Usually, when a megachurch pastor is revealed to be gay, it is because he was outed by a young man who was pushing his luggage. But I have to praise Jim Swilley, who founded Conyers’ Church in the Now 25 years ago in Georgia. Swilley was moved by the recent rash of gay teen suicides to reveal that he has known he was gay since he was a little boy. “I know a lot of straight people think it is a choice. It is not.”
Of course, a conservative “Christian” blog has already denounced him as “sick, twisted, unclean and an instrument of the devil”. But Swilley says “I know all the hateful stuff that’s being written about me online, whatever. To think about saving a teenager yeah, I’ll risk my reputation for that.”
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This is what integrity looks like.
Extra points for saying “whatever” to the self-righteous, intolerant blogger.
This is a great story. Finally, someone who doesn’t make “compassionate conservative” an oxymoron.
One of my good friends also believes that being gay is a choice because it makes those people seem “cool or hip.” I just couldn’t convince him otherwise.
I guess your friend also believes committing suicide is cool or hip too.
Until recently I didn’t fully understand the homophobia that grips so much of our country. My “revelation” occurred while conversing with a coworker about religion – specifically, conservative Christianity in this country – and its apparent contradictions. I asked him, if we are created in God’s image and God abhors homosexuality, why are their gay people? Why would we even be capable of homosexuality if our creator forbids it? And, as you can expect, he said something to the effect of “Gay people aren’t living by God’s design because they’re choosing not to.”
Thus ensued an hour-long (and ultimately pointless) discussion about whether homosexuality is a choice. I didn’t convince my coworker to see reason, but that led me to understand something: homophobes – actually, not even homophobes, since I don’t think my coworker could be defined as a homophobe – truly and honestly believe homosexuality is a choice. Now I understand how religious people can persecute someone for a characteristic they don’t control: Because they actually DO control it! People actually do choose their sexual orientation, and can therefore be ‘punished’ for choosing wrongly. Now I understand the requisite mindset for homophobic bigotry.
Apparently only the wrong orientation is a choice though. At one point I asked my coworker if he chose to be straight and he said, “No, I’m just like that.” Needless to say, the irony was lost on him.
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He should do as his homo teen followers and go join them !!! VOTE TEA PARTY and let’s clean this country up and get rid of coloreds, illegals, feminazis and fags.
Or better yet, people like you, TPP.
ZJD, indeed your coworker may not be a homophobe. It seems that many of the people who are truly homophobes are fighting homosexual tendencies in themselves. I guess they have to believe that homosexuality is a choice so that they can choose not to be one.
Remember, it’s only a choice when you’re in prison – or at least it’s Bubba’s choice that you’re going to be gay if he’s your cell mate…I’m just saying…
TPP – you are anathema to the Tea Party movement, what a liar you are! Such a poser!
Why is everyone who disagress with homosexuality a homophobe? Why can’t we just be heterosexist?
I know gays who turned away from their gay lifestyles, just like I know men who turned from their adultery, addiction to pornography and sexual immorality…sexual sin is sexual sin.
Either way – Jesus said, Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself…a homosexual by his phsycial acts does not love God, neither does an adulterer, murderer, liar, thief, gossiper, fornicator, etc…I’m just saying…
Don’t be a hater!