Pastor Orders Congregation To Attack Gay Couple For Attending

[zoltanspawn]

.......... 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.

You are purposely sidestepping the father's motivation which you have specifically identified and challenged.

You have argued that the father's motivation was not homophobia.

You speculate otherwise, but have not clarified (given ample opportunity) another reasonable motive.

What is it? What made the father attack his son?

If you can't provide a reasonable alternative motivation it very much leaves you looking like an eccentric idealogue who mysteriously believes that...a christian Tennessee pastor couldn't perpetrate such a grievance.

In addition to the many disgusting aspects of your posts already mentioned, some more attention is needed here:

The father didn't have an "outburst." He didn't "get back" at his son.

He assaulted him.

 

[Ninja108]

Sorry there is no excuse for what happened here..NONE.
I could care if the father is undergoing a divorce etc..you don't attack your own flesh and blood.

 

[rareboy]

Rareboy, [Text: Removed by Moderator]

You are not looking at the whole case -- I realize it's hard since it wasn't fully reported.

I'm not apologizing for anyone -- wherever you get that, I don't know.

Well, Jack, of course, now I'm just dying of curiosity.

But it changes nothing.

The rush to judgement and the expression of outrage by the defenders of the aggrieved is understandable.

The rush to rationalize and thereby mitigate the actions of the aggressors remains inexplicable.

 

[MyReply]

I wanna know why they attempted to go to that church in the first place. Even if they couldn't foresee the reaction being this brutal, they had to know that they wouldn't be welcomed and sense that something negative could happen. If my family/church had an ardent stance against homosexuality, I would show up there with my BF.

 

[fetaby]

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.

You keep saying this gay guy, this gay guy... If you want to continually talk about him in terms of his sexuality then please explain why his beating is not in terms of his sexuality.

How can you expect us to not believe it was about him being gay, when you, yourself, relate to him no other way.

What could this guy have possibly done to deserve being beaten?

I know you want to apologize this away by saying it's a family issue, but answer this question...

What could the boyfriend have done to deserve being beaten?

If this was a family issue, explain how the boyfriend, who is not family, was also targeted...

 

[fetaby]

I wanna know why they attempted to go to that church in the first place. Even if they couldn't foresee the reaction being this brutal, they had to know that they wouldn't be welcomed and sense that something negative could happen. If my family/church had an ardent stance against homosexuality, I would show up there with my BF.

Ummm, is that really what you meant to write?

But I'll tell you why I would go to that church. Because at some point, you really do have no one but yourself. No amount of pastor/father, no amount of praying, no amount of Jesus's blood is going to change the fact that we are gay. If we are to give ourselves to the Lord, we are to give of ourselves fully. And that includes the gay bits....

That is, of course, if I were christian. I feel for this guy more because he was taught these "christian values" than because he was beaten. Over time his bruises will heal, and perhaps even the family ties may be mended. But to find a path back to a spiritual life when the one taught to you from childhood is contrary to your nature is a difficult and painful process. One that can takes years to follow with no promise of an end.

 

[gsdx]

You keep saying this gay guy, this gay guy... If you want to continually talk about him in terms of his sexuality then please explain why his beating is not in terms of his sexuality.

How can you expect us to not believe it was about him being gay, when you, yourself, relate to him no other way.

Well said.

To borrow a phrase from Judge Judy: "Give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself."

'Well-hung' seems to have taken on another meaning here.

 

[zoltanspawn]

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.

It's as though the "unusual" is incomprehensible to you. Interesting.

Unusual things happen, right?

I'm also curious about this:

There is obviously some kind of horribly dysfunctional relationships in this family.

What do you think the dysfunction is, as you seem to suggest it's not homophobia?

What is the other, more reasonable explanation for the assault?

(Sorry for the delayed reply, all. The thread was receiving some attention when I originally tried to respond to this post.)

 

[Ninja108]

Jayqueer,your idea that family members who are anti-gay won't resort to physical violence against their own children is sadly misguided.
THere have been stories posted here as well as on gay blogs and in the media showing and telling stories of LGBT youth who have been neglected and beaten by their family members who put bigotry above the love for their own children.
This family is no different. THey have put their hate above the love for a family member.