Bishops Say Some Members Denied Visas To Attend Methodist Conference In U.S. -- Beliefnet.com

BeliefNet and the AP are covering the Methodist Conference in Pittsburgh PA where some 25 delegates have still not been allowed to enter the US because their visa applications were denied. "Four bishops said during a news conference before the start of the conference that 42 members from the Philippines and Africa were [originally] denied visas. 'It seems clear ... that the policies or the application of these policies are racist and unjust,' said Marshall Meadors, a retired bishop who teaches at the Candler School of Theology in Atlanta. The bishops called for the federal government, including church members President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, to investigate the matter and see if some of the visa problems might be resolved before the conference ends May 7."