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May 2nd, 2012
04:18 PM ET
North Carolina pastor retracts sermon remarks about punching gay kidsBy Stephen Walsh, CNN (CNN) - A Fayetteville, North Carolina, pastor has retracted controversial language used during a weekend sermon in which he instructed parents to hit children who exhibited behavior associated with homosexuality. “I apologize to anyone I have unintentionally offended,” Sean Harris, pastor of Berean Baptist Church wrote in a statement on his church’s website. “I did not say anything to intentionally offend anyone in the LGBT community. “My intent was to communicate the truth of the Word of God concerning marriage,” the statement continued. “My words were not scripted. It is unfortunate I was not more careful and deliberate.”
Harris’s remarks at his church came a week before the state’s voters consider an amendment to North Carolina’s constitution limiting legal unions to marriage between a man and a woman. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories "The second you see your son dropping that limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist," Harris said in the Sunday sermon. "Man up. Give him a good punch." "You’re not going to act like that," the pastor advised parents to tell their children. "You were made by God to be a male and you are going to be a male.” In an interview with the Fayetteville Observer, Harris said his comments were meant as a joke. In a video of the sermon posted online, laughter can be heard from some members of the congregation, as well as cries, of “Amen!” as the pastor spoke about responding to seemingly gay kids. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter Berean Baptist explains its stance on discipline of children on its website: “Remembering the love and forgiveness that God has shown them, parents in turn should train their children with the purpose of reflecting the Heavenly Father to their children. Parents should consider their responsibility to be the instrument of discipline in their child’s life (Prov. 19:18). At times this may include appropriate and reasonable physical means (Prov. 10:13) employed upon the fleshy portion of the child’s buttocks (Prov. 22:15; 23:13); that this method is to be viewed as correction rather than punishment (Prov. 23:13); and that this correction will result in the child’s physical and spiritual betterment.” Harris told the Observer that from within his church, "the response was, 'Pastor, we know you didn't mean that.'" What do you think? Watch the above video to hear Harris’s remark and leave your comments below. soundoff (2,325 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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so he "unintentionally" said to go punch your kid if he shows different behavior? really?
VanHagar wrote on Wdenesday, May 2, 2012 at 7:47 pm, stating, "It was in faith in God that gave us the Salvation Army, Abused Children`s Fund, Freedom 424 (serving victims of s.ex trafficking), Bright Hope International (working with the poor), Children`s Christian Lifeline Hunger and Medical Relief, Christian World Relief, Five Talents-USA, Inc., Habitat for Humanity International, Living Water International (providing clean water), etc. etc. and hundreds (if not thousands) of other faith-based charities help the poor and disenfranchised. Pure evil? O.k. If you say so."
Then,,,,,,, with hundreds if not thousands of "faith-based" charities exactly how much closer have we all come to aleve our world of such malignancies of social disfigurements?
So, when is this preacher going to come out of his closet?
i F Y O u h i T t h E m H a R d e n o u g h , I t ' l l t U r n T h e m s t r A i g h T .
T r Y i t . I d I d i t t o a l l m Y b o Y s .
If your boys are straight it's because they were always that way. Hitting a gay child only forces him into the closet, where he learns to resent himself, which leads to acting out at others (much like the pastor is doing.)
"I did not say anything to intentionally offend anyone in the LGBT community"...that is beyond ludicrous.
So basically what he's saying is that it's possible to beat the gay out of someone. Does that mean he's okay with all those people who beat up gay people b/c their gay
he wants to have gay people physically abused but he doesn't want to offend any of them.
That's beyond idiocy.
This stuff would be hilarious if it were just a handful of guys who walked around and said all this stuff while we all just sat around and laughed at them. Problem is, there's a major % of the population that actually believes this junk.
Christians are sorta sick....no.....very sick.
Crazy bible beaters beat their wifes and thier children.
.. afterall, it is written in the bible that it is OK for a man to hit his wife, child or slave.. and if the slave dies the next day, the dude doesn't even have to feel guilty.. yep, god said that!
Snow
Do you have a verse for me? That seems to go against everything I know about God. -thanks
So true and so sick. I had neighbors right next door that would do ritual beatings of their children, 2,4,6 years old every Sunday, I called the police serveral times over the screams from those poor young children and the cops said they could not do anything about it. I had to move, I had insane Christians on both side of me and could not stand them anymore, what awful people they were. Makes me feel sorry for the children these low IQ cretins torture day in and day out.
Proverbs 23:13 about beating the children
Exodus 21:20 about the other two
bible makes it clear that a woman is a man's property.. his own.. so no different from a slave/servent .. only in the degrees
Snow
As to women God is always into order. Man is the head women as Christ is the head of the Church and God is the head of Christ. Now, just as God and Christ are the same and equal under God in unity so too is the woman equal under man in unity with Christ. Consider the equal treatment of Christ towards women and the apostles even in a culture where women were not treated properly. The man is to love the wife as Christ loved the church (die for her) and when that love is present the woman will be submissive as a result of the love that she receives.
Proverbs spare the rod spoil the child. The rod need not be a switch but most likely it was. Abuse is never allowed by God
Exodus 21:20 ouch…………….got me, I have no idea what to think about that one.
Thanks you gave me something to think about ! Gotta run have a good evening
Prayer changes things .
Sick like you.
Yeah, what can't prayer and a good beating fix?
It sure does! It changes your children into damaged goods after you beat them repeatedly for all the gay things you fantasize that they are doing. They grow up to have problems with sex and addiction and abusivveness themselves, which ultimately gets so bad that they turn into preachers who advocate beating kids for all the gay things you fantasize they are doing. Kind of a vicious circle thing, but it worked for me!
Atheism is very healthy for people who are able to think for themselves... This is the main reason Christians shun it.
Hi Troll !!
He said that if you are gay you deserve to be beaten, no matter how old you are. How is this not intentionally offensive?
He said it and I'm sure he meant it. Now he's just trying to save face.
Wake up people, god was created by man in man's image. Yes, probably 98 % of the world's propulation is stupid and can't accept that they don't get a second chance.
The Word states, "The Kingdom of God is inside us" and in the mustard seed parable it is telling as to how we, the Kingdom Domains of God are created! Get with the program people or I'll slap the hell out of you and your significant others! Nah,,,, just jostling,,,,,,
This "pastor" is what is wrong with America... and with religion. He's no better then the Taliban in that if he had his way... he would bully and oppress young people into committing suicide. He's too arrogant to disagree... but it's true.
Oh those crazy Christians!
typical uneducated right wing southern baptist............
That would imply that there are educated right-wing Southern Baptists, and there is darn little evidence of that.
He should not have apologized for anything.
He didn't apologize, because it was clear the only thing he regretted was the personal inconvenience and backlash his idiocy caused him. He's still the same old bigot, don't worry.
So you think it's acceptable to break a child's wrist if you think he shows signs of "being gay"? Really? REALLY?
So, Keef, in addition to believing Obama is a Muslim, you think you can smack the gay out of kid?
he advocated beating children, you scripture spewing d-bag
ellid,it's acceptable to break a child's wrist if you think he shows signs of "being gay"?
Could you point out to me where he said to "break the wrist", I missed that on the video.
Oh, so it's okay to hit 'em as long as you don't leave any marks or break any bones, huh?
How on earth do you retract something like that?
"If you see a gay little boy, punch him until he is unconscious. Then bring him to the church, lay him down on my office sofa , and leave. I'll make sure to take extra special care of him and make a man out of him."
– Sean Harris
I hope lightning strikes this pastor directly in the anus and kills him lol!
Me too ! What a hater... Xtianity is infamous for being violent against anyone who doesn't agree with their fairy tale.
The end is near, the end of god jesus and the rest of the fairytales. The hate they generated will last in memorie for a time, but the pure "EVIL" that jesus and others caused will fade to imagination and soon after be gone forever. I hope that people generate some new ideas that do not use fear to motivate people into action to help your fellow man to save the earth our one and only home. Oh and please lets reelect President Obama and ditch the republicans who are set to reform us into a theocracy.
Kudos!
I hope you're right, but it's a lot to hope for!
Right on brother
Hey everyone,
If you have Facebook, please be sure to leave your "support" for Pastor Sean at his newly created support page. 🙂 This is a very challenging time for he and his wife Pammy-cakes, who may or may not be consuming an entire bottle of wine as we speak. Thanks!
facebook.com/SupportForPastorSean
support for a man makes his money from donations from people he abuses? Pammy-cakes, these guys are like tammy faye baker and the bunch just hearing his preaching makes me wanna puke and burn bibles. your kind are outnumbered and antique. jesus isnt coming back for you please dont die believing in fairy tales. weirdos
Uhhhh, @starkid: there's a reason "support" is in quotes, guy. It's called sarcasm. 🙂
Religion is PURE evil. GOD DOESNT EXIST! PERIOD!
Please don't tell them Santa isn't real either... they can't handle it Pete.
It was in faith in God that gave us the Salvation Army, Abused Children`s Fund, Freedom 424 (serving victims of s.ex trafficking), Bright Hope International (working with the poor), Children`s Christian Lifeline Hunger and Medical Relief, Christian World Relief, Five Talents-USA, Inc., Habitat for Humanity International, Living Water International (providing clean water), etc. etc. and hundreds (if not thousands) of other faith-based charities help the poor and disenfranchised. Pure evil? O.k. If you say so.
shut up, troll
@VanHager – Those are facades to advertise, prosylitize Xtianity. It's not out of goodness, but it's a way to get to the vulnerable to recruit them.
how do you know God doesn't exist?