North Carolina Pastor’s Anti-Gay Rant is a Sad Example of Hate
My readers know that I’ve taken a strong position against same-sex marriage. But I also want it known that I deplore the kind of hateful gay-bashing that was heard recently from the pulpit of a North Carolina Baptist preacher. In a recent sermon, Pastor Charles Worley of Providence Road Baptist Church suggested a way of eliminating gays and lesbians from the United States. Worley said, ”Build a great big large fence 50 or 100 miles long. Put all the lesbians in there. Fly over and drop some food. Do the same thing with the queers and the homosexuals. Have that fence electrified so they can’t get out. You know what, in a few years, they’ll die out. You know why? They can’t reproduce.”
It’s one thing to point out that the Bible says homosexuality is a sin and to oppose same-sex marriage. It’s also fine to criticize the President for taking the wrong position on the issue. But when you start talking about rounding people up, putting them inside a fence, and hoping that those of their kind will “die out,” you’ve crossed a serious line! You’re no longer preaching the Bible in that case. You’re preaching hate.
All Christians, and especially all Baptists (why do some of the craziest statements come from “Baptist” preachers?), should unite in one accord against this kind of hate and bigotry. I agree with the Anti-Defamation League in this case, which characterized Worley’s sermon as “deplorable, inexcusable and incompatible with the tenets of his faith.” Hate has no place in our churches or in our pulpits.
For me to agree with the Anti-Defamation league, it has to be something appalling. But in this case – it is appalling. I do not know where or why Charles Worley acquired his hatred of homosexuals – but it needs to end. It is definitely not within the tenets of his faith to hate anyone. We are required to love the sinner – while hating the sin. Tough job, especially for someone who is apparently homophobic. With so many like him, it is little wonder that so many gays are denying the existence of God.
[...] condemned anti-gay rhetoric from the Westboro “Baptist” Church cult as well as the reprehensible comments of a North Carolina pastor who recently spoke of rounding up gays and lesbians and sticking them inside an electric fence. Had [...]
[...] show love, compassion, and courtesy to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. My readers know I have condemned gay-bashing on this blog as well as from the pulpit at the church I’ve privileged to pastor. But disagreement with [...]