A Greensburg church is under fire after a video of a child singing an anti-gay song for a cheering congregation has gone viral. The cellphone video, which was posted anonymously on YouTube earlier this month, shows a young boy standing at the front of what appears to be the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle.
"The Bible is right, somebody's wrong. Romans 1 and 27, ain't no homo gonna make it to heaven," the boy sings as congregation members cheer and clap.
The video appears to show The Rev. Jeff Sangl, the pastor and founder of the church, according to the church's website, laughing and congratulating the child after he finishes the song.
A man is heard shouting, "That's my boy!" as members of the congregation give the boy a standing ovation.
Since the video was posted online, the church's Facebook page has been flooded with complaints from users across the globe.
"I've never seen such an appalling, horrific example of small minding, hate ridden bigots, brainwashing children in all my life," wrote Ruth Mabey from England.
"Way to teach hate, you repressed inbreds. Does Jesus hate? I didn't think so," wrote Gerry Syler from Texas.
Others appeared to side with the church, congratulating them for taking a stand.
"Wow, y'all is getting famous. Praise the Lord! I will share your page with all my fellow believers. God will show you the way," wrote Nathen Elbert Dovel from Virginia.
According to the church's website, Sangl founded the church in 1997 with his wife. It is now located at 1114 W. Westridge Parkway.
"Whether you're a spiritual seeker who's just starting to ask questions about God, or a committed Christian who wants to sink the roots of your faith even deeper, you can find a home here at Apostolic Truth Tabernacle," the church's website reads.
Messages left at the church and at Sangl's home were not returned Wednesday.
RTV6 interviewed Sangl last May, after the church was damaged in a tornado.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 9:38 pm
by Gob
Lovely, why is the Church so obsession with other people's sex lives to the point that anyone sane is rejecting the whole bloody concept of it.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 6:33 pm
by dgs49
The boy's lyrics, to wit, "...ain't no homo gonna make it to heaven..." rather succinctly reflect the beliefs of the vast majority of the world's population that believes that there is, in fact, a place or state called, "heaven."
Of course, when he says "homo," I assume he is speaking of a man who habitually engages in homosexual sodomy, without remorse.
I find it necessary to define the term because it is amenable to many different understandings.
I wonder if he would be willing to amend it to, "...ain't no lawyers..."
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 6:58 pm
by Big RR
Even if the idea that gays will not make it into heaven is true, isn't this something to be sadly viewed, and not greeted with thunderous applause or immortalized in song? Indeed, if a person really believed someone, anyone, was condemned to eternal torture and pain, how it could it be celebrated or applauded? It would take a pretty sick person to celebrate that even for a despicable person, like a child rapist, let alone someone who does nothing to affect you other than have sex with someone of his/her own gender in private, and here we have a congregation of such people.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 7:09 pm
by Crackpot
It also assumes facts not in evidence. Why should that sin be worse than any other?
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 7:22 pm
by Big RR
Maybe it's not; maybe serial killer has too many syllables to be set to music? But somehow I doubt it; it's just easier to hate gays.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 9:47 pm
by MajGenl.Meade
Crackpot wrote:It also assumes facts not in evidence. Why should that sin be worse than any other?
It is not worse than any other. The people at this church claim to be Christians but I suggest that they are utterly ignorant of Christ, Biblical illiterates and should be throughly ashamed (but sadly are probably not) of their behaviour, of the teaching the children are receiving and of their leadership.
Gob's point is cogent. Except for the sanity part.
Meade
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:36 am
by Lord Jim
Indeed, if a person really believed someone, anyone, was condemned to eternal torture and pain, how it could it be celebrated or applauded? It would take a pretty sick person to celebrate that even for a despicable person,
I have to take issue with that....
I personally do not believe in a permanent Hell, but I certainly wouldn't see anyone who does as a "pretty sick person" if they are happy about folks like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, Pol Pot, or Osama Bin Ladin residing in it....
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:44 am
by dales
Jim...
I for do believe in an ETERNAL HELL created for the devil and his angels (demons).
Who else is in hell?
No one knows except God.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:08 pm
by rubato
What a cute little kid!
100 years ago he would have been singing "Ain't no Jews gonna make it to Heaven" and we'd hear the same excuses from the same apologists.
If you want to unify a group of stupid people there is nothing easier or more reliable than hatred.
'If you hate the people we do then just come on in, hunker down, and have some crackers and grape juice!'
yrs,
rubato
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:48 pm
by MajGenl.Meade
rubato wrote: we'd hear the same excuses from the same apologists
Quick somebody - what excuses and what apologists is he referring to?
Thought not
Meade
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:14 pm
by Lord Jim
Ya got me General....
I haven't seen anyone in this discussion do anything but condemn these fruit loops...
Looks like a complete to me...
But then, I've been assured by rube that my reading comprehension is quite poor, so I'm sure those "excuses from the same apologists" must be here somewhere....
My reading skills are just so atrocious that I'm not seeing them....
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:42 pm
by Scooter
Lord Jim wrote:I haven't seen anyone in this discussion do anything but condemn these fruit loops...
Not because I want to be seen as giving weight to straw men, but...
dgs49 wrote:The boy's lyrics, to wit, "...ain't no homo gonna make it to heaven..." rather succinctly reflect the beliefs of the vast majority of the world's population
doesn't exactly come across as condemnation to me.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:52 pm
by Crackpot
You still consider his opinion?
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:21 pm
by Scooter
Comic relief.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:38 pm
by Joe Guy
Is there any chance that God is gay?
Or at least bisexual?
I seem to recollect from my early Catholic teachings that God is everywhere.
So I must assume God is also in the closet.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:03 pm
by dgs49
Crackpot, if you disagree with what I wrote and are capable of forming a cogent opinion...
Oops. Sorry, I forgot.
You're not.
For the record, this kid's parents and whoever else put him up to this are hugely fucked up. I'm just pointing out that the jist of the song reflects orthodox Christian belief.
And BTW, there is nothing in the article indicating that these folks consider homosexual activity to the the ONLY or the WORST sort of sin, just reflecting the fact that such activity is in the news quite a bit these days, in spite of the fact that this inclination afflicts less than two percent of the population, by the most reliable accounts.
He could just as easily have been singing about thieves, adulterers, or grievous, unrepentant sinners in general. Still fucked up.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:19 pm
by Crackpot
What makes it different that the multitude of other sins that don't prevent you from getting to heaven?
What about homosexuality makes it unforgivable?
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:20 pm
by Gob
And so important that Christians seem to constantly obsess about other people bumming.
Re: More Christian Family Values
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:31 pm
by Lord Jim
And so important that Christians seem to constantly obsess about other people bumming.
Bit of a broad brush there don't you think?
Though given the media's wildly disproportionate coverage of those (mostly quite tiny) groups that seem to be obsessed with the subject, I can easily understand how one might get that impression....
But somehow I doubt it; it's just easier to hate gays.
to me...