President Obama might have pleased LGBT Americans by choosing out Latino poet Richard Blanco to read at his inauguration, but he’s got plenty steamed with his choice for the inaugural benediction: Louie Giglio, a Georgia pastor with a history of anti-gay sermons.
Didn’t we go through this with Rick Warren in 2008? Seriously, it’s not hard to find a respectable clergy member who hasn’t bashed gay people. We know several of them personally.
But his guy Giglio was a real holy roller: Think Progress found the audio of a sermon Giglio, who operates Passion City Church, gave in the 1990s. In it, he preaches that gay people are going to hell, endorses reparative therapy, compares homosexuality to alcoholism and generally acts like a homophobic pig.
On the dangerous LGBT movement:
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“Underneath this issue is a very powerful and aggressive moment. That movement is not a benevolent movement, it is a movement to seize by any means necessary the feeling and the mood of the day, to the point where the homosexual lifestyle becomes accepted as a norm in our society and is given full standing as any other lifestyle, as it relates to family.”
On how homosexuals are sinners going to Hell:
“..Homosexuality is not just a sexual preference homosexuality is not gay, but homosexuality is sin. It is sin in the eyes of God, and it is sin according to the word of God. You come to only one conclusion: homosexuality is less than God’s best for his creation. It is less than God’s best for us and everything in our lives that is less than God’s best for us and his plan for us and his design for us, is sin. That’s God’s voice. If you want to hear God’s voice, that is his voice to this issue of homosexuality. It is not ambiguous and unclear. It is very clear.”
“First Corinthians, Chapter 6. In verses nine and 10, it talks about the things that prevent people from entering the Kingdom of God. It talks about all kinds of immoral behavior. And right in the midst of that passage, right in the middle of that verse it says ‘and those who are homosexual.’ It’s clear.”
On praying the gay away:
Our message is we know Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ is powerful enough to do anything and to do everything. And the only way out of a homosexual lifestyle, the only way out of a relationship that has been engrained over years of time, is through the healing power of Jesus.
We’ve got to say the homosexuals, the same thing that I say to you and that you would say to me… it’s not easy to change, but it is possible to change.
This is not just another Chuck Hagel. Yes, Giglio made his comments back in the 1990s—and it’s not clear if he still preaches this message—but this is unfiltered hate, from someone who’s very job it is to preach God’s love.
A petition has been started on the White House website to have President Obama replace Giglio.
We won’t watch the ceremony if Giglio is involved—but how does hearing about his past make you feel? Weigh in below in the comments section.
Brian
Obama has no credibility left as President. He has no principles. His views are a movable object. He also pulled this homophobic pastor stunt at the previous inauguration, didn’t he?
Obama is deeply homophobic – perhaps for personal reasons – but manages to disguise it by shifting his views according to what’s in it for him. His relationship with the GLBT community is purely one of convenience, not conviction.
Ronbo
@Brian: You are correct. Unfortunately we have 4 more years of his siding wiht the Repblicans on nearly every issue.