Rod 2.0:Beta

Rick Warren on Gay Executions in Uganda: "I Can't Take Sides"

There are more developments on the extreme, anti-gay hysteria sweeping Uganda, encouraged by conservative American Christian missionaries and partially funded by your tax dollars. Anti-gay and anti-choice conservative mega-church Pastor Rick Warren's extensive ties to Uganda are being questioned. Warren, one of the leading supporters of Proposition 8 in California, drew considerable fire last year when he was invited to give the invocation at President Barack Obama's inauguration. Warren refuses to condemn the proposed Ugandan legislation that would make gay sex punishable by death.

The Daily Beast's Max Blumenthal extensively documented Warren's ties to the leading anti-gay clerics in Uganda. Warren was recently forced to distance himself from the East African nation's most prominent evangelical, Martin Ssempa, who made numerous appearances at Warren's Saddleback Church and whose own church was accused of organizing a rash of anti-gay riots in Uganda. Ssempa backs the "The Anti Homosexuality Bill" that calls for the death penalty for those guilty of "aggravated homosexuality" which includes having gay sex if they are HIV positive.

Rick Warren was questioned about the proposed bill and refused to denounce it, notes Newsweek's Lisa Miller:

"A request for a broader reaction to the proposed Ugandan anti-homosexual laws generated this response: 'The fundamental dignity of every person, our right to be free, and the freedom to make moral choices are gifts endowed by God, our creator. However, it is not my personal calling as a pastor in America to comment or interfere in the political process of other nations.' On Meet the Press, he reiterated this neutral stance in a different context: 'As a pastor, my job is to encourage, to support. I never take sides.' Warren did say he believed that abortion was 'a holocaust.' He knows as well as anyone that in a case of great wrong, taking sides is an important thing to do.""

Warren did not have a problem "interfering in the political process" in California's Proposition 8. Appearing on Sunday's Meet the Press, Warren minimized his role promoting the ballot initiative and refused to rule out whether he would re-fight the issue when a Prop 8 repeal appears on the ballot. Watch Warren's response on Uganda and marriage equality on Meet the Press, as well as the television commercial where he was "taking sides" during Prop 8, AFTER THE JUMP.

More on the international backlash against Uganda: Over the weekend, we reported the prime ministers of Britain and Canada formally protested the Ugandan proposal. Uganda is lashing out to its critics in the international community: "The government yesterday responded strongly to international criticism over the proposed anti-gay law, saying the process would continue uninterrupted. Speaker Edward Sekandi told Daily Monitor that it was necessary 'to do whatever we can to stop' homosexual liaisons in Uganda. 'We don’t support that practice,' Mr Sekandi said yesterday."

Meanwhile: The Obama Administration's Global AIDS Cooordinator Eric Goosby, who is responsible for administering some $287 million in your taxpayer money to Uganda for HIV and AIDS programs, also takes no position on the proposed law that would execute HIV positive gay men: "My role is to be supportive and helpful to the patients who need these services. It is not to tell a country how to put forward their legislation. But I will engage them in conversation around my concern and knowledge of what this is going to do to that population, and our ability to stop the movement of the virus into the general population."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice and President Obama have said nothing on the proposed Ugandan law that would execute gay men.

WEHT Thou shalt not kill? Warren's response on Uganda and marriage equality, as well as his commercial endorsing prop 8, AFTER THE JUMP.

Bernice King Takes Over SCLC, Will She Renounce Anti-Gay Bigotry?

In August, Rod 2.0 reported the Rev. Bernice King, the youngest daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr and a well-fundamentalist minister and anti-gay activist, was being considered to lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the organization founded by her father more than five decades ago. On Friday King was named the first woman to lead the SCLC in its 52 year history.

King is a minister at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia, headed by obsessively homophobic Bishop Eddie Long. The two organized a 2004 march against same-sex marriage in Atlanta that attracted thousands. Writing at The Daily Voice, Earl Ofari Hutchinson says Bernice King must renounce her anti-gay bigotry and lead the SCLC in a new direction.

That bigotry was on shameful and insulting display in December 2004 when she and thousands of marchers stood at the gravesite of her father, Martin Luther King, Jr., and denounced gay marriage. The implication was that King might well have stood with her and them in their protest against gay rights. Nothing could be further from the truth. King's fight against bigotry and discrimination, all bigotry and discrimination, was relentless and uncompromising. If anything that day, King would have been across the street from his gravesite with the hundred or so other counter-demonstrators. They loudly shouted that what Bernice and the marchers were doing at her father's gravesite and in his name, was a travesty and a disgrace. King sullied her father's name to show her enmity to gay marriage. She also sullied her mother's too. A few years before Bernice's gravesite antic, Coretta Scott King issued a public statement forcefully denouncing anti-gay bigotry and made it perfectly clear that her husband would be a champion of gay rights if he were alive. 

On its website SCLC clearly says "its mission is to challenge all people of good will, of every persuasion, who believe in the principles espoused by Martin Luther King, Jr. to join us." Presumably that's the mission of its new president. She can prove it is by publicly renouncing her anti-gay bigotry.

The SCLC recently made headlines when its national leadership attempted to oust the Rev. Eric Lee, president of the Los Angeles chapter, over his support of same-sex marriage and efforts to fight Prop 8. Thankfully that motion didn't prevail.

Despite its much-storied history, the SCLC is barely a blip on the current civil rights radar. If Bernice King does not renounce her bigotry and move the SCLC into a progressive direction, the organization will become even more irrelevant.

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SCLC Leader Criticizes Anti-Gay, Black Pastors 
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Live Blog: Coretta Scott King Funeral
Gay-Bashing" at Bermuda Mega-Church
Will Anti-Gay Rev. Bernice King Become SCLC's Next President?

Lesbian Couple Assaulted at Prominent Black Memphis Church

A lesbian couple was forced to call 911 for police assistance after they were assaulted at the Sunday morning services at one of Memphis' most prominent black churches. Monique Stephens and her partner visited the New Olivet Baptist Church because they wanted  to meet pastor and mayoral candidate Rev. Kenneth Whalum Jr., who "they intended to support" in the October election.

"An hour into service, Whalum told the congregation to bow to the ground and blow kisses to God, Stephens said, but she and her partner, who are agnostic, did not move. She said Whalum and church members began calling them "devil worshippers" and “gay,” among other derogatory names. Security guards surrounded and pushed them out of the sanctuary. Stephens said her glasses were broken and both she and her partner of three years have bruises and scratches from the altercation. No arrests were made, police said.

"Whalum, however, said the women were 'being disruptive, boisterous and speaking loud. They had to have some kind of agenda to come in church like that.' It took about 10 minutes for security to remove the women for interrupting service, not for being lesbians, he said. 'If I put every lesbian out of church, we’d be putting people out of church all day long,' said Whalum."

Whalum was a vocal opponent of Memphis' proposed anti-discrimination ordinance and has been called "the most divisive member of the Memphis City Schools board" by the Commercial Appeal. Whalum hails from a prominent Memphis family. He is the brother of gospel singer-songwriter Kirk Whalum and their father, the late Rev. Kenneth Whalum, founded New Olivet Baptist.

(church photo via Flickr user YouthMappers)

Black Pastor Rents Texas Billboard: "Gay Rights Are Not Civil Rights"

The only billboard in the Central Texas town of Gatesville (pop. approx. 15,000)  has become a lightning rod of controversy. A retired black minister rented the sign on Main Street that reads, "Gay Rights are Not Civil Rights". The sign owner, Virginia Miller, tells the  Dallas Voice the pastor "wanted to get the message out to black people .. everything they fought for is being hijacked."

The message was paid for by Oen Dollins of Gatesville, a former minister. Miller said Dollins didn’t mean to offend anyone. "He wanted to get the message to black people that it’s not fair that they’re the ones who suffered, they’re the ones who paid the price, and now everything they fought for is being hijacked." Miller said.

Miller also claimed she’s received death threats since reports about the sign appeared on Instant Tea and on KCEN Channel 9 in Waco. She said Dollins paid $300 for the message to appear on the sign for three days, from Sunday through Tuesday, and it was taken down last night. Miller said her husband, Bo, carefully screens advertisements for “the Sign” and typically doesn’t allow anything negative. But Bo Miller told Channel 9 that he approved the message because he felt Dollins was making a valid argument.

The billboard, known in Gatesville as "The Sign", first made news earlier this week when a reader emailed photos to the Voice and added: "Hate is alive and well deep in the heart of Texas." KCEN-TV interviewed some residents and one black woman said she had no problem with the sign because "as a Black woman, because I have been through ...I know what it feels like and it’s totally different."

Dollins repeats this popular talking point by anti-gay black Christians: "No gays are having to ride on the back of the bus. No gays are being enslaved. No gays are being prosecuted [sic] in any way."

The Rev. Kevin E. Taylor, New Jersey-based pastor, black gay activist and author, scoffs at the "foolishness of trying to destroy the history and might of the movement." Rev. Kev adds: "Civil rights are about freedom for all.  Dr. King said so masterfully: 'Until all of us are free, then none of us are free and injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!' "

The problem is two-fold. "Gays" and "blacks" are stereotyped as mutually exclusive because black LGBTs are often reluctant to come out—read hundreds of comments here, here or here—and continue to embrace the closets of the anti-gay black churches

So saying "no gays never had to sit on the back of the bus" would be true .. only if you believe all gays are white. Just ask Bayard Rustin or any black gay or lesbian who grew up or were openly gay during Jim Crow. Better yet, if you really believe that no gays, lesbians or trans are being prosecuted (or persecuted) "in any way"' ... ask Tony Randolph Hunter,  Lawrence King, Sakia Gunn, LaTeisha Green, or Michael Sandy. Or the black gay college students killed in Newark. Take a trip to Nigeria. Or Jamaica. Or Russia ...

Memphis Commercial Appeal: Black Churches "Hypocritical" and "Use Scripture to Reject Black Gays"

At the same Congress and White House debate changing  "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", the military policy that limits service by openly gays or lesbians, another "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is in the news: The traditional black church's often hypocritical acceptance of black gay men who are "tolerated" as long they are not open or dare to demand equal footing. The most recent example: Terrell Carter's "come to Jesus" moment while acknowledging "gossip" around his sexuality but refusing to admit the truth. The audience clapped and praised him.

Memphis Commercial Appeal columnist Wendi C. Thomas writes a searing op-ed that describes the traditional black church as "a tangle of theology, hypocrisy and secrecy." The column is a must-read.

The hypocrisy is that the black church has always been home to gay men and women. Yet while largely ignoring sexuality in all its other forms, the church often delivers messages of shame to gay people, who endure it while they sit in the pews and sing in the choirs. The secrecy demands that in a traditional black church, gay people must hide. The rumors of prominent black Christians who are gay are rampant, but only one—singer Donnie McClurkin—acknowledges having had sex with men.

"It's not so much that the black church doesn't want gay men, they don't want openly gay men," said Devon Berry, who is black and gay. "They don't want you in there being proud of who you are."

Berry, 22, was raised in traditional black churches, but no longer attends church. However, his boyfriend does—in fact, his boyfriend is the choir director at a local black church. The couple's second date was at the 2008 Church of God in Christ's annual convocation in Memphis. In fact, Berry said, every man he dated he has met through church.

Thomas attempted to contact a number of the larger, more vocal anti-gay black churches, even one who bought a full-page ad that slammed gay a proposed gay rights measure. None would talk, she says. "Few churches talk about sexuality—gay or otherwise—because if they did, they'd have to address the promiscuity among heterosexual parishioners and all the married pastors with girlfriends."

There is so much shame, guilt and hypocrisy in the church in general and black church in particular. As seen in the many recent comments at Rod 2.0, black gay men in the church are pre-programmed to "cover " for each other and help "conspire to keep the closet doors shut", as several readers observed. It's a bizarre alternate reality.

A "date" at the annual convocation of the Church of God in Christ? Surely this is one of the most anti-gay and oppressive black churches, yet, boasts a large gay underground.  It seems to go hand in hand, no?.

Oh and for bonus points, read the almost 300 comments. Blatantly homophobic and typical "love the sinner, hate the sin", Leviticus-quoting hate that passes as "love" in the Bible Belt.

The Straight and Narrow [Memphis Commcl Appeal]

Minister of Music at Historic 16th Street Baptist Church Pleads Guilty to Sexual Misconduct with Teen

Another tragic example of living in the closet in the homophobic black church. The minister of music at Birmingham, Alabama's historic 16th Street Baptist Church—the target of the racially-motivated 1963 church bombing that killed four girls—and a former band director at a local high school pleads guilty to a charges  connected to having sex with a 17-year-old male student. The Birmingham News:

"Patrick Jerome Whitehead, 33, was charged in April with first-degree sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse in connection with the male student. But one of the felony charges was dropped and the other was amended to sexual misconduct, a misdemeanor, in connection with a plea deal reached before Whitehead's scheduled preliminary hearing. Jefferson County District Judge Sheldon Watkins followed the plea deal by giving Whitehead a suspended 12-month sentence and ordering unsupervised probation. Whitehead, who has resigned from his teaching post, also must register as a sex offender, said Emory Anthony, one of Whitehead's lawyers."

Whitehead was arrested on April 17th. Police officers discovered the high school band director—parked in his car near campus—having (anal) sex with the student. The reduced charges and plea deal brokered with the parents leads to suspicion the sex was consensual and/or there was a relationship.

The age of consent in Alabama is 16-years-old and it would have been difficult to prosecute Whitehead if the relationship were consensual. Whitehead's arrest has resulted in a media feeding frenzy and an Alabama House committee just approved legislation making it illegal for a teacher or school employee to have sex with a student under age 19. 

Parked in a car having sex near the high school? It's no wonder Whitehead couldn't bring the student home. Patrick Jerome Whitehead is married.

Thanks J MATT!

Iowa's Leading Black Pastor: "No Compromise on Homosexuality"

Dozens of same-sex couples begin applying for marriage today in Iowa and not everyone is pleased. The state's most prominent black pastor and one its leading anti-gay voices promises yet another demonstration. News outlets are quoting Rev. Keith Ratliff's blistering op-ed in the Des Moines Register against gays and marriage equality.

Others may believe any number of things, but everything about homosexuality conflicts with natural law. There is no amount of anger, no level of vocal indignation that can ever change that fact.

Why? To anyone who reads and believes the Bible, there is no room for compromise on the issue of homosexuality. To those who look to "natural law," homosexuality will always be un-natural and un-healthy for a myriad of obvious reasons. Even those who deny God and claim that humanity is the result of evolution understand that homosexuality can never agree with their doctrine of "survival of the fittest." It is for these overwhelmingly obvious reasons that nearly 40 states have passed a Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), 30 states passed constitutional amendments, and 70 foreign nations have formally affirmed marriage as between one man and one woman.

The op-ed was co-signed by more than 70 other clergymen, many of whom were Southern Baptist, a denomination which supported slavery for decades and refused to allow black members until only recently. It's also odd that Ratliff looks to "foreign nations" as his assignment desk—many nations that prohibit same-sex marriage allow slavery and/or force citizens to practice a particular faith. These "overwhelmingly obvious" historical facts are lost on the good reverend.

Ratliff chairs the Iowa/Nebraska chapter of the NAACP and his position is at odds with the national leadership, which officially went on the record to opposing California's Proposition 8 and supports equal rights and protections for gays and lesbians.

Timothy Tutt, who is black, gay and an Iowa civil-rights commissioner, says he "used to belong" to the NAACP, reports the Des Moines Register. "I knew our state leader wasn't supportive of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. So I knew I would not feel completely welcome." Tutt believes other black gays and lesbians will stay away from the NAACP for the same reason.

Marriage Ruling Splits Civil Rights Activists [DMR]
Man's Laws Invalid If They Clash with Gods [DMR]

Did You Read?
Iowa's Leading Black Pastor Seeks Marriage Ban [R20]

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Iowa's Leading Black Pastor Seeks Marriage Ban After Historic Ruling

Getting up to speed on Friday's historic decision by the Iowa' Supreme Court that legalized gay marriage in the nation's heartland. Religious leaders across the Hawkeye State are criticizing the decision, including Iowa's most prominent black pastor. The Rev. Keith Ratliff Sr., pastor of the Maple Street Missionary Baptist Church in Des Moines, received "a standing ovation Sunday as he denounced the court's decision", reports the Des Moines Register.

Ratliff, an outspoken critic of gay marriage, called on state lawmakers to begin the process of amending the constitution to restrict marriage to between a man and a woman. "We believe the homosexual lifestyle is wrong," he said. "But we invite homosexuals to the church, and invite them to repent."

Ratliff said the ruling contradicted God's word, and he cited a Bible passage from the Old Testament. The passage, according to some translations, says: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination."

"I don't care how you spin it," Ratliff said. "I don't care how many philosophical discussions you have on it. I don't even care what the Iowa Supreme Court says. There's a higher court."

Iowa becomes the third state—and first in the nation's heartland—to allow same-sex couples to wed. Even if  Iowa legislators were to pass a resolution endorsing an anti-gay marriage amendment to the state's constitution, which is unlikely, the issue still could not be placed on the ballot until at least 2012.

Ratliff—who describes the ruling as "a perversion that opens the door to more perversions"—is the head of the Iowa/Nebraska chapter of the NAACP. As the president of the state chapter of the NAACP, the anti-gay reverend is at odds with the national body and leadership, which officially went on the record to opposing California's Proposition 8 and supports equal rights and protections for gays and lesbians. The anti-gay pastor elaborated on his intention to push for a constitutional same-sex marriage ban on the steps of the Iowa Supreme Court, reports Radio Iowa. "This is just one step of many," Ratliff says "We are going to continue to fight this thing because it is very important to the people of Iowa."

Not sure why opposing same-sex marriage is so "important" to Iowa's very small black population, which statistically lags its white neighbors in income, employment and housing. Sadly this is yet another case of a black pastor whose priorities are so irrelevant to his constituency.

Did You Read ... ?
Cleveland Black Pastors Oppose DP Registry [R20]
Cleveland Pastors Fail to Gather Enough Signatures [R20]
Anti-Gay, Black Pastors Use Children for Proposition 8 [R20]

Bishop T.D. Jakes' (Gay) Son Charged with Indecent Exposure

Thanks to Son of Baldwin for the heads up. After years of rumors it is finally confirmed. The son of prominent, anti-gay black televangelist Bishop T.D. Jakes has been arrested and charged with indecent exposure.  To complicate matters, authorities say Jermaine Jakes exposed himself to two male undercover vice detectives.

The arrest happened when Jakes was trolling Keist Park, a popular cruising spot in Dallas. CBS 11 reports, "The affidavit says Jakes walked up to one of the detectives at the park with his pants unzipped.  Jakes then began to masturbate while making eye contact with the detective. The detectives arrested Jakes on a charge of indecent exposure."

The details are available in a graphically detailed arrest warrant presented by the Dallas Police Department. The narrative includes which hand the younger Jakes used to "gratify himself"—he's a lefty—and several mentions of Jakes' "fully erect poenis." The only details missing are size and distinguishing marks.

The January 3rd arrest only comes to light today. That might have something to do with the fact Jakes missed his court date, a warrant was issued and he turned himself into police this morning. 

Bishop T.D. Jakes is pastor of the 30,000 member Potter's House in Dallas. The mega-church pastor has lead national prayer services after Hurricane Katrina with former President George W. Bush. Jakes was one of several prominent mega-church pastors and evangelicals who met with then-Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in a June closed door meeting to discuss his positions on "gay rights, abortion and other issues."  Jakes reportedly has had cordial meetings with Soulforce, the gay youth activists, but does not have an inclusive ministry. Jakes is opposed to same sex marriage, expanding hate crime protection to gays, calls homosexuality a "brokenness", and, says he would not hire a sexually active gay person. Presumably there will be no job offers for his own son.

Jermaine Jakes' sexuality and after dark activities have long been rumored among black gay men across the South. Unfortunately it's another case of raising a gay man to be self-hating and seeking gratification in all the wrong places. (See Ted Haggard, Larry Craig, et al.) If more of our families, especially black religious families, didn't force their sons to stay in the closet they wouldn't feel pressured to go parks and cruise for trade. The hypocrisy is delicious: Jakes' son stands by and does nothing while his father speaks against gays. T.D. Jakes knows his son is gay but continues to oppose laws that would protect his gay son. Luckily these were two undercover officers who arrested Jermaine Jakes. Not gay bashers who may beat him or possibly worse.

TD Jakes Son Charged [CBS 11]  
Dallas Arrest Warrant [CBS 11]

Atlanta Gays Protest Rick Warren at Ebenezer MLK Day Service

About 75 gay and lesbian demonstrators, led by Atlanta black gay activists, protested at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta against the appearance of anti-gay, anti-choice and anti-science televangelist Rick Warren at Martin Luther King Day observances. The demonstrators included 22-year-old Michael Brewer seen at far right, the openly gay Morehouse senior and Out 100 honoree.

Warren was invited to give the keynote address at the historic church once pastored by Dr. King. Warren is a noted opponent of gay rights and was a prominent supporter of the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign that ended same-sex marriage in California. Gay activists say Warren's divisive rhetoric belies King’s message of inclusiveness. Warren's high-profile participation at Ebenezer and his invitation to deliver the invocation at President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration on Tuesday has infuriated gays and lesbians. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 

[Warren] praised Martin Luther King Jr. as both a model pastor and a heroic civil rights leader.

But Warren’s appearance also drew protesters who were angered that event planners invited an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage.

Several dozen gay activists gathered outside Ebenezer before the service. Two protestors made their way inside and rose to shout at Warren when he began speaking; they were escorted out to applause from many in the crowd.

Earlier, the protesters outside hoisted signs declaring: “We still have a dream. Equality.” They chanted: “Gay, straight, black or white, we demand our civil rights.”

[Warren] did not directly address the same-sex marriage issue.

"This is not just a gay marriage issue," says Craig Washington, one of the founders of the Atlanta Black LGBT Coalition. "Warren is a deceptively divisive demagogue on several fronts. He claims to befriend gays yet his church does not admit gays unless they repent their very nature. He compares women who choose to have abortions to Nazis, pro-choice supporters to Holocaust deniers."

 

On the last King Day, then-Democratic hopeful Barack Obama spoke to the church the day before the national holiday and delivered a well-received challenge to black churches to renounce homophobia. Warren's selection as this year's keynote speaker is, to say the very least, a curious follow-up to that historic address and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. The slain civil activists' widow, Coretta Scott King, dedicated her later years to building the King Center, which sponsors the Ebenezer MLK Day service, as well as working on civil rights for the LGBT community. Mrs. King would not be pleased.

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Behind the Gay-Friendly Faces [The Advocate + PDF]
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