12/11/2006
Denver Pastor Paul Barnes Steps Down Over Sex with Men
Another one bites the dust. Another Denver-area Pastor, Paul Barnes, has stepped down and told his 2,100 member congregation that he has had sexual encounters with men.
Is something in the Denver water that creates evangelical hypocrites? "A month ago, the Rev. Paul Barnes of Grace Chapel in Douglas County preached to his 2,100-member congregation about integrity and grace in the aftermath of the Ted Haggard drugs-and-gay-sex scandal. Now, the 54-year-old Barnes joins Haggard as a fallen evangelical minister who preached that homosexuality was a sin but grappled with a hidden life."
Said to be (unlike Haggard) an apolitical introvert, Barnes confessed to his church in a 32-minute video: "I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy... I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away."
Barnes is married and has two daughters in their 20's.
Posted 1:40 PM EST by Andy Towle in I'm Gay, News, Paul Barnes, Religion, Ted Haggard | Permalink
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Oh, come on. They are all gay.
By the Fruits of Their Labor Shall Ye Know Them, or something like that.
Posted by: jessejames | Dec 11, 2006 10:18:09 PM
Please excuse my spelling mistake. I am a clear example of the idea that distracted people should not rush proof reading their own writings...
Posted by: Robert In WeHo | Dec 11, 2006 10:19:25 PM
Zeke, can you give a link that can validate what you said - that he was an anti-gay pastor and the target of an outing campaign? I don't see anything that sugggests that in the article.
Posted by: HZH | Dec 11, 2006 10:23:06 PM
HZH, the article that Andy linked stated:
"Now, the 54-year-old Barnes joins Haggard as a fallen evangelical minister who preached that homosexuality was a sin but grappled with a hidden life."
and:
"Palmer said the church got an anonymous call last week from a person concerned for the welfare of Barnes and the church. The caller had overheard a conversation in which someone mentioned "blowing the whistle" on evangelical preachers engaged in homosexuality, including Barnes, Palmer said.
Palmer met with Barnes, who confessed."
That seems to be stating that he preached against homosexuality (anti-gay) and he was being targeted to be outed and only came out when confronted.
Am I reading that differently than other people?
Posted by: Zeke | Dec 11, 2006 10:44:14 PM
I am not gay, but I am positive that homosexuality is not a choice! I have had many gay friends (both male and female)through the years and I know that their orientation is at the core of who they are.
I was raised in a Christian home, but I cannot condone the oppression that many gay people are subjected to. I think your orientation is inborn and a person should not have to feel guilty about it. As to those who say it is a "sin", I say this: Let he who has no sin cast the first stone.
How come we can "forgive" all sorts of truly awful things we find out about people, but can't find it in our hearts to accept gay people for who they are?
I am a married woman with 2 kids and I have told both of my children that regardless of their "orientation", I will always love and accept them and that this is something I would never want them to feel they had to keep from me.
This thought-process I have regarding homosexuality has really made me question my religion. The gay epople I know are caring, compassionate, productive citizens. They deserve respect and understanding.
Posted by: anna | Dec 11, 2006 10:53:49 PM
HZH, you claim that I said he was an "anti-gay pastor" in my earlier comments. Can you point out where I said that?
Though I do believe, from experience, that people who preach against homosexuality as if it's a choice are anti-gay, I don't believe I "said" what you claim I said.
Posted by: Zeke | Dec 11, 2006 11:01:20 PM
Anna, God bless you.
Your kids are truly blessed to have a mother such as you. With more mothers (and fathers) like you we would have many more well adjusted, safe and happy gay kids/adults and far fewer child suicides.
Posted by: Zeke | Dec 11, 2006 11:10:37 PM
Anna,
Thank you for your point of view. Yes, you should question your religion. But look at it this way. Perhaps God is giving you reason to question the dogma that religion has created. A relationship with God is a very personal thing. When we spend more time listening to what Preachers and Pastors think about the Bible and not enough time developing our own relationship with God, the result is often ignorance, hatred, judgment and hypocrisy.
Continue to teach your children love and acceptance. Sounds like God is leading you in the right direction, regardless of what religion you belong to.
Posted by: mark m | Dec 11, 2006 11:20:54 PM
One hundred years from now, the intolerance of homosexuals by christian and other churches will be compared to the burning of witches in New England. Any church that questions the basic goodness of gay people is not a place of love and enlightment, but of fear and ignorance.
Posted by: JoeInSF | Dec 12, 2006 12:37:43 AM
Anna,
Thank you for your support. You're a fine example of good parenting. Parents should love their children unconditionally, regardless of whether they are straight or gay. Clearly, you've taken that concept to heart and for that I applaud you...
Posted by: Robert In WeHo | Dec 12, 2006 4:02:23 AM
Get with it, It is one of those things. Do what I say not as I do....
Honey, bang on.
Posted by: Patrick Eagan | Dec 12, 2006 6:46:40 AM
I believe the sad things is that a few people on this blog who decide to take their anger or as some have put it, disgust, at God rather than the people involved in these cover ups and hypocrisy.
It truly saddens me because I feel i have a great relationship with God and believe that as long as their is kindness and love in my life, then God will be supportive regardless of who i'm with.
The things that these pastors do, makes me angry at THEM but not at God. I don't see why people so easily condem both.
Posted by: steve | Dec 12, 2006 7:00:29 AM
Zeke, you said - "Barnes came out because he someone was outing anti-gay pastors and he was one of the ones that was being talked about."
You can argued that you don't mean that you said he is anti-gay but it is others that did, but the thrust of your argument is that he wasn't being honest, that he was pushed to admit what he is (the implication that he is anti-gay and a hypocrite), so let me reiterate, where is the evidence for your assertion, the outing campaign and the reason for the outing? And please direct me somewhere that showed him saying that homosexuality is a choice.
Posted by: HZH | Dec 12, 2006 10:44:56 AM
HZH, I refer you back to the quotes that I gave you from the article. If you need more help then I suggest you seek help from a reading comprehension tutor.
Posted by: Zeke | Dec 12, 2006 3:58:55 PM
Zeke - like this one? - "He is still talking about it in terms of being a sin against God and a "condition" that is "acquired" if not chosen."
Nothing in what's reported suggest that he believes it is a choice, but that it is acquired when young. How does believing that homosexuality is "acquired" equates with him believing that it is a "choice"?
I can gather from your reply that you in fact have no evidence to support your assertion.
Posted by: HZH | Dec 12, 2006 4:31:42 PM
What's your point HZH?
Are you a member of his church?
Posted by: Zeke | Dec 12, 2006 6:29:03 PM
Zeke, what makes you think so? (I'm not even Christian if you are at all interested). I'm just curious how you managed to say such unkind and uncaring things about someone obviously suffering great pain, especially that you said you came from similar background, therefore should be in better position to understand his plight. All I have gathered so far is that you have misread what he said. That is not very nice is it?
Posted by: HZH | Dec 12, 2006 6:49:31 PM
HZH, you are barking up the wrong tree. I had absolutely nothing to do with why this man is experiencing such pain and suffering. You need to go to other web sites to preach to the people who lead him to this point of dispair.
He is an adult who will have to lie in the bed that he made for himself. I'm more concerned for his innocent family and the vulnerable and impressionable gay kids that have listened to him preach against the sin of homosexuality.
Since I've never seen you on this site before, I suspect that you are more than likely a compassion troll here to stir the pot rather than a person truly concerned about this man's suffering and pain.
Thanks for stopping by. :)
Posted by: Zeke | Dec 12, 2006 8:20:52 PM
Zeke, compassion troll eh? When you are in a hole, stop digging. I was being kind when I said that you misread him, given that you repeatedly refused to give any source for your assertions. One last chance for you to justify your statement - "Barnes came out because he someone was outing anti-gay pastors and he was one of the ones that was being talked about." If you can't, then I assume you just made it up.
From all that I can gather from the article, I assume he outed himself after the Haggard affair (hence his reference to integrity and grace in his sermon on that). If this is true, then it is an act of bravery which doesn't deserve the unkind comments you made. If you have any evidence to the contrary, do offer it. There is also nothing to suggest that he is anti-gay which is what you kept insinuating.
I wonder if you really understand what I said given that I have never said you have anything to do with his suffering. You have comprehension issue?
Posted by: HZH | Dec 13, 2006 5:49:54 AM
HZH, This blog, just as Christianity, is not for the willfully stupid. You must think first, then participate in the discussion. Why cannot you draw obvious inferences from the cited article? Many of us know these self-loathing preachers of bigotry all too well. We know who we are; we know who they are; and we know who you are and who you are pretending to be. Begone ignoramus!
Posted by: rudy | Dec 13, 2006 7:17:31 AM
Rudy, don't be silly. What you are saying is that you can say whatever you want without any evidence, just because you think certain people will think in certain way. Of course, that's how many conservatives have been saying about gays - they just assume certain things about gays, and that all gays are like what they think and make accusation against gays based on their preconceptions. You are, of course, free to behave like those brainless idiots.
So far as I can tell, you all have based what you said on the article posted. So how do you infer that he is a preacher of bigotry based on that article? As far as the article goes, it said that he kept clear of the issues involving politics and gays. There is nothing that suggests he is anti-gay. He believes that homosexuality is a sin in the eye of God, but again nowhere does it says that he even preached that, let alone being bigoted against gays which is what you and Zeke accused him of.
I would say that I may be giving him too much credit on the circumstance in which he was outed, given that he was questioned on it, but his readiness to admit doesn't suggest that he was keen on hiding his sexuality and at the least indicates an honesty in him that is lacking in many others.
Posted by: HZH | Dec 13, 2006 8:18:47 AM
HZH, dude, what do you not understand about the sentence from the article:
"Palmer said the church got an anonymous call last week from a person concerned for the welfare of Barnes and the church. The caller had overheard a conversation in which someone mentioned "blowing the whistle" on evangelical preachers engaged in homosexuality, including Barnes, Palmer said.
Palmer met with Barnes, who confessed."
You can't figure out how I could possibly get the impression that Barnes was being targeted and was approached with the allegations to which he confessed? Can you honestly say that what you got from the article was that Barnes came out voluntarily simply because of Haggard’s downfall?
Then you claim, "He believes that homosexuality is a sin in the eye of God, but again nowhere does it says [sic] that he even preached that..."
But the article says, as I’ve quoted once before for you already:
Now, the 54-year-old Barnes joins Haggard as a fallen evangelical minister WHO PREACHED THAT HOMOSEXUALITY WAS A SIN but grappled with a hidden life.
Man, are reading the whole article or just the small part of it that Andy posted? I suggest you click on the link and read the WHOLE article because you are really making a fool of yourself.
If you STILL aren’t getting it then I suggest AGAIN that you work on your reading comprehension.
Posted by: Zeke | Dec 13, 2006 12:09:50 PM
Zeke - Let's try this again - you said "Barnes came out because he someone was outing ANTI-GAY pastors and he was one of the ones that was being talked about." I highlighted ANTI-GAY. Now try reconciling this with the article, or are you trying to pretent that you wrote something else? I thought you might have something else in mind, but in fact all you have done is to substitute "evangelical" for "anti-gay".
Again, I asked you to show how you can substantiate the "anti-gay" charge, but you come out the idea that he think homosexuality is a "choice", when it is clear that he think homosexuality is something "acquired" when young. If you don' know the difference between the two, I'm happy to give you a lesson, but do try the dictionary first.
As for your quote about the "evangelical minister WHO PREACHED THAT HOMOSEXUALITY WAS A SIN", it is the inference of the writer, but there is in fact no indication that he did. If you read it, you will find that he told someone that homosexuality if a sin in God's view, but that he preached about "integrity and grace" about the Haggard affair, but nothing about him preaching homosexuality as a sin.
It is you who made a fool of yourself by substituting "anti-gay" for "evangelical". You may believe that they are synonymous, but it only showed your own prejudice and bigotry, not the actual fact of the case.
Posted by: HZH | Dec 13, 2006 12:30:36 PM
HZH, no this only shows that you are prejudiced and a bigot because you didn't even consider that a gay person could be an evangelical, WHICH I AM.
This will be my last visit here.
You are a troll plain and simple.
Go to the anti-gay evangelical sites and preach your compassion. They won't abide you nearly as long as we have.
Posted by: Zeke | Dec 13, 2006 3:55:24 PM
This ping-pong match isn't worth this much time. The headline and article quoted were muddled and confusing. Not enough facts have come out to draw strong conclusions. Hopefully we will hear more in the coming weeks about this. I'm sure it's of interest to both gays and evangelicals.
Posted by: Anon | Dec 13, 2006 4:31:03 PM