Brad Voyles
Mary Beth Morse
Joey Heath
By Angie Herrington
Staff Writer
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- Covenant College students who met Monday with members of a gay-rights group called the visit positive and informative.
"We may see sin differently and have different convictions, but we're all people," sophomore Mary Beth Morse, 19, said. "We're God's people and he loves us the same, so I think it's wrong for us to show hate or any kind of bitterness."
A group of 26 Soulforce members arrived in the morning outside the entrance of the campus and stood along a public side street, despite being told by college administrators they would be arrested if they set foot on campus property.
Four members eventually were arrested for trespassing when they crossed onto the private property to give Dean of Students Bruce Voyles a copy of a document outlining ideals they wanted the college to attain.
Soulforce's Equality Ride is a national bus tour of college campuses group members claim have policies that discriminate against homosexuality.
About 50 Covenant students greeted the members and talked to them informally about their backgrounds and their positions on homosexuality for close to three hours while standing on the public street. Some students prayed and read passages from the Bible with the members, and other students passed out boxed lunches and water to them.
Mr. Voyles said he was disappointed that Soulforce members did not accept the college's initial offer to visit the campus under a specific schedule and other guidelines. The schedule included meetings with administrators, faculty and students, as well as lunch and a chapel service, over a 6 1/2-hour period.
"It didn't have to be this way," Mr. Voyles said. "You have to wonder if they were really interested in dialogue or were just making some sort of statement."
Covenant College's standards of conduct, which students agree to uphold when they enroll, state that students "abstain from sexual sins," which include homosexuality.
Soulforce member Joey Heath said the group declined the college's offer for an on-campus visit because it was too restrictive.
He said the group's only goal is to have open dialogue with students, but the group often is portrayed as being radical and only wanting media attention.
"If we step on campus (and get arrested), it's because we want to take that extra step to show that we really do want to talk," he said.
Soulforce members took a break from talking to students in mid-afternoon to read a copy of a covenant intended to "encourage Covenant College to become an environment that reflects the wideness of God's grace and diversity of the body of Christ."
It was after this reading when the four members were arrested and escorted by Dade County sheriff's deputies into a van.
The four members were charged with criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor, and are staying overnight at the Dade County Jail, authorities said. They will go before a Magistrate Court judge today who will set bond.
"I didn't even know what was going on when that happened," Covenant senior Bethany Kok, 22, said. "I hope they go away from here with good thoughts about us despite (the arrests)."
Freshman David Barr, 19, said he considers homosexuality a sin but said that should not "keep me from going and loving my brother."
"I mean, they're people. How can you not extend your love to them if you're supposed to be a Christian?" he said. " I think if Jesus was here he would probably be right along there talking with them and eating with them and breaking bread."
E-mail Angie Herrington at aherrington@timesfreepress.com