B757-200 CREW HAD DEP CTLR INSIST THAT THEY FLY THROUGH A TSTM THAT THEIR WX RADAR SHOWED AS UNSAFE.

Narrative

AFTER DEPARTING RWY 22 AT EWR WE WERE VECTORED TO A 360 DEG HEADING. THE CTLR FIST ASKED US WHAT EASTERLY HEADING WE COULD TAKE. WE RESPONDED WITH A SOUTHEAST HEADING. THE CTLR STATED THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO DO THAT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO IS GO STRAIGHT EAST. THIS WOULD PUT US INTO AN AREA OF SEVERE WEATHER INDICATED ON OUR RADAR. WE DECLINED HIS TURN AND OFFERED PRESENT HEADING FOR 22 MI THEN EAST. THE CTLR THEN STATED THAT NO WE WERE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. HE HAD BEEN SENDING ACFT THROUGH THAT SAME HOLE WITH NO PROBLEM AND IF WE WERE NOT GOING OT DO THAT HE WAS DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND TAKING US BACK TO EWR. WE ACCEPTED A WESTERLY HEADING FROM HIM AND A FREQ CHANGE. ON THE NEW FREQ I INFORMED THE NEW CTLR OUR INTENTION WAS TO BE VECTORED AROUND THE WX AND CONTINUE SOUTHBOUND ON COURSE. THIS CTLR STATED THAT THIS IS WHAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO DO. THIS CTLR WAS ABLE TO APPROVE A HEADING THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE LINE OF WX THAT WE COULD SEE ON OUR RADAR. WE CONTINUED ENROUTE WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEMS.