News Sep 2, 1999 at 4:00 am

Monastery Founder Sues Cops, Runs for City Council

Comments

1
I think the monastery was a fantastic place for me when I came out in 1980. It was so much fun, and I know many people who have great memories of this place. I will forever be grateful to George for providing a safe place for me to go and have fun. He may have some poor scruples, but I think this article goes overboard in portraying him as the devil. He was not anything like this. My memories of the Monastery are ones that I cherish. I think whomever wrote this article missed the point. At the time in 1980, it wasn't safe to be an out young person. George provided a place for us to be comfortable being who we were, and he showed me that there was nothing wrong with me being a gay person. Today this place would be considered tame. I am sad that young people will not have somewhere to go like the Monastery because a few do gooders decided that it was an evil place.
2
Seattle's Monastery was a haven for hundreds or more young gay people, a helluva' after hours sacrament -- the very best, most fabulous dance floor in a very large region -- for thousands of other folks. For all the alleged pedo- crimes, were any ever charged or proven? All the kids I saw were hooked up with age-appropriate other kids; every "bad trip" I was aware of was taken care of with TLC. The Monastery was a moment in time I was glad to have been at....
3
Where there is that much smoke, there is going to be fire. Why couch it in terms of being a church? If a 70 year old man wants to have a gay night club for young boys, then call it that. The church thing just makes it that much more "oogie".
4
I remember one night George throwing open the doors of the tower of the monestery, pointing at the skyline and asking me why a big city like seattle is so small potatoes about liquor laws and drinking hours. i havent seen him in decades but remember him well.
I think george has a better sense than you know (heart)
6
This was and is nothing more than an attack on someone and a form of religion practice. The attack on the ULC church is nothing more than people not under standing religion or right to practice that religion by the Constitution of the Greatest Country
7
I concur George Freeman (Brother Martin) may have been one heck of a bar owner, an entertainer. It sure sounds like he knew how to party. Perhaps George Freeman didn't sell drugs from the pulpit, maybe he didn't serve alcohol to underage kids, perhaps he never did ascertain a liquor license? Yet I have an ordained Minister from Seattle, now living elsewhere whose mother used to go to The Monastery. Her mother got strung out on drugs and alcohol and perhaps she didn't OD at the Monastery as George claims. Instead she committed suicide.

George maybe a nice guy, but a bar is not a place to use a house of worship or a Church as a disguise for partying.

Freeman has left a black mark against the Universal Life Church name and the LGBT Community. I don't dislike George Freeman (Brother Martin) I just wish he utilized better discretion.

He did not need to bring such negativity upon the Universal Life Church, or the LGBT Community that has its hands full just fighting for equal rights the way it is. It is people like George Freeman who prevents those within the LGBT community of gaining respect with behavior and poor decisions such as George Freeman exhibits.

The Universal Life Church or the LGBT Community does not necessarily condone such behavior, that went on at this monastery, but have been forever blemished. That is unfair.

8
I want to reiterate, the Universal Life Church stands behind the LGBT Community, we believe in equal rights and we will continue the fight in an appropriate fashion. I hope that those reading this article will not take the actions of one individual and hold it against the LGBT Community.

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