Gay rights activists are outraged after the grieving husband of a man who committed suicide earlier this month says he struggled to find a church willing to hold the funeral.
Widow Jay Hoskins claims that at least two churches in Clarkridge, Arkansas refused to hold a ceremony after his husband of less than a year, James Stone, hanged himself on January 19.
The story has spread through social media, and the Facebook page for Clarkright Church of Christ, one of those accused of closing its doors to Hoskins, has been inundated with condemnation.
Hoskins told the Baxter Bulletin that he asked a pastor at the church to perform a graveside service for James. "I told them I was his husband and I would be bringing him back home for burial. They declined to do the service," he said, adding that his request was also refused by Clarkridge Baptist Church.
However, leaders of both churches said they had not been contacted at all regarding the funeral. Pastor at the Baptist church, Tim Moore, told the Bulletin that he would have performed the ceremony if asked.
"It's a difficult position to be put in because I believe the Bible teaches it is not a Biblical lifestyle," Moore said of Stone and Hoskins' relationship. "But, I want to show people love, to bring them into the church. It's not for me to judge people, that's for God."
Clayton King, minister at the Church of Christ, however, admitted that he would have turned down the request had he been contacted, but said it was a "lie" that he had been asked.
"No one ever spoke to me and asked to perform a church service or a graveside service. The family did not make contact and that man did not make contact," he said of the accusations.
"I would not have performed the service because I would have been condoning homosexual activity. I could not celebrate their life together. I could have celebrated his [Stone's] life, but not their life together, because of the connotation of homosexuality."
The ceremony was eventually officiated by an old friend of Hoskins – gay minister Jeremy Liebbe.
In a comments thread on an article about James by DallasVoice.com, Hoskins yesterday defended his story.
"Yes, this incident happened. And yes, it was out of the fundamentalist Clarkridge Church of Christ, amongst others," he wrote.
"I can tell you that there were not only issues having a service for him, but also in so much as that one or more members of the Clarkridge Church of Christ called and "CANCELLED" our family get-together after the service."
Hoskins also claimed that two members of the Church of Christ handed himself, his mother and Liebbe enveloped including 10 pages of "Bible passages condemning us to hell, referencing God's marriage laws, marriage amongst people and animals, and then a sympathy card."
"I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH HATE AND BIGOTRY in my life," he said.
Vicki Oels, who put together the packages with her husband, Jerry, confirmed that she did so "to teach them the truth about God's word".
"I don't know if it was the right time and location to do it. It was the only time I figured I would have. My husband and I discussed it, and we thought this is the only opportunity we're going to have to reach those people," she told the Bulletin.
"We went to the funeral to share that with them. Do you not believe in sharing your faith with people?"
Hoskins remains defiant, however. "The hatred and the bigotry has to stop. We are all human beings," he said.
