Several New York City pastors are predictably outraged over a proposed Harlem Pride picnic that is scheduled later this month in a local park, reports the New York Daily News. The loudest protests? From the rabidly anti-gay Church of God in Christ
"If children start to believe it is okay to be gay, they will think it's okay to be a pedophile or have sex with animals," said Dr. Ronald Ferguson, the senior pastor at Antioch Church of God on W. 124th St. "It's a slippery slope."
Ferguson, who has three adult children and four grandkids, said he expects parishioners to follow his lead and stay indoors when the second annual Harlem Pride event arrives June 24. "This gay pride nonsense is an abomination," Ferguson told the Daily News. "God does not want to see homosexuals in our parks."
Neither do Ferguson or some other local pastors fuming over the celebration of gay rights set for Marcus Garvey Park. "The park is a family area, and the homosexual agenda will do nothing but harm the community," said Pastor Charles Curtis of Mount Olivet Baptist Church.
Too bad Pastor Ferguson will stay indoors. It might be a beautiful day to tool around Harlem in his brand new Jaguar ...
Harlem Pride President Carmen Neely says she won't back down: "I want the gay and lesbian people of uptown to have a celebration of our own. This will be different than the events in the West Village because it will be filled with people of color. ... I realize the church plays a big role in the black community, but we're people, too, and deserve our day in the sun."
Ferguson might want to look closer to home. COGIC—the largest Pentecostal denomination in the U.S. and the second largest African-American denomination—rivals the Catholic Church for the many sexual predators within its leadership. Last fall, a Las Vegas COGIC pastor was arrested on 11 sexual abuse charges. A former COGIC pastor was sentenced to 20 years on rape charges in January 2010. In March 2010, an Alabama COGIC bishop was also accused of sexual misconduct.
Despite COGIC's hardline on gays—or maybe because of it—the church has always attracted many Black gay men. In November 2010 at the COGICs Holy Convocation Youth Service in Memphis, the infamously "ex-gay"—or should we say merely "re-closeted"—Grammy Award winning gospel singer Donnie McClurkin delivered an incendiary rant against gays and gay youth and compared them to vampires.
I AM SOOOOOO SICK OF THESE' so called MEN OF GOD!!!, CALLING GAY PEOPLE PEDOPHILES WHO WANT TO HAVE SEX WITH ANIMALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Eric | 03 June 2011 at 11:02
Although I'm not sure you can call them strictly Pentecostal any more, one of our local mega churches is teaming up with our merry band of heretics for a Pro-Love March and Rally for Inclusion on Stonewall weekend here in Atlanta. POC and whitey go to church together. 11:00AM Sunday morning is no longer the most segregated hour in America.
Posted by: Ben in Atlanta | 03 June 2011 at 11:28
“Despite COGIC’s hard line on gays—or maybe because of it—the church has always attracted many Black gay men.”
Wow, Rod.
Posted by: Jim | 03 June 2011 at 11:45
I wish these fanatics would get excited about class warfare, health disparities, or the environment.
Posted by: iceededppl | 03 June 2011 at 12:10
Editor's Note Rod this man is not a part of COGIC he's apart of The Church of God which is a different denomination than COGIC
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1292868878 | 03 June 2011 at 12:27
I laugh aloud at the comparisons of Gays to sex with animals and pedophiles as though there is any merit to it whatsoever.
If the church wants to make SOUND ARGUMENTS, at least START there instead of this logically insulting rhetoric about sex with animals or little boys. We are neither and because you are uncomfortable with the ways that you think someone is having sexual connection with someone else is no different than someone wondering why his wife picked him and why or every other TV show with a pretty wife and a fat slob husband. JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T GET IT DOESN'T MAKE IT WRONG.
Calm down and stay away from the Park that day! Are you going to go after the Puerto Rican Day Parade next because they are speaking in evil tongues (just because he doesn't understand them?)...CALM DOWN + SIT DOWN!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 03 June 2011 at 12:48
Because all know the LGBT in the Black and Latino communities are responsible for all their social ills.
Blame Blackie and other folks of color? Naw, blame the faggots, the dykes, and the trannys.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 03 June 2011 at 15:50
False religion has been the number one cause of hate mongering in human history. What makes them so despicable is that these 'men of Magog" act exactly like the Pharissees of Jesus day, who always sought to look down on the people, whereas Jesus looked favorably on all who were pure of heart. It would be refreshing if these hypocritical bastards would take to heart the parts of the Bible that didn't appeal to their self righteousness and actually required them to love.
Posted by: Distant Lover | 03 June 2011 at 21:03
The big problem with the hateful rhetoric coming out of these churches is that the congregants hear it, take it home, and teach it to their children. That's how gay-bashings get started.
Woe betide any child who discovers they are gay or lesbian, while living in such a toxic environment!
Posted by: Nathan James | 03 June 2011 at 22:00