Arkansas Churches Allegedly Refuses Funeral For Gay Man, Hand Out Anti-Gay Materials to Grieving Family | Alternet
I went to this church as a child, and preached there as a teenager... The Church of Christ is still stuck in the dark ages. This is why gay people FLEE that area of North Arkansas, and its a shame because it is a beautiful area of the Ozarks.
Mountain Home Churches of Christ Refuse Gay Man's Funeral
If it's not too late, the family should move the service to Eureka Springs
UPDATE: The Baxter Bulletin has conflicting accounts
Not So Fast: Conflicting Info on Gay Man's Funeral
Questions Remain About Gay Man's Funeral
Apparently there is a conflict in accounts of what happened. James Stone's husband Jay Hoskins posted this account on the Dallas Voice website:
"I am James' "legal" husband of nearly 6 months, and we had been together for over 10 years. Yes, this incident happened. And yes, it was out of the fundamentalist Clarkridge Church of Christ, amongst others. I just learned of the media coverage of this issue in the past couple of hours on the Voice. I have been contacted by local media in the last hour.
I can tell you that there were not only issues having a service for him, but also in so much as that one or more members of the Clarkridge Church of Christ called and "CANCELLED" our family get-together after the service, and that TWO members of the Clarkridge Church of Christ, Jerry and Vicki Oels gave James grieving mother, myself and the preacher a nice big envelope each
One filled with over 10 pages of Bible passages condemning us to hell, referencing God's marriage laws, marriage amongst people and animals, and then a sympathy card.
I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH HATE AND BIGOTRY in my life. James was taught not to be bigoted, hateful, and would not have approved of this.
James did not die of Sjogren's Syndrome. He died a tragic death of suicide where his poor mother and myself found him hanging from a ceiling fan. I tried unsuccessfully to revive him, but it was too late.
To the people of Clarkridge, including his own family, RUTH STRAIN, RAY WAYE, ROY (JUNIOR) STONE and JACKIE STONE- you all will be judged just as everyone else. The same goes for VICKI and JERRY OELHS."
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