From the mailbox…
“A bullied straight kid goes home to a parent who is on his side. A bullied gay kid goes home to more bullying and is dragged off to a church for more bullying from the pulpit,” Savage said.
I cannot believe you said this, and the emotions I am feeling from this and the psychological affects are almost overwhelming. I am a Christian who attends a very Biblical-based Bible Church here in Portland, Oregon, and this is far from the truth. While some Church’s may preach from the pulpit against homosexuality, the general consensus among Bible Church’s is they do not. We for the most part really don’t care what you people do. You live your lifestyle, and we live ours. I am 36 years old, and have been in the Church my entire life, and I have never, ever once, had a preacher preach from the pulpit bullying gays. Matter of fact, just a few years ago, our choir director went to our pastor and told him he had an inclination of being gay, and understood where the Church stood on the issue, and respected it, so he and the pastor hugged, cried together, and he went his way, and we hope that he is doing well where ever he is.
I’m not sure where you are getting your information, but it is mainly false. Some radical Church’s may bully from the pulpit, but they are the few.
I would ask that you make a public apology for this statement for offending me, and the Church. I am getting sick and tired of the finger pointing at the Church when it is just a few who make it look bad for the masses. I am also considering contacting the ACLU and getting legal advice to see if this is deemed Hate Speech, because your statement affects me as I am in Bible College and looking at a Pastoral Ministry life ahead. This type of speech concerns me, and should be done away with. I look forward to hearing from you real soon to get this resolved.
George S.
Wow. My response after the jump…
Where to start?
I said that, George—you can believe it.
Moving on: the constitution doesn’t protect us from having our feelings hurt. If it did, it would be illegal for “Christians” (in quotes to distinguish the fake ones from the real ones) wouldn’t be allowed to run around telling gay kids that their magic sky friend Jesus is going to send them to hell. But it is legal for “Christians” to say that—even to children—and it should be legal.
And anti-gay preachers are hardly a figment of my imagination. And while you claim that your pastor doesn’t condemn gays and lesbians from his wee pulpit, your church’s organist—why is it always the organist?—nevertheless felt compelled to part ways with your church after he decided to come out about his gay “inclinations.” (Or was he sent packing once he came out? Only Pastor Hugs knows for sure.) Good for your ex-organist, George, because he can do better than your bible church. But the gay kids in your congregation—and there are gay kids your congregation—don’t enjoy the same freedom of worship. Your organist could come out and leave and become one of “you people” (lovingly put!), but the gay kids at your church probably aren’t in a position to 1. come out to mom and dad and 2. tell mom and dad that they’re not going to be accompanying to church on Sundays anymore.
Blogtownies, feel free to weigh in.
Weighing in. The “psychological effects” from reading something that you don’t agree with are “almost overwhelming”? It must be very difficult being you.
A “biblically-based Bible Church”? As opposed to a “Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’-based Bible Church” I guess?
When you write ‘Church’s’, you are not showing the plural; you’re either shortening the phrase “church is”, or are about to talk about something the Church owns. It isn’t elitist to ask you to use the language that you speak -English- properly when you’re typing it.
So, everyone will point out to you here that there’s no law anywhere that protects you from feeling bad about something. And they will be right. But also: for such a loving man of God and all, you sure are quick to want to do away with other people’s thoughts being expressed in public. Your lone example of your church’s (see?) love for The Gays is a poor example indeed: it’s a story about a guy *leaving* your church because he was at least leaning gay.
So…I’d like to think they’re teaching you to reason a bit better at your college there, but it would seem they are not. They don’t seem to teach shit about English, either.
The line “you live your lifestyle, and we live ours” is only credible in this context if followed up with “and that’s why I support gay rights at the ballot box”. Anything less is guilt by omission. He’s allowing members of his faith community to impose their lifestyle on someone else’s lifestyle. I support gay rights and I don’t even think it’s my right to DEBATE gay rights. It’s like if I walk into your home and say ‘I have a right to debate what carpet you install’. No, I need to GTFO your home. End of debate.
He’s risen to “overwhelming” “psychological effects” by an opinion piece, rather than by the real violence committed against gays. And he wants to preach? He has no understanding of moral equivalency.
So you don’t care what “you people” do? Just don’t come to OUR church or if you start questioning your sexuality move along, Huh? Wow, that sounds so inclusive! I’ll bet Jesus would just be SUPER proud of you!
“Some radical Church’s[sic] may bully from the pulpit, but they are the few.” Um have you heard of oh, say the Catholics? Southern Baptists? Mormons? I could go on…
You don’t deserve an apology ya big deluded crybaby.
And by the way, “Bible College” is an oxymoron.
Having grown up via @ an Assembly of God church in the 80’s and some of the 90’s, I am thankful I was/am not gay. Being hyper pragmatic made it torture enough. Being told I am an abomination in the eyes of my peers and my family would have been brutal.
AoG churches are very focused on “end times” and Revelations. This was a topic that was touched on very regularly. And it was not a gentle or loving touch. It was hate.
*makes wanking motion with hand*
If a gay person has to leave your church after coming out, then you belong to an anti-gay church.
Also, after all the complains we hear that anti-discrimination and anti-hate crime legislation would make their religion illegal, they still whine about “hate speech” (which is unquestionably legal) every time we call them out.
This guy has got to be a troll. There’s no way that anybody is that dumb.
I want to know why Bible Billy is reading a column that regularly features electric butt plugs, Santorum, piss drinking and utterly frank depictions of all manner of kinky sex.
Has he written in before about anything else offending him, or was this the first thing?
I was forced to go to church for the first 16 years of my life. I heard bullshit anti-homosexual spew out of both the preachers mouth, and those leading small group “sunday-school” classes (these where the most aggressive at spreading hate, and encouraging middle school and high school aged kids to go out into downtown and try to convert others to this mindset.)
For the record, the bulk of this time was spent out in beaverton at a church called SW Bible Church. They hate harder and more unapologetically than anyone I have ever met elsewhere hates.
Have you guys ever noticed that the crazier someone is, the more likely they are to threaten to contact “their lawyers”?
It’s like a spectrum of insanity. One the one end, there’s a logical person who likely wouldn’t sue anyone unless something fairly egregious happened to them and they certainly don’t have a lawyer on retainer. On the other end, there’s the person who threatens to sue over every perceived slight and these people never threaten to *get* a lawyer. No. They always threaten to *have their lawyer* sue. You know, because they keep one around for occasions just like this.
Or – sort of in the middle – you have people who know you won’t buy that they have a lawyer and so they threaten to get government, NGO or non-profit organizations they’ve heard of on TV to sue on their behalf. You know, because the ACLU isn’t busy fighting actual threats to the constitution (and it’s true that sometimes they’re not) and will happily gather their teams of layers and law students to protect this guy’s hurt feelings.
What an assclown.
@ Sarahfina, spot on. By the way, any sane lawyer avoids these clients like the plague, just like everyone else.
Really? Contacting the ACLU and suing because your feelings are hurt? What the fuck are they teaching you in–oh wait…
* Comment of the Week vote for April. *
I guess I should have * given myself a fucking vote * first.
Spoken like one who is used to the self-hatred his church has indoctrinated in him. “Hey, if I can handle knowing I’m a worm in God’s eyes, why should ‘you people’ complain for getting the same message?”
Sad, sad sad. George is being bullied too and doesn’t even know it.
My emotional capacity, or ability with words is not as complex as my Blogtown peers. In short, I can only offer Mr. Buttsore the following: fuck you.
I FUCKIN’ HATE FUNDIES!
FAKE, fake, fake, fake, FAKE.
Fake or real: the effect is the same.