first-church.jpg
Dr. Sanford "Sandy" Brown, pastor of Seattle First United Methodist is supporting his gay and lesbian parishioners in direct opposition to his parent church organization. (Image courtesy First United Methodist)

Seattle pastor calls church policy on homosexuality "evil, stupid"

BY Tim Haeck  on May 8, 2012 @ 6:59 am (Updated: 11:12 am - 5/8/12 )

The pastor of Seattle's oldest congregation is supporting his gay and lesbian parishioners in direct opposition to his parent church organization.

The General Conference of the United Methodist Church recently restated its position, calling homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching."

Dr. Sanford "Sandy" Brown, pastor of Seattle First United Methodist uses strong language to condemn the parent church's stance as outdated and discriminatory, calling it "wrong, stupid and evil," according to SeattlePI.com.

Brown promises to ignore and circumvent the parent church's policy on homosexuals.

Brown estimates that 30 percent of new members of his church are gay or lesbian.

Tim Haeck, KIRO Radio Reporter
Tim Haeck is a news reporter with KIRO Radio. While Tim is one of our go-to, no-nonsense reporters, he also has a sensationally dry sense of humor and it will surprise some to learn he is a weekend warrior.
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Comments (37)


  • Add A Comment

  • Nervoso wrote...
    He's probably going to hell then
    May 8, 2012 10:27 am
    right guys?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Well , selective readings can find any conclusion
    May 8, 2012 10:50 am
    If you want to read the Bible and exclude teachings you don't agree with - that's your right. Both within your church and as an American. But please concede that your church will have the right to its own conclusions and may easily decide that YOU are no longer fit to preach ITS message. ............ But, in reality, isn't that how ALL new denominations started ?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    People had to "Select" the books of the bible(s) too!
    May 8, 2012 11:25 am
    Let's go w/this logic: If you want to read the Bible, which BIBLE? There are 39 versions last I counted, so what does that tell you? Many with different books,letters, chapters, translations, etc, etc, etc. Let's not pretend the Bible dropped from the sky printed and ready to go eh?.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    @ cigarfan
    May 8, 2012 2:40 pm
    And that's why we have so many different churches. But if you disagree with your main church body, its YOU who needs to change or leave. That's how new churches start.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • calapete wrote...
    Divorce is discussed more in the bible than homosexuality.
    May 8, 2012 11:27 am
    last time I checked, Divorce was legal.

    hypocrites.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • brerrabbert wrote...
    Re: Divorce
    May 8, 2012 2:45 pm
    I don't know what the United Methodist stance on divorce is, but you're quite right that divorce - especially "no-fault" divorce - is the greater attack on marriage. The Catholic Church still does not recognize divorce for exactly this reason. "No-fault" divorce treats marriage as a relationship to be entered into or dissolved simply at the whim of the couple. But traditional marriage is a public and social covenant between the couple, their families, and the whole community. The two approaches to marriage are so different that it's hard to believe the same word can apply to them both.
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  • SeattleNative wrote...
    @calapete:
    May 8, 2012 12:32 pm
    I believe I've asked you this before:

    Where in the Bible is homosexuality condoned?

    It's quite apparent that this "pastor" is more interested in money than morality...

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    @SeattleNative
    May 8, 2012 1:14 pm
    Where does Christ discuss homosexuality?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Toby in Tacoma wrote...
    Comments to Pastor's stand
    May 8, 2012 1:13 pm
    The comments are certainly by people? with a warped view of love thy neighbor and if I'm not infringing on your rights why don't you let me have mine. Such hate exhibited by these Christian people?? Not very godly.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • NWGUY wrote...
    where's the hate?
    May 8, 2012 3:34 pm
    there org is based on a book with a stated set of values. this "pastor" is outside of those values. He needs to join a different club
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    "Evil," Dr. Brown? Really?
    May 8, 2012 1:25 pm
    You don't sound very tolerant of the opposing view. So yeah -- call it evil, call it hate, call it intolerant, call it discriminatory, call it all the names you want. That's about all you have, huh? "Evil," really? Josh Brown, Charles Manson and Ted Bundy are "evil." Aren't you overhyping just a tad???
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Nervoso wrote...
    It's hatred and pure intolerance
    May 8, 2012 2:05 pm
    the church is fueled by hatred and intolerance (and child rape).
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • blood brother wrote...
    About that child rape
    May 8, 2012 2:18 pm
    the last church and child rape case and most of the Catholic abuse cases were Homosexual rape cases weren't they?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Nervoso wrote...
    Maybe they are trying to bogart all the homosex?
    May 8, 2012 2:31 pm
    Using their influence to get a monopoly and hog up all of the homosexuality to themselves, consensual or not?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    NERVEOUS -
    May 8, 2012 2:44 pm
    I am sorry for whatever caused you your pain, but this site is NOT here for you to vent your spleen. And 'child rape' - a TRUE evil - is certainly NOT related to a minister disagreeing with his church on gay rights.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • GloScot wrote...
    Pickin' and choosin'
    May 8, 2012 2:36 pm
    Sexual immorality as a whole is denounced in scripture. But in Matthew 19:4 Jesus reemphasizes the relationship between a man and a woman, that THEY are the ones that are married. Luke 10:12: Jesus referenced Sodom and Gomorrah as a place where they would have repented if Jesus would have done miracles there, but still they were places that sexual immorality was rampant. In short, though, Jesus called us all to repent. Repent of what? Sin. And for some reason I can't figure out why all sin means all sin in our society...except homosexuality. Jesus preached love for your neighbor and that the Father loves us, too, but He also calls us to repent.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • NWGUY wrote...
    nicely put
    May 8, 2012 3:37 pm
    it's just another sin, so it shouldn't be condoned by the church. Just as the church wouldn't condone theft or lying.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    Speaking of pickin' and choosin'
    May 8, 2012 3:37 pm
    Matthew 19:4 response is due to Matthew 19:3's question about a man and a woman divorcing. Christ doesn't discuss homosexual marriage. Sodom and Gomorrah deal with all kinds of wickedness and angels, not marriage.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • GloScot wrote...
    So Cigar...
    May 8, 2012 3:49 pm
    What do you want people to say? Jesus didn't specifically talk about homosexuality so he condoned it? As I wrote before, Jesus speaks to the relationship between a man and a woman in Matt 19. The Pharisees understood that when they tried to trap Jesus on the issue of divorce. You will not find one time in scripture where homosexuality accepted. Sexual immorality is condemned across the board.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Nervoso wrote...
    And so, because YOU believe that, it should be law?
    May 8, 2012 3:51 pm
    I don't think so. Marriage is a LEGAL institute now, like it or not, and that should not be influenced by individual religious belief.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    So Gloscot
    May 8, 2012 8:08 pm
    I'm not saying Jesus condoned it or criticized it. Sexual immorality is condemned across the board, all I'm saying is that Jesus never discusses the issue of heterosexuality or homosexuality. Jesus also never drove a car, does this mean you should not drive a car? Try to understand that the absence of condoning is not the same as condemnation.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • tuleman003 wrote...
    The sanctity of marriage is already corrupted.
    May 8, 2012 4:55 pm
    My wife and I have been married for nearly 28 years. That is rare in today's "use it, then discard it" society. Gay unions are going to happen and I doubt the "divorce" rate will increase. Jesus taught us to look at our own discretions before being critical of others. No one is perfect, so none of us has the right to judge others.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Realitycheck wrote...
    Total joke
    May 8, 2012 5:57 pm
    Churches are a total joke. How many things they already changed over the years. It used to be the bible was the word of God, nothing could change it. Now it seems everything can be conveniently twisted to fit the latest trends or opinions. How can anybody take that seriously? Either it is the word of God and the "religious law" for everybody to follow or everything is just a joke. I find it disgusting how anybody can stand there and thinks his opinion overrules what God said....if he/she said it , or ...if he/she even exists that is.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cigarfan wrote...
    Realitycheck
    May 8, 2012 8:14 pm
    First of all, god didn't "say it". The bible was written, organized, assembled, Copied, translated, edited, selected, type-set, printed, bound, shipped, and finally sold or donated to humans over thousands of years. You have this mindset that it just fell from the sky and every punctuation/letter/word is infallible. How can anybody take the notion of infallibility seriously?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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