South Carolina Church Kicks Out Blind Man for Having Service Dog At His Side

[NeoGreen]

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/07/02/south-carolina-church-kicks-out-blind-man-for-having-service-dog-at-his-side/#comment-4524316535

South Carolina Church Kicks Out Blind Man for Having Service Dog At His Side
By Hemant Mehta, July 2, 2019

If you go to the homepage of LowCountry Community Church in Bluffton, South Carolina, there’s a message that says “Wherever you’re from, there’s a place for you here.”

So naturally, the church is in the news for kicking out a man with disabilities, according to Lana Ferguson of The Island Packet.

29-year-old Taylor Burch, who’s legally blind, attended a service on Sunday along with his service dog named Independence. He was invited inside by the greeters at the door and took his seat… but minutes later, a church volunteer told him he needed to get the hell out.

“You can’t have that dog in here,” he said to Burch.

“He was questioning me like he didn’t believe me,” Burch said. “I was totally humiliated.”

Burch left, immediately called his mother to pick him up, and sat on the patio until she got there.

The entire interaction, he said, lasted five minutes.

“I was sad,” he said. “I was frustrated. I was in shock.”

Burch’s sister posted about the situation shortly afterwards, saying she was “in disbelief that a place that teaches love and acceptance would not allow a person like my brother with his very well behaved and intensely trained guide dog to attended a church service.”

The church’s response?

The church has said it did nothing wrong. Churches and synagogues are exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act.

There’s that Christian love for you: We don’t have to follow the law because we have Jesus.

[Faux pas]

1. How 'christian'

of them.

[redstatebluegirl]

2. A Church used to be a sanctuary, place of peace, that accepted everyone.

After they became political tools of the right all of that stopped. Now they are just used to recruit republicans, press their ideas of hatred, and keep the republican faithful in line. Really sorry times to be sure. I left organized religion years ago when I was in college. I now identify as a recovering catholic.

[Mariana]

4. "A Church used to be a sanctuary, place of peace, that accepted everyone."

When was that, exactly?

[redstatebluegirl]

5. Lets just say it wasn't as hateful as it has been the past few years.

Yes, there have always been less than open minded, but not as OPENLY hateful as they are now. I have not set foot in a christian church in years except for weddings and funerals and I don't have any thought of doing so. I became a Unitarian Universalist after leaving the Catholic Church, but have even found that I don't feel comfortable there either.

[trotsky]

6. No, it's always been bad.

Some churches are better than others, of course, but they all think they are doing exactly what Jesus wants.

[Blue Owl]

3. He shoulda told them that dog spelled backwards...

is GOD!

[SWBTATTReg]

7. I'd like to lay my hands on the members of this church...what pathetic behavior towards the...

disabled. This church said it did nothing wrong. BS. Absolute BS. At least they could have offered a hand to guide Mr. Burch into the facility and get him seated in time for the services, but they didn't. They could have offered to watch his support animal while services were going on. They didn't. Churches and synagogues are exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act, sad. If I were representing my church, I'd labor a little more to ensure that all those wishing to attend services could do so in a reasonable manner. They didn't.

[Frustratedlady]

8. That is beyond belief and common sense. The dog is probably better than the entire congregation.

I can't imagine that poor guy had to go through the humiliation before the public (or, even a side room and in private).

Never did I think our country would become so hateful to fellow citizens. It is like a plague that is slowly migrating across the nation.

Thank God we have DU to come to and work out our frustrations.

[procon]

9. No dogs in whatever passes for "heaven"

in that wretched church. Another reason to shun religion. If they can't even accomodate a service dog, what will they do to their parishioners who might stray from Grace?

[MineralMan]

10. Marvelous! Now Jesus Won't Be Able to Heal Him.

Damn!

Churches and are exempt from doing anything Jesus was supposed to have done, eh? Well, OK, then...

[AtheistCrusader]

15. Maybe... maybe that's part of it?

Like, he might be a daily reminder to them that god doesn't actually perform miracles and heal anyone?

[MineralMan]

16. Oh, everyone knows that, but still, they worship an invisible, non-present deity.

Logic plays no role.

[raccoon]

11. And these mf's are tax exempt! It boggles the mind nt

[AtheistCrusader]

12. Even though it's apparently not illegal for them to discriminate like this, it boggles the mind that

they would even try.

Like, why even would you do that?

[Act_of_Reparation]

13. Because being judgy pricks is their one occupational qualification.

When all you have is a hammer, treat every problem like it's a nail.

[MineralMan]

14. According to today's news, they've changed the policy.

That's a good thing, although I can't imagine why it was in place at all.

[Mariana]

17. This is no surprise.

There's no way to defend this behavior. Legal it may be, but it's wrong, and even the fundiest of fundie Christians knows it.

[Steelrolled]

18. From their web site....

While our policy was certainly legal, we now realize it was not sensitive, wise, or reflective of our heart. We’ve worked hard for 25 years to be a church known for what we are “for”, not what we are against. The main thing we are “for” is people. These values haven’t changed. But our policy will. This Sunday, July 7, 2019, LowCountry Community Church will return to its original policy of warmly welcoming service animals and, more importantly, welcome their beloved owners.

I have extended a heart-felt, sincere personal apology to our visitor, which he has graciously accepted. But I want to apologize to him publicly here as well. We are sorry. As we shared with you during your visit, it would be our privilege to do everything we can to respectfully and joyfully assist with your special needs, as we do with the special needs of all our wonderful members and guests who so courageously navigate physical challenges to attend church each week.

[Mariana]

19. Is there a single honest word in that statement?

"We now realize [our hateful policy of discrimination against the disabled] was not sensitive etc." We're supposed to believe they didn't know this before? What a crock. Everyone knows this change came about only because this story went viral, and the church is in danger of losing its membership (and their donations, of course).

[Steelrolled]

20. I can't judge

Sometimes there are rules that are overly restrictive, and it is not realized until the rule is tested. The rule has been fixed, which is the key. This is sort of a "man bites dog" story.

[Iggo]

21. I can. It's easy. Watch.

"This Sunday, July 7, 2019, LowCountry Community Church will return to its original policy of warmly welcoming service animals and, more importantly, welcome their beloved owners."

They used to welcome service animals.
Then, instead, they didn't.

Sooooo....Fuck those motherfuckers. I'm good. They suck. I'm better than they are.

There. See? Easy.

[Mariana]

22. Yeah, the church tried to defend this bullshit at first

by appealing to the fact that they aren't required to obey the Americans with Disabilities Act.

That's when they showed us who they really are.

[Iggo]

23. Yeah, no shit.

I guess "We're allowed to get away with all kinds of shit that's illegal for everyone else" didn't test very well.

Fuckers.

[Steelrolled]

24. Sometimes you have to think through these stories

Here is my thinking...

- There is not a lot of benefit for a church to ban people with disabilities.

- People (humans) often overreact to minor indictments by creating excessive rules.

- Some people like to be super strict rule enforcers (this starts in early childhood)

- It takes another incident (or two or three) to put things right.

So I'm inclined to not to judge these people given what I know. If you disagree, no problem -- whatever soothes your soul!

[Major Nikon]

25. It's not hard to judge someone who only does the right thing when they have no other options

[Steelrolled]

29. I suppose so

Based on personal experience, I can say some of my best choices were made in the face of no alternative

[Major Nikon]

30. Not quite the same thing

In this case the best choice was only made when public pressure made the preferred wrong choice untenable.

[Mariana]

26. "Some people like to be super strict rule enforcers (this starts in early childhood)..."

These are probably the same people who derive pleasure from fantasizing about rulebreakers being tortured for eternity.

[Steelrolled]

28. People fantasizing I can deal with.

Law enforcement is an area where "zero tolerate rule enforcers" are problematic.

[tblue37]

27. Smarmy! nt