Pastor Worley, Heresy the Troll and That Old Time Religion

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-shore/pastor-worley-heresy-the-troll-and-old-time-religion_b_1539688.html

John Shore
Author, 'UNFAIR: Why the "Christian" View of Gays Doesn't Work'

You almost feel sorry for Pastor Worley. At the moment I published NC pastor: "Let's put all the queers and lesbians behind electric fences and let them die," the video of Worley preaching that all gay people should be sequestered behind electrical fences and left to die had been viewed 308 times. As of this writing it's been viewed 546,368 times. And that's made pastor Worley the most reviled pastor in America today.

The motto of pastor Morley's church is, "The Home of old time Religion." (It's also apparently the Home of random Capitalization -- but never mind.)

Old-time religion.

For a lot of people that phrase indicates something awesomely admirable. It evinces a set of values and a way of life that is perfectly honorable. When I think of people who, a generation or so ago, were imbued with what we now call "old time religion," I think of people anyone would be proud to be. I think of people who were hard-working, clear-headed, family-loving, giving, respectful of others, humble before the God they spent their lives endeavoring to emulate.*

more at link

[edcantor]

1. Church Members Defend Homophobic Pastor

As a responsible leader in a religious community, I'm having a hard time thinking of this Pastor as anything other than a KKK type grand dragon, inspiring his followers to think of fellow Americans as deserving of concentration camps, as a better alternative than death.

I'd really like to see some other religious leaders of any faith standing up against this kind of propagation of outright hatred, all in the name of a book we call the Bible.

Can someone point me toward articles and public statements by religious leadership in America that vociferously is working to counteract this disgusting kind of religiously-inspired screed?

[cbayer]

2. Start here

http://www.welcomingresources.org/multifaithlinks.htm

[edcantor]

3. Thanks for the list to many links!

Are all of these on public record against what this Pastor is doing, fomenting distrust, hatred, and a Nazi-like fantasy against gay and lesbian folks in America?

I don't have the time to read through all of those links today, but the first three in the list I took a look at, and couldn't find anything specific to counter that religious leader, Worley's outrageous desire to confine and imprison so many of my fellow Americans, simply because of whom they wish to love. One of the links returned this: "404 (Page Not Found) Error"

Are there any specific press releases in the last week or two since this distasteful video from Worley appeared on Youtube?

[cbayer]

5. I get the feeling that nothing I could give you would satisfy you. So be it.

[edcantor]

6. No, when a prominent religious leader and his congregation go on record as

advocating the involuntary and humanely disgusting internment of a significant part of the American population, I expect thousands and thousands of good faithful religious folks, and virtually ALL leaders in the religious community to stand up and publicly go on the record to castigate and repudiate such vicious concepts. I expect decent Americans of any faith, or of no faith at all, to go on the record to oppose this man and his followers.

All I have seen so far are atheists pointing out the absurdity of this man's words, in some sort of effort to castigate all religions. I don't agree with that. But I certainly don't see many Christians and Jewish folks and Muslims standing up and challenging this evil man's words, in the name of their faith, not even in the name of their basic desire for human decency and equality. Sorry, but I'm not seeing that kind of activism from anyone other than the atheists, humanists, and whatever else they call themselves, all of them not embracing a religion when they do so.

[cbayer]

7. Well, I'm not going to be able to provide you with statements from ALL religious leaders,

so my premise that I can't satisfy you is correct.

You are wrong. Leaders in congregations all over this country will speak to their members about it this weekend. There are protests planned that include religious groups and leaders, as well as secular organizations. The internet is full of denouncements from religious believers and non-believers alike.

Where is the activism from the groups you name? Why is it that you only see that and skip over the statements, including this article from others.

I agree with you on one point though - there are those who will use this to castigate all religions. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (that's a Bible verse, by the way).

[edcantor]

9. Other than gay and atheist on-line journals and a few

liberal leaning on-line locations like Huffington Post, I'm not seeing anyone do anything even as public as putting out a Youtube response from another religious leader. I would think we would have hundreds of religious leaders standing on the steps of the Supreme Court, or on the steps of the National Cathedral, or in the entry gate to Auschwitz, castigating this evil religious leader.

But no, just a few obscure or liberal on-line journals, while Pastor Worley gets hundreds of thousands of views, and thousands of comments from racist, homophobic sympathizers.


Yes, atheists and agnostics should NEVER take such an embarrassing act, done in the name of Christianity, as a moment to question the value of religion! Never should anyone ever question that, not even if a Christian leader and his followers want to imprison millions of Americans in concentration camps. No one should ever question nor challenge religion's right to freedom of thought and outrageous hate speech.

[cbayer]

10. “None so blind as those that will not see.”

Not from the bible, but said by a theologian.

[struggle4progress]

11. In 2010 Harmony NC had population 533. Like the rest of us, you never heard of Worley

until just last week. So perhaps there's little substance to your words "prominent religious leader"

[edcantor]

12. I'll leave out the word "prominent" if you

accept "religious leader", as part of the issue here.

Giving this person and his congregation of followers and defenders the rights to free speech, while they advocate denial of rights to other Americans, well, I just have to wonder why people defend this kind of freedom of religion thing, and why people dismiss it as an aberration, and quote gay journals and civil libertarians, and have no one to show from the religious leadership of the nation, (mostly of Christians and Jews) who don't bother to make a national headline here.

When religion quits preaching hate, I'll stop hating religion.

Jesus is the antithesis of hate, but many of his followers seem to forget that.

as Gandhi said, "I like your Jesus. you Christians? not so much."

This should be as easy as a hot knife through butter for religious leaders to publicly condemn, to demand that this man be removed from anything close to leadership in a major American religious faith, but they all seem to be silent, or just writing opinion pieces in some web thing with a few thousand readers.

Where is the courage and conviction and public relations expertise in progressive religious leadership in America? I have seen none after this rather tragic, and totally inhumane rant from a "religious leader".

N.C. county backs down, allows protest of anti-gay sermon

http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/05/25/nc-county-backs-down-allows-protest-anti-gay-sermon

Worley’s comments have been rejected by some Christians.

On Thursday, Melissa Lilley, communications director of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, noted that neither Worley nor his congregation is affiliated with the convention, which is comprised of Southern Baptist churches. Providence Road is an independent Baptist church.

“The leadership of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina does not support or agree with his (Worley’s) comments,” Lilley said. “We value the lives and souls of all men and women and desire to see every person come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and be respected; as this is the expectation that Jesus has established in the Bible for all who follow him.”

Meanwhile, Tipton said emails, phone calls and other messages continue to flow in from people around the country saying they’ll be in Newton on Sunday to march from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.[/div

Let's see what religious leadership shows up.

[cbayer]

13. Southern Baptist Leader Condemns NC Pastors' Anti-Gay Remarks

http://www.christianpost.com/news/southern-baptist-convention-leader-condemns-nc-pastors-anti-gay-remarks-75572/

For the record, this minister and his church are independent and unaffiliated with the SBC. No one can remove him. He's no religious leader. He's the pastor of a small, independent church.

And why are you ignoring all the links I am putting up. It just seems that you are dismissing anything that doesn't fit your preconceived notion.

You asked where the religious people were who were condemning this. I have given you a whole slew and you just keep on beating the same drum. As I said initially, I don't think there is anything that would satisfy you.

[cbayer]

4. Also, the article posted here was written by a Christian writer and

here is more:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-reyeschow/pastor-worley-and-the-slippery-slope-of-speaking-truth-in-love_b_1539734.html


http://sojo.net/blogs/2012/05/23/north-carolina-christian’s-response-pastor-charles-l-worley


There is a lot more out there, but you have to look for it. Doesn't get a lot of press - not sexy or provocative enough. Just good people saying good things.

[cbayer]

8. FAITHFUL VOICES OPPOSE AND DISCREDIT NORTH CAROLINA 'ELECTRIC FENCE' PASTOR'S HARMFUL WORDS

http://www.glaad.org/blog/faithful-voices-oppose-and-discredit-north-carolina-electric-fence-pastors-harmful-words


not sure why I bother, though.