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Remember this story from about a month ago? Nine years ago an Ohio church, New Beginnings Ministry, launched a series of protests against the Foxhole, a local club that features topless dancers. In August, supporters of the club finally retaliated by staging topless protests outside the church.
Even though members of the church harassed the club and its patrons for nine years before its supporters struck back, after only a month the church has filed a lawsuit against the counter-protesters. It seems that like most Christians who refuse to mind their own business, they can dish it out fine but can't stand a dose of their own medicine.
My guess is that it's legal for women to go topless in this part of Ohio, as it is in more of the United States than you might otherwise think. Otherwise Dunfee would have just been able to call the police and have any female protesters who were topless removed. If it is in fact legal, then it would seem to me that the church has no case.
Beyond that, I continue to be mystified that so many religious folks seem pathologically unable to mind their own business. In the overall scheme of things, how does having a topless club in town affect the church in any way? I can see where it would be reasonable for Dunfee to preach against attending the club to his congregation, but what about all the folks in town who don't share his beliefs?
If we really are going to respect everyone's right to practice their beliefs as they see fit, the solution here is obvious. The church should just leave the club alone. That should shut down the topless protests right there.
Even though members of the church harassed the club and its patrons for nine years before its supporters struck back, after only a month the church has filed a lawsuit against the counter-protesters. It seems that like most Christians who refuse to mind their own business, they can dish it out fine but can't stand a dose of their own medicine.
The war between New Beginnings and the Foxhole began nine years ago when church members protested outside the club, taking down patron’s license plate numbers and imploring them to repent. The owner and employees retaliated by staging their own protests outside the church on Sunday mornings with some of the dancers appearing topless while holding up signs accusing parishioners who called them “whores” of being judgmental.
According to William Dunfee, the pastor of New Beginnings, the strippers have now gone too far and are threatening the churchgoers while exposing parishioner’s children to their uncovered breasts. The lawsuit states that protesters traumatized and intimidated children at the church with “ sexual slurs, nudity and obscene language” as well as scaring one family off.
My guess is that it's legal for women to go topless in this part of Ohio, as it is in more of the United States than you might otherwise think. Otherwise Dunfee would have just been able to call the police and have any female protesters who were topless removed. If it is in fact legal, then it would seem to me that the church has no case.
Beyond that, I continue to be mystified that so many religious folks seem pathologically unable to mind their own business. In the overall scheme of things, how does having a topless club in town affect the church in any way? I can see where it would be reasonable for Dunfee to preach against attending the club to his congregation, but what about all the folks in town who don't share his beliefs?
If we really are going to respect everyone's right to practice their beliefs as they see fit, the solution here is obvious. The church should just leave the club alone. That should shut down the topless protests right there.
1 comment:
Ah religious folks who mind their own business?? Way too common sense. You're right, they can dish it out but not take it. The church was trying to shut down a legal business. The strip club just trying to strike back after nine tears of turning the other cheek. Pun intended.
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