"What Part of 'Christian' Does the YWCA Still Understand?" by Jan Ireland

"What Part of 'Christian' Does the YWCA Still Understand?"

By Jan Ireland

November 01, 2003

How did an organization whose very name suggests a moral stance, come to hire as its director a woman like Patricia Ireland? The YWCA knew that she was formerly head of NOW. And they certainly knew that many NOW positions are antithetical to Christian values. It moves us to ask, what part of 'Christian' did the YWCA think Patricia Ireland understood? But an even better question might be, what part of 'Christian' does the Young Women's Christian Association still understand?

Attacks on morality in our culture are unceasing. KILL BILL at this writing has just come out, and is being described as the most violent movie ever made. QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY is currently on television, with sexually suggestive male to male moments included. Women at the end of their talent are French kissing on stage, and bringing out children's books right after. JOE MILLIIONAIRE 2 is trying to pull the same joke (read lie) twice. A non-custodial parent continues to try to use his young daughter's school attendance as a way to get the word 'God' off our money, and out of our pledge, despite the objections of the young girl and her sole custody mother. Families can send packages to military members in Muslim countries, as long as they don't contain a hint of Christian materials, at the same time that they are being exhorted at home to remember how tolerant the peaceful Muslim religion is.

No actually faithful Catholic can be confirmed as a judge (in many cases not even voted on) because his religion requires a personal stance against abortion. No evangelical military Christian can speak of his faith even privately in his church, because the Christian religion identifies evil when it sees it.

We are awash in a sea of relativism, and aren't supposed to make judgments on whether something is good or bad.

That is why it is not surprising that the YWCA hired Patricia Ireland, who was reported to have been stunned, and 'uncharacteristically speechless' at the firing.

Current NOW director Kim Gandy was particularly angry that the Traditional Values Coalition led a petition drive to oust Ireland from YWCA. The TVC reminded that Patricia Ireland's autobiography reveals a husband in one state, and lesbian lover in another. They listed the things she campaigned for in her decade long tenure at NOW - abortion on demand, cross-dressing, homosexuality, transgenderism. Hardly the core of values the hundred and fifty year old YWCA organization has been known for.

Still, with all that baggage, they hired her. And after six months, they fired her.

But it may not have been the baggage that fired her. After all, YWCA officials knew all that at her interview. And it probably wasn't the TVC petition drive either. YWCA officials knew beforehand that Ireland wouldn't be liked by religious conservatives.

Ireland may very well have been hoisted by her own petard - when she told the New York Times that the YWCA wasn't much 'Christian' anymore. She was probably trying to say that the YWCA has evolved; has 'moved on'; is a 'now' kind of organization, so to speak. It was a sort of in your face refutation to her critics, that inadvertently revealed how in sync Ireland thought she was with YWCA management.

Though the firing was officially in the vein of 'deepest admiration' but 'wrong platform' - it may very well have been brought about by fear. Fear of losing millions in federal grants and private donations, if they are no longer 'Christian'. Which leads me again to ask, what part of 'Christian' does the YWCA still understand?

Jan Ireland has a BA in English, masters in counseling, and advanced training as a certificated teacher. She is a Guest Writer at Opinion Editorials, and a Contributor to Renew America.