Guest commentary by Sonja Dalton
Sonja Dalton has found that one of the pastors who spoke at the District 214 board meeting in favor of requiring high schoolers to read books with pornographic passages sponsors a gay youth support group in her church.
Dalton asks:
If the "Reverend" believes it is inappropriate for Leslie Pinney to advocate for Judeo-Christian values on the school board, then why is it acceptable for the Countryside Unitarian Church to promote its religious tenets on a taxpayer-funded website for a public school?
Background: You may recall that, at the May 25 District 214 school board meeting, "Reverend" Julie Denny-Hughes of Countryside Unitarian Church in Palatine roundly criticized Leslie Pinney for bringing her Christian faith and values to the school board. Ms. Denny-Hughes based her passionate argument on the concept of "separation of church and state," distinguishing between individual freedoms and vs. the role of government-funded public schools/administration.
Update: On the Prospect High School website under 'Student Services", you will find "Links" and then "Community Counseling Resources." Scroll down until you find the heading: "Support/Community/Counseling for Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender/Questioning Youth and Parents" and note the entry for...
Pride Youth
Countryside Unitarian Church
1025 N Smith Road
Palatine
(847) 441-9880 X2
Thursday Evenings 6-9 pm
Hmmm - This seems like an embarrassing lapse of critical thinking...to have publicly criticized Leslie Pinney for behavior in which one's own congregation actively engages.
What is Pride Youth? To learn more, explore their website ("Links") where 13-18 yr olds can "increase effective decision-making skills, hone good judgment, and increase self-esteem" by accessing:
* "Alternative Phone Book" - where your 13-18 yr old child can find links to Chicago's gay bathhouses, erotica, sex shops, etc.
* "Illinois Queer Resources Directory" - where your 13-18 yr old child can find helpful information like "General Gay and Lesbian Information in Chicago, such as bar guides and nightlife information, plus much more!"
* Articles for your 13-18 yr old child on such educational issues as "barebacking" or as one author calls it "f***ing raw" (interpretation: anal sex without a condom).
Yes, indeedy, these are resources that any God-fearing church would want to provide to children...NOT!
Thought Question: If the "Reverend" believes it is inappropriate for Leslie Pinney to advocate for Judeo-Christian values on the school board, then why is it acceptable for the Countryside Unitarian Church to promote its religious tenets on a taxpayer-funded website for a public school?
Fellow Christians, do not be deceived! Do not be JAMMED! You have not only a Constitutional right, but a Biblical obligation to lift up traditional Judeo-Christian values in our culture and not just within the confines of your church building. And if you don't speak up for what is right, you can see what values will be adopted. Wake up!
