Bishop: "No Faggots or Sissies"

How about this as a new definition of irony: Just yesterday, E. Lynn Harris discussed how anti-gay sermons lead him to write I Say a Little Prayer. Today, word of yet another prominent pastor engaging in venomous homophobia from the pulpit. Washington City Paper points to the recent Palm Sunday service by the Bishop Alfred A. Owens Jr, pastor of the Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church, which is one of the district's largest congregations.

The sermon in question was on how strong men follow the teachings of Christ. The bishop asked all the "real men" to stand up and cautioned that he didn't mean "faggots or sissies." A partial transcript or listen to the MP3:

All those brothers who think that church is for punks and church is for sissies. You don't know the word of God. The church is never for punks or sissies. You are a real man if you can stand up and make a commitment to Jesus Christ.

It takes a real man to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. I'm not talking about no faggot or no sissy. I mean a real man who has made up their mind ... Wait a minute! Let all the real men come on down here and take a bow. All the real men—I'm talking about the straight men.

You ain’t funny and you ain’t cranky, but you're straight. Come on down here and walk around and praise God that you are straight. Thank him that you're straight. All the straight men that's proud to be a Christian, that's proud to be a man of God. I'm proud of what God made me. Any proud men in the room?

City Paper reports "Owens has a history of homophobic sermons" and adds that many gay men attend the church and were extremely uncomfortable during the sermon. One attendee says that "he and 'about 20' other closeted gay men in the crowd, felt they had no choice but to join Owens’ spontaneous celebration of straightness." Actually they do have a choice: If the bishop's rhetoric makes them that uncomfortable, they may want to re-think their membership and join a more inclusive church like Unity, MCC or the UCC. But that's another story ...

Last summer, you'll recall the Rev. Willie Wilson created a national uproar after a dramatic anti-gay sermon where he warned that lesbianism was about to “take over our community.”

(Thanks Brian Watson!)

More Gay Bashing from the Pulpit (City Paper)

MP3 Audio: Owens' Sermon (City Paper)

Another Pastor Gone Bad (Jasmyne Cannick)

Previously:

Wilson's Controversial Sermon (Rod 2.0) Rev. Willie Wilson Outed (Keith Boykin) A Conversation with E. Lynn Harris (Rod 2.0) "We Don't Feel Welcome There" (Rod 2.0) Gays and Black Church (Rod 2.0) "I'm Their Guy" (Rod 2.0) Kirk Franklin on Gays (Rod 2.0) AOL on Gays and the "Black Church" (Rod 2.0) Black Church, Gay Parishoners (Rod 2.0) Rev Kev Interview (Rod 2.0) All in the Family (Rod 2.0) A "Gay Friendly" Voice (Rod 2.0)

Comments

[greg]

This is a great story, thanks. You were just talking about homophobic pastors.

[TheRevKev]

My Soul aches over the work that its going to take WITHIN THE BLACK GAY/MSM/SGL/DL/HOMOSEXUAL COMMUNITIES to get brothers to stop living OR NOT LIVING their lives for the Mommas and their Aunt Susies.

To say, as a grown, life-living, bill-paying, sex-having ADULT that THEY FELT THAT THEY HAD NO OTHER CHOICE is soul-breaking.

I remember coming home to DC one college summer and telling my mother than I would leave if the new pastor at our church (my pastor as a child had died) if this new MEGAPREACHER said anything stupid. He said "SISSIES" and I walked...in 1984.

I WOULD RATHER BE HATED FOR WHO I AM THAN LOVED FOR WHO I AM NOT!!!

Thanks again Rod. I have been to that church only once, for a concert and the Gay Presence was HUGE!!!

But I pray for The Family as we all journey towards BEING FREE. This kind of HATE in God's name is talked about in The Bible, but people TRYING TO FIT IN DON'T LOOK FOR THAT WHEN ALL THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS NOT BEING LEFT OUT.

WOW, who would have ever thought that Church would be the "POPULAR GROUP" that people would sacrifice their own personalities and beings to be a part of in 2006. Sounds like some high school clique.

Well, Do Jesus!

WELL...THERE ARE CHOICES! THANK YOU GOD FOR CHOICE AND CHOICES!

AMEN!
ASHE!
AND SO IT IS!

[MB]

I feel sorry that some people, like Bishop Alfred A. Owens Jr, don't even realize that one "gets to hell" by spiritual trangressions, and that the pride, so clear in his language, is one of them. It may take to parent a homosexual child of his own to repent and open to a fact of the Creation. In a mean time, I affraid, Rev. Owens may continue giving the Heaven a bad name.

[eric]

HOW CAN HE OF ALL PEOPLE SAY THAT WHEN HE IS STILL GOING ON DATES WITH THE MALE MEMEMBERS OF THE CHURCH WELL MORE THAN DATES HOW ABOUT BOOTY CALLS THIS I KNOW

[Dwight]

I am actually apalled that the gay men in the audience actually subjected themselves to further self-degradation by staying in that audience. That's a level of self-hate that until now has been unfathomable.

Thankfully, I exorcised religion out of me several years ago. I came to the conclusion that Christianity in particular (in all its flavors) have absolutely no relevance to modern life, and the sooner we all realize that the more content we will be.

Preachers like Alfred Owens thrive because too many people among become acquiescent to statements that incite hate. It is not that different from the ordinary people of 1930s-era Germany who turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to Third Reich's slaughter of millions of gays, Jews, mixed-race people, and gypsies.

[blackgriot]

Right before I read this post, I answered the door bell(thinking I safely had eluded the 7th Day Adventists who laid on the door bell a few min earlier). There stood the trio, from the neighborhood church, wanting to give me info on all their activities, including Women's Day. I refused to open the glass storm door as I said, "not interested."

I was feeling a tad bit guilty, then I read about this. I now feel vindicated.

How could any self-respecting person participate in such a hatefest?

[seanndc]

This from the pastor of a church fondly known by gays as "Club Calvary!" My, my,my.

[Rod]

I don't think the issue is religion or the church. There are many churches and religions that are quite inclusive and welcoming of the gays, such as the United Church of Christ, Unity Fellowoship, and many mainline Episcopalian or Presbyterian congregations.

The bishop was being a bully, pure and simple. The words he used were more appropriate for a schoolyard or alleyfight. He never once justified any of his remarks with scripture.

RevKev and Dwight: You're absolutely right. It's sad that his church is attended by so many gay men who are willing to subject themselves to that drama. But you know what they say ... God helps them who help themselves.

Question to the RevKev: Wasn't Palm Sunday highly inappropriate for such remarks?

[hood]

bishop needs to go to the delta on saturday nite and see how any of his members are worshiping with Cedric and Rodney. tsk tsk tsk

[patrick s]

I do know that church and it attracts a huge gay audience, probably because of the choir and music. Every now and then the pastor decides to remind the gays that he knows they are at his church.

They should all leave, I don't get it. Self hating queens are just like self hating black folks.

[algie]

as long as you have your own personal relationship god everything he or any other pastor for that matter says thats hateful like that means nothing.god would never want you to be something you are not. we are all made in the image of him so i know that i am a strong black gay child of god

[Wil]

My letter to the staff at that church.

Alfred T. Owens, Office Assistant
atowens@gmchc.org
Alma Belcher , Counselor
abelcher@gmchc.org
Anthony Minor, Teacher
aminor@gmchc.org
Beatrice Dawson, Bookstore Manager
bdawson@gmchc.org
Bernard Perry, Principal of Calvary Christian Academy
bperry@gmchc.org
Betty Robinson, Lead Facilities Maintenance Staff
brobinson@gmchc.org
Beverly Lucas, Director of The Family Life Center
blucas@gmchc.org
Bobby Daniels, Administrative Asst. to the Sr. Pastor
bdaniels@gmchc.org
Bryan Smith, Duplication Technician
bsmith@gmchc.org
Calvin Sykes, Non-Teaching Assistant
csykes@gmchc.org




Dear people of Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church,

Bishop Alfred A. Owens HATES your Black gay and lesbian FAMILY members. He has commited an assasination of them spiritually, and physically murdered their dignity, justice, respect, and well being.

It is up to you to make sure the congregation of that church doesn't do further damage by taking his teachings to the street to commit more acts of religious oppression, violence, and hatered toward your gay and lesbian Black FAMILY members.

Put the hatred eminating from the pulpit of your church in check. When leaders use words like faggot and sissy to demean, degrade, and dehumanize people, that person has lost his God damn mind. Tell Bishop Alfred A. Owens to STOP HATE. DEMAND EQUAL TREATMENT FOR YOUR GAY AND LESBIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. The only time people deny that a person can follow God is when they plan to treat them unjustly and inhumanely. And that is what Bishop Alfred A. Owens has done!!!


STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST ANTI-GAY HATE NOW!! STOP THE IMMORAL TREATMENT OF GAYS AND LESBIANS!!


Thank you.

[jahlaune hunt]

Un fuckin believable that a preacher would even use that type of language in the pulpit and those gay men shouild have went up there. They weren't punks till they were cornered and didn't fight. Hell I would have asked the bishop right then or there what the hell is a sissy? That is just unbelievable. And they actually put money in a plate and give this jack leg preacher a salary. And the gay men still go there. There sorry too. That whole article pissed me off, he should have said the crack heads, boosters etc but I guess if your straight that shit don't matter to god...go figure

[DFS]

Dwight I agree with you, I find futility in the attempts to recognize acceptance of a homosexual lifestyle to the Christian faith. It is 2006 and we would all be well served to let go of the superstitions of a primitive, middle eastern people.

Even if the bible didn't condemn homosexuality, Id still have a problem with the fact that it doesnt condemn slavery, has several logical inconsistencies, and displays a god that orders the killings of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children

[Trevor]

All this is kind of a waste of time. If gay men are going along with the drama and not confronting the situation then it doesn't matter what we think or who we write. Some straight people will always hate gay people. Go to a gay or gay friendly church. It's pretty simple. We aren't hapless victims like in that piece of crap movie "Brother to Brother." Community is space we create. Matthew 19 verse 12 is pretty clear about gay people from Jesus' own mouth serving God. Get over it and stop being tragic queens.

[Pretty Ricky]

Hilarious!!!
I find this very amusing because I've been to his church before and over half the men in his congregation are gay, I know this for a fact because I see them in the club the night before church, lol. I guess when he called for the straight men to come down no one budged cause you know you ain't supposed to lie in church, especially not on a Sunday. Ironicall, Bishop Owens claims to have been delivered from homosexuality, so I'm really not surprised by his comments, he's a classic case. If that ain't the pot callin the kettle black I don't know what is, lol.

[Rod]

Ricky: Jesus himself never said one word about homosexuals.

Matthew 19:12 is about castration and/or celibacy, not homosexuality.

Jesus said some are born that way, others become that way later in life, and, those who can accept this, let them do so.

It's not an endorsement or repudiation of castration or celibacy or homosexuality; gay men do not castrate themselves.

I tend to agree with Algie and RevKev. You get your own personal relationship with God and keep it moving. I'm not worried about those gays in Mt. Calvary. You can lead a horse to water but you can't force him to drink.

[Derrick from Philly]

Does a Eunuch have to be physically castrated? 2,000 years ago, the only males who had what we now call a "gay" consciousness were probably those who were femmes or drag queens. Masculine men who had sex with other men didn't think of themselves as any different than those other men. Maybe the Lord was talking about sissies when he said, "born that way from the mother's womb.

Now, concerning the good reverend. Most church "children" I've come across don't seem as intelligent and sophisticated as THe RevKev (who posts here on Rod's site)Most church queens I met tend to be kinda' simple minded. They act like big ol' hens settin' in the pews. And then they have the most insatiable sex appetites in the entire gay world, must be all that church cookin'...big ol' county queens.

[Javier]

Perhaps if black gay and bisexual men would not "patronize" (yes these churches are a business) rightwing churches, then maybe the pastors and congregants of these churches would have more respect for them. WHile I deplore homophobia, I also have little sympathy for the legions of gay black men and women who still attend these churches, although they could attend liberal churches. And don't give me that silly pablum about not feeling at home in the liberal "white" churches either. I feel much more at home amongst liberal white,Asian, and Hispanic Christians who don't gay bash, than amongst black rightwing Christians who are filled with such primitive bigotry. Is it that important to these black worshippers that they hear black-style music and preaching that they are willing to suffer such humiliation and bashing? Homophobia is not better than racism, which is is seldom as overt as these churches' homophobia. Until black gays have enough respect for themselves to leave these churches en masse, don't expect others to sympathize with their victimization in these churches.

[Doug Cooper-Spencer]

When I saw the opening of this article I was turned off. But after hearing the tape I was very disturbed. The roar of the congregation sounded more like a hoarde of wild beasts than those of the species of 'higher intelligence'. When will people realize that religion is based on belief, not fact. And if our beliefs lead to the paths of the congregants, then it's truly sad. As for the so called men who attend those churches, maybe they aren't men after all. Me? I have always and will continue to fight against such ignorance in my work. That's why I dared to tackle the subject of homosexuality and religion in my novel, THIS PLACE OF MEN. Oh and notice I used the word MEN in the title. Real men love themselves and do not let insecure hate-mongers determine their destiny.

[Trevor]

The Matthew verse talks about 3
types of eunuchs, those dedicated
to the service of God, those made
by man, and those born of their
mothers. Number 1 are priests who
are celibate, number 2 are those
castrated, and number 3 are homosexuals. You can interpret
it differently but that is my
take just like I read Sodom as
a crime of manners similar to the
tale of Gibeah in Judges 19 where the men actually get to gang rape a woman instead of a male visitor.
My two cents.

[badcap]

When will we learn. How is it that one of the most prejudiced organizations on this planet (the black church) gets so much support from the very people they are prejudiced against. Please realize you don't need man to get to God, and God does not need your money, just your acknowledgement and praise.

TO HELL WITH THE BLACK CHURCH AND AND EVERY OTHER CHURCH!

[Tone]

If Mr.Owens were to check his own mannerisms he wouldn't have any room to call anybody anything....the way he sashays around the pulpit. Don't judge lest ye be judged.

[Darryl]

These black ministers need to focus on real serious issues in the black community instead of worrying about someone being gay.Gun violence is destroying the black community,these black pastors need to shed some light on that.Rev. Owens & other pastors need to stop preaching anti-gay sermons.Just because a brother is gay does not make him less of a man,just because a man is straight does NOT make him a "real" man.Rev. Owens you need to learn the real definition of a "real man".

[Darryl]

Alot of these pastors that preach these anti-gay sermons are in the closet.I'm willing to bet that this Rev.Owens is down low, look at that pastor Ted Haggard, i rest my case.