.......... because he wasn't a good father to is son. He never should have done what he did in front of everyone -- he should have been a good father -- talked with his son, been understanding.
The father's outburst and using his congregation to get back at his son was not right. No matter what the situation the father's actions were not correct.
I have to say again ... we don't have the story ... there has to be more to it.
The pastor set a very poor example to his congregation. I doubt that he will continue to be their pastor after all this settles down.
Jack Springer, I agree with you 100%.
The rest of you guys, are you freakin' kidding me? Both Jack Springer and I strongly condemn this so called "pastor" for what he did to his son.
But this is not your run-of-the-mill gay bashing. These were not some strangers who targeted this guy & his boyfriend. This was the guy's own father & uncle, both of whom have known this guy for his entire life, since he was born.
Even the most anti-gay people don't usually resort to physical violence against their own children. Yes, they may subject their gay children to emotional abuse, or threaten to disown or kick them out of the house, or they might actually go through with disowning their children & kicking them out of the house. But even the most heartless and atrocious of people usually have some sort of a "soft spot" for their own children -- especially when their son shares their same first & last name.
Yes, the father and uncle & all else involved should receive jail time for physically assaulting the son. But a jury will want to know more information surrounding the circumstances of this incident.
And that's why we need to know more information. There is obviously some kind of horribly dysfunctional relationships in this family. A jury will want to know the history of this father-son relationship. Has the father beaten or threatened the son before? How was the father's reaction when his son "came out?" On the son's side, a jury will want to know why the son & the boyfriend went to the church parking lot in the first place, especially if the son knew how strongly anti-gay his father & the church was.
Jack Springer & I both agree that the father,, uncle, and everyone else involved in assaulting the gay guy & his boyfriend should face severe legal consequences. But we need to know more information regarding the circumstances of this event.
If you can't understand that, please don't serve on a jury.
There is a reason I never go over state lines into that shithole of a state, this is only one of them. 
