound!
Andreusz
They’re quite right. You can either be gay, or a Jeeby-muncher. Not both. Romans 1:26–27.
DJM
Ms. Sheila Schuller Coleman wouldn’t be allowed to be an ordained minister is some Christian denominations because she’s female.
Sorry, Pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman. We’ll have to print up one of those certificates for you to sign indicating that, as a female, you are aware you just don’t qualify to preach to anyone about anything. We sincerely apologize for the pain this will cause you, Pastor Sheila, as some seek to marginalize you due to your lifestyle choice to be born female.
The sane Francis
Interesting how churches like these have no problem using church funds for all sorts of illicit reasons and drive themselves into bankruptcy, however they go out of their way to play moral doctor when it comes to the gays. It’s all about having power and control over a vulnerable group.
Sug Night
More like the Crystal Meth Cathedral…what are they thinking? Take the gays out of all the church choirs around this country and Sundays would be mighty quiet.
The sane Francis
We’re under attack from religious fundamentalists. We need to use their arguments against them. These people are immoral and hateful but have been allowed to get away with literally murder because of the God factor. That needs to end today. People can’t be scared to speak out against these freaks.
patrick
That fucking Bible has caused more goddamned problems in this world than anything that has ever been said or written! How about “Do unto others” and leave it at that. Fuck the rest of it. Idiots that believe it literally! The world has just gone mad……Sometimes I do not see a future for mankind.
D Smith
this is why i have difficulty understanding religious LGBT individuals… yes, some religions do not have the negative connotations attached to sex and gender that the abrahamic religions are poisoned with, however… the religions and prejudices of today are the history lessons and mythology of tomorrow.
no one today worships odin or thor, or zues or apollo… but saying as much was blasphemous in the cultures that did worship them. mankind has always used religion to shelter ourselves from things which we do not understand… after we learned to control electricity who could seriously consider that a “god of thunder” ever really existed?
as the pace of discoveries in science increases the gaps in our knowledge shrink and these gaps are all that are left for the bogey men of our races childhood (race as in human race… but that is another argument for other forums). eventually there will be no room left in the gaps of our knowledge but for the question of why we ever believed such nonsense to begin with.
Kieran
If they really want to be faithful to a strict interpretation of the Bible they wouldn’t allow Sheila Schuller to preach in the Church. According to St Paul, Women are to remain silent in the churches. If they have any questions they should obediently ask a man to explain it to them after the service. And ofcourse, Divorce would be strictly forbidden for everybody.
But hey, only the Biblical prohibitions on homosexuality are to be taken seriously nowadays.
Roger Rabbit
Oops! Better not ask the Church organist or pianist to sign the same contract – LOL
Harbo
@patrick: My thoughts exactly!!! The Bible is a hate-filled that preaches bigotry on every page. The people who believe it word for word are intellectually corrupt. It is organized religions way of keeping the masses under their thumb.
Tom
I think the money they stole in the name of the Lord is a bigger concern than Gays or Lesbians singing in the choir. This intolerant bitch stole money given to the Lord and she is trying to set herself up as some virtuous paragon of how to be a minister in a family run business where they paid themselves over a million dollars a year. Enjoy it while it lasts, honey, ’cause if you don’t go to jail for what you did, you are going to spend a large part of eternity scrubbing shit in hell with copies of your fucking covenant. I hope her damn choir quits, maybe after an impromtu number from La Cage during a Sunday morning broadcast.
Jeffree
“How to turn a choir into a quartet” would be a better title of this article!
Why doesn’t the covenant forbid divorced people from being in the choir? Are members who are found to be adulterers told “Marge and Sam, take off those sacred choir robes and leave this Holy Place right now!”?
Do the female tenors and male altos get extra-special scrutiny due to their gender bending? “Ralph just hit a high C, so yep he’s gotta leave this church right away!”
Rocky
I think it is their church and they can do what they want. They are not forcing gays to go there-and the rhetoric that is being spewed on this blog is the exact reason Christians are afraid to let gays have the right to marry. If we keep bashing Christians about there church policies and doctrines in their churches-they have a right to be fearful about what is to come next; like people or the government trying to legislate doctrine of a person’s faith. Some religions don’t agree with abortion, some don’t agree with divorce, some have different policies on a woman’s place in the church and/or religion, and some have a negative view of homosexuality or any type of sex before marriage. Do I agree with all these views? No. But, do I want to force people into practicing their religion the way I feel they should? No. You can’t expect people to respect you if you don’t respect them. I don’t agree with Christian views on homosexuality but I respect them for it-as long as they are not trying to shove it down my throat I don’t care. And, I have met many Christians who told me what they thought of me and my lifestyle and they were very respectful about it and after they said their peace-they kept it moving. So
Rocky
(Hit submit button by accident) I meant: So I like I said-its their church and in their church they should be able to do what ever they want.
patrick
@Rocky: You seem to be under the delusion that these so-called Christians do NOT try to shove their beliefs down our throats, and try with every possible vote to deny us our rights. These religions are poisonous and these ultra-pious bigots are snakes in the grass!
Lindsay
I came across this article while searching for a community church to join. I have to say I feel ashamed for you and your establishment. Your statement has made me weep because I feel you have not truly allowed God in your heart. I pray someone with compassion takes over your position in the church. Until that happens, I will be convincing everyone I know to boycott all the Crystal Cathedral programs(specifically the Christmas one). I hear it is a beautiful performance, which is a shame I was looking forward to seeing it in person.
Rocky
No, I am not under any delusion. I know that a good number of Christians try and shove their religion down other people’s throats. But, I also believe that it is their church and they can do pretty much what they want in their church. I don’t want people to be legislated what to believe or think. If people do not agree with the way I am or live my life that is their right. All I ask is for them to respect me and other people like me. I am not for taking away peoples right to assemble as they see fit. Yes, the Christian Right in America is basically anti gay; but as long as they are not preventing me (and I’m speaking in the immediate sense not technically)from me leading my life the way I want to -I don’t care what they do in their church. My mother still to this day is anti gay after 20 some years and two gay sons. She is also a very devout Christian-but she respects me and my brother for who we are. Does she agree with it no; not at all. But, we agree to disagree and still have a good relationship. And, by the way they can also say that gays push their agenda down their throats.