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Family: Lakewood church stops woman's funeral because she was gay

I read somewhere that friends ( I really do not recall hearing family associated with this funeral outside she had a spouse and children) did have someone else who was going to officiate the service and the church just had their guy there as a part of it. Anywho, to me this is like a black family renting the KKK chapel and then being outraged when the Grand Wizard showed up in a hoodie.

How would they know from the name of the church that they are anti-gay bigots? My overall impression is that only about half of all churches are still clinging to ant-gay bigotry.
 
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There is nothing in your post or the ABC article that contradicts all the other articles and my posts, except a minor discrepancy in the time line.* The lie being spread by some people in this thread is that the family had advanced notice of the church's policies.

*the other articles say 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.
The timeline is rather critical, as you are quick to call others liars.
 
I provided links to several articles that support the story in the OP's article and my posts. No where is it stated that they were given guidelines in advance. The pastor did not make that claim in his apology. It is never stated why they provided the video in advance. No one has provided a link indicating that they were warned in advance about the anti-gay picture taboo.
There you go speaking nonsense again. Nothing you said counters what I presented.

So again.
Nothing says they were not informed in advance of the required standards.
The fact that they had to submit the video for review suggests they knew there were standards that had to be met.
The fact that their Chaplain Rolando was able to reiterate the Chapels standards also suggests that it was known.
You simply can not get around this.

But do keep going in circles, it is fun to watch.
 
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...Nothing says they were not informed in advance of the required standards......


"A week before her funeral services were held, her family had given the pastor of the New Hope Ministries a memorial video. However, the family did not receive any word that they would be turned away until 15 minutes after the memorial service was already scheduled to begin. During the funeral service, Pastor Ray Chavez told the family that they would have to edit out the images, including one of Collier proposing to her wife, in order to continue." Lakewood Church Refuses to Host Lesbian Funeral - World Religion News

"....Relatives of a Colorado woman say they were forced to move her funeral – 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the service – over objections to a video showing highlights from the openly lesbian woman’s life....Maestas, who helped Collier’s mother arrange the funeral, told ABC News that New Hope Ministries was aware that Collier was a lesbian. They told the church about her sexual orientation while they were making arrangements for her funeral. Maestas also told the church that they would be playing a video at the service. “The only other thing they asked me was to have these videos ready two days prior so they could review them,” Maestas said. “I provided the video, and got the okay from the funeral home that we would be able to show it....” "
Relatives Livid After Colorado Church Objects to Lesbian's Funeral - ABC News

"...However, the family did not receive any word that they would be turned away until 15 minutes after the memorial service was already scheduled to begin. During the funeral service, Pastor Ray Chavez told the family that they would have to edit out the images, including one of Collier proposing to her wife, in order to continue...."
Lakewood Church Refuses to Host Lesbian Funeral - World Religion News

"....An hour-long viewing of Collier's body had just finished and the memorial service was 15 minutes underway when Chavez stopped it, those in attendance said. Friends say they gave the church a remembrance video of Collier a week before that contained images of her kissing and embracing her wife. The pastor had every chance to stop the funeral long before it began, they said...."

"....About fifteen minutes after the funeral was scheduled to begin — with the open casket and flowers already in place, and with about 170 people in the pews — New Hope’s pastor objected to some content in a video of the woman’s life."
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1752856/la...uneral-for-lesbian-woman/#T1mksHegR4vH6ysy.99

"...They claim Pastor Chavez's demand came on the day of the funeral, instead of days prior when the tape was delivered to church officials.....But the grieving kin of 33-year-old Vanessa Nicole Collier claim their hopes were dashed and that they found little mercy when, allegedly just 15 minutes into (or before, according to a local source) the funeral service and after an hour-long viewing had already taken place, Chavez delivered the devastating news...."
http://www.christianpost.com/news/c...t-the-last-minute-because-she-was-gay-132526/

"...An hour-long viewing of Collier's body had just finished and the memorial service was 15 minutes underway when Chavez stopped it, those in attendance said."

Friends say they gave the church a remembrance video of Collier a week before that contained images of her kissing and embracing her wife. The pastor had every chance to stop the funeral long before it began, they said..."
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_27...-because-woman

"...The pastor who called off the funeral defended his actions to KCNC, saying he hadn't been aware of the video until right before the service, and that he gave the family the chance to edit it."

Colorado church canceled lesbian woman's funeral, family says | Seattle News, Weather, Traffic, Video and Sports | KIRO 7... | www.kirotv.com
 
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Nothing says they were not informed in advance of the required standards.

"A week before her funeral services were held, her family had given the pastor of the New Hope Ministries a memorial video. However, the family did not receive any word that they would be turned away until 15 minutes after the memorial service was already scheduled to begin. During the funeral service, Pastor Ray Chavez told the family that they would have to edit out the images, including one of Collier proposing to her wife, in order to continue." Lakewood Church Refuses to Host Lesbian Funeral - World Religion News

"....Relatives of a Colorado woman say they were forced to move her funeral – 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the service – over objections to a video showing highlights from the openly lesbian woman’s life....Maestas, who helped Collier’s mother arrange the funeral, told ABC News that New Hope Ministries was aware that Collier was a lesbian. They told the church about her sexual orientation while they were making arrangements for her funeral. Maestas also told the church that they would be playing a video at the service. “The only other thing they asked me was to have these videos ready two days prior so they could review them,” Maestas said. “I provided the video, and got the okay from the funeral home that we would be able to show it....” "
Relatives Livid After Colorado Church Objects to Lesbian's Funeral - ABC News

"...However, the family did not receive any word that they would be turned away until 15 minutes after the memorial service was already scheduled to begin. During the funeral service, Pastor Ray Chavez told the family that they would have to edit out the images, including one of Collier proposing to her wife, in order to continue...."
Lakewood Church Refuses to Host Lesbian Funeral - World Religion News

"....An hour-long viewing of Collier's body had just finished and the memorial service was 15 minutes underway when Chavez stopped it, those in attendance said. Friends say they gave the church a remembrance video of Collier a week before that contained images of her kissing and embracing her wife. The pastor had every chance to stop the funeral long before it began, they said...."
:doh

There you go arguing against that which was not said. D'oh! iLOL
You are going in circles because you can not admit what the information actually suggests.

Pay attention to that which you quote.

Nothing says they were not informed in advance of the required standards.
The fact that they had to submit the video for review suggests they knew there were standards that had to be met.
The fact that their Chaplain Rolando was able to reiterate the Chapels standards also suggests that it was known.
You simply can not get around this.

But do keep going in circles, it is fun to watch.


You pointing to the following is asinine.
not receive any word that they would be turned away until

That is due to having to review the new video that replaced the misplaced one.
It has absolutely nothing to do with whether they knew the standards or not.
The fact that they knew a review was required suggests they knew that the standards existed.


Anyways. The headline of this article is false. Much like the other disproved claims.
 
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The timeline is rather critical, as you are quick to call others liars.

Whether they were told to edit the video 15 minutes before the event or 15 minutes after the event is not significant because it was already too late to have time to edit the video.
 
Whether they were told to edit the video 15 minutes before the event or 15 minutes after the event is not significant because it was already too late to have time to edit the video.
You can edit a video in 2 minutes. OR...you can choose not to and relocate your ceremony. They choose the latter. Good for them.
 
Whether they were told to edit the video 15 minutes before the event or 15 minutes after the event is not significant because it was already too late to have time to edit the video.

Bs!
Your experience in editing means nothing.
They chose not to edit.

As previously provided.
Like her gay friend said. They wouldn't let the Chapel edit it.

Higley wrote on Facebook: "Vanessa's services were NOT refused because she is a 'lesbian'. Her services were refused because we would not let New Hope Ministries 'edit' her life which was a slideshow of our family photos including our engagement and family photos of her and I with our two children! It never crossed my mind that it would be an issue considering we paid to use their facility ONLY. We brought in our own Pastor to facilitate. I would completely understand if we were asking to be married there and it be a conflict of interest.

Outrage as pastor halts funeral for gay woman | Christian News on Christian Today
 
It doesn't make any sense does it Declan that a church who does not recognize same sex unions would be the choice of the family except of course only to use the building to accommodate the number of people attending the funeral out of convenience to them.

If they had someone else chosen to officiate the funeral, then that individual would have been made known well in advance what the church would and would not tolerate. If the church is not going to recognize such things among its own congregation, who in their right mind would expect it to be acceptable for someone else?

I did a little research on this church. It has had some really good success in reaching out to people that society has given up on. Whether drug addicts, prostitutes, convicts or anyone else society is willing to throw away. They show the love of Christ to them, accept them as they are and have changed lives for the better. I think it was compassion that the church agreed to the funeral at their church but like in all things they recognize as sin, they will not allow that to be celebrated inside their church walls. The sinner is welcome without his deeds celebrated. That goes for all believers in just about any congregation. For a believer knows that God loved them first in all their sin and in that same love reach out to others showing that same type of love. Just a thought.

There are lots of things in this story that cause me to question the victim narrative being pushed. Every single funeral home in my city except one has a chapel you can have a service at and most people opt for that rather than carrying the body around. The one that doesn't really is a specialty place that does indigent or quickie/cheap burial arrangements for people on a budget---sort of the jiffy lube of burials. Churches for the most part in my area won't even let you use their facilities for a funeral or wedding unless you are/were a member or a relative of a member who sponsors your use of the facility. Part of this is just the cost associated with the extra cleanings and energy uses to get the building to acceptable temperatures on days when they normally reduce heat/ac.

Anyway, in the end, I just believe that these were people looking to make a statement. Perhaps that is the type of person the deceased was so they see it as fitting. IDK. I certainly do not see clean hands on the estate's side based on any facts I have seen reported. Like I indicated before, something here is not being said because their story has changed and still doesn't comport with how these things usually play out when it comes to funeral arrangements.
 
Look, I could understand the pastor refusing to do the funeral when they first approached him. But if he has this kind of bias, he should do the homework up front to find out if the dead person is gay or not.

Once the funeral is underway - there is no way he should have stopped and demanded that that pictures be removed. That is a gross dereliction of his pastoral duties in my opinion.

Family: Lakewood church stops woman's funeral because she was gay - The Denver Post

Unless her girlfriend was going to scissor the corpse, I don't see what the problem was.
 
Look, I could understand the pastor refusing to do the funeral when they first approached him. But if he has this kind of bias, he should do the homework up front to find out if the dead person is gay or not.

Once the funeral is underway - there is no way he should have stopped and demanded that that pictures be removed. That is a gross dereliction of his pastoral duties in my opinion.

Family: Lakewood church stops woman's funeral because she was gay - The Denver Post

I don't know about "gross dereliction" but I agree...The pastor shouldn't have agreed to do the service if he didn't review the materiel before starting. At the point that he found something objectionable, he should have just sucked it up and finished the service he agreed to do...
 
You can edit a video in 2 minutes. OR...you can choose not to and relocate your ceremony. They choose the latter. Good for them.

As I said previously, I have edited video professionally and, depending on the specific situation, it can easily take 1.5 hours to make an edit and burn a new DVD. That does not include the travel time to the edit facility.
 
Bs!
Your experience in editing means nothing.
They chose not to edit.

As previously provided.
Like her gay friend said. They wouldn't let the Chapel edit it.

Higley wrote on Facebook: "Vanessa's services were NOT refused because she is a 'lesbian'. Her services were refused because we would not let New Hope Ministries 'edit' her life which was a slideshow of our family photos including our engagement and family photos of her and I with our two children! It never crossed my mind that it would be an issue considering we paid to use their facility ONLY. We brought in our own Pastor to facilitate. I would completely understand if we were asking to be married there and it be a conflict of interest.

Outrage as pastor halts funeral for gay woman | Christian News on Christian Today

That doesn't mean that the church offered to do the editing.
 
That doesn't mean that the church offered to do the editing.
:lamo iLOL :lamo
Just like all the other crap you provided doesn't say they were not informed in advance of the required standards, which a required review suggests that they knew. Or are you trying to absurdly argue that they didn't know what the video was being reviewed for. :doh



And as that is supposedly from the other gay party's mouth, it totally destroys the title of this thread.
 
:lamo iLOL :lamo
Just like all the other crap you provided doesn't say they were not informed in advance of the required standards, which a required review suggests that they knew. Or are you trying to absurdly argue that they didn't know what the video was being reviewed for. :doh



And as that is supposedly from the other gay party's mouth, it totally destroys the title of this thread.

The church had the video in advance - at least a day, possibly a week. The time to ask for editing was not 15 min before or after the ceremony started. I don't give a crap WHAT the church's standards were - if they cared, they would have given adequate notice.

Most of us would not consider pictures of us with our spouse out of line at a funeral.
 
The church had the video in advance - at least a day, possibly a week. The time to ask for editing was not 15 min before or after the ceremony started.
Had you bothered to read the rest of what has been provided in this thread you would have found that the so called video had been misplaced.
A replacement video was provided. It was upon seeing that which cause the problem.

Rolando, another friend of Collier's family, said New Hope Ministries "dropped the ball" by misplacing the video that the family originally gave them the day before the funeral.

"They lost the video and asked for another copy," he told KMGH. "When it was reviewed, they realized there was content that involved kissing."

Rolando said the church had passed the $400 fee that the family paid for the service to the funeral home. The family wants their money back, Silva said.

Protests at Colorado church over handling of gay woman's funeral - CNN.com


I don't give a crap WHAT the church's standards were
Obviously. You only care about what the gay person's standards were. Which is why you object.


- if they cared, they would have given adequate notice.
:doh By all accounts they did.

Again.
"They lost the video and asked for another copy," he told KMGH. "When it was reviewed, they realized there was content that involved kissing."


Most of us would not consider pictures of us with our spouse out of line at a funeral.
This really isn't about being together in pictures. But being engaged in homosexual behavior in said pictures.
A Chapel/Church does not have to be part of that and is within their "right" to refuse to allow such depictions.
If you do not understand that, that is your problem.


Bottom line is that a choice was made not to continue, which is on her gay friend, not on the Chapel.



And since you are the thread starter and obviously didn't pay attention to that which came before.

Higley wrote on Facebook: "Vanessa's services were NOT refused because she is a 'lesbian'. Her services were refused because we would not let New Hope Ministries 'edit' her life which was a slideshow of our family photos including our engagement and family photos of her and I with our two children! It never crossed my mind that it would be an issue considering we paid to use their facility ONLY. We brought in our own Pastor to facilitate. I would completely understand if we were asking to be married there and it be a conflict of interest.

Outrage as pastor halts funeral for gay woman | Christian News on Christian Today

As that is supposedly from the other gay party's mouth, it totally destroys the title of this thread.
 
As I said previously, I have edited video professionally and, depending on the specific situation, it can easily take 1.5 hours to make an edit and burn a new DVD. That does not include the travel time to the edit facility.
You have no idea what was presented as a 'video'. Its every bit as likely it was made using a desktop program which can be altered by deleting two photos, letting the music adjust automatically, and hitting save. You project what you want because you want to be right.

Regardless. The pastor appeared perfectly willing to love the sinner. What has everyones panties twisted is that he dared to not allow for the sin.
 
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