Here we go AGAIN!!! A priest accused of soliciting sex in N.C. men's room

[Nimrod2005]

Nice! well done!



BOCA RATON - A new priest at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church was issued a citation for allegedly soliciting sex in a North Carolina public park's men's room recently.

Though the announcement came out this week, police issued a citation for solicitation to the Rev. Michael Penland in June during a Waynesville police sting operation dubbed Operation Summer Heat. Waynesville is located near Asheville, N.C.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-96bocapriest,0,2947699.story?coll=sofla_tab01_layout

[Olney Blue]

1. That's sad.

[JerseygirlCT]

14. I agree. I don't see anything to tell me this is one of those

"gotcha" moments.

The idea that simply being gay is somehow wrong really rubs me the wrong way. And it seems, that's what the crime is here.

Edited to add that I do feel very badly for his wife. He did do wrong there, as a married man.

[Blashyrkh]

21. Why is being gay the issue?

Why isn't loitering in public toilets looking for sex the issue? Are you comfortable with public toilets becoming free motels for ANYONE?

[JerseygirlCT]

26. No, but so far as I know, it's not all that common for men

to look for sex with women in men's rooms, and vice verse.

Of course, public sex is problematic. And I'd say that were society more accepting of GLBT folk, that you'd find far fewer gay men cruising men's rooms.

Just like in the Larry Craig case, this *shouldn't* be about sexuality. But the media's doing a darn good job making it appear to be.

[Blashyrkh]

28. That's true.

Though having sex outdoors is a different game to sex in a public toilet. You can get secluded on a beach, but there's little chance of being avoided in an airport bathroom.

[Peregrine Took]

2. Not to split hairs but to be specific I wish you would change your headline to

read "Episcopal priest" blah blah as I'm pretty sure people will assume its a Catholic priest when at least this time it isn't.

For some odd reason many people are much more intrigued by the idea of a Catholic priest doing wrong than say a protestant minister, boy scout leader, school teacher, etc.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. Yep, he's an Episcopal priest. I think Episcopal priests get married, no?

Isn't there a church that split over the gay issue? Wasn't that church Episcopal?

[JerseygirlCT]

11. Episcopal church hasn't split - a small number of parishes

have left the Episcopal church (while trying to hold on to the property) and put themselves under the control of African bishops. All because TEC is too tolerant of gays. (We elected and consecrated our first *openly* gay bishop a couple of years ago).

The media and the schismatics like to play it up as a break in the church, but the vast majority of members of the Episcopal church are still quite united, I can assure you!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

18. Oh ok. I wasn't sure. nt

[Nimrod2005]

10. Episcopal and Catholic are very similar, no?

Sorry I don't know much about any of them...nt

[JerseygirlCT]

12. The Episcopal church has jokingly been called "Catholic lite"

Our liturgy is very, very similar, and our beliefs have always been a "via media" -- middle way -- between Protestant belief and R. Catholic belief.

One foot in each camp, if you like.

[Tesha]

29. Yes, the Episcopals (well, Anglicans) let Henry VIII get divorced.

Otherwise, Episcopals/Anglicans and Catholics are
pretty much functionally interchangeable.

Tesha

[DemBones DemBones]

3. PLEASE change the header to indicate it was an EPISCOPAL priest,

so we don't have to hear from all the Catholic-haters.

[Peregrine Took]

4. I just said the same thing - but "wordier." n/t

[Mumble]

9. I'm sure one of those holy Catholic priests...

...will get caught sometime soon before this thread drops off the front page.

[BlooInBloo]

5. God bless religious folks.

[L. Coyote]

7. Somebody tell these people about the personal ads!

[leftchick]

8. aren't Episcopalian Priests able to marry?

and be Gay?

:shrug:

[JerseygirlCT]

16. From the story, he's unfortunately married -- to a woman -- who

didn't know about his homosexuality. Sad situation there.

But yes, Episcopal priests can marry. And be gay, though universal acceptance of that is far from happening yet.

[Beaverhausen]

13. Isn't the head of the Episcopal Church gay?

and it caused a split?

[Nimrod2005]

15. No, people will answer you shortly...Folks who know more about this topic.

[JerseygirlCT]

17. No, not at all.

She's married to a man.

The split was supposedly caused by the election of NH's bishop, Gene Robinson, a few years back. Bishop Robinson is gay and openly involved in a monogamous, committed relationship. By all accounts, he's a wonderful guy, too.

This created the perfect excuse for a small bunch (though well-funded with Ahmanson money, look up IRD) of men to create as much fuss as possible in the Episcopal church, and for many of them, to leave the Episcopal church and claim to be part of the Anglican church in Nigeria or Rwanda or Kenya. African bishops have been creating new American bishops (against all tradition and polity in the Anglican Communion, I might add) left and right recently to minister to these breakaway flocks. Trouble is, they want to take the Episcopal church's property with them when they go.

There's not so much a split, (as the huge majority of the church is still quite united) but a loud and small minority making as much noise as they can to give you the impression of a split.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

19. Why do I keep thinking Episcopalians are more open about gays? nt

[JerseygirlCT]

27. To really, really generalize

Episcopalians tend to take a more intellectual approach to their religion. There are far fewer of the "tell me what I'm supposed to believe and I'll believe it" types. Individual conscience and thoughtfulness is a valued part of our tradition, and in many things, there isn't one "right" way to believe.

So *in general* I think Episcopalians of today are a bit live and let live wrt gays. I know the gay members of my parish are quite as accepted and welcomed as everyone else -- and that's by all the parish members (the 80 year olds as well as the younger people).

[Sarah Ibarruri]

30. It's different from that robotic evangelical sort of religion. nt

[JerseygirlCT]

31. Worlds different. nt

[Subdivisions]

20. "I was just reaching down for a piece of paper, officer!" n/t

[mondo joe]

23. "Okay Father Widestance. Come along to the station now," NT

[libnnc]

22. Here's the Asheville Citizen story

http://www.citizentimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770906073

I'm originally from Waynesville. I'll call home to get the scoop tomorrow.

[idgiehkt]

24. another straight guy

married with a kid. Not claiming this one either.

[Ravy]

25. You had me at "priest" (nt)