OFFERING HIM A SCORPION

Protestants. The number and diversity of Protestant demoninations is proverbial, yet in their treatment of homosexuality they exhibit a singular unity. For this reason, the admittedly limited number of examples cited here is yet claimed to be typical of them all.

Oscar B. Jensen, Associate Minister of Los Angeles' First Methodist Church, answered an inquiry from a member of his church, "are you asking the Church, the Methodist Church, and the Church Federation to condone homosexual activity, or are you asking for help in solving the problem? ... the Church can never condone homosexual activity as it has always been regarded as immoral and a psychological illness. These people, as I understand them, are emotionally sick."

Edward Staples, Nashville, Tennessee, of The Board of Education of The Methodist Church, has written us: "Most of our American churches have not taken any stand on homosexuality." Neither, it seems, has the Church Federation which represents the major Protestant and Orthodox denominations of Los Angeles. For. when ONE's Social Service Division in August, 1963, invited the Church Federation (copies of the invitation going to a number of the individual church bodies as well) to send representatives to a meeting for the discussion of the religious problems of homosexuals, two Orthodox priests from a neighboring state were the only clergymen responding and present at the meeting.

The minister of a very large church, Dr. John D. Brown, Beverly Hills Community Baptist Church. speaking in August, 1962, before an audience of homophile men and women, said that homosexuality was anti-Biblical and anti-Church; that "normality" was "basic Christian-

one

ity," and that those who were unable to be so must refrain from sexual expression entirely.

Another Baptist, Pastor George Wall, First Baptist Church, North Hollywood, wrote ONE concerning an article Editor Don Slater had published, "Such a conglomeration of faulty reasoning and pure nonsense could not come from anyone except he were either morally and intellectually incapacitated or depraved . . . why not engage in face to face debate where your preposterous facts and ridiculous reasoning could be easily refuted?"

A reply was sent to Rev. Wall, in part as follows, "On the assumption that your spirit of inquiry is honest and responsible, as well as presumably Christian, Mr. Slater has expressed his entire willingness to debate with you at a time and place convenient." Although many months have passed Rev. Wall has not replied, leaving the question of both his honesty and his Christianity yet to be evaluated.

The Episcopal Church, inspired perhaps by certain humanitarian statements contained in the 1954 report, The Problem of Homosexuality. issued by the Moral Welfare Council of the Church of England, has a number of clergymen who are somewhat more liberal in their views.

For instance, Canon Robert Cromsey, of San Francisco, said in September of this year, "Our attitude. generally is that people with this psychic and emotional condition are some kind of animal despised of man and God." He then called for greater understanding and tolerance. Father James Jones, of St. Leonard's House. Chicago, has addressed meetings at ONE Institute in charitable and temperate terms.

Yet it is doubtful if their basic theological positions would differ much from that expressed at San

8