A church in Bossier City, Louisiana faced a protest after its pastor erected a sign on its front law indicating its objection to LGBTQ people.
Pastor Rex Cornwell, of the Bossier Church of Christ, erected the sign after learning that his neighbors – who he’d previously been friendly towards when he thought they were just roommates – are a married, same-sex couple.
One of the neighbors concerned, Lynda Slimer, last week posted to Facebook about what happened.
“This is the sign that my wife and I and our 2 daughters came home to today. This is a sign filled with hate and biblical mistranslations that is meant to make my family and I scared and uncomfortable in our own home.
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“This is the sign we come home to in the yard of the Pastor who lives across from us, whose church website states “Everyone is welcome”. We’ve lived here a year, I’ve baked them cookies, invited them into our home and introduced them to our family.
“They have waved to us as they come and go and we have talked about the weather. They’ve told us if we ever need anything to just come knock on their door. All thrown out the window because they realized that we are wives and not roommates. This is not a representation of God. Jesus would not do this.”
She continued, “Jesus WAS in my neighborhood today though. Jesus was there in all of my neighbors that were upset and showed their support. Jesus was there in the policemen who showed up and asked them to remove the sign, knowing that all they could do was ask. Jesus showed up in the form of our family and friends that have loved on us today. For each and every one of you we are SO Thankful!
“Jesus was there as we told our children that He loves them and us as we are. Jesus is here in my yard, not across the street.”
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The sign erected features a rainbow flag with a ‘Stop’/’No entry’ sign overlaying it, along with the wording: “God forbids homosexuality, so should we.”
Another neighbor also posted about the sign. Lyra Jousma posted, “This is BEYOND insane! A PASTOR has this sign in their yard!!! Right across the street from my house! This hits hard for my family because my daughter is gay.”
After Slimer’s Facebook posting was shared, a peaceful protest was arranged last Sunday outside the church. Around two dozen people showed up and held up rainbow signs saying ‘Love is Love’, ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ and other messages. Lynda and her wife, Shannon Slimer, were not in town that day but posted another message to Facebook thanking those showing them support.
“We wanted to let you all know that we appreciate you all more than we can explain. This community has made us feel SO LOVED, and for that we are eternally grateful. Sending you all love and hugs!”
Related: Woman Stands Up To Homophobic Neighbor… With 10,000 Rainbow Christmas Lights
However, it seems the Pastor Cornwell was unmoved. He told told CBS affiliate KLFY, “Homosexuality is condemned. It’s an anathema that means something horrible. We’re just simply taking a stand against the homosexual movement as well as other kinds of sins.
“So what we do is we’re going to pray for them,” he added. “We’ll show them the kind of love that Jesus showed, but we can’t back down either. So we have a responsibility to stand up [for] the word of God.”
Queerty contacted Shannon Slimer to ask if the sign was still in place.
“Yes, the sign is still in my neighbor’s yard along with another that now says ‘smile at the camera’,” she replied. “Apparently they have put up a camera in their yard because of the sign.”
dhmonarch89
they should put up a Nazi sign with a stop/no entry symbol on it. or get neighbors to put signs of their sins on lawn- like pre marital sex, going out in public while menstruating and eating shell fish.
rand503
It seems that the only ‘sin’ Chrisitianists are crusade against is our sexual orientation. Every thing else is okay with them.
Cam
The ONLY requirement to be an evangelical now is to be a bigot. They no longer have a problem with adultery, lying, theft, or blasphemy. The only thing that matters to him is hating LGBT people.
Chrisk
and abortion even though the bible doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. Might be say it’s pro abortion.
Logic and facts has never been their strong point though.
Chris
You’re dead on. I guess, though, if the adulterous sex is a straight couple it’s ok? You know, I bet you anything his wife goes out in public while she’s on her period which is specifically forbidden in Leviticus.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Gonna laugh really hard when that smcubag noxious puke is arrested for child sex crimes..
Mack
And you just know it’s going to happen, just a matter of time.
Chris
Can I get an “Amen”
Chrisk
“So what we do is we’re going to pray for them,” he added. “We’ll show them the kind of love that Jesus showed, “…
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you”
“Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, so you do unto me”
Loony tunes is another cherry picker. Most people understand that your love = hate.
Mack
Just another ‘cherry picker” religious bigot.
Chris
Hmmm…so if we’re doing yard signs against perceived “sin”, where is the yard sign with a straight couple having anal sex with the same “Stop/No entry” symbol over it. Or how about the same sign indicating no oral sex between men and women? Hey, how about a sign forbidding shrimp or even the NFL since they are touching the flesh of a swine on the sabbath. Just a thought.
Chris
One last thing. How about we see a pic of this guy so we can circulate it. And let’s find his or the “church”’s FB page and bombard it Hell, I’ll take first watch on Grindr and wait for him to pop up.
revjimbrooking
Jesus said NOTHING about same-sex relationships but had plenty to say about divorce and re-marriage. Has this hateful pastor erected signs decrying divorce? What a hypocrite!!!
Jesus loves you and you beautiful family JUST AS YOU ARE. I am sure he is very displeased with this hateful pastor!
wikidBSTN
They should put up their own sign with a picture of the pastor on it with a red line through it.
charlieeod74
Don’t you just love evangelical christards? Evangelical Christianity is a mental disease
dinard38
I try to respect everyone’s right to believe in whatever deity they choose to believe in, and not be cynical about religion and Christians. But DAMN they make it hard. It always hits close to home when I read stories like these. I grew up in a Pentecostal church (they would fall under the evangelical umbrella). While I will admit that my church wasn’t openly hostile like this pastor is, at the end of the day, my church opposed homosexuality as strongly as this pastor does. My pastor was a very kind, elderly white dude who would literally give the shirt off of his back to help someone. But he preached against homosexuality all the time. He just wasn’t hateful about it as this pastor. He always believed in treating everyone with kindness, sinner or not. But it still made me sad and depressed, then eventually angry, as I saw all kinds of shenanigans going on in the church. Everyone was sleeping with each other. Such hypocrites!!!!