Even the possibility you MIGHT be gay can cost you a job with the Catholic church.

Courtesy of Leader-Telegram:  

A day after Regis Catholic Schools announced Tim Nelson would not become its next president, he charged that Regis officials pulled the job offer based on speculation he may be gay. 

Nelson, 48, who was announced April 4 as the choice to lead the local private school system, said Friday he was "flabbergasted" when system officials informed him nearly three weeks later they intended to revoke his contract because of concerns about his sexual orientation. 

"The whole thing is based on assumptions, innuendo and speculation," an obviously upset Nelson said by telephone from New Mexico, where he has worked as supervising principal of a group of American Indian community schools for the past eight years. 

Regis denied the allegations Friday in a statement. 

"Regis Catholic Schools denies that any assumptions, insinuations or speculation played a part in its decision to not hire Mr. Nelson," the statement said. "Furthermore, Regis Catholic Schools categorically denies that sexual orientation was a part in its decision. Mr. Nelson's speculation is unfounded and untrue."

But Nelson, who was excited about the prospect of leading the parochial school system he attended through his junior year of high school, claimed Regis officials made it clear in several conversations they were concerned about the perception he may be gay and what impact that might have on the system.

As it turned out this decision to change their mind on hiring Mr. Nelson, happened to take place AFTER his father's obituary appeared in the paper. (what is with obituaries outing gay people these days?) 

The Rev. Brian Konopa, pastoral dean of Regis schools, broke the news about "serious issues that have come to the forefront" in a telephone call on April 17, or 13 days after Nelson had been introduced as the next Regis president, Nelson said. 

Regis officials indicated someone had given them information showing that a man's name was listed in parentheses behind Nelson's in the survivor list of his father's obituary 2½ years ago, and they told him that is typically the way a gay partner is listed in an obituary, Nelson said. 

Nelson said he explained to Konopa that he considered the man his best friend and that the man was close to Nelson's family. 

"I said, ‘If you think we are intimate or sexually active, you've got another think coming.' We are not like that at all," Nelson recalled telling Konopa.

Okay here's the thing, I actually think that MR. Nelson  MIGHT be gay, but so damn what? The fact that he feels he must deny who he is in order to work at a school that he so clearly loves is shameful.

And if i am wrong and Mr. Nelson is straight, then their rejection of him is just that much more egregious.

I mean let's face it if your religion of love and acceptance dictates that you mistreat a fellow human being based on their biology, than your may have to market your religion as one of hatred and intolerance instead.

Try putting asses in church pews with THOSE labels.

If he was good enough for the job as a straight man, why is he not good enough as a gay man?