In North Carolina, gay man fired for marrying partner

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It is a good thing that he was fired. But what perplexes me is why did this Catholic church hire someone who was an Episcopalian as their music director? I am not saying it was wrong of them to do so but it seems that they would have wanted to hire a Catholic instead.
North Carolina is mission territory. Only 3% of the population are Catholics.
 
My only gripe is that it appears he was openly practicing homosexuality from the beginning, his partner was always around and everyone knew, but it was ok until they got “married”. The behavior was equally sinful before the “marriage”, so why was it only frowned on after they legally sealed it?
Exactly. I guess this is what happens when people turn a blind eye to immorality in their midst. They should have never hired him in the first place.
 
This is not true. You cannot get fired for simply talking about it unless you are inappropriate in what you say…like calling them “homos” or something like that.

This man was an anchor and his views (tweeted, not stated) were bad for his role as a media expert. This is entirely different and his opinion became a conflict of interest.

Canada is a wonderful liberal country where we have a lot of employment protection.
I happen to know Damian personally, and I sat in the same room with him when he told me what actually did happen, very shortly after the event. He was not in any way inappropriate, did not call anyone names. He tweeted on his own personal time, from his personal computer, in defense of a professional athlete. So, following your line of thinking, his employer obviously feels it is “bad for his role as a media expert” to support marriage between a man and a woman.

He is going to mediation for this wrongful dismissal case, and I pray this comes out in favor of all Canadians to be free to speak their beliefs and not lose their livelihood as a result. Hopefully that employment protection you speak of, will actually protect him when he needs it.

~Liza
 
I happen to know Damian personally, and I sat in the same room with him when he told me what actually did happen, very shortly after the event. He was not in any way inappropriate, did not call anyone names. He tweeted on his own personal time, from his personal computer, in defense of a professional athlete. So, following your line of thinking, his employer obviously feels it is “bad for his role as a media expert” to support marriage between a man and a woman.

He is going to mediation for this wrongful dismissal case, and I pray this comes out in favor of all Canadians to be free to speak their beliefs and not lose their livelihood as a result. Hopefully that employment protection you speak of, will actually protect him when he needs it.

~Liza
I have to admit that Canada’s opinion is beginning to go in favor of homosexual marriage and when media reporting celebrities speak out about it, they can get in hot water b/c then “equality groups” cry foul and the corporations and government responds harshly in favor of the “equality groups”.

I think the pendilum does need to swing back to the middle. I will agree to that.

In Canada, I would not get fired for tweeting that I am against homosexual marriage b/c my job is not a “media” job and I am not a media reporting celebrity. I hope this makes sense and helps others see that Canada is not as bad as perhaps you are painting it to be.

I have to admit that I do take offense when people paint Canada to be a bad country b/c I love my country just like you love your country, so let’s please try to respect eachother :o
 
“Wonderful” and “liberal” in the same sentence? Without an ounce of irony? Your nation subsidizes with taxpayer dollars the ritual slaughter of infants and celebration of sodomy. It’s a sinkhole and its sins cry out to Heaven for vengeance. (Just like my own country, the flagship nation for the apostate spirit of the present age.)
Please maintain respect and charity when you insult someone’s country.
 
I have to admit that Canada’s opinion is beginning to go in favor of homosexual marriage and when media reporting celebrities speak out about it, they can get in hot water b/c then “equality groups” cry foul and the corporations and government responds harshly in favor of the “equality groups”.

I think the pendilum does need to swing back to the middle. I will agree to that.

In Canada, I would not get fired for tweeting that I am against homosexual marriage b/c my job is not a “media” job and I am not a media reporting celebrity. I hope this makes sense and helps others see that Canada is not as bad as perhaps you are painting it to be.

I have to admit that I do take offense when people paint Canada to be a bad country b/c I love my country just like you love your country, so let’s please try to respect eachother :o
Where did I ever “paint” Canada as anything? :confused: Touchy much? My own country has so many issues and problems, and is so completely messed up, and I’ll be the first one to point out every one of those issues. Does not mean I don’t "love"my country, and does not mean I’m “painting” it as anything. It simply means I’m speaking truthfully about the situation. That’s all. There is zero lack of respect here - not sure why you feel there is, when all I’m doing is stating the facts of one specific case. (And…did you not see the winky face after my comment? My gosh, it was not a personal attack against you, or your country. :rolleyes: )

~Liza
 
Where did I ever “paint” Canada as anything? :confused: Touchy much? My own country has so many issues and problems, and is so completely messed up, and I’ll be the first one to point out every one of those issues. Does not mean I don’t "love"my country, and does not mean I’m “painting” it as anything. It simply means I’m speaking truthfully about the situation. That’s all. There is zero lack of respect here - not sure why you feel there is, when all I’m doing is stating the facts of one specific case. (And…did you not see the winky face after my comment? My gosh, it was not a personal attack against you, or your country. :rolleyes: )

~Liza
I don’t understand why you are being so uncharitable towards me? I am going out of my way to be respectful to you. Please tone it down as we have to maintain respect towards one another as per rules of CAF.
 
I don’t understand why you are being so uncharitable towards me? I am going out of my way to be respectful to you. Please tone it down as we have to maintain respect towards one another as per rules of CAF.
Show me where there is a lack of charity - please!!! I have not been disrespectful toward you, in any way. I have not violated any rules. If I have - SHOW me. There is nothing to “tone down”, all I have done is state the facts. Since when is the truth uncharitable?

🤷

~Liza
 
In Canada, I would not get fired for tweeting that I am against homosexual marriage b/c my job is not a “media” job and I am not a media reporting celebrity. I hope this makes sense and helps others see that Canada is not as bad as perhaps you are painting it to be.
I think it is hard for Americans to grasp how much more restricted Free Speech is in Canada than it is in the US.
 
I think it is hard for Americans to grasp how much more restricted Free Speech is in Canada than it is in the US.
Yes Canada is extremely pro minority rights (i.e., gays, new immigrants, etc.).

Canada has “holiday trees”, not Christmas trees. Canada allows Muslim prayer in schools, but not Christian prayer (in an attempt to give Muslims the right to practice their mandatory prayers - but during lunch hour).

Canada means well, but is missing the mark. I agree that Muslims should have the right to pray at school (during lunch), but Christians should also have the right to state their beliefs and practice their beliefs also.
 
Since when is the truth uncharitable?
It always has been possible to speak the truth without charity.

1 Cor 13:1

“If I speak in human and angelic tongues* but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.”

I am not saying that you have been uncharitable, however a recent comment by me in another thread made me realize how a negative (but innocent) comment could be construed as a slight against another country and thus be offensive.

As for Damian Goddard, I am not familiar with his case. However, when someone is a public figure what he does in private life does affect his public image. That can be a concern to an employer and can lead to a firing. It has been that way in the US for as long as I can remember (30 years or so). Isn’t that the reason for the firing of the gay music director in North Carolina?
 
To me, the most surprising thing about this story is that a Catholic parish decided to hire a music director for $60,000/yr.
 
Praying for the folks at St. Gabriel parish.

"In North Carolina, gay man fired for marrying partner

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The past five months have been eventful for Steav Bates-Congdon.

First he got married. Then he got fired.

The popular music director at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in south Charlotte lost his job last month for marrying his longtime partner in New York, one of seven states to recognize same-sex marriages. "…

Entire article: sacbee.com/2012/02/19/4275576/in-north-carolina-gay-man-fired.html
Ummm, the guy worked for a Catholic Church. If he didn’t know the rules, shame on him. Noone has a Constitutional right to work for a particular employer and the supreme court has ruled unanimously about this thing.
 
I do not think he should have been fired. He can sue for wrongful dismissal.
His lawsuit will fail. The Supreme Court has already unanimously decided that the government has no standing in telling a church how to conduct its business.
 
To me, the most surprising thing about this story is that a Catholic parish decided to hire a music director for $60,000/yr.
Yes, isn’t that a lot of money for someone working for a parish? WOW!

Regarding the OP. I do not “applaud” or “celebrate” their decision. I see it as sad but neccessary I’m sure that those involved feel no exuberance in making such a choice.

I pray for the former music director and for the parish.
 
Ummm, the guy worked for a Catholic Church. If he didn’t know the rules, shame on him. Noone has a Constitutional right to work for a particular employer and the supreme court has ruled unanimously about this thing.
But what gets me is that they knew he was a practicing homosexual from the beginning and they hired him and even had his partner in the bell choir. They acted as if the behavior was ok until the so called marriage. Why did they accept the situation before?
 
His lawsuit will fail. The Supreme Court has already unanimously decided that the government has no standing in telling a church how to conduct its business.
Yes, I’ve learned this in this thread.

In Canada, the government has forced Catholic schools to have “Gay and Lesbian Support Groups”. The CC is against it, but since they are forced, they are calling it “Equality Group” or something like that. It’s very hard b/c our Catholic schools are also financed by the government, so they have very little say about what goes on in their schools.

Canadian rules are very in favor of the “underdog”. We have to be bc our population growth is dependent on immigration; hence a very multi-cultural environment. The problem is though, that we are becoming a sleeper cell for many terrorist groups b/c we don’t discriminate enough when we welcome newcomers…but this is another topic…🙂
 
But what gets me is that they knew he was a practicing homosexual from the beginning and they hired him and even had his partner in the bell choir. They acted as if the behavior was ok until the so called marriage. Why did they accept the situation before?
We are all sinners. What crossed the line is when he tried to codify and legalize his behavior that has been banned by the Church. The Church cannot recognizes same sex marriage.
 
When they hired him, perhaps they thought it was OK as long as he did not openly promote gay relationship and just performed his job. But to get “married” is publicly announcing gay advocate. The priest used to be my pastor, a great priest!
 
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