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LINK Missouri City Councilman Shuts Down Christian Bigot During Debate Over Equality | Hemant Mehta

the reason pastors and preachers have these views and think they are secure at expressing them is because they are never challenged in their communities and churches. Let them come out an be challenged. Great take down! (video in the link)

Last Monday, the St. Joseph City Council voted 8-1 to pass a non-discrimination ordinance that, among other things, will protect those who are LGBTQ when it comes to employment, public accommodation, and housing. It’s a long overdue measure. But like so many of these bills, there was opposition from some Christians, even though religious organizations were exempt from this particular law.

One of the critics, Pastor Jacob McMillian of Journey Baptist Church, showed up to the meeting and pleaded his case before the vote. He didn’t think private property owners should have to abide by this ordinance if they held anti-LGBTQ religious beliefs. (In his world, Christian landlords would be allowed to deny housing to same-sex couples.)

How did he make his case? By equating homosexuality with pedophilia.

McMillian pointed to the wording of the ordinance where the definition of “sexual orientation” included a clause saying it didn’t apply to “sexual preference or practice between an adult and minor.” (Obviously.) He wanted to know why that exemption was needed, because what if a pedophile claimed he was just “born that way”?

… in the ordinance, we have an exemption underneath one of the clauses. It says “an adult cannot be with a minor”… What if that person is born that way and that is their preference? Are we now telling them they can’t have their expression of sexuality?… Within my religious conviction, sexual choice is a choice. That you are not born a certain way. That this is a choice they have made, and that’s why I think it is condemned in the Bible.

The crowd wasn’t having any of it. But if you watch that clip, neither is City Councilman Brian Myers, who responds with a short and brutal retort:

No one’s born a bigot either. I think it’s taught. And I think you’re a glaring example of bigotry that’s been taught.

While the crowd is applauding, and Myers chimes in with a “Nice try, son,” an embarrassed McMillian says into the microphone, “Councilman, name-calling should not be allowed. That is slander.” (You can see the full exchange here beginning at the 1:32:52 mark.)

The amazing thing is that the pastor didn’t stop there. He was so infuriated by his humiliation that he wrote a letter to the local paper… and humiliated himself in the process.
The best part is when he claims he can’t be a bigot because “A bigot is one who is intolerant of another’s belief or opinion.” Says the guy fighting for the ability to discriminate against gay people. (By the way, another definition of bigot is “one who regards or treats the members of a group with hatred and intolerance.” That applies here.

For the record, I am not a bigot. My life shows that I tolerate and accept those of differing lifestyles. My kid attends public school with LGBTQ families, my wife teaches in a public school that serves LGBTQ families, our church is a food pantry that is willing to serve LGBTQ families, and I have coached for three years with the St. Joe Parks and Rec Department without discriminating against certain families.

Someone give him a medal! His family dares to breathe the same air as bisexuals.

Won’t someone recognize his sacrifice?!

He continues:

I am not a bigot. Bigots are intolerant of another’s belief or right, like making one use private property to support a lifestyle that violates their religious beliefs. I would like a public apology from Brian Myers, I want to know publicly if he still thinks I am a bigot, and I would like him to present scientific proof that LGBTQ members are born into the community for the sake of the argument.

Needless to say, renting a room to a same-sex couple in exchange for money isn’t an endorsement of their “lifestyle.” It’s just business. And while I don’t know Brian Myers, I’ll speak for him anyway and say, yes, he still thinks McMillian is a bigot (because he is) and no one owes him scientific proof of their gayness.

Why doesn’t McMillian just talk to all those LGBTQ people whose existence he bravely tolerates?

By the way, a number of Christians openly supported the ordinance at the meeting and in comment threads online. They’re as frustrated by this guy as we are. That’s why the council passed the ordinance without much controversy.

Still, I doubt this pastor’s persecution complex will be resolved anytime soon.

Lukian 8 Sep 17
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9 comments

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1

Hate toward the LGBT community is common among the Christain’s as well as the Muslims. That’s one of the reasons I refuse to go to church with those hateful bigots and reject their hateful religion totally. I can’t understand why anyone claiming to support the LGBT community could also claim to be a Christain or Muslim as that seems to be contradictory.

3

I think we can all agree that Pastor Jacob McMillian really needs to learn how to read the room.

1

Here's something to consider: What if the argument (associating pedophilia with sexual orientation) were being made by a Catholic priest?

yep that thought crossed my mind.

The argument would be moot. I am fine with people being gay. I am not fine with exploiting children. If you are attracted to the same sex, go out and get you a consenting adult. If you are attracted to a child, go out there and get mental health care, cause that is not ok.

@ThisGuy I agree with what you're saying, however the point I was making has more to do with the optics of such a juxtaposition in this particular setting.

6

Here's the problem whether it is in St. Joe Missouri or the New York Times:

These arguments ALWAYS start with the supposition that Christians are morally superior.

twill Level 7 Sep 18, 2018

Agreed. " that’s why I think it is condemned in the Bible." As if the bible is the authority on what's moral. That book is an endorsement of all kinds of atrocities.

3

He was treated as he should be, and that's because he is a bigot. It's almost like when Obama was running for president and a young man in the mid states said he was not a racist. He just didn't think that black man should be in the White House.

He was born that way.

1

Thanks

3

I wonder what he would do if someone demanded he prove God is real with scientifically verifiable evidence.

They don't believe in science

Produce god to testify, not just read us his memo.

I like it.

5

Bigots are brave when they are in the company of the same minded people. I am glad to see that they are learning that outside of their small worlds, people won't tolerate it and will stand up for everyone to be treated equally.

Thanks for a good read...and for hope that there are many, many that feel the same.

many many and many.

I agree. I am pretty sure that the guy claiming the high ground would not have spoke up if he knew he was going to get shut down.

2

good read. As more and more get educated standing up to this pastors BS. In the U.S. we may well have another civil war over just this sort of BS.

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