This article originally appeared on Patheos.
Well my goodness, it would seem that yet another “pastor” in yet another “Christian” church has found his 15 minutes of fame on the interwebs by intentionally whipping up theologically inaccurate, fear-based, power-hungry homophobia.
Get a load of this little ditty as reported by Raw Story
A pastor of a large Southern Baptist church near Chattanooga, Tennessee said this week that Christians would never repent for discriminating against gay people like they had for racism because African-Americans could not change the color of their skin.
Brainerd Baptist Church Senior Pastor Robby Gallaty devoted his entire hour-long sermon on Sunday to justifying Christian opposition to the sexuality of LGBT people.
After spending about 20 minutes recounting the perils of homosexuality throughout history, Gallaty asserted that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God because of gay sex.
“God said that the sins of the people had infected the very land in which they live,” he explained. “So what happens to people who engage in this activity, this sexual immoral activity? Go to Leviticus 20, God gives us the punishment for engaging in these sins… ‘If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman, they have both committed a detestable thing. They must be put to death. And their blood is on their own hands.’”
Blah blah blah, ““It’s the most lethal attack we have today against the family,” he insisted. “And if the enemy can ruin the family, he wins.”
“Yada yada yada” “You’re not a homosexual, listen to me! You’re not gay! You’re not a lesbian! You’re a child of God!”
It would seem that Mr. Pastor Pants is more a disciple of Big Daddy Duck Dynasty rather than Jesus. The vile and pugnacious Phil Robertson just this week uttered the blasphemous “I’m as much of a homophobe as Jesus was,” Robertson told ABC News. “The people who are participating in homosexual behavior, they need to know that I love them.” – thus invoking the name of God and claiming he said something he did not – blasphemy!
SO Mr. Gallaty, your little sermon RANT is nothing more than blasphemy. You are claiming something about God and Jesus that is utterly indefensible through scripture, reason or experience. You are taking God’s name in vain, G, and I can see right through this great little publicity stunt to get your name in lights and draw some willfully ignorant, fearful and hateful people to your “church.” This hour-long tantrum is all about you (vanity) and since you had the gaul to claim it in God’s name, well – honey, that there is straight up blasphemy.
Since you seem to be throwing around on Hebrew Scripture willy-nilly (that’s the Old Testament in case you were confused) let me share a few other helpful pericopes that might clear things up.
Ezekiel 16:49
“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.”
Or Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
What, no queers on these lists? Ruh-roh!
Oh yeah, and our main man Jesus said nothing, not one thing, nary a syllable about homosexuality. He did though say A LOT about the religious leaders of his day who obsessed over man-made laws to prove their own self-righteous, misplaced piety. Maybe touch base with one, any or all of the Gospels in case you are unsure.
If you want to cast your lots with the brood of vipers, you know those power hungry religious leaders who created savage barriers between God and people, you go on with your bad self. As for me and mine, we will choose to follow the One that the scrunched-up religious elite conspired with the state to hang on a cross.
Kimberly Knight is the Director of Digital Strategy at a southern liberal arts college and Minister of Digital community with Extravagance UCC.
Read more from Patheos:
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com