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Show c2 ___ The Salt Lake Tribune RELIGION Saturday, April 10, 1999 EOPLE OF FAITH The Rev. Larry Wilkinson, an evangelist with the Salem, Ore.-based Holy Spirit and Fire Ministries, will be keynote speaker at the upcoming Men’s Spiritual Advance. The April 30-May2 meetings, sponsoredby the Utah chapter of the International Fellowship of Christian Businessmen, will be held at the Alta Peruvian Lodge. For further information, call Paul Corbett. 801-278-1366; Phil Miller, 801-523-2340; or Al Alexander, 801-943-6677. oO Seeyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic studies at George Washington Universi Washington,will speak April 21 at the Univ iy of Utah about the impactofreligion on the environment. Nasr’s 4 p.m. address, sponsored bythe Sterling M. MeMurrin Lecture on Religion and Culture, will be held in the Gould Auditorium of the U'sMarriott Library Areception and book-signingwill follow. Nasr is the author of more than 200 articles and 20 books, among them Man and Nature and Religion andthe Order of Nature. Gay Jews Create Own Place of Worship Utah Church Wonien United D.C. congregation of 300 men and womenstarted out with meetings in homes Sarajane Garten, who became BY CARYLE MURPHY less observant as a Jew after com- THE WASHINGTON POST ing out as lesbian, said that since finding Bet Mishpachah five WASHINGTON — Nearly 25 years ago, a small group of gay years ago, she has returned “to the faith of my youth.” The synagogue has been “a place in the Jewish community that I have never experienced be- Jewish men here decided to end their exile Feeling uncomfortable and unwanted in local synagogues, they began meeting once a month for Sabbath services in their living rooms. Sometimes, they had barely enough for a minyan, the 10person minimum required by fore,” said Garten, education director for a medical nonprofit Jewish law for a service. Butlike the ancient Hebrews, whose exodus from exile in Egypt is being commemorated this week at Jewish Passover seders, the tiny congregation prospered. Today, Bet Mishpachah, or House of the Family, is a thriving congregation with more than 300 gay men andlesbians. Its High Holy Dayservices draw 600 to a Joseph B.Ligori, past state deputy for the Knights of Columbus, has been appointed chairman of the Utah campaign to promotesainthood for the Rev. Michael J. McGivney. McGivney, whodied in 1890, foundedthe organization in 1882 at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn. Since its launching 117 years ago, the Knights of Columbus has grown into the world’s largest Roman Catholic family fraternal service association with more than 1.6 million members. Nearly 2,000 Utahns belong to the organiza- tion. 800 worshipers and, unlike its humble, private beginnings, its held at a local Jewish bastion — the D.C. Jewish Community Center in Northwest Washington. Thearea's only gay and lesbian synagogue, Bet Mishpachah provides memberswith religious and social fellowship and a place where they can integrate their “It’s offered me a wonderful BULLETIN BOARD Compiled by Shannon Quinn BAPTIST The Holladay Baptist Church will sponsor a 13week program on howcouplescan make their marriages strong and how to develop ministry partner} ships, every Wednesday through May5, 7 p.m., at the church, 2780 EF. 3900South, Salt Lake County. Call 277-6070. g CATHOLIC The Catholic Diocese of Utah will hold a Spring retreat, ATEC (Adults and Teens Encounter Christ), April 23 to 25, at Camp Utaba, Ogden Valley. Cost is $25 and includes food and lodging for the weekend. For more information and registration, call Mary at 328-8641, ext. 313. a «LUTHERAN j=. Our Saviour's Lutheran Church’s Youth Ministér, Reba Kiger, invites all elementary school-age youth to attend Christian Fish Festival, Sunday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the church, 2500 E. 3900 South, Salt Lake County. Cost is $5. Call 278-1412. newsletter, Mishpachah Matters, a speakersbureau and a Web site (www.betmishpachah.org), which describes the synagogueas “open to everyone, regardless of reli- speaker Lucinda Cordova, today, a.m. to noon, at the Ogden Marriot, 247 24th St., Ogden. For more information, call 782-5663 or 734-9636. The Episcopal Diocese of Utah will offer a program featuring Michael Bull, a Christian art historian. Hewill discuss the history and roots of Christian symbols and their meaning for us. The workshop begins today, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, at the church, 80 S. 300 East, Salt Lake City. Call Jo 4131 or 1-800-343-4756. Nazi occupation of gay, was hired as part-time rabbi. Bet Mishpachah “offers a way backinto Judaism for people who at anearlier timein life may have United Churchof Christ Congregationalin Ogden, ‘They will hear from Winnie Hardy of Bayley Colo., coordinator of the group’s Southwest region felt that the tradition wasnot wel- coming,” Saks said. Its members “are deeply dedicated. .toasi rious Jewishlife for themselves. To understand the congregation’s 1975 origins, said Bet Mish- pachah President Joseph M Pomper, “you have to cast your mind back to that time period” when gays and their needs were invisible in a mainstream synagogue. “You kept quiet, or you faced being ostracized,’ Pomper said. “People felt shut out of it and turned off.” Today, many area Jewish congregations actively reach out to gays and lesbians. And although Orthodox Judaism — like some Christian churches and Islam — regards homosexuality as a sii Judaism's three other major movements have becomemore ac- cepting of gay menandlesbians. kindof sobriety.” “The essence of really good humor is a kind of surprise. Well, culturally Mormons don't like surprises in outward things. I mean, look at the architecture,” Bell said. “And thereareveryfew startling pronouncements made frompulpits week to week year to year, decadeto decade.”” In so buttoned-up andfreshly scrubbed a climate, humor — with its powerful capacityfor irreverence — can be both unsettling and subversive, andits purveyors scornedas impious or worse ‘A humorist is a person whothinks otherwise. ORTHODOX compiled the material for a new book being pub- The eek Orthodox Church will hold the ser vice of agape, Sunday, 5:30 p.m., followed by a dinner and dance at 6:30. it the Holyy Trinity Greek Orthodox 9S. 300 West, Salt Lake lished this weekend by church-owned Deseret Book Best-Loved Humor of the LDS People. Hearing thetitle, Kirby and Bagley grabbed the same rapier: "The Correlation Committee-Approved Humor of the LDS People Comic Laurie Johnson — “Sister Fonda AlaMode, theultimate Relief Society president” in oneof her Utahns Fight To Keep Medicare Flowing to Church incarnations — could respond only with helpless peals of laughter. “Wetried hard not to offend anybody,” said Jack Lyon, Deseret Book managing editor. “Wedid select things peoplecould useif giving a talk in church. Here's an example: “Question: How are bishops chosen? Answer: The Mary have sex, producing a daughter who works in 4B abortion clinic; and comedian Chris Rock plays a Tor about $10million andforma new corporateenti tYto handlethefilm's distribution eA Miram aid the move was neces: preservethefilm's “integrity,” Times reported Friday, the Washing But William Donohue. ident of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, said the move was undertaken because Disney feared another confrontation with Roman Catholics In 1995, the Catholic League and Disney clashed over the Miramax film “Priest.” Last year, they clashed over the Disney TV series “Nothing Sacred. The league said both were offensive to Catholics and in both cases, lawached boycotts of Disney Prayerin March,Fellowship Day in May and World It is an ecumenical movement thatbrings together| women from the United States and Puerto Ricoto work toward “ending the poverty of women andchil. dren,” Patersonsaid. “Formeit is a place whereI havefriendsfromall denominations who worktogether and fellowship together,” Paterson said. “The association has been very rewarding. It has given mea broader perspec- tive of things.” it's the kind of thing that you had to have been there,” said editor Jay Parry Kirby credits Hinckley with sensing that Mormon ism, with its impressive global expansion, needs to lighten up. ‘Asthechurch grows, soarethe problemsgoing to cal nurses provide ence facilities. ‘This includes bathing, dressing, as. sistance with movement, feeding and bandaging wounds. served a training, he said. But these facilities haveno licensed medical personnel Last year Medicare paid $8 million for services for 851 patients at 22 Christian Science facilities, The aver age cost for a day in one of themis $300. Medicare pays a percentage of the cost, up to 60 days, There is no Thefirst Christian Science sanatori: um was set up in 1920 for adherents who were opposedtotreatmentin hos- Christian Science sanatorium in Utah pitals, Thefacilities are not owned by said Michelle Newport, church spokes the churchitself, but by groupsof indi vidual Christian Scientists. While 2 “Humoreases the tension, the stress peoplefeel. There’s a big difference between what people want to be and how they turn out.Mormon humor acknowledges that and says it’s OK.” Calvin Grondaht Political cartoonist Oddly, among the dozens of examples of humor from church leaders there is nothing in the book from church President Gordon B. Hinckley, re nowned within the churchfor his sparkling sense of humor. “Heis delightful and he is very funny. But ‘The Medicare programdoes not pay ®@ Continued from C-1 fhul-mouthed 13th apostle -=Bob and Harvey Weinstein, who co-own Miramax Disneysubsidiary, said they will purchasethe film on the first Friday of the month: World Dayof Community Dayin November. loved person in the ward — andthen theycall her for any religious healing or religious The Catholic League says it will “target” the own ers of the Miramax film production company, who said they would form a separate corporationto dis: The “Dogma” plot centers around two fallen an. is who seek re-entry into heaven. In the film, the Utah has two Church Women United chapters,ond in Salt Lake City and its environs and the otherin Ogden/Bountiful, involving about 80 womenfron} various Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and unaffili, ated Christian churches. The church women havethree celebrations a year “SISTER FINCHLEY,I’M TIRED OF THESE NEWS STORIES ACCUSING THE CHURCH OF CALLING ALL THE SHOTS IN UTAH. HAVE THE LEGISLATURE PASS A RESOLUTJON DENYINGIT!” husband.” latholic Mass is comparedto bad sex; Joseph and “At this final meeting of the century, wewill cele brate both the past andthe future,”said TeenPater: son of Ogden. thereis a concern in the modern culture with how Mormons are perceived, and “‘you have the concern with image, on presentation, that calls for a certain churches, in most educational institutions,” Bell said The pitfalls associated with thinking otherwise were very muchon the minds of three editors who tribute the controversial film Dogma,” which some onsider anti-Catholic and anti-Christian Andtheywill elect new officers. “For example, how many BYU football players 35. ly Center, 615 E. 300 South, Salt Lake City. Call 466-7083. RELIGION NEWS SERVICE a keynote speechbythe Rev. Carla Gilbert, pastora heretical or mean. stakeleadersfind the mostrighteous, spiritual, most With Film ‘Dogma,’ Will Target Producers Duringthat session, Church WomenUnited willy chaplain at Westminster College. They willlisten Well, thinking otherwise canget youinto troublein any establishment — in the military, in most Catholic Group Upset Drivein Salt Lake City on April 17. Jed in Bible study bythe Rev. Cheryl Moore, forme] Saks, a Reform rabbi whois not WorshipServicewill meetfor a ace, Monday, 7:30p.m. in Room City. Call 3 ~~ meeting at Zion Lutheran Church at 1070 Foothj the For example, he says, “It’s not politic to say 19year-old missionaries are dumb,” but it’s safe to say the samething in a joke or cartoon. “The really funny Mormonstuff is uniquely Mormon. It's something that comes from being part of the family. You can poke fun at it because it’s uniquely Mormon. I mean, Jell-O. Why not?” ElouiseBell, a retired Brigham Young University English professor, newspaper columnist and author of a collection of humorous essaystitled Only When 1 Laugh, sees in-jokes as having great value for any culture. Yet, Bell sees much in Mormon culture that encourages soberness over frivolity. In addition to deep pioneer and Puritan strains, The Ogden Women's Aglow presents guest theme for the group's 23rd Biennial State Assem)j from the vagaries in our behavior and the mysteries of the gospel.” Bagley and others see Mormonsusing humor as a decompression device, ‘‘a way to let off some of the pressure that builds up” and to say things that are true but which, unadorned with humor, might seem doesit take to changea light bulb? Just one, but he needs a tutor and four hours credit to doit.” a Torahs. One scroll was rescued @ Continued from C-1 a MISCELLANEOUS The Utah chapter of Church Women United, g interdenominational Christian organization,is hol ingits final assemblyofthe 20th century nextwee “Looking Into the Future With Christ” is 4 MormonJokes Help the Faithful Let Off Steam The Hilltop United Methodist Church will hold its annual Children’s and Maternity Consignment sale, Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the church, 985 E. 10600South, Sandy. Call 942-7675, METHODIST sheltering the synagogue’s two the prayer book, using inclusive, gender-neutrallanguage. About eight years ago, Bob J. congregation is considering ways they can support one another as they age, Garten said. The synagogue has a monthly place to .. . bring together my gay and Jewish identities,” said Lee Walzer, a lawyer for the federal government. “I even met my partnerthere.” woman who stand before an ark worship, an opportunity to make some very goodfriends and to be involved in community service It's done what a congregation is supposed to do.” Bet Mishpachah, one of about 40 gay andlesbian Jewish congregationsin the country, is led by its dues-paying congregants, whose averageageis 35. They areactive on a slew of committees concerned with liturgy, bereavement support, volunteer work and organizing such religious ceremo- most membersare childless, the gious heritage. Weekly Sabbath services, which usually draw about 100 people, are led by a man and a Czechoslovakia. Members wrote three a year, Garten said. The congregation includes 23 children, including those of members who were previously married or who adopted. But since sexualorientation with their reli- female. group. “It’s given mea place to nies as adult b’nai mitzvah and same-sex “commitment ceremonies,” of which there are about weekly Sabbath services are now giousaffiliation or sexual orientation.”’ Initially all male, the congregation is now about 40 percent Will Gather in Salt:Lake To Celebrate Past, Future grow. Andthat is, how do youassimilateall different types of people into one religion? Andthe only way youcan do that is through tolerance, I believe,” Kirbysaid. Andultimately, a lot of tolerance is based on whether or not you're able to make a human connec tion — and humor for me is the best way to do that A Minnesota judgeruled thesystem “laudable” government interest,” and “compelling McConnell said But becausethestatutespecifically namedThe First Churchof Christ, Seientist and its facilities, the judgesaid the Medicare law was unconstitution al Without waiting for the appeal owever, Hatch, with Sen. Ted Kenne dy(D-Mass.) proposed an amendment to the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 that would restore the payments ‘The amendment, which had broad bipartisan appeal, replaced earlier there, the peopleareassisted in their womaninthestate, The nearest facili ties are in Arizonaand Colorado. I've been paying into Medicareall provisions that singled out Christian in Sciencepractitioners. fair that we should be allowed to nonmedical health-care institution, my life," Newportsaid, “It only seems nd process of healing by In its initial legislation, Congress choose the care we want greed to provide limited Medicare In recentyears, critics of the church ‘agefora stay in oneof thesesan atoriums “by defining these facilities as well as manyin the medicalprofes sion have blamed Christian Science be liefs for the death of children who within the definition of ‘hospital McConnell said. might have been savedby traditional Medicare wouldonly pay for Chris tian medicine One lowa-based group, Children's atients who wouldbe re. ceiving hospital care except for their Healtheare is a Legal Duty (CHILD). religious opposition was launched by a former Christian ‘They would receive a subset of what they would get in a hospital, died of untreated meningitis. McConnell said. Scientist, Rita Swan, whoseinfant son “While Christian Sei- CHILDIne. filed suit in 1996 to stop what it deemed to be unconstitutional entists would not usethis terminology jt is roughly equivalent to what my Medicare payments to Christian Sei / Scientist facilities with a generally available program of any religious, McConnell said. That did not satisfy CHILD Ine., which felt the amendment simply used new language tooffer a benefit that only Christian Scientists would use, being theonly facilities to meet the definition. The groupfiled suit again. U.S. Dis triet Judge Ann Montgomery of Min: nesota upheld the Medicarestatutes. ‘Congress crafted a measured ac commodation allowing anindividual to choose to receive nonmedical nursing care as a result of genuinely held reli. gious objections to traditional medi. cine,” Montgomery wrote. 4 Thejudge's decision was “errone: ous," Bruno said, arguing that these Medicare payments still endorsea reli gious perspecti No oneelse can get stand-alone nursing care without providing skilled medical careas well,” he said. CHILD Ine. is now appealing Mont- gomery's ruling. The case probably will be heard in U.S. District Court sometimethis fall, McConnell said McConnell, whoris not a Christian Scientist, has argued religious-free dom cases involvifg? Hare Krishnas, Jews and Catholics. He also defended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints’ practice of hiring only temple-recommend holding” church members to work in the factory that produces sacred clothing Bruno's clients are committed to carrying the suit through to the end. They may “take it to the Supreme Court, if necessary Interest groups are lining up on both 8 ides. Church organizations including the National Council of Churches and the National Association of Evangelicals — often at odds — support the Chris tian Science position. Those opposing the payments in clude the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union and several Humanist associa: tions. , |