A journalist writing for a homosexualist magazine secretly joined, under an assumed name, the Christian discussion group for the express purpose of disseminating confidential comments by a pastor who preached that homosexual behavior is sinful.
-- From "Minn. Pastor Likely to Keep Job Despite Gay Report" by Patrick Condon, The Associated Press 6/23/10
A Lutheran pastor ardently critical of allowing gays into the clergy is on leave from his Minneapolis church after a gay magazine reported his attendance at a support group for men struggling with same-sex attraction.
Church officials, however, said Wednesday that the Rev. Tom Brock likely will return to the pulpit at Hope Lutheran Church because he acted in accordance with his faith by attending the group.
A fixture on local cable access shows, Brock regularly broadcasts conservative views on homosexuality and criticizes the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for liberalizing its gay clergy policy. Lavender Magazine published a story last week about Brock's quiet attendance of the Faith in Action meetings, written by a reporter who falsely posed as a member of the group.
The Lavender article never explicitly said Brock confessed to homosexual activity. It quotes him at one point talking about a recent mission trip to Eastern Europe, of which he says, "I fell into temptation. I was weak."
Hope Lutheran's executive pastor, the Rev. Tom Parrish, said when confronted with the article, Brock "simply said he indeed has been attending this Christian group, both going there and being honest about temptations he has, and is being held accountable so he never would do anything with that temptation."
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From "Outing case: Cries of 'hypocrite' for pastor, magazine" by Jeff Strickler, Star Tribune 6/23/10
When the magazine hit the newsstands, the story went viral on gay and lesbian Internet sites, with people expressing everything from glee to outrage that a man who has railed against homosexuality in his sermons and weekly radio and cable TV shows had been caught practicing what he preaches against.
But by midweek, the mood had started to shift. For starters, critics pointed out that the magazine did not have a direct quote from Brock saying that he had engaged in homosexual acts. The article implied that was the case by quoting him as saying that while on a preaching mission to Slovakia he "fell into temptation," but did not explain what that meant.
In addition, people started raising questions about whether the ends justified the means. Confidentiality is the bedrock of therapy, and even some gay and lesbian activists expressed concerns that the magazine's breach of privacy might keep people from getting therapy for fear of having their personal issues made public.
Jane Kirtley, the Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota, said the magazine crossed the line.
"I'm a believer that the use of undercover reporting should be reserved only for the most important stories that you can't get any other way," she said.
One of the dangers of undercover reporting is the loss of credibility, she said. "Whenever you go undercover, you raise the question with the public: If you were prepared to misrepresent yourself to get the story, how can we be sure that the story is accurate?"
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