What is it with Evangelical ministers in Colorado suddenly coming out? I think this it the third one in about as many months. If so many of these 'holiest' of men are having this issue, doesn't it really throw sand in the face of the argument that you can change your sexuality? This preacher talks about struggling with this since he was 5. It seems to me that's pretty concrete evidence for 'nature' over 'nurture.'
From the Denver Post:
In a tearful videotaped message Sunday to his congregation, the senior pastor of a thriving evangelical megachurch in south metro Denver confessed to sexual relations with other men and announced he had voluntarily resigned his pulpit.
A month ago, the Rev. Paul Barnes of Grace Chapel in Douglas County preached to his 2,100-member congregation about integrity and grace in the aftermath of the Ted Haggard drugs-and gay-sex scandal.
Now, the 54-year-old Barnes joins Haggard as a fallen evangelical minister who preached that homosexuality was a sin but grappled with a hidden life.
“I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy," Barnes said in the 32- minute video, which church leaders permitted The Denver Post to view. "... I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away."
His wife, Char, cradled his hand. Barnes declined an interview request through the church.
Click here for the full story in the Denver Post.
I was raised fundamentalist. Baptist for a time. It was a rough road at times, but unlike these men who repressed who they were, married, had kids and threw themselves into religion, I chose to accept who I was and how I was made, be open and honest with myself and God - and not live a lie. In my opinion, I have the better deal.
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7 comments:
Did you see that Phelps has been ordered to pay restitution to one of the families' whose funerals he disrupted?
http://www.thehawaiichannel.com/news/10515987/detail.html?treets=hon&tid=2657660545813&tml=hon_irr&tmi=hon_irr_1_01300212122006&ts=H
There is a special ring in Dante's inferno for Phelps and his family.
Phelps & his merry band of in - bred idiots are total wingnuts who profess hatred for anything & everything they don't understand & can't tolerate. I'm surprised they didn't protest at the funerals of Christopher & Dana Reeve, among others. ( Deforest Kelley, James Doohan ? ) They also do it for the ATTENTION, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
Also Not Gay But 100 % Supportive !!
Doc
You're the second source I seen reference THREE recently outed pastors. I've heard of Haggard and Barnes, but I'm don't know who the third is.
Thanks,
100% gay
I am not gay but have one or two gay friends and I know the anguish that they feel as Christians. The hate campaign sees things very much in black & white and appears to read only parts of the Old Testament, especially concerning God's revenge. Most gay people do not flaunt their sexuality as something to be praised or copied, but feel inside much the same as heterosexual people do, I guess.
What I really wonder is how do Phelps and Brother Micah (very funny to watch on YouTube, I must say) and all the rest know who is already in hell for one reason or another? I mean, do they have someone call them up and say "Yep, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, and Mahatma Ghandi are here!" Though, there are some rather... *ahem* interesting allegations about Ghandi that I haven't been able to find a source for.
100% Bisexual and Supportive of All People. Even the idiots and bigots. Someone needs to not hate them. ^^;;
To me, Phelps is a screaming 'faggot', if you will pardon the redefinition of that term. He was one of the 'boys in the band' - his high school band, and something about his face says gay, gay gay. The fact he has conjured up about 13 kids is just another proof of his desperation to hide who he is. He is little different then e.g. Ted Haggard, of gay hating fame, who had to stoop to a prostitute boy to satisfy his urges. Just goes to show you that those who are full of hatred for gays are just struggling with their own homosexuality. Psychology 101 tells us that this type of individual will reflect out their selfhatred on others, in a desperate but futile attempt to deny who they really are.
Now, I know we shouldn't use hate against hate
I am not gay, and quite frankly the lesbians will agree with me when i say that i dont understand why any man would be attracted to another man while we have so many sexy ladies around. :P But I must say that a gay man is no different than myself or any other person in this world. Why would God mandate hate from us in his name? Why would the entity that spawned the entire universe and existentialism even CARE about sexual orientation? The Westboro Church has done the same thing many churches have done in order to spread their own ethical righteousness among the masses. They use a message of loving one another and forgiveness and acceptance and translate hate,murder, and hell out of it. I'm a Christian and I love all. I love homosexuals and I even love the Westboro Baptist church because I know God loves them too. There will always be ignorant people who will choose violence and hatred above peace. Thats a sad affair but it shouldnt stop the human race from becoming a better one. I wish all homosexuals strength and happiness in these turbulent times. -Andre
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