Advocate.com – By Joanne Herman
Some citizens of Largo, Fla., cited religious grounds for the dismissal of Susan Stanton, the transgender city manager. Would Jesus really have terminated her employment? This and other transgender tales from the Bible.
With dozens of citizens speaking at the February hearing that would ultimately lead to the dismissal of Susan Stanton, the transgender city manager of Largo Fla., the media needed a pithy sound bite, and it found an especially good one: ?If Jesus was here tonight?and believe me, I know the Bible?I can guarantee you he?d want [Stanton] terminated.? Those words were spoken by the Reverend Ron Sanders, pastor for the Lighthouse Baptist Church. Never mind that his church has only 30 members; his words were broadcast around the world. Why? Because we (or at least the media, anyway) tend to assume that any one clergyperson speaks for all religious people.