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May 31st, 2012
05:17 AM ET
Church videos with harsh words for gays go viral onlineBy Richard Allen Greene and Dan Gilgoff, CNN First it was a Christian pastor in North Carolina who told his congregation on Mother's Day that the way "to get rid of all the lesbians and queers" was to put them behind an electric fence and wait for them to die out. That video went viral, fetching more than a million views on YouTube. On Sunday, Pastor Curtis Knapp of Kansas preached that the government should kill homosexuals, in another videotaped sermon that drew lots of online attention. "They won't, but they should," Knapp said, according to a recording of his sermon posted online. Since that sermon, another church video with harsh words for gays has caught fire online. This one shows a young boy singing an anti-gay song while the congregation cheers him on in what appears to be a church in Indiana. "I know the Bible’s right, somebody’s wrong,” the boy sings near the pulpit of a church. “Ain't no homos gonna make it to heaven." As the boy repeats the line “Ain't no homos gonna make it to heaven," congregants from the pews rise and cheer. The video, which was anonymously posted online and has received more than 300,000 views on YouTube, appears to show a service at the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle Church in Greensburg, Indiana. Calls to the church this week went to voicemail, with an automatic message saying the mailbox is full. But a message posted on the church’s website on Wednesday appears to address the controversy, offering no apology for the video. “The Pastor and members of Apostolic Truth Tabernacle do not condone, teach, or practice hate of any person for any reason. We believe and hope that every person can find true Bible salvation and the mercy and grace of God in their lives,” the statement says. “We are a strong advocate of the family unit according to the teachings and precepts found in the Holy Bible,” said the statement, which did not explicitly refer to the video or mention homosexuality. “We believe the Holy Bible is the Divinely-inspired Word of God and we will continue to uphold and preach that which is found in scripture.” The viral videos have drawn criticism from gay and lesbian groups and their allies. Charles Worley’s sermon at Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden, North Carolina, sparked a protest that drew more than 1,500 people last weekend. In Kansas, Knapp's voicemail at the New Hope Baptist Church in Seneca was filled with messages saying "things you don't want your kids to hear," he told CNN affiliate KTKA. An official with the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists issued a statement to CNN on Thursday saying that Knapp’s church had left the Southern Baptist fold in 2010. “Obviously, he has taken a radical and unbiblical stand in regards to homosexuality,” said Tim Boyd, communications director for the convention. “We look at homosexuals as we look at all sinners,” his statement said. “God loves them. Christ died for them. The Gospel calls them to repentance and salvation. Therefore, we as Christ-followers should hate the sin and love the sinner.” But Knapp is not backing away from his comments. "We punish pedophilia. We punish incest. We punish polygamy and various things. It's only homosexuality that is lifted out as an exemption," he said. He cited the Biblical verse Leviticus 20:13: "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act. They shall surely be put to death." But he said gay people had nothing to worry about from the government or from him. "I don't believe I should lay a finger against them," said Knapp, of New Hope Baptist Church in Seneca, Kansas. "My hope is for their salvation, not for their death." Preaching against homosexuality the same day, another pastor appeared to wrestle with how conservative Christians should respond to proposals that people should literally mete out biblical punishments. "What about this guy down in North Carolina said build a big prison, a big fence and put them all in there and let them die out?" Dennis Leatherman asked in a sermon at the Mountain Lake Independent Baptist Church in Maryland. "Listen, I don't know that fellow. As far as I can tell, he seems like a decent guy, but he is dead wrong on that. That is not the scriptural response," Leatherman said in his sermon "Homosexuality & the Bible," according to a cached version of the transcript posted online. The audio of the sermon does not appear on his church's website. In the sermon, he floats the idea of killing homosexuals, whom he refers to as sodomites, then backs away from it. "There is a danger of reacting in the flesh, of responding not in a scriptural, spiritual way, but in a fleshly way. Kill them all. Right? I will be very honest with you. My flesh kind of likes that idea," Leatherman said. "But it grieves the Holy Spirit. It violates Scripture. It is wrong," he added immediately. The Southern Baptist Convention distanced itself from Worley's remarks. The nation's largest Baptist group said Providence Road Baptist in Maiden is not affiliated with its 16 million-member denomination and condemned the comments. But the influential head of the giant movement's seminary does argue that homosexuality "is the most pressing moral question of our times." In a comment piece for the Belief Blog in the wake of Worley's sermon, R. Albert Mohler Jr. dismissed critics who say conservative Christians focus on homosexuality while ignoring other things the Bible prohibits. He contends that laws about keeping kosher, for example, do not apply to Christians, while commandments about homosexuality do. "When it comes to homosexuality, the Bible's teaching is consistent, pervasive, uniform and set within a larger context of law and Gospel," he wrote. "Christians who are seriously committed to the authority of the Bible have no choice but to affirm all that the Bible teaches, including its condemnation of homosexuality," he said. A member of Worley's 300-member church defended him in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. "Of course he would never want that to be done," Stacey Pritchard said of the proposal to put homosexuals behind a fence and leave them there to die out. "But I agree with what the sermon was and what it was about." CNN Belief Blog co-editor Eric Marrapodi contributed to this report. soundoff (4,073 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 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 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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When are we going too ban religion from politics. The founding fathers came to this great country to escape these nuts.
The Founding Fathers came to this country?
I am not sure of all of them but Ben Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were born here.
I'm waiting for him to also send adulterers to the camps and wait for them to die. Because that's one of the sins that god called an abomination must be nice to go though the good book and pick and chose which group of people to hate.
Obama so far backs gays and muzlims. That seems to be a big part of his agenda and that's why he's going to lose badly in the election. he's a worthless enemy of America as the liberals are
So, by definition, half of America are really enemies of america? Pretty dysfunctional
How is he backing Muslims?By destroying Al queda?
The real enemies to our country are idiots like you. Small-minded, knuckle-dragging, gun-toting, in-bred, under-educated, right-wing morons.
Sounds like you're describing yourself, Jack.
Obama backs everyone who wants to be treated as equals and is being treated poorly by racists like you. By the way, Obama is leading in almost every state so you are wrong there too. Turn off Fox News and watch a real news channel.
you sir are a moron...unless you're just a troll, which would explain your idiotic viewpoint...I hope that's the case
Haaaaaa you just can't get over the fact that President Obama got the worlds most wanted Muslim. Bush couldn't do it....But that Gay and Muslims Lovin Obama got the job done. He Got Osama Bin laden.
You are delusional if you think Romney has any chance of beating out Obama in the next presidential bid. The only bigger looser they could didg up was McCain and we all witnessed how that went.
Ask the average Obama hater why they dislike him and you get evasive non-specific buzz-terms. You ask them why they love their GOP favorites like Sarah Palin and Rick Santorum or Romney and you get a "positive" version of the same thing – no citations of policy or actual work, just flowery ways of saying "I like that they're white, like me, and love Jeebus and hate Arabs, gays, their weddings and abortion." They are Republicans first, Americans second, and decent beings last.
hey Jack ... hateful as that preacher is, you sorry soul
HAHAHA people like Jack are so angry they will eventually throw out their christian beliefs and get behind a candidate that is a member of an occult. Just to beat Obama. I wonder how that feels.
And there are still people that would consider it unfair to equate chistians/conservatives with nazis? Last week they advocate concentration camps. This week the final solution.
They? I thought we were talking about one man's misguided sermon? Surely you wouldn't lump an entire segment of the population into one group because of the actions of one person. Or would you?
The Nazis embraced Christianity. They were politicians first and foremost.
We live in a civil society, where we understand that even if we disagree vehemently with one another, we are all enti tled to some basic dignity. With his talk of mass killings, this man has totally stomped all over that. People need to run him out of town.
i bet his farts smell like pickles
Come on now, what guy doesn't want a hot lesbian couple to move in next door? Don't deny the hot lesbians!
Not lesbian (what's the point?). Bi my friend, bi.
Is this jerk allowed to spew such hatred? He is actually inciting a genocide of people. Free speech my ass!
Ask Charles Manson about free speech. He never killed anyone but is spending his life in prison for what he told others needed to be done. Free speech can be taken too far.
Let him talk. Better that then him thinking it and none of us knowing what's going on in his demented little skull.
Disgusting... Definitely NOT WJWD!
In Matthew 5:17-19 Christ makes it very clear that all Mosaic Law is to be upheld.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
n8 ,. Sorry but John 8 is the counter to your statement.
5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”
6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Mark, that verse never repeals the Law. How do you explain Matthew 5:17-19? He makes it clear.
"Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto me."
Hi n8, that scripture does not repeal but it commands us, who are Christians that none of us are allowed to carry out the law.
I wonder if you put this much effort into cut and pasting against our Jewish brothers and sisters in society.
"For God will not show mercy when he judges the man who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgment" James 2:13
It's odd that these losers usually seem to attach themselves to the Baptists. I was raised in a Baptist family but left it in my teens and have never been back.
I am also a failed Baptist and damn proud of it.
"Humanity will not be free until the last KING is strangled by the entrails of the last PRIEST!!!" 18th century French philosopher
Amen.
"Et ses mains ourdiraient les entrailles du prêtre,
Au défaut d’un cordon pour étrangler les rois."
-Denis Diderot
This is the United States of America not the Christian States of America. What I can do legally should be no different from what my neighbor can do. The Bible, or any other religous doctrine was not and should not be used as a reference when our laws are developed yet these right wing nut cases think our whole legal system is based on just that. Hey knuckleheads read up on how far out of their way our founding Fathers went to avoid making this a "Christian Nation". Then maybe you'll understand what being an American means. Live and let live!
These idiots can take the bible and shove if far up their behinds. God doesn't exist
I resent you calling them knuckleheads; they ain't that smart.
unfortunately for the true Christians, Christianity is one if not the only religion you can claim to be part of without praticing it, thereby forcing all true Christians to be scrutinized by those actions. Kinda like oppressing an entire race over the actions of a few!
sorry, it's not a few. not be a longshot.
not BY a longshot.
The preacher is one of the red state bubbahs whom Mitt Romney courts at every opportunity. Vote Republican and you empower people like this.
Vote democrat and get a loser liar with no morals like Obama
What do you know of Obama's morals, Jack?
Yeah, and elect the other one and we go down in flames too. So, what is your point?
I'll take Obama over one of these Nazis any day
Jack; Do you mean Obama the Harvard top of his class law professor, or that mean black man that you and the other KKK members hate so much?
whatevs, this president is far better than the last, i'll stay on this ride rather than roll backward.
Vote Ron Paul 2012!
Jack!! Once-again, one of Americ'a real enemies speaks. Keep talking Forrest, you real IQ is beginning to show. Hatred and voilence are the last refuge of the incompetant.
I was raised Baptist, but I don't remember this fundamentalist view of religion growing up. It's really sad to see. Most of my friends have become atheists and it is easy to see why. It's nearly impossible to have religion and tolerance at the same time.
Does the lovely preacher know that it is against God's law to be a hypocrite in the name of the Lord? I mean, he kinda looks like he could be one of those very "gays" that he speaks about killing. And furthermore, HE AIN'T NO MAN OF GOD...BECAUSE THE GOD I KNOW IS ALL LOVING AND FORGIVING... I wouldn't want to be within 1000 miles of this man's so-called God loving church and congregation.
In Matthew 5:17-19 Christ makes it very clear that all Mosaic Law is to be upheld.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The gaydar is definitely going off with this guy..
You are so full of B S. An all loving god would NEVER drown the entire population of a planet except for 8 people. An all loving and all powerful god would have built a system where he wouldnt have to interfere by mass genocide every few hundred years or so like the god of the bible.
n8 ...... Sorry but John 8 is the counter to your statement.
5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”
6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Man i really, really hate religious nut jobs like these. I'm straight and went to a private Catholic school until high-school so I know about the bible to say the least. After years of studying it and being forced to attend church I have come to the conclusion that it is really just an instrument of hate and gives people the means to pass judgement on others with impunity in their minds. WAKE UP and think for yourself. That POS bible was written 2 thousand years ago. It's time to take your head out of the sand...lame
Classic case of someone hiding in the closet. Egg on the face when he gets caught with his hands down some dude's pants.
Amen Brother!!! Amen.. That's usually the case isn't it?
Methinks he doth protest too much...
What next? Kill atheists... kill colored people... kill non-christians... kill people under 5 ft tall...?
I'm for eliminating the ones under 5 ft tall.
kill blacks?? that's why the southern baptists formed in the great 19th century Baptist schism in the first place.
Or Christians.
....Kill all of those folks huh? ...not like there is this that first stone command from Christ himself.
yes, i'll vote for "christians".
If you people writing here really care – especially you Christians – you ought to write CNN a protest letter for aiding and abetting these murderous so-called preachers by amplifying their murderous message all over the nation.
CNN needs to stop doing that.
I don't see them amplifying the messages of anti-hate preachers in equal parts, or a at all.
They are using foul hatred to sell news.
But isn't it also important that hatred be exposed and rooted out?
I for one would rather have them exposed to the world than to lurk unnoticed.
Perhaps you are missing the point. It isn't really news when a preacher (as many do) teaches positive morals. It is news when one preaches the opposite of what most would expect from an ideology claiming to be tolerant and loving.
Another way of looking at it is that this preacher and people like him really do exist, and they are more numerous and politically influential that you may care to hear about. Me? II do want this fact amplified, especially in this election year. Vote Republican and you put people like this closer to the levers of power.
The Preacher has 300 members and CNN is reporting as if this guy was major church or even a mega church.
CNN is really trolling now to find bad Christian stories.
300 bigots are enough for a lynch mob, so enough that we should be worried
So, I do believe that Neo-Nazis and klan members would amount to more than 300. Do we see CNN posting articles over and over about those groups so that their White viewers need to defend themselves day after day.
In other democratic countries this is called a hate crime and punishable by the state. Like Worley, he is calling for human extermination. Same mindset at Hitler.
Religion is a mental illness
I believe religion is the medication for the illness .. and a person can only be cured when they no longer need to medicate.
and mating with the same s e x isn't an illness? Maybe it's just a sickness.
Without religion our world would be in total chaos, right? Oh, wait, isn't it already in total chaos? So, i guess the Religion isn't working....
Jack .. we are all different in some way sxual preference is simply a variation on the human condition.
I heartily agree!!! And that's after spending 8 years in catholic schools, mass 6 days a week, etc. The hypocrasy is unbelievable.
that's the most substantial statement on this whole feed
Jack: Perhaps that is just the creator putting in a way to limit population