WATCH: Toronto Evangelicals Pray in Front of Gay Couple's Home

Neighbors on one block in east Toronto confronted members of the Highfield Road Gospel Hall, who have repeatedly "prayed outside the home of the gay couple and condemned them as sinners."

The video was captured by Geoff Skelding, who lives on the block and  says the evangelists have been active for years. "This is a group from a church at the end of my street. Apparently they have been grouping in front of a gay couple's house and reading their bible loudly for the past 7 years. They may have also driven a lesbian couple from the area as well by doing the same thing. Tonight most of our neighbours came out and were successful in getting them to leave. The people who go to that church don't even live in our area! Police came by shortly thereafter."

Says one evangelist in the clip: "We have the authority to preach the gospel. We've been doing this for 70 years."

One neighbors retorts: "You don't know what love means." Another yells: "Stay the hell out of my neighborhood."

Almost surrealistic that this would happen in Canada. Hopefully this church won't inspire similar actions on this side of the border. WWJD? Watch the clip WHEN YOU JUMP ...

Thanks ANDY and JOE, who notes "Highfield Road Gospel Hall welcomes your calls of support at 416-288-0389."

Comments

[TheRevKev]

WWJD?!

IT WOULDN'T BE THIS! I am so sick, tired and sometimes even scared for the church, by actions like this.

People, who don't even live in the neighborhood, yet again masking vile and ugly hatred under religion and "Christianity." How did the Christian church get SO STUCK on an issue that Christ himself never said a MUMBLING WORD ABOUT?!?!

This is sad and stupid and makes the church look hateful, harmful and bigoted. MY GOD, no wonder so many people are recovering from or broken by CHURCH HATE! Sanctified hats and big bibles don't give you authority. They give you a mask!

WHOA UNTO YOU, YOU VILE HYPOCRITES
(Jesus...throughou the Book of Matthew and strongly in Matthew 21!)

ENOUGH!!!!!!!!

God is love and Love is for everyone!

JESUS IS COMING SOON...AND HE'S GONNA BE MAD!!!!!!

[BLACK]

AND THE DEVIL IS COMING AND HE IS GOING TO GET ALL THE CRAZY PEOPLE TRYING TO TELL OTHERS HOW TO LIVE THEIR DAMN LIVES...GO TO HELL!!!

[tboi]

and ditto @ RevKev...

[Lang B]

I would have brought out my hose. "OOOP's did I do that?" SERIOUSLY! I sometimes think that those CHUCH Folks don't 100% believe what they spew but do it thinking it will give them brownie points with CREATOR (God). Why don't they go to crack houses, gang spots and impoverished areas where there is rampant youth pregnancy & low education and preach to them about LIFESTYLE. We all cannot be the SAME. If we all were married with children- would that REALLY make the world a better place? IMO- the world is already over populated. GEESE!

[Timothy C Lee]

Why not just burn a cross on their front lawn if you want to drive them away?

[mechadude2001]

I would spray them with a hose... then try to file a restraining order on all them mother fuckers.

[ETIENNE]

Waouh...Thx Rod..I live in Toronto and I'm really annoyed to see that craziness going on here...I think that hateful church is going to have a lot of work considered the number of gay people/couples that live in that area..But this is a reminder that homophobia is (still) well and..kicking every where...

[Honut Sinti]

They NEED to pray that the batteries hold out in that flashlight they will need on their search because they sure as hell done lost their minds.

[anton]

crazy mf'ers. i would let fly a couple rounds of buckshot. that black guy leading the pack looked obviously gay to me. i bet he had a jones on for one of the gay guys in that house.

[gh]

Everyone assumes that this group was protesting something, yelling at gay people or targeting a particular home. The message wasn't even about being gay or straight.

See their responses here http://www.xtra.ca/public/National/Toronto_Baptists_pray_outside_gay_couples_house_Church_insists_its_a_misunderstanding-9083.aspx

See what they believe here www.gospelhall.org

[Jim]

Back in Jamaica, these good men and women of God could stone that gay couple to death, and be cheered on the entire time by the police!

That gay couple should just be grateful these particular folks are so merciful.

</snark>

[Cocoa Rican]

Ignorance masked as God-loving Christians. The sad part is that many can't see how their displays of intolerance and hate go against EVERYTHING Jesus taught and practiced in life. I almost miss the exhuberant displays of 80s pro-gay groups like Act-Up who showed equal bravado in the face of dissent.

We can either follow King's non-violent opposition or choose to take Malcolm X's more proactive approach.

Don't event think about it in NYC...I have a feeling we can show you the new meaning of gay bashing...from a gay perspective.

[dE]

This story is not quite what it seems, the Toronto Star clarifies in a story this morning: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/852019--viral-video-in-leslieville-is-not-what-it-seems?bn=1

[Cocoa Rican]

Just read the Toronto Star story and it clarifies that the sermons are not necessarily targeting the gay couple AND that the gay couple appear to feel put out by all the attention this story is getting. All said, I wonder if Christians would feel put-out or imposed upon if a make-shift gay club assembled in front of the church every Sunday to dance and party. I mean...we're in our right to assemble as well. Let's keep it real here...I'll respect your beliefs and way of life and you respect mine. Don't intrude on my privacy or personal space by having a Bible thumping sermon in front of my house and I won't hold court with voguing queens in front of your temple...period.