Methodists sue to prevent use of their property for civil union

Methodists sue to prevent use of their property for civil union

A Methodist group is suing the state of New Jersey to keep from being forced to let a lesbian couple hold a civil union ceremony in the group's beachfront pavilion.

The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association says it rejected the women's application and returned their deposit because the United Methodist Church does not recognize same-sex unions.

The lawsuit also says the state's investigation into the women's complaint has forced the association to limit use of the pavilion for weddings out of fear of prosecution.

The Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing the association, says government cannot force a Christian group to use its property in a way that would violate its religious beliefs.

A spokesman for the New Jersey attorney general described the lawsuit as premature, saying the civil rights division hasn't come to any conclusion about the case.