Pastor order deacons to beat gay couple/relatives MERGED

[doggie]

A gay Gibson County couple said they were assaulted when they tried to attend church services at the Grace Fellowship Church in Fruitland last Wednesday.

"I went over to take the keys out of the ignition and all the sudden I hear someone say 'sick'em,'" said Gibson County resident, Jerry Pittman Jr.

Pittman said the attacked was prompted by the pastor of the church, Jerry Pittman, his father.

"My uncle and two other deacons came over to the car per my dad's request. My uncle smash 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," said Pittman. He said bystanders did not offer assistance. He said the deacon yelled derogatory homosexual slurs, even after officers arrived. He said the officers never intervened to stop the deacons from yelling the slurs.

"If I was on the scene I would not have allowed that. The deputy should not have allowed it if he did," said Gibson County Sheriff Chuck Arnold.

Pittman said neither he nor Lee were allowed to press charges while at the church.

"I haven't talk to him but that would be out of character for my deputy to say unless they were causing a problem themselves," said Sheriff Arnold.

Friday, the couple filed assault charges against Deacons Billy Sims and Eugene McCoy. Pittman pressed additional charges against his father and Deacon Patrick Flatt. Pastor Pittman's attorney contacted ABC 7 Eyewitness News by phone and said she had no comment and demanded we not contact the pastor.

[SamuraiKatz]

Way to show the love of Jesus.....not

[Lillybee]

I think what happened was terrible, but I wonder if Pittman who knew his father's view of homosexuality went to his father's church to provoke something. But that beating was out of line.

[WanderingStar]

Sickening...when anyone questions my problems with homophobic people, these are exactly the kind of incidents I cite. If you don't agree with homosexuality, fine...but don't assault my family for it! I stopped being friends with a girl because she called my gay uncle an abomination that deserves to die and I yelled at her in front of everyone in the commons area before classes started. I'd hate to think how she would've treated my uncle if she met him face-to-face. It probably would've gone down just like this because she was bordering psychopathic. She used to work at our Walmart and an older employee was watching her and said to another, "That little girl has issues."

[BravaAmica]

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/10/04 ... at-church/

PS: Shit like this is why I'm not a Christian any more.

[MrsYoungie]

And one of the boys was the son of the pastor? Holy crap.

OTOH this took place in Grace Fellowship Church in Fruitland, TN? seriously? Fruitland? Is this some over-reaction like in the song "A boy named Sue?"

[Koala]

Omg, that is awful....

[maybeizfundie]

So sad and wrong. :(

Can't recall anything Jesus said regarding "beat the gays up". Not even Paul said anything close to that.

[LynnKaboom]

Father of the year, right here. What an asshole.

[PennySycamore]

Same here, LauraElle.

Jesus not only didn't say anything about beating the gays up, he didn't say anything about gay people at all.

[Mommy22alyns]

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/10/04/pastor-orders-his-flock-to-beat-gay-couple-arriving-at-church/

PS: Shit like this is why I'm not a Christian any more.

Shit like this is why I have a really, really hard time with Christianity. :cry:

[jenny_islander]

Christianity didn't turn the pastor into a jackwagon who thought he was entitled to attack his own son for making him look bad to his in-group. That mindset exists independent of religion.

[Guest Anonymous]

Christianity didn't turn the pastor into a jackwagon who thought he was entitled to attack his own son for making him look bad to his in-group. That mindset exists independent of religion.

No, it didn't, but there is definitely fuel for such beliefs in the Bible depending on how it's interpreted. Most of the Christians I know in meatspace think that homosexuality is a sin, because they hear it from the pupit. That contributes to an environment where things like this are more likely to happen. I mean, if one believes that gay people should be stoned to death, a beating is a pretty logical place for them to go.

*I am a Christian, before I get accused of hating them again. I feel I have a responsibility to oppose this sort of thinking from the inside if I'm going to stay in the faith. Christians have a big homophobia problem that we need to confront.

[AlexIsAwake]

No, it didn't, but there is definitely fuel for such beliefs in the Bible depending on how it's interpreted. Most of the Christians I know in meatspace think that homosexuality is a sin, because they hear it from the pupit. That contributes to an environment where things like this are more likely to happen. I mean, if one believes that gay people should be stoned to death, a beating is a pretty logical place for them to go.

*I am a Christian, before I get accused of hating them again. I feel I have a responsibility to oppose this sort of thinking from the inside if I'm going to stay in the faith. Christians have a big homophobia problem that we need to confront.

I just read a book called unChristian which sites statistics explaining why many people want nothing to do with Christianity. The number one reason was that Christianity is perceived as anti-gay. We need more people willing to confront this. There are a few organizations out there who make a good attempt, like Faith In America (which has a lot of links on their site to similar organizations), but I really feel that at this point in time, all their efforts are just a drop in the bucket. For Christians, homophobia should be seen as a blight on everything Jesus came to accomplish.

I'm sure some here know of Christian Reconstructionism and perhaps have heard of RJ Rushdoony. Just had the pleasure of doing some reading on him over the weekend. He advocated a return to Old Testament Law and a theocracy....in which gay individuals would be given the death penalty for being gay. I doubt the fools at this church would object. It's bad enough to be a bigoted asshole who betrays your own child, but to do it in the name of Christ? That's just plain evil. Homophobia in any form disgusts me.