Mega Church Cancels Memorial Service For Navy Vet Because He Was Gay
By Logan Murphy Friday Aug 10, 2007 8:01pm
AP Via Chron:
A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay.Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright. But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off.
"It's a slap in the face. It's like, 'Oh, we're sorry he died, but he's gay so we can't help you,'" she said Friday.
Wright said High Point offered to hold the service for Sinclair because their brother is a janitor there. Sinclair, who served in the first Gulf War, died Monday at age 46 from an infection after surgery to prepare him for a heart transplant.
The church's pastor, the Rev. Gary Simons, said no one knew Sinclair, who was not a church member, was gay until the day before the Thursday service, when staff members putting together his video tribute saw pictures of men "engaging in clear affection, kissing and embracing."
"We did decline to host the service — not based on hatred, not based on discrimination, but based on principle," Simons told The Associated Press. "Had we known it on the day they first spoke about it — yes, we would have declined then. It's not that we didn't love the family." Read more...
It's not that they didn't love the family, it's that they're disgusting bigots and they can't help themselves.
Login or Register to post comments.
This is so disgusting. These religious nuts will wind up in hell.
Typical Xtian charity from Right-Wing evangelical churches.
We'll soon find out that The church’s pastor, the Rev. Gary Simons is full of self hate because he himself is Gay but because of the hatred he and his followers spew he can't come out.
No there not hatefull or bigoted, they are just totally disgusting humans who preach love and teach hate.
Sisters and Brothers....
I guess praying the gay away didn't work this time....
That's tragic....
I say we send that mega church some love letters. Mega church...gah, for cryin' out loud, would you like mega fries and a mega big gulp with your salvation today? What a load of hooha.
"not based on hatred, not based on discrimination, but based on principle."
That's right because fundies hate and discriminate on principle, they don't need any of those other excuses.
General Jack D. Ripper @ 1:
They are in hell, they just want to bring it to us also.
I'm confused.... the cancellation is based on principle, but the principle smacks of discrimination and hatred.
Can you imagine being in the room with those folks. I would love to have stopped the person that surely bolted out of the room to inform someone and ask them if they have ever sat down and given anything like this thought instead of listening, listening, listening, not thinking, not thinking, not thinking. Man has the ABILITY to reason. He does it far from often enough
What happened to "hate the sin, love the sinner"? Personally, I wouldn't want a church like this within 100 miles of my corpse.
In 2003 St. Patrick's Catherdal in New York refused to hold Daniel Patrick Moynihan's funeral service because they said Moynihan, as a Senator, wasn't anti-abortion enough. Mind you, they had NO problem hosting Billy Martin's funeral in 1989...
Mega-Haters, These "Big-Box churches are springing up all over the place, huge square buildings that could hold three football fields in them.
The Established Administration is trying their best to Dumb-Down America.
What "principle" are they basing this on?
Only in Republican America,
Are you good enough to serve, fight and die to protect America and Americans and NOT be good enough for a respectful, funeral, and peaceful burial.............
Well, it's a good thing these religious wackos aren't running the American government.
CompASSionate conservatives strike again.
Why is this surprising or unexpected? That is what Christians are taught, that being gay is sinful or evil. It's like being shocked that a mosque refused to serve pork.
Support those troops, you godless liberals.
gummitch @ 10:
Well, apparently it's not just any ol' sin. It's a whole terrifying earth-shaking abomination before the eyes of the Lawd.
Every day it gets easier and easier to hate the Christian religion. *sigh*
How can they say it's not hatred? Not to really change topics or anything, but it's exactly like people who fly the confederate flag and say THAT'S not based on hatred. Bigotry is hatred, plain and simple.
speaking of idiots. Mitt won the Iowa Republicant straw poll!!!!!
We're all doomed! ;) ... The Iowa Republican Party thanks everyone for wasting time and Mitt for wasting money.
I didn't realize bigotry was a principle these days. . .
What any gay man or lesbian would want to do with Christianity escapes me entirely.
Why do Christo-Fundies hate everyone whose not Christo-Fundie?
What a bunch of no good hypocrites!
These pious scumbags wouldn't recognize Jesus if he were kicking their asses with a big wooden cross!
Damn this pisses me off!
These people, all the lying sack of no good souls doling out their bigotry even to the dead!
I feel a rather nasty poem coming on for this one...
My muse is kicking the shit out of the walls...
As soon as she calms down I'll filter her rage...
My condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the family.
I'm so sorry they've had the additional burden of dealing with ignorant assholes like this in their time of sorrow. Mean people SUCK - really SUCK.
*
They wouldn't be getting away with it, if he was black.
The church is in Texas! What a friggin' surprise that one! They'll lose a small number of the congregation over this one, but... the bigots will flood the gates of this church thinking they've found the best church in the whole goddamned world!
What a sad testament of our times...
If anyone joins one of these Mega-Church's then brace yourselves for a whole lotta ugly comin' at you from a never-ending parade of stupid.
Funny thing, when Christ was around he hung out with sinners. It was people like these guys he chased out of the temple. But as has been pointed out, studies show that the most homophobic people are those who are gay and in denial.
sailor @ 30:
Ain't it the truth, we'll soon find out the leader of this church group is Gay (no problem) and can't come out of the closet (problem) because he is so full of self hate (not to mention his fellow bigits would stone him).
sorry..bigots...
sailor: "But as has been pointed out, studies show that the most homophobic people are those who are gay and in denial."
They certainly like to bend over and take it through deficits and crappy infrastructure, anyway...
I am beyond disgusted with fundamentalists.
strawberry @ 5:
To loosely quote Christopher Hitchens - "It's a shame there isn't a hell for these bastards to go to"
*
One more thing: I bet that hypocritical High Point Church was more than happy to take Sinclair's donations and the donations from his family. That self-righteous unChristian church should return the money to the family. I'm sure an approximation of the amount will do just fine.
It is not enough that you served with honor
It is not enough that you died for the cause
It is only enough that you are most willing
To die over and over until death has no loss
`til it finds passage through the vein of self
Torturing you through its very pounding
How dreaded and parched is your termination
How outrageous and bloodied will be their own
It is not enough that you, sir, were willing to die
It is not enough to lay claim to that and that alone
It is only enough that you are one most willing
Death to repeat within you and you evaporate
To die again and again and again and...
Copyright © 2006 mrp / thepoetryman
Guest posted by Jesus
It is a narrow path that leads to Heaven. A wide path will lead many to approach the gates of Heaven with certainty in their step. Sadly, it is then that they will learn that the path that leads inside is indeed narrow.
Now, that's how you make Jesus proud.
These people make me sick to my stomach.
Makes want to puke,
Let's see what Eric Alva has to say on this.
In the words of Mike Malloy, have I said yet tonite just how much I despise and loathe these people?
~Nyc
"There aren't a lot of thing in this world that one can be sure of,
but I do know this;
Anytime you go by a Church that's filled to the
rafters with people you can be sure that the vast majority of them
haven't read The "Holy" Bible, because if they had, that church would be
nearly empty." Nyc Alberts 2006
THIS SAYS IT ALL, REALLY:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
By now Jesus has become a Buddhist - why put up with this crap?
The sad thing to me is that this guy's brother and sister thought it was a good thing to have him buried by this "mega" church.
Perhaps now they will finally understand why their dead brother wasn't too interested in going to church while he was alive.
Remember the story about Jesus spitting on the Good Samaritan?
It's the favorite Bible story of the High Point Church...
WWJRTB?
Who Would Jesus Refuse To Bury?
sorry to go off topic; I'll be brief.
skipping channels...I just caught a fauxnews show on "the surge" and what looked like yet another American general "reporting" from Iraq. I don't remember his exact words but basically he said that we would now be told the truth about whether or not the surge was working and that a positive comment in support of the surge was patriotic and that a negative comment meant that you were working with the terrorists. Dear Lord, I hope that I am not the only one to grasp the full meaning of this and to SEE where their latest propaganda campaign is headed. If we don't do something fast, we are all about to become America's version of the Germany's Jews. C & L, please make an open thread so that we can discuss this AND I how I hope that you have video of it to put up. This is scary, scary stuff, and it cannot be allowed to escalate - it must be "nipped in the bud", immediately.
Who would geesus refuse to bury ? .....no one....
I hope someday it comes out that geesus was gay...somehow the irony in that would be wonderful...
This is the most hilarious crap I've read all day. Except maybe that creepy Giuliani "Freedom is Slavery" line...
OMG, he is good enough to fight, but not good enough for a Memorial Service?
Shame Shame Shame on them!!!!
Heart-warming to see such compasion from the church that represents a Jesus-that-hates.
As a gay veteran who is atheist myself I encourage all my fellow gays and lesbians to boycott the military. Clearly our sacrifice means very little and our own government STILL treats us like second class citizens.
The question remains:
"Am I already paying for this abuse or is it extra?"
AndrewK @ 8:
Yes, and judgment and condemnation. They choose to define gay people by their sexuality and a subjective intrepretation of Scripture. They conveniently forget to embrace the common bond of humanity we all have in their narrow minded rush to judgment.
These arrogant "Christian" bigots make me sick, but as the saying goes, as ye sow, so shall ye reap. No matter how right you think you are---nobody gets a pass on that one.
Hells not out there in some other place or somewhere below.
We're on it.
"megachurch"
That word right there says all you need to know.
[deleted - no, just get lost.]
Way to go christianistas!!! Show your compassion - just like jeebus wants you to.
Assholes!!!
[deleted - refers to deleted post]
That "thing" you are talking about was a HUMAN BEING who joined the military to PROTECT YOUR FREEDOM to be a jackass. Show a little respect. Don't worry about him not being "fit" though - he's dead. And he's been denied a funeral based on bigotry wrapped up in the name of "Christianity."
By the way, you'd be amazed how many closeted gays and lesbians serve in the military now. Try reflecting on that for a while.
[deleted - refers to deleted post]
James,
You are a moron. Go spew your crap elsewhere. Try out for a position on Faux News (that's Fox News to you).
[deleted - refers to deleted post]
C'mon, they're not "disgusting bigots". Religion is the BEST EXCUSE for bigotry in the world by its very nature.
"We got all they answers, my gawd is better than your gawd, nyah, nyah, nyah!"
[deleted - refers to deleted post]
James,
You are a moron. Go spew your crap elsewhere. Try out for a position on Faux News (that's Fox News to you).
wingnuts,
Geez.
More proof that religion is truly apart from morality and ethics.
Clean up on aisle 52.
wingnut head exploded.
Sitemonitor - Thanks for the smile. :)
My.. how.. Christianly of them. Jesus weeps.
uh james, when you start eyeballing that "scary" black guy next to you and thinking about offering him $20 or perhaps catching him (to molest him) when he's asleep - remember, you oppressed yourself and you are responsible for your own perversions.
Anyhoo, in general, methinks tho dost protest too much
[deleted - refers to deleted post]
Sitemonitor - Let's not feed this one, please.
[deleted - refers to deleted post]
Who is sick here? YOU? I thought so, you bigoted fool. Take your homophobic trash elsewhere.
FUCKING lack of compassion from the religious reich. when did god, if there be one, not offer redemption to all.
fuck these assholes and may their church burn in hell fire from their god.
I invite everyone to go over to the Highpoint Church website and take a gander at the photo of the church's pastor, Rev. Gary Simons. Note the meticulously trimmed little goatee and the twinkly little smile (not that there's anything wrong with that)...
We all say we are fed up with this stuff, but are we fed up enough to stop tiptoeing around Bible believers and letting them spew their hateful, delusional nonsense, in the name of being "respectful to all faiths". I am starting to agree with Sam Harris ("Letter to A Christian Nation") that we continue to put up with the Christofascists at our peril.
For those Christians here who continue to support their Christian Churches and sit quietly on the side lines as your Christian bigot brethren speak for you, here is a link at which you can donate to the church that is adhering to your Christian Principles.
http://www.churchunusual.com/
Keep government out of marriage and keep religion out of government!!!!
What was a gay guy doing in Iraq in the first place?! Next you'll be telling me that he was also an atheist...
this church needs to lose their tax exempt status. I'm sick of the caste system they are allowed to get away with
Bro Russell @ 67:
I agree. There is nothing wrong with calling these phonies on their blatant hypocrisy. True Christianity is rooted in compassion, acceptance, and tolerance. If that doesn't define their form of religion then time for a moral overhaul.
We also owe it to ourselves to challenge those who would degrade our public discourse with manipulation, hypocrisy, and spin. Barack Obama called Byron Pitts (who is African American) from CBS today when he was asked by Pitts if America was ready for a black president. Barack's response was basically, why is that issue even relevant, and if it is, then maybe it's you with the problem. Hopefully that's the last time he gets the "are you black enough" baloney.
You people do realize the bible is fiction, right?
To be fair, and I'm not religious and would never defend hypocritical christians, the church went above and beyond to help though.
"Simons said the decision had nothing to do with the obituary. He said the church offered to pay for another site for the service, made the video and provided food for more than 100 relatives and friends."
The family declined the church's assistance.
KansasCityFaGt @ 73:
The real fiction here is that High Point church thinks their version of religion represents THE way. It actually represents only a way---a way that is a pervision of the Spirit. Only those blinded by hubris and arrogance fail to see the difference.
No one is born a Christian. The Christian lifestyle is a choice. It's taught by parents and priests to an unsuspecting, undeveloped child. Intelligence, education and open mindedness is the cure. Once cured the person begins living a life free of the shackles of organized religion. Likewise others are then allowed to live free of religious based bigotry and hate. Freedom for all is freedom from religion.
'It’s not that they didn’t love the family, it’s that they’re disgusting bigots and they can’t help themselves.'
I was going to say that! But since you already said it...
bmw 528 @ 75:
I don't even know what the "spirit" is. But I'm sure you'd be happy to tell me and certainly if I were to disagree, I would be condemned to burn in a lake of fire or suffer some other kind of eternal suffering such as your creepy religion preaches
Give me a break. How about we dispose of all this religious nonsense and move forward as humans and not as tribes?
ahhhh...good old religion....doin the lards work...Praise the Lard....the bible is a carpenters handbook.
bmw 528 @ 72:
What would Jesus do?
kerplunk @ 80:
Da Spyda @ 81:
Smoke meth with a paid male prostitute then get fucked up the ass by him?...No wait, that was Rev. Ted Haggard...Nevermind.
KansasCityFaGt @ 78:
I went to a church once that had the simplistic heaven/hellfire dichotomy, personally I think that condemnational and judgmental garbage is nonsense and never went back there again.
I agree that we need to move forward as humans---embracing our common thread of humanity---unfortunately the intercession of human ego and hubris makes that difficult.
All I have to say is...WHO WOULD JESUS TURN AWAY?
KayT @ 64:
I have visited other liberal websites and have been apalled at the unbelievable hate spewed by many on the right and sometimes on the left. I have rarely written on other blogs because it was often difficult to get a word in. I have never written anything hateful in my life. I was a little confused that my post was totally removed but others right before mine referring to the same troll post indicated that they were deleted. but can still be read. I appreciate that you own this site and make the rules. I agree that feeding the trolls is not a good idea. I guess my timing and judgement were off. I guess there is a learning curve. I'll try harder.
I'm sorry to hear of this family's tragedy and the hassle they've been forced to deal with as they put a loved one to rest. I will be sure to keep their pain in mind when I contact the church.
Religion could be such a great thing if it wasn't so retarded.
The guy is dead...he is dead...and they are going to discriminate against him in death instead of embracing his family in love and sympathy? How sick.............
Bigoted, heartless and mean on the part of this particular church, especially in light of Mr. Sinclair's selfless sense of devotion to his country. High Point Church most definitely hit a low point by turning his family away in their time of need.
I wonder if the Rev Simons has the same meth - and male hooker connection as Ted Haggard. Fucking Lowlife hypocrites, the entire funDUMBmentalist KKKhristian bunch. To the family of Cecil Sinclair, I give my deepest condolences and if I could, I'd tell them not to despair. The true Goddess of Heaven and Earth is a compassionate one, and She has, no doubt, already welcomed Mr. Sinclair home.
I wish someone would remind these pathetic fascist bastards that Jesus said:
"Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me".
And I hope they all have to look God in the face and answer His question: "Why did you deny My Son services in your church?"
Zonk
I don't understand most religious beliefs. To me they all defy logic. I have had more than a few southern baptists tell me that the catholic church was not christian and was a cult that was trying to rule the world. Then many catholics think that they are the only true christians. Muslims, hindus, jews, zoroastrians, all think that they have the answer. Most, but not all, seem to focus on life after death. Life, during life as we know it does not seem to figure into the scenario for many religions. That's why so many religions can deny the suffering of the poor and the disenfranchised. The fact that this family was treated so shabbily in its time of need should not be a suprise to anyone.
As long as desperate people/victims keep ponying up the cash, then churches just like this one will be able to afford to keep their neon signs lit.
The more stories come out like this, the better. This is the kind of shit that gay people have been going through for decades and no one has blinked an eye.
You should go on their website...it is the phoniest thing you have ever seen...especially click on the women's ministry video...I have never seen so much superficial drivel in my life...very little to do with true Christianity......The Washington Post article has the link to the church at the bottom..you will get a laugh out of the "Cult of Personality" bio of Gary Simmons, the pastor....I don't understand why people fall for this...you know what is really crazy was I just thought how cult like it made Christianity seem...there was no obvious ministry for the poor or anyone needy in society...The megachurch seems to exist simply to perpetuate itself and grow......
Mega churches, they need that faith based moola from little w to make them believe that Heysoos and Gawd are in THEIR corner. I bet that this is probably the real underlying reason for backing off the service. If I believed in all that crap I would have to consider the possibility of this whole country is going straight to hell(if there was a place other than what the current administration has created).
Never has a belief by a group in a mythology or fairy tale done so much harm to civilization on this planet and I am talking about every last goddamn one of them.
And if these 'christians' fantasy of jesus coming back were to come true, they would really be the ones in for a shock. But on the other hand and as before, they would kill him again.
what do you expect from a bunch of religious cocks? sympathy! love!
KansasCityFaGt @ 23:
Yeah, I'm gay, I won't even consider dating an xtian gay
It is sad and disgusting of how inhumane they are. It is a repeat of the jim crow attitudes.
Please visit my new blog www.professprogress.blogspot.com if you are interested in politics and social issues.
And you know, all this fanatism about christianity and how citizens of this country must participate to be united as one in this country is doing nothing but creating a tremendous divide in this country and elsewhere when you look at it. This could and might very well indeed lead to a civil war in this country or and inquisition that will made previous ones look like quaint church picnics.
I still hold the founding fathers of this nation and their ideas of individual choices and freedoms far, far superior to the competitiveness of which church do you belong; being the same as are you for Texas or Oklahoma in the next game.
I'd like to invite everybody to participate in a new Wiki that's been set up for the secular/freethought movement - a source of facts on arguments and positions regarding religion:
http://FreeThoughtPedia.com/
It says a lot that a man who served his country and was willing to lay down his life for these very same assholes will not be honored in death by them because of what he did with his dick while alive!
What a shameful bunch of bastards! I think we should bombard their switchbaords tomorrow and send a few love letters...maybe even some gay pride postcards as well. I think a nice Photo-shopped image of this this hypocrite pastor in the middle of San Fran's Castro would be sweet!
It's time to Tax these piece of shit churches ... do some good with the money.
Jeebus, what should I do? Should I honor a fallen vet or pander to ignorance for money?
I hope someone reminds the very out- of-touch Hillary Clinton when it comes to the still overwhelming bigotry and hatred of gays and lesbians and transgendered American citizens, of this story. No, America has regressed backwards on gay rights and Melissa Etheridge was 100% correct last night and it was Hillary Clinton who was wrong 100%, even though her intonation of being both patronizing and condescending may have served as an illusion that the president wannabe from three different states and a former “Goldwater Girl” at the height of the modern civil rights movement was “correct.” Yes, I have seen in my home state due to the slashing of federal funds while at the same time giving that money to faith based initiatives, the closing of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transsexual, Community Centers. This has happpened as Melissa Etheridge correctly pointed out, as gays and lesbians have been marginalized and shoved aside in the last six years plus as the backlash continues to this day and time. This story again solidifies Melissa Etheridge’s point and shows Hillary Clinton’s patronizing answer as the sham it was last night:
Church cancels memorial for gay Navy vet
By ANGELA K. BROWN Associated Press Writer; Aug. 10, 2007, 10:14PM
ARLINGTON, Texas — A megachurch canceled a memorial service for a Navy veteran 24 hours before it was to start because the deceased was gay. Officials at the nondenominational High Point Church knew that Cecil Howard Sinclair was gay when they offered to host his service, said his sister, Kathleen Wright. But after his obituary listed his life partner as one of his survivors, she said, it was called off. “It’s a slap in the face. It’s like, ‘Oh, we’re sorry he died, but he’s gay so we can’t help you,’” she said Friday.
Wright said High Point offered to hold the service for Sinclair because their brother is a janitor there. Sinclair, who served in the first Gulf War, died Monday at age 46 from an infection after surgery to prepare him for a heart transplant. The church’s pastor, the Rev. Gary Simons, said no one knew Sinclair, who was not a church member, was gay until the day before the Thursday service, when staff members putting together his video tribute saw pictures of men “engaging in clear affection, kissing and embracing.” Simons said the church believes homosexuality is a sin, and it would have appeared to endorse that lifestyle if the service had been held there.
Read the entire story @:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story….on/ 5045810.html
Geez, with pals like Hillary Clinton, we surely need the Melissa Etheridge’s to speak truth to LIES and scrape the b.s. off those sharp knives of Washington con artists looking for votes anyway they can get ‘em.
Yes, it is time to tax these churches and also look into how the "accredidation" of some of these phony and sham Christian universities can be revoked as well.
their decision was not based on discrimination or hatred, just their "principles"... of discrimination and hatred...
The main point of the thread seems to be that the wacko-christians are wrong and are not honoring the fallen vet out of hatred for gays; perhaps looking at it from a different angle would help. The "church" is anti-troop. The argument that the church members are wrong for hating gays is a losing argument; the American people don't want to tell a church what to do or believe. However, they -- the church members -- have committed treason and are traitors to the United States. It doesn't really matter that there is no basis for any legal type of discrimination claim, since homosexuality is still basis for dishonorable discharge. If the MSM were as liberal as the right wing claims, they would pick up on this story and shame the church into submission, just the way Fox Noise would shame an entire city because the school board doesn't want an ROTC program.
But the silence is deafening. And the bigots win.
AndrewK @ 8:
You got it! Discrimination and hatred is their priniciple. These fundies hate everyone -- they even hate other Xians, can't stand the Pope and are in a lather that dems want to pass hate crimes legislation.
Mark Richards @ 15:
Laughed so hard I cried! Oh wait, maybe I'm just crying.
NChomsky @ 74:
n.chomsky, you asswipe! Above and beyond??!!!
I dont blame the family for declining that bigoted church's assistance. Id have told them to take their food, video and prejudices and shove them all up their collective asses!! Not very christian of me I know, but if ANYONE, quasi-religious or otherwise insults my family member, I would tell them to go fuck themselves. Considering the way things go in these fundie churches, they're probably doing that anyway.
After incredible hard interpretive labor, christian teologicians finally discovered that the command: "love thy neighbour" in reality is identical with the command: "don't hate thy neighbour, - unless it is done on strict principel of cause".
And there were much rejoicing in the heavens.
Church shmurch. Who gives a shit what these superstitious, Bronze Age charlatans think anyway? This megachurch phenomenon is just a scam.
[...] also: Digby on the unrelenting creepiness of what fundies call “Christian love.” Logan Murphy at Crooks and Liars for more on the megachurch that canceled a memorial service for a veteran of [...]
I wonder if Hillary Clinton saw this story and thinks that “Christians” ought to be taken seriously when it comes to their opposition to gay marriage? Thanks to AmericaBlog’s John Aravosis, this story was posted. I hope the mainstream media exposes these deranged people for the vicious people they are for once and made to report this story rather than avoid it. It is time to show who these extreme radical right wingers are in daylight. Right-wingers “love” children and are “moral,” my ass. This story is hardly one of love or being pro-child or pro-life. What these people did is nothing but sadism.
Police: Boot camp girl dragged with van
Sat Aug 11, 8:40 PM ET
BANQUETE, Texas - Authorities charged the director of a Christian boot camp and an employee with dragging a 15-year-old girl behind a van after she fell behind the group during a morning run.
Charles Eugene Flowers and Stephanie Bassitt of San Antonio-based Love Demonstrated Ministries, a 32-day boot camp for at-risk teens, are accused of tying the girl to the van with a rope June 12 and dragging her, according to an arrest affidavit filed Wednesday. Flowers, the camp's director, ordered Bassitt to run alongside the girl after she fell behind, according to the affidavit. When the girl stopped running, Bassitt yelled at her and pinned her to the ground while Flowers tied the rope to her, according to the affidavit.
The girl was treated for scrapes and bruises on her stomach, legs and arms. The girl's mother gave investigators photos of her daughter's injuries and a sworn statement from a witness who claimed to have seen the girl dragged on her stomach at least three times. Flowers and Bassitt remained jailed Saturday on $100,000 bond each on aggravated assault charges.
Read the entire story @:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070812/ap_on_re_us/girl_dragged;_ylt=AixgLu...
Today's extreme radical right "Christians" have beliefs closer to Satanism than to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Anyone who goes around and preaches that they are "saved" should not be trusted with an ant, let alone children. People who claim to have a superior "morality" because they have mimicked some Bible Chapters and Verses are actually pathetic. I find all too often that these people are into doublespeak when it comes to moral issues and these people do not give a damn about the poor or unfortunate. As a matter of fact the extreme-radical Christians blame the poor and believe in a prosperity gospel and one of domination over others, and women as second-class citizens. No, these "Christians" are indeed closer to Satannical ideals than the words of Christ. These people who call themselves "Christian fundamentalists" based upon reciting and recalling a few Bible words, are liars, frauds, con artists, and psychopaths indeed.
I have a gay daughter, and I am deeply sorrowed by the decision of this church. As a pastor, it shames me to think that in this most needful hour, a church cannot find itself able to express the love of Christ and the hope of the Gospel.
And I am deeply sorrowed at your respone(s). If you want to advance the dailogue, you may want to find better words than "disgusting bigot" to begin with. While the actions of this church bely the teachings of our Lord, so also do your words. If your words are to be an expression of tolerance and acceptance, then I want nothing of it either.
Look, either we dialgue or fight, we cannot do both at the same time.
it's stories like this that make me proud to be an athiest!
Craig Fourman @ 117:
I'm sorry you feel that way, but if your going to be upset that we will call a spade a spade. These mega churches are abominations, they teach intolerance and bigotry, they only support themselves and they make an obscene amount of money on the backs of their followers, so I'm sorry if we offend you because we are intolerant of these mega-con-artists. And I'm sorry but people need to take responsibility for their own actions, if you go to a mega church then you shouldn't be upset when people express their dislike for the bigotry taught in these places.
Don't you just love the "God told me to hate you" argument?
A soldier dies, a family wants a memorial, everyone is moving forward with plans with the church...until the church finds a reason to use justifiable hatery and bigotry...to get out of having to pay homage towards a fallen soldier who just happens to be gay. Nevermind the fact that people loved him and that he was a soldier. Basically, they believe God wants you to think first about whether the guy was gay before you memorialize him.
gummitch @ 10:
For starters, its not in the Bible. That books says 'love your enemies, & pray for those who persecute you.' Just like everything else the reichtwingers do, its all forbidden in the very book they claim that they're following. Maddening to an extreme.
Make these fucktards pay taxes, or close.
The new euphemism for bigotry is it is a matter of principle? makes one wonder if this sad excuse for a church presides over memorials for adulterers, liars, thieves or those that have spoken God's name in vain at least one time in thier lives. There are more 'sins' than homsexuality that could earn you a good stoning in the Old Testament. Love thyself as thyself I suppose.
Dahgrostab'ph-r-i @ 119:
sailor @ 30:
What studies? Link?
Nice. So much for WWJD right?? Typical of these right wing zealots. I sometimes wish they'd actually act Christ-like.
I'll certainly never have anything to do with their brand of Christianity. If anything the religious right has left me with a bitter taste for organized religion, particularly Christianity.
I wonder how long before Pastor Gary Simons is busted for fellating sheep?
Re: "It's not that we didn't love the family."
Yeah, that love only goes so far, doesn't it, "Reverend"? That love should have trumped your precious "principles."
Spare me your acts of love and kindness, which should be limitless.
gummitch @ 10:
You'd allow it that close? I vote for 1,000,000 light years away. (and I'm hetrosexy.)
Couple of things got my attention here... first of all, why wouldn't the family of ANY person who is not affiliated with a church simply have a service at the funeral home or graveside? Working at a Church does not make you a member of a Church, just an employee.
Secondly, all churches have a set of rules, a doctrine, not usually created by the pastor, unless he has been with them since the beginning, which may or may not have rules regarding who can use their services. Like it or not, it is a community or "club," of people who are registered "members," who share common thoughts, beliefs, likes and dislikes and who contribute to the funding and operation of that church with their own money, so yes, they are entitled to make their own rules. We may not like the rules, but it's not our place to judge them.
You don't apply for graduation from a school if you didn't attend the school, so why should you expect full acceptance and a proper send-off from a church you were not a member of and didn't help fund? A little logic and common sense would help here. I would be willing to bet that if ANY of the deceased person's family members were members at this church, then the funeral would have been allowed.
Churches basically serve members and their families, not outsiders.
All churches are not involved in their community providing community help and/or services. They should be, but not all church members are spiritually enlightened. They are on a journey of learning and evolving as a follower of Christ, hopefully, but I will not condemn them just because they are still babes.
Find another church. Simple.
I don't know about this particular person, whether or not he professed to be a Christian.
Word of warning though, you can't expect a Christian sendoff from anyone if you are not a Christian.
This is DISGRACEFUL!
How dare this church abuse this Navy Veteran because of their outlandish homophobia!
This is yet another example of why so many people are deserting the churches.
May I make it clear - you can still be religious (Christian, catholic, jewish, hindu, buddhist, muslim, amish etc) but not go to a place of worship.
It would have been nice for him to be given a church memorial - but he can still have one outside this pooncy church and their homophobia.
I hope he and his family and friends find some peace in this sordid affair.
This so-called reverend no doubt believes that homosexuality is a choice. I wonder at what point in his life he chose to be a heterosexual.
Sandra @ 130:
Sandra you're an idiot. The church WAS going to give this man a funeral service but once it found out the man was GAY, through a newspaper obituary, mentioning his life partner, they called the service off.
I say these people are within their right to exercise their discriminatory views within their churches, and that gays/lesbians/etc should simply not wish to associate themselves to said churches. I despise bigots, myself. That's why I don't associate with them, and it irks me that there are so many sheepish people out there who want to associate themselves with the very people who despise them. It's bewildering, frankly.
I could rant here. I really could, and maybe I should; but I'm going to try to hold myself in check.
It's horrible. This is wrong, beyond wrong - immoral. To have a group of self-proclaimed Christians cancel a memorial service over something they disliked in another person is just beyond the pale.
Ask them - would they have canceled on an alcoholic? What about an atheist?
The worst though - the part that really gets me, is that this is a man who faithfully served his country - and thus protected the very freedoms they so often seek to annihilate.
Disgusting, wrong, immoral... it makes me truly wonder about humanity.
I will add - *EVEN IF* - *EVEN IF* homosexuality is a sin - keeping in mind I've repeatedly explained why I don't believe even the Bible really says it is - but if it is a sin, how big a sin is it?
Because if you feel its OK to discriminate against homosexuals, then why not adulterers? How about anyone who's been re-married? Oh oh - I've got one - moneychanging in the temple... oh that'd hurt wouldn't it? I seem to recall that last one sort of made one of the greatest pacifists of all time furiously angry.
I am so sorry for the family, and I mean no irony in saying God bless them and their deceased. What man does in God's name is so rarely in keeping with the very principles on which faith was founded.
pedro @ 134:
I agree that they should not, but why is it bewildering? Lots of these folks have been indoctrinated to the point that, even though they've been oppressed all their lives, it's still hard to let go. Plus, they're not all as, uh, educated as you and I are in this regard.
I was 26 before I came out. I fought and fought and fought it, based on this same self-loathing brought on by religion. I'm now 44 and a proud atheist. We all have our own journey, though, and I think it's a bit much to call these folks "sheepish".
Sandra @ 130:
Sorry you and your "church" have that inflexible perspective. By your description it sounds like qualification for membership in your church is similar to an elite country club. Rigid people like you that are hidebound to authority and rules instead of compassion and understanding are most definitely part of the problem.
What ever happened to the preaching of "Love thy Neighbor" with these biggoted bastards that hide behind a fake religion of hatred and intolerence.
They obviously wanted to use a dead vet for a little Commando Jesus PR so the family shouldn't feel _too_ hurt. It isn't like the church really cared about them in the first place so it isn't love lost by someone who turned against them.
Religion, by its very nature, is exclusionary. Faith, however, is not. You can have faith but you don't have to belong to an organized religion. This is, of course, something the hucksters at The Megachurches of Hate would prefer you not to find out. Elstwise, they'd lose out on charging you money to believe in gawd. These assholes thrive on the hate they preach because they can get you to hate so easily. Yet, their preaching has very little to do with Jesus's purported teachings (which Jesus himself borrowed from others).
Best to practice your faith in private, rather than flaunt your insecurity before the world and lend your name to the hate that is infusing today's organized religions.
I note much bigotry spoken here. Where is the love?
Religion is a wonderful thing until your real life comes into conflict with your beliefs. Then you have to decide whether to be a hypocrite or an outcast.
Ignominious-bush @ 29:
Sandra @ 130:
So homosexuals can't, by your definition, be Christians. I'm sure your Lord and savior would be proud that you're willing to stand there and bar the door in His name.
Anyway, you're missing the point. This church offered to hold the funeral and then changed their minds after it was learned by the church fathers that this man was gay. Sounds to me like the family either fit the membership requirements you think should apply, or that the church was willing to waive it out of (what I hope was) a sense of generosity and a desire to serve the local community.
Churches get tax exempt status because they're supposed to be doing a public good that (some) people don't want their government taking care of. If a church betrays this trust that the public places in it to serve members of the local community -- whether or not they have a "membership card" -- then they don't deserve tax exempt status. Because if that's the case, then the "church" becomes nothing more than something akin to a business or a lobbying firm.
Professor Farnsworth @ 144:
apparently, i typed something but it didn't go through. dumb.
I really hope this "church" doesn't get any public money.
I'm getting annoyed. Well, I gave praise for ignominious for quoting hairspray. i also said that this church's principle was degrading gays as second class citizens. lets hope it works this time
Sandra @ 130:
It might do you good to actually know the background of the story you are commenting on.
Pastor Simons' church's position on sex is Missionary, (hetero).
The most disturbing aspect of this is the smarmy, pious excuse that this outrageous act of bigotry and contempt was actually motivated by love and principle.
Login or Register to post comments.