Obviously, this pastor is a well-studied man, more studied than I or Scott Bailey,
The fact that one of the gay men attacked happened to be the Pastor’s own son, Jerry Pittman, Jr., no doubt contributed to Pittman senior’s noxious edict. According to Pittman Jr., after hearing his Dad yell, “SICK’EM!:”
“My uncle and two other deacons came over to the car per my dad’s request. My uncle smashed me in the door as the other deacon knocked my boyfriend back so he couldn’t help me, punching him in his face and his chest. The other deacon came and hit me through my car window in my back.”
Wow… say… how’s that for some Christian love?
Now, my usual disclaimer: I’m not saying that all Christians do this, but the way I was raised, I could imagine many of them cheering at this story.
Joel L. Watts holds a Masters of Arts from United Theological Seminary with a focus in literary and rhetorical criticism of the New Testament. His interests include exploring the role of mimesis in human civilization, specifically in the study of religion and media, as well as science fiction and the way in which it has allowed mythology to be explored in light of scientific discoveries of the past century. He is the author of Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark: Introduction and Commentary (Wipf and Stock, 2013) and a co-editor and contributor to From Fear to Faith: Stories of Hitting Spiritual Walls (Energion, 2013).
Website: → Unsettled Christianity
Connect
“Since my childhood, prejudice, bigotry, false beliefs, racist and homophobic feelings and attitudes have been programmed into the computer of my brain along with orthodox Christian beliefs.
They are all defense mechanisms against loving.”
–Brennan Manning
My pastor preached a sermon entitled “It happened in a Church” detailing knife fights, fisticuffs and taserings in various churches. I think he was reacting to some verbal incidents in our own congregation…
Where is the outcry by “mainstream” Christians over such senseless brutality!? Kids are killing themselves, and if they make it to adulthood, their preacher fathers and deacon thugs are beating the crap out of them!!
All for what, really? Because the guy is in love with another dude? How does that warrant violence or even a passing glance?
Oh, I forgot I’m living in the era of Scott Lively and his Kill The Gays Edict. Someone needs to point out that he only meant the Ugandan ones.
Yeah, I remember all of those stories about Jesus beating people up.
And telling fathers to hate their kids.
Sick, sick, sick …
Well, the bible does recommend stoning them, so merely beating them up is a loving compromise. Nehemiah pulled people’s hair out. Stop bringing Jesus into Christianity.
I hope you’re being ironic…
He is, Robert, he is.
Many of us are bounded by traditional beliefs which do not have biblical foundations. Check it out at truebibledoctrines.com
Why?
I too am saddened by this post. What bothers me the most is that, at one time, I probably would have cheered this. Not done it, of course. Oh no, I would never have beat anyone for being gay. Would have cheered though. Which is worse?
Well it sounds like Fred Phelps.
As I often say…preaching against a person has never won them into the kingdom.
[...] Watts brings attention to a new theological resource. He also wonders where in the Bible Jesus told Christians to beat [...]