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Fri 7 Apr, 2006 04:58 pm
I got this email today as I am a musician:
Quote:We are looking for talented musicians to support our current worship team setup. In particular, looking for percussionists, electric guitar, bass player, singers. Must be a professing and active Christian. Position is a volunteer position that requires the individual to be available to play every other Thursday as well as on Sunday mornings service.
(Name withheld) Baptist churhc is a congregation well established as a contemporary worshipping church. Our worship team is developing and we are looking for talented individuals to support our development. Currently have lead vocal/acoustic guitar, drummer, bass player (occasional), and some vocals.
If you have a gift of music and are looking to be a contributing member of a worship team dedicated to praising God, then God is looking for you here at (Name withheld). Any interested individuals will be asked to sit in for some practices (Sat. morning 9-12) before playing.
As it is a volunteer position and not a job, and the fact that it is playing in a church I don't really see any discrimination.
So it's only in employment conditions that these type of considerations have merit? What about men's clubs? I do believe they can no longer exclude women, although I may well be wrong on this point as I have not checked to be 100% sure.
I think there are all kinds of things that can exclude others as long as they are truly private organizations or working with volunteers.
Heck, when I go donate blood they want to know everyone I've had sex with, where I've traveled to, if I've recently had a tattoo or piercing - there are maybe 50 exclusions.
OK, but the criteria for donation of blood is based on pragmatism and not beliefs, whereas the men's club example is based on beliefs not pragmatism.
Also simply because one can enforce a set of arbitrary criteria based on beliefs in a "truly private organizations or working with volunteers" does not change whether or not the underlying impetus has elements of prejudice/intolerance nor whether the church in this case is going against it's own morals and teachings as per Jesus.
Chumly,
May I ask, do you FEEL this is prejudice? I'm not sure this can be considered prejudice, Chumly. In my organization I do not state one needs to be a Christian to join. I don't think that would be right for us. But, I do make it very clear to anyone that does join us that they will hear the word God quite often from me and others and we send out prayer requests.
I would imagine a lot of this would depend upon where the musicians would be playing, type of music, etc. And, as Boomerang stated, it is volunteer. If this was a paying position, then yes, they would definitely seem to be discriminating.
Hope that helps.
Momma Angel wrote:Chumly,
May I ask, do you FEEL this is prejudice?
I don't know, maybe it's religious/artistic - prejudice/intolerance, it just popped up in my email and I thought hmm........ might be question worth asking.
Thank you for answering, Chumly. I was curious as to what your initial reaction was. I think it was a question worth asking.
They do say "Must be a professing and active Christian" and at a minimum I would expect that their version of Christ in the Bible would not approve of such exclusivity. I also have to admit it might be fun to play and sing some classic old time gospel. It sure got Elvis going!
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