HOUSTON-GAY RIGHTS-SALLY FIELD
Actress urges Houston voters to pass nondiscrimination ordinance
HOUSTON (AP) β Actress Sally Field says that as a mother of a gay son, she hopes Houston voters will pass a nondiscrimination ordinance on Tuesday.
Field, whose mother was born in Houston, says the ordinance also would protect women, minorities, veterans and the disabled from discrimination.
Opponents of the ordinance contend it would infringe on religious beliefs against homosexuality and allow sexual predators to go into women’s restrooms.
The Rev. Ed Young, pastor of Houston’s Second Baptist Church, says if the measure passes it will result in discrimination against “those of us who believe that men should use men’s facilities and women should use women’s facilities.”
The measure’s supporters say problems with public bathrooms have been virtually nonexistent in states that have banned discrimination based on gender identity.
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289-w-36-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with actress Sally Field and the Rev. Ed Young, pastor of Houston’s Second Baptist Church)–Actress Sally Field says that as a mother of a gay son, she hopes Houston voters will pass a nondiscrimination ordinance on Tuesday. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (29 Oct 2015)
< 277-a-11-(The Rev. Ed Young, pastor of Houston’s Second Baptist Church, in recent sermon)-“be discriminated against”-The Rev. Ed Young, pastor of Houston’s Second Baptist Church, says Houston’s nondiscrimination ordinance would let men use women’s restrooms. (29 Oct 2015) < 276-a-13-(Actress Sally Field, at news conference)-“and every day”-Actress Sally Field says Houston’s nondiscrimination ordinance would protect more than just gays. (29 Oct 2015) < 278-a-11-(The Rev. Ed Young, pastor of Houston’s Second Baptist Church, in recent sermon)-“is absolutely godless”-The Rev. Ed Young, pastor of Houston’s Second Baptist Church, says the nondiscrimination ordinance would infringe on religious beliefs against homosexuality. (29 Oct 2015) < 275-a-20-(Actress Sally Field, at news conference)-“on Proposition One”-Actress Sally Field says Houston voters should approve a nondiscrimination ordinance on Tuesday. ((note length of cut)) (29 Oct 2015) < HOUSE SPEAKER-PRAYER Speaker Ryan urges House members to pray across party lines WASHINGTON (AP) β New House Speaker Paul Ryan is asking fellow lawmakers to pray for each other. The Wisconsin Republican says Republicans should pray for Democrats and Democrats should pray for Republicans. “And I don’t mean pray for a conversion” to the other party, Ryan joked. “Pray for a deeper understanding.” In his first speech since being elected on Thursday, Ryan said “the House is broken,” but that it can be fixed if lawmakers realize they are “all in the same boat.” He’s urging his colleagues to work together as representatives of the American people, not as partisans. Ryan says he has no illusion that unity in the House will suddenly break out. But, he says, “We have nothing to fear from honest differences honestly stated.” Sound: 310-w-30-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with House Speaker Paul Ryan)–New House Speaker Paul Ryan is asking fellow lawmakers to pray for each other. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (29 Oct 2015) < GOP 2016-CARSON-FAITH Carson tells AP Seventh-day Adventism is right faith for him BOULDER, Colo. (AP) β As his surge in heavily evangelical Iowa puts a spotlight on his faith, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is opening up about his membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In an interview with The Associated Press, Carson says it’s the right faith for him. But he’s also framing his beliefs in broad terms that aim to transcend divisions among Christians. The retired neurosurgeon tells AP that his relationship with God is “the most important aspect.” He says, “It’s not really denomination specific.” The interview with AP marks Carson’s most expansive comments about his church since he joined the 2016 presidential campaign. Voters have come to know him for his faith-infused policy stands, including his opposition to abortion and gay marriage, without hearing much from him about his Adventism. Sound: 254-w-35-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson)–As his surge in heavily evangelical Iowa puts a spotlight on his faith, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is opening up about his membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (29 Oct 2015) < 235-a-08-(Dr. Ben Carson, GOP presidential candidate, in AP interview)-“the health message”-Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson says the Seventh-day Adventist is the right church for him. (29 Oct 2015) < 236-a-08-(Dr. Ben Carson, GOP presidential candidate, in AP interview)-“on your sleeve”-GOP presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson says there are many good Christian churches. (29 Oct 2015) < 237-a-04-(Dr. Ben Carson, GOP presidential candidate, in AP interview)-“if he didn’t”-GOP presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson says he fully expected Donald Trump to make an issue of his Seventh-day Adventist faith. (29 Oct 2015) < VATICAN-LEGION OF CHRIST Pope OKs indulgences for Legion during anniversary VATICAN CITY (AP) β Pope Francis has granted a special plenary indulgence to members of the scandal-tainted Legion of Christ order as it celebrates the 75th anniversary of its foundation by the discredited Mexican priest, Marcial Maciel (mars-YAHL’ mahs-YEL’). Vatican Radio said Thursday that the decree was approved following a request by the current Legion superior, the Rev. Eduardo Robles-Gil. Robles-Gil has been leading the Legion since the Vatican signed off on its process of reform following revelations that Maciel sexually abused seminarians. Indulgences are the ancient church tradition related to the forgiveness of sins that roughly amounts to a “get out of Purgatory free” card. Catholics seeking them must be contrite and have a moment of deepening faith. Legion members must also renew their vows, evangelize and perform works of mercy. CHURCH ABUSE-MINNESOTA Prosecutor cites ‘spirit of reform’ at Minnesota archdiocese ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) β A Minnesota archdiocese and prosecutors have both made conciliatory statements after an initial hearing on criminal charges against the church over its handling of an abusive priest, and the judge said she understood the two were engaged in talks. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis didn’t enter a plea. The Catholic archdiocese faces six gross misdemeanor counts of child endangerment for allegedly turning a blind eye to repeated misconduct by Curtis Wehmeyer, a now-imprisoned former priest at Church of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul, who was convicted of molesting two boys in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin. Prosecutors say top church officials failed to respond to “numerous and repeated reports of troubling conduct” by Wehmeyer, dating back to when he entered seminary in 1997 until he was defrocked in March. FORMER CHAPLAIN-CHILD PORNOGRAPHY Former Navy chaplain to plead guilty in child porn case DOVER, Del. (AP) β A former Navy chaplain and Catholic priest who pleaded guilty years ago to sexually assaulting a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman is facing up to life in prison on child pornography charges. A judge on Thursday scheduled a Nov. 16 plea hearing for 50-year-old John Thomas Matthew Lee of Millsboro, Delaware. Federal prosecutors say Lee has agreed to plead guilty to charges of production and distribution of child pornography. He was indicted on the charges in June. Lee was court-martialed in 2007 on charges including forcible sodomy and failing to tell a sex partner he was HIV-positive. He was sentenced to no more than two years in prison. Lee, who registered as a sex offender in Delaware in 2013, was arrested last November after a multistate investigation that began later that year. BRITAIN-PRIEST ABUSE Ex-Anglican priest in UK jailed for sex assault LONDON (AP) β A retired Anglican priest in Britain has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for sex attacks on teenagers and young men, in a case that sparked allegations of a cover-up by the church. Vickery House was sentenced Thursday for indecent assaults in the 1970s and ’80s. House served under former bishop Peter Ball, who was convicted earlier this month of sexually assaulting 18 young men over two decades. Three of House’s victims were also abused by Ball. Ball’s first victim came forward in 1992, but powerful society figures spoke out in his support and he was not charged. House was first accused in 2001. The two men were eventually arrested in 2012. The Church of England has ordered an investigation into how it handled the allegations. UNITED NATIONS-MYANMAR-HUMAN RIGHTS UN investigator urges Myanmar to allow Muslims to vote UNITED NATIONS (AP) β A United Nations investigator is accusing Myanmar of discrimination and is urging the government to take immediate action to allow its Rohingya (ROH’-hin-GAH’) Muslim minority, people of Chinese and Indian descent, and refugees and migrant workers to vote in November elections. Yanghee Lee, the special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, also urged the country’s Election Commission to establish an independent process to review the disqualification of candidates, many of them Muslims including two current members of parliament. Lee said in a report to the U.N. General Assembly and at a press conference on Thursday that the Nov. 8 legislative elections, the first since independence from Britain, will be “an important milestone” in the country’s democratic transition. But she said the elections won’t be free and fair unless they are inclusive.
