News
| Black clergy rip Obama on gay marriage |
| Pastors criticize support for same-sex unions |
| Published Thursday, September 6, 2012 7:52 am |
The Coalition of African American Pastors have a message for President Barack Obama: Don't take black Christians for granted.
"We are disappointed in our president," said the Rev. William Owens, founder of CAAP. "We love our president and we pray for our president."
That dream doesn't include same-sex marriage. That's why CAAP has launched a website, www.10000signatures4marriage.com, to petition the president to change his mind. Owens said 85 percent of the visitors to the site agree with the group's stance.
Owens asserted that too many pastors – especially black ones – are quiet on the issue because they don't want to speak out against the first black president.
"They are drinking his Kool-Aid and it's more poisonous than (cult leader) Jim Jones' was."
But members of the gay and lesbian community reject CAAP’s views.
N.C. Rep. Marcus Brandon (D-Guilford), who is openly gay, said CAAP isn't about civil rights if it promotes discrimination.
"Clearly, if you fought on the streets, like my parents did, and follow the legacy that Dr. Martin Luther King and Jesse Jackson left, you wouldn't take that type of stance," he said.
But Owens and the other pastors who took part in Wednesday's press conference – including Charlotte's William McBride of the Prayer Healing and Deliverance Center – said same sex-marriage is not a civil rights issue and if Obama doesn't change his mind, this could cost him the election.
"Obama said he evolved to this decision," Owens said. "We need him to re-evolve again."
While he said he isn't telling people not to vote for Obama and his group isn't endorsing GOP candidate Mitt Romney, the pastors want to send the message that black Christians aren't automatically going to vote for him again.
"President Obama is trying to undermine God's institution," McBride said.
And while churches have non-profit status, Owens and CAAP member David Hall said this isn't a political issue.
"As a religionist, I am called and will preach the gospel message with compassion and clarity in this matter, in spite of emerging political opinions," Hall said.
North Carolina DNC delegate Janice Covington – the state's first openly transgender delegate – said, "I think they need to go back and read their Bible, because it explicitly says Jesus said that no man should judge another and for them to judge us and to judge Obama, they are committing a sin."
And, Brandon said, seeking attention.
"What we have is a bunch of ministers demagoguing trying to get attention for themselves," he said. "If they concentrate on fornication, adultery and greed – things that affect their church far more than any homosexual – then I think their church would see a different face to it."
Comments
| If gay marriage is ok, why not make polygamy, incest, or pedophilia, OK? And all of aforementioned in the name of 'LOVE' will justify them all? Do the "ends" justify the "means" at any cost? Are gays really being honest with themselves and others in "coming out of the closet"? Why the need for gay "pride" in the first place decades ago? Perhaps someone can explain why they want to shame others for their hate or homophobia when they themselves needed to advertise and promote their own "pride" well before anyone knew about gay pride? ONE LAST POINT/QUESTION. Doesn't the medical community recommend that you, "Wash your hands after you go to the bathroom."? Yet, now there are some in the medical community that now say it's OK to "Sleep with the waste that gets flushed down in the toilet?" and that it's possible to live a perfectly normal life. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - IF I OPPOSE INCEST, DOES THAT MAKE ME A BIGOT? To those who say that anti-gay marriage supporters are "bigots", would anyone opposing polygamy, incest or pedophilia also be bigots? |
| Posted on November 3, 2012 |
| Another thing is the legal matters. Take medical insurance. If someone has been living with someone else for years, is it not ok to put them on you policy. Gay people can?t do that right now, from what I understand, and that is totally against our freedoms. They can?t be placed on each other insurance because they can?t get ?married?. Please see this crab like mentality. It really isn't us. |
| Posted on October 15, 2012 |
| Really? And who might replace President Obama isn't. If anything our religion is about tolerince. That doesn't mean we like and promote everyone?s decisions but we speak the truth in love and leave it there for them to decide. I have to wonder has this Rev actually read the Book of Mormon or understood that certain people of certain color weren?t even allowed into that ?church? until 1978. And you want to get mad at what people already do, have been doing for years, and we can?t fathom what is going on in their world? I?m not saying it is right or even they will make it to Heaven, but what do I know? And a deeper matter what does this guy know. This is chess not checkers, and we defiantly need a cool head with all the international turmoil. Romney isn?t it. First of get the aduleriours out of the church, the dead beat mother and fathers then worry about what someone is doing in their bed. I personally am not for abortion (but I have never had to make that choice), I am personally not for even homosexual relationships, (but the friend that save my live during war 2006 was one), but I know I am not for one bit of exclusion when it comes to God. There was a little girl that just got shot just trying to learn in Swat, Pakistan. Do me a favor, take a minute and try to catch the fish before you clean it. You hold a higher office in the clergy than I but it would make my job a lot easier. Minister of Music |
| Posted on October 15, 2012 |
| Same sex marriage is a state level issue. Your state will vote as to if they will allow same sex marriage. It does not matter who the president is at the time. Some states have shame sex marriages right now. Obama has nothing to do with it. This scare tactic is very upsetting. Too many people sided for our right to vote. Never let any one take your voice; even if they are in a pulpit. Vote, always vote your own convictions. |
| Posted on October 14, 2012 |
| Obama's problems with the Black community, if any, have less to do with his stand on gay marriage --which is a problem for those who follow a strict reading of the Bible --than his non-actions on this horrible economy. President Obama also has shown repeated disrespect for the African American community, taking us for granted while other parts of his constituency (gays, Latinos, liberal whites) are never taken for granted. He didn't even bother to show up for the NAACP convention. He also allowed that clown of a VP, Joe Biden, to disrespect a Black audience saying "ther gwonna put all y'all back in chains". Invoking the histoty of slavery for political points is cheap, painful and demeaning. He didn't even reprimand Biden. Here is what many African Americans have concluded about Obama: he didn't show up for us. Now we don't have to show up for him. |
| Posted on September 30, 2012 |
| SO ALL OF THE ADVANCEMENTS OBAMA HAS MADE FOR THE COUNTRY ARE OBSOLETE BECAUSE OF THIS ONE TOPIC??? CRABS IN A BASKET!! -they jsut want 5 minutes of fame. |
| Posted on September 24, 2012 |
| I feel that these pastors are being quite ignorant in their point of view. I once shared the same views but I have edcuated myself on the matter. For legality purposes those in love should be able to have some form of domestic union that is recognized by health insurance, probate law, and many other legal aspects of their lives. However one of the main points the pastors are missing is the old testament and the new testament; Moses Law and Jesus' Law. In the old testament God was very strict and direct about what he wanted or you'd be damned to hell."An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth; a sinner would reep their punihsment, immediately. We find the story of Sodom and Gammorah there, which are two towns that were burned down for their awlful sins (sodomy being one of them) and Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt for disobeying God and looking back. But then in the New Testament God sent himself/son, Jesus in the form of a human. Through that experience Jesus saw first hand the temptations that humans dealt with. (Satan even attempted to tempt JESUS - although he didn't succeed.) Jesus tell us the Old law is no more, everyone can have an opportunity to go to heaven as long as you believe in ME and my FATHER and put God's desires FIRST. He said specifically judge and you will be judge... THE meaning is that we all may succum to temptations and we all have fallen short of the glory of the Lord. We all need to guide people from wrongdoing but at the same time keep your eyes on your own "paper" and not judge others or else you'll be judged. The New Testament states nothing adversely about homosexuality. It says, "in the last days men will be lovers of men". Which is an indication that the end is near but nothing else. These pastors should know the word better than a K-8, Catholic school student and Christian. |
| Posted on September 24, 2012 |
| i God is so aghast at homosexuals why did He create this sexuality in nature [and not just in man but in all the animal kingdom]? why would He have two commandments about unfaithfulness to your spouse or desiring anothers spouse, but nowhere in the ten did He write "do not love and have relations with others of ou own sex". |
| Posted on September 13, 2012 |
| How can so many "people of God" have such dark hearts? Leave civil law to the lay population, all "God's servants" should be concentrating on the work He left for the faithful to do, speak the word of God without dictating you must accept it, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, console the grief of others and enJOY the joyous events in life. Christ spoke only of love and acceptance, He passed judgement on no one but the hypnocrites,who are we to do otherwise. |
| Posted on September 13, 2012 |
| u can't throw out the baby with the bath water if your supporting to kill the babies!! |
| Posted on September 12, 2012 |
| Mormonism is a occult check it out yourselves, and far worse than same sex ( of which I don't agree with) but you will throw out the baby with the bath water? For one thing the mormons reject Christian Trinity they believe in henotheism. Look up there history before you throw stones. |
| Posted on September 12, 2012 |
| @ Brandon & Covington: So it's okay to judge fornication, adultery and greed ? but not sodomy. Hmmm... |
| Posted on September 11, 2012 |
| How can ministers blame our president for supporting gay marriage, when some of the or gay themselves? God left ten commandments, and He plainly states He hate all sins. Not our job to judge, That God's Job |
| Posted on September 11, 2012 |
| It is very clear that 0bama is a sheep in wolfs clothing Americans shud watch so as not to hand over there country to people who have no respect for God,fore runners of d devil that seek to go against God in the name of change.The Bible clearly not in support of gay marriages in all entirety its devilish. |
| Posted on September 9, 2012 |
| Today is a wonderful day for the creation of man. Little is know of the mind of God as understood by man. Look into the heavens, wind, rain and the light. Man could not and did not understand how a bird could fly, cause the bird had not ground to walk on up above the ground that man walked on. I am a 64 year old man of God. I am husband to my wife, father to my children lover of all that God has created. After creation I had a specific comandment that I was to name all the things that God had created. Gods only instructions to do this job was, Do Not eat of the tree of knowledge that if eaten from shall cause one to die. Because I am a born again unto Christ I have been given the oppurunity to know what real evil looks like. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck. It is a duck. Get the behind me Satan and may your eternal life be forever and that each of the fovever days be a reminder to you that GOD IS GREAT, GOD IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS, GOD IS THE HOLY REDEEMER. GLORY TO GOD ALMIGHTY. |
| Posted on September 7, 2012 |
| The implications of accepting gay marriage in the church is one thing, but the Federal Government is not "the Church". President Obama shouldn't take a single vote for granted, and I don't think he does. I, personally, don't agree with gay marriage, but I am not representing America from a public service position. Pastors,it's fine for you to voice your opinions, and even petition for support of your personal beliefs. However, America is NOT a theocracy. I contend it has never been a truly Christian nation (in deed). As divisive as this issue is, as profound as the implications may be, gay marriage is anathema to the church. I'm not sure if America is "the church". Your compassion may help to win some wayward souls...if you allow God to give the increase. But if it is so devastating, why are so many churches accepting of gay/effeminate "ministers of music"? You gladly accept their gifts, but have you relegated them to some "lesser heaven" because of their (apparent) qualities or lifestyles? Petition as you will, but there needs to be separation between church and state. Remember, man perceives and judges on outward appearances, but God looks on the heart...even your own. Judge the issue, and assert your position, but this is a political stance, meant to be inclusive of all people. I think the church needs to be open-minded about where we are in the evolution of society. Good or bad, rejecting people will make your church services null and void, for it's (literally) preaching to the choir, if you can only see people that are already saved. Marriage is an institution throughout the world, but its legality is what makes it an issue President Obama has to address. The church should continue its work at propagating/perpetuating agape, which is the highest law. I hope compassion will be the church's marching orders, for without it, the church will never reach those that are not as "Godly" as its ministers. In which case, your efforts will be pointless. Remember ...all things RECONCILED under Christ, not any other group that THINKS they (wholly) represent Him. |
| Posted on September 7, 2012 |
| Should the anus be used as a sex organ? Google First Scandal. When you get there, go to the top of the page and click on "Can you explain..." Please note: this website you reach will be deleted on November 1, 2012. |
| Posted on September 6, 2012 |
| would rather have christian obama than a mormon romney anyday!!!! Mitt Romney?s religious beliefs about Black People and Marriage are Fair Game. In 2008 Candidate Barak Obama was constantly asked, questioned, and even vilified over his Christian beliefs. He was untruly accused to have been a ?Muslim? by many white conservative ?Christians?, Republican Party officials, Republican Party candidates, and conservative media outlets nationwide. Now in 2012, I am legitimately questioning the true religious beliefs of Mitt Romney. I am appalled that some Black pastors and these same White Christians That attacked Obama in are not doing the same. It is very disturbing that any Black pastor or true Christian would choose to support a candidate that, religiously believes and was raised under a religion that taught Black people are inferior to all other people as the Mormon Church does, and that continues to support and belong to the church as Romney has. Also disturbing and downright ridiculous is that any pastor, Christian or sane Christian for that matter would support a candidate that believes, through their religion, and his own family background, in polygamy as Romney does, while at the same time vilifying Obama because he agrees in legalizition of same sex marriage. To me, there is a big difference in one whom believes that polygamy is acceptable and one whom merely supports the rights of gay and lesbian couples. They way I understand these issues are that: A) Obama; does not religiously support homosexual behavior or same sex marriage but supports the ideas to protect their rights as citizens our founding fathers laid out in the Constitution. B) Romney; religiously believes and was taught that polygamy among other this is right. This difference is even more outrages me when ?Christians? use the argument of the ?sanctity" of marriage? argument to defend there support of Romney. Look I will be the first to admit that I am not a religious leader, expert, commentator or that I attend church every Sunday. But I am a Christian, a member of a Black Baptist church and was raised in a Christian household with prayer and guidance. I take pride that I raise my children in the church and teach them Christian values. What I am is a Publisher of a Black newspaper, owner of a Black advertising agency. Over the years I have been very involved in local, statewide, and national political campaigns. I have a valued history of involvement in community, political, social, and even entertainment efforts. Mark Kimbe, Publisher, California advocate Newspaper, Fresno California 559-2680941 |
| Posted on September 6, 2012 |
| The comments in the article and in this thread are from the playbook of misdirection. My pervading issue with the gay and lesbian community is "redefining" sin. All of us are candiates for the grace of God as He loves us intently and intentionally. However, de-classifying homosexuality as sin cancels the purpose, message, and power of the cross of Christ. Repentance and renewal are subsequently deleted from the Christian lexicon. Those who claim this issue to be civil rights issue are misguided. This group of pastors support gay rights (e.g. health care, etc.). To those who embrace liberation theology - where does liberation from self come into your oppressive equation? In the same manner that the Republicans attempt to prostitute the vote of the Black Church via the sanctity of life (abortion) & the institution of the family tenets, President Obama is taking the vote of Black Christians for granted and propagates it via instigating culture wars. I find the secular humanism and agnostic view of Kathy to be tragic and amusing... |
| Posted on September 6, 2012 |
| let's let ppl do whatever they want to do, murder sell drugs have abortions or whatever, no more laws!! |
| Posted on September 6, 2012 |
| It always strikes me that everyone seems to miss the point that the whole same sex marriage issue is not a religious one but a legal one. There is no Church or religious institusion that is required to marry anyone but there is no Church or religious institusion that can marry anyone without a marriage license. So if so called people of Faith would allow God to do what God does best then you will find out that God will do what's best for everyone. Remember,"for God so Loved the world that gave His only begotten Son" not a bunch of men or women with their own biasis. |
| Posted on September 6, 2012 |
| "WHATEVER AND STEALING MONEY FROM THE CHURCH ISNT GOD WORK EITHER, YOU REV. ARE SPEAKING ON A FAKE GOD U NEVER MET JUST TO GET SOME MONEY OUT OF PEOPLE, YEAH RIGHT LET THE PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT... JUST LIKE YOU AND ALL THE OTHER PASTORS DO AT CHURCH THAT SPEAKS ON A GOD THAT PROBABLY INSN'T REAL ANYWAY WE ARE OUR OWN GODS AND U ARE JUST ANOTHER PERSON STEALING MONEY FROM PEOPLE AND TRYING TO GET TO HEAVEN YOURSELF. JESUS MAY BE THE DEVIL HIMSELF AND U MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT... SOME PLEASE STOP IT MIND YOUR OWN AND LET WHOEVER THAT WANTS TO BE GAY BE GAY... AND BE FREE THE CHURCH IS A LIE ANYWAY AND ONE OF THE WORST PLACE TOBE RIGHT NOW IN 2012 SO WHATEVER BE FREE BE HAPPY BE GAY....KATHY |
| Posted on September 6, 2012 |
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