Religion news briefs

Same-sex union hiring ban lifted

HARRISONBURG, Va. — Eastern Mennonite University says it will no longer discriminate against job prospects who are in same-sex marriages.

Previously, the private liberal arts university in Harrisonburg said that people in same-sex relationships violated the faith-based principles of the university.

The Daily News Record newspaper reports that the school announced that its decision followed a “listening process” that began in the 2013-14 academic year. The process included students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors.

Board chairman Kay Brenneman Nussbaum said in a statement that Eastern Mennonite’s education “is grounded in Mennonite/Anabaptist values, and we believe people in same-sex covenanted relationships are valued members of our learning community with equal rights to standard benefits.”

Hackers attack affair hook-up site

NEW YORK — The Bible warns that “your sin will find you out.”

A website for married people seeking affairs says it suffered a cyberattack after hackers claimed to have stolen confidential customer information and threatened to publish it unless the company is shut down.

Ashley Madison, whose slogan is “Life is short. Have an affair,” says its customers are anonymous.

But online security blog KrebsOnSecurity.com posted what appeared to be a screenshot of the site’s home page on Sunday bearing a message from hackers, who said Ashley Madison lied about a service allowing members to erase their profile information. The hackers say the data don’t go away.

11-year church vigil appeal heard

BOSTON — Parishioners occupying a long-closed Catholic church south of Boston had their day before the state Appeals Court on Wednesday as they sought to overturn a judge’s ruling that ordered them to end their nearly 11-year, round-the-clock protest vigil.

A three-judge appeals panel is expected to issue a written decision at a later date.

In their court brief, the Friends of St. Frances X. Cabrini Church in Scituate argued that a state Superior Court judge wrongly prevented them from presenting arguments referencing church or canon law, denied them the right to a jury trial and abused his judicial discretion, among other things.

The group wants the lower court decision reversed and the case ordered for a new trial.

Church with gay pastor vandalized

AUGUSTA, Ga. — A Georgia church with a gay pastor who plans to get married has been vandalized with spray paint.

The Augusta Chronicle reports that vandals spray-painted references to Bible verses and the words “You’ll Burn” on the front doors and steps of the Metropolitan Community Church of Our Redeemer, near Augusta’s City Hall.

The newspaper reports that the Rev. Rick Sosbe and his fiance were the first gay couple in Richmond County to apply for a marriage license after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide.

Weeks ago, a rainbow flag flying outside the church was also stolen.

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