It’s always a little hard to follow the thought process of spittle-flecked theocrat Lou Engle.
One moment he’s babbling about “homosexual tornadoes,” or praising Ugandan politicians for trying to exterminate LGBTs, the next minute he’s descended into an apparent fever-dream starring the ghosts of dead Confederate generals. But Engle is probably best known for The Call, twelve-hour mega-prayer rallies that fill stadiums and focus on whatever topic Engle is blathering about that week.
If he wasn’t rich and powerful, he’d probably spend most of his time yelling about government mind-control devices to strangers on the subway.
But—surprise, surprise, Engle has become a powerful charismatic Christian leader, capable of drawing huge swarms of oscillating youths to these “Calls,” And, apparently, he’s something of a faith healer if the above video from Right Wing Watch is any indication. Here’s the best transcript we were about to slap together:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
I just wanna say, I wanna see an accumulated prayer movement for a hundred thousand—first wave, Bob Jones, the president, first wave, he had a vision in 1989 of the first wave of homosexuals coming to Christ.
A hundred thousand [homosexuals] would be just the first wave, and it would come suddenly. I dreamed of this before. I feel like I’m raising this… Men and women begin to pray that God would raise them so like conversions in that community. So powerful, that they begin to be the preachers of righteousness in their own communities with radical salvations and healings of AIDS…
We’re asking God to loose a movement, a divine breakthrough: 100,000 gay and lesbian men and women. Loose a sound that DC can’t contend with. Loose a sound that the media can’t contend with. Overflow the media with the sound of revival.”
We look forward to those healings, at least. Should be happening any minute now.
alanocu
If praying away AIDS worked, I’d be doing it for several of my friends right now suffering from HIV related illnesses.
Meanwhile, Muslims are executing gay men in Iran, beating them to death in Iraq, murdering them and making them fear for their lives.
Say a prayer for them, too.
the other Greg
“he had a vision in 1989 of the first wave of homosexuals coming to Christ.”
Damn, the first time I misread that as “the first wave of homosexuals coming ON Christ.”
When I was a kid my church had this really, really cute picture of Jesus. It was kind of a turn on.
Dustolio
Wait… so what about the millions of gay Christians that have existed up to this point? I guess our prayers are chopped liver.
Aki
Horrible. I am lesbian and Catholic; can’t these patricians understand Jesus loves us for who we ARE? If anyone needs to read the Bible more it’s them because clearly they missed the whole “love thy neighbor” deal — to say nothing of the dozens of “do not judge others” parts…
KJ
@Dustolio: Agreed, Dust! The prayer for Christian GLBT was answered before it was uttered. This guy just doesn’t like the answer.
Bob
Amen Alanocu, my comment exactly. Can you imagine the multiple billions of prayers that have been said for AIDS since the early 80’s and still so many suffered and died.
Alexi3
How can so many be deluded into following such a snake oil peddler? He’s become very wealthy by seducing especially the young with his false prophacies and made-up visions and dreams. I can only hope that with the passing of the years many of those who have fallen victim to his well-oiled money making machine will come to see him for what and who he really is. A False Prophet; the kind the Bible warns people against.
Daez
Hearing voices? Check! Seeing things that do not exist? Check. Believing he is an all powerful all knowing being? Check!
You know, if it was not for the guise of religion this dude would be getting the help he actually needs for his Schizophrenia.
Ogre Magi
He is so goofy, if I was king of the world I would make him my personal court jester
JON
I wish they would just fuck off and focus on the hellish harm they have caused to all the victims of sexual abuse!
B
No. 2 · the other Greg “When I was a kid my church had this really, really cute picture of Jesus. It was kind of a turn on.”
The churches ended up commissioning a lot of painters, who aren’t generally known for being the most sexually repressed people on earth, so guess who the gay ones picked as models wearing nothing but a lioncloth? The cute ones, of course!
Stan Fayo
Tell ya what, preacher… put ALL your prayers in one hand and a 5-dollar bill in the other and see which will get you a latte at Starbucks. You know, the coffee place that supports gay equal rights? Nah, you wouldn’t.