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This is a new take on the whole "religious freedom" thing. A Seattle church has refused to discharge the Scoutmaster of their Boy Scout troop despite the national organisation telling them the guy has to go.
Now they've hired an attorney
Seattle church stands by gay Scoutmaster
Boy Scouts of America may have revoked his membership, but openly gay Scoutmaster Geoffrey McGrath is continuing his role as a leader with the support of his church.
On any given Sunday, the Rainier Beach United Methodist Church opens its sanctuary for worship.
"All means all," said Rev. Dr. Monica Corsaro of Rainier Beach United Methodist Church. "All we care about is that you want to be in community and that's the way we live it, and to me that's the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that's what we follow."
Now they've hired an attorney
McGrath and Rev. Corsaro believe BSA is infringing on their religious freedom, since the organization expects churches to choose their scoutmasters. Their attorney, Peter Mullenix, hopes dialogue may help them avoid litigation in their efforts to win back McGrath's membership.
"We are still exploring our legal options, and we hope no litigation is necessary. We want to work with the Boy Scouts toward a resolution that works for the kids of the Rainier Beach United Methodist Church. With that said, it may be time for the courts to revisit the question of whether a congressionally chartered, non-sectarian corporation is allowed to violate the states’ discrimination statutes," Mullenix wrote in a statement to KING 5.