A North Carolina church's decision to
stop performing all marriages until its pastors can marry gay and
lesbian couples was protested on Easter Sunday by a young boy.
The Green Street United Methodist
Church in Winston-Salem announced its decision last month on its
Facebook
page.
“On the matter of same-sex marriage,
Green Street UMC sees injustice in the legal position of state
government and the theological position of our denomination,” the
church wrote.
“North Carolina prohibits same-sex
marriage and all the rights and privileges marriage brings. The
Leadership Council has asked that their ministers join others who
refuse to sign any State marriage licenses until this right is
granted to same-sex couples.”
The boy, who
appears to be about 11, stood outside the church on Easter Sunday
holding a sign which read, “Jesus must be your lord or he will not
be your savior.”
In a video posted online, the boy is
seen preaching to congregants as they file out of the church. (The
video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
Discussing the incident on his web
show, David Pakman wondered whether the boy was a victim of child
abuse.
“Is this the result of child abuse?”
Pakman
asked. “I mean he seems to have, based on what he's saying, an
irrational fear of imaginary things, which came from somewhere and if
it did come from his parents, is that not child abuse of some kind?”