Church Stops GOP Gun Raffle "Honoring" King, Lincoln

Earlier this week, news broke that the Multnomah County GOP would hold a gun raffle in honor of President Lincoln and The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As I wrote in The Huffington Post, with this a truly dishonorable act the GOP aligned themselves with voices of hatred and racism, and against all that Lincoln and King stood for. I am glad to report that Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral has cancelled the event.

When I learned the event would be held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral my assumption was that the leadership there new nothing about the event or the controversy. Churches often rent out space to community organizations. Sometimes those organizations do not fully disclose their intentions. So I reached out and asked that the cathedral consider cancelling the event and that by doing so they could send a powerful message that the planned raffle was inappropriate and immoral. My understanding is many others reached out to the Cathedral’s leadership.

The Greek Orthodox Church, like the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church, is part of the National Council of Churches. Together we have worked to curb gun violence in our nation. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral is an important community leader in Portland. We can all be thankful they see the world with deep moral clarity.

- Rev. Chuck Currie

The Oregonian: Portland church says it will no longer allow Republican fundraising dinner tied to gun raffle

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