10/18/2009
Gays and Evangelicals Face Off as Fort Worth 'Kiss-in' Gets Rowdy
A "kiss-in" planned by the group Queer Liberaction at Fort Worth Stockyards, which bills itself as "the wholesome western experience of Fort Worth", turned into a loud demonstration on Saturday as counter-protesters arrived and the two groups squared off against one another:
The Star-Telegram reports: "About 40 members of Queer Liberaction said they needed to take a
stand against intolerance by carrying out public displays of affection
in what they considered an area not traditionally friendly toward gays. The
other group, mainly evangelical Christians and also numbering about 40,
said homosexuality is a clear lifestyle choice, not a naturally
occurring sexual orientation as many scientists believe. They beseeched
Liberaction members to abandon their 'kiss-in' and come to Jesus Christ
as straight adults. The gatherings broke up peacefully. Joe
Remsik, 37, leader of Liberaction’s Fort Worth chapter, said the
demonstration was to let the public know about fears within the city’s
gay community."
Watch a news report from The 33 TV, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 10:26 AM EST by Andy Towle in Activism, Evangelical Christians, Evangelicals, Fort Worth, Kiss, News, Texas | Permalink
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Jesus is coming at a gay kiss-in? Well, there's no doubt what side He is on.
Posted by: Olive Yurdich | Oct 18, 2009 11:05:34 AM
My favorite counter to their claim that homosexuality is a lifestyle choice (not original to me, though I forget where I heard this from), is to invite them to prove to me that sexuality is a choice by them becoming gay. Not just have gay sex, but to fall in love with a member of the same sex. If sexuality is changeable, no danger to them; they can just go back to being straight whenever they want. So far nobody has taken me up on that. I'm glad the protest was relatively peaceful. One never knows how violent things can get, especially in Texas.
Posted by: JT | Oct 18, 2009 11:09:46 AM
"especially in Texas" ? Is Texas more violent than other states?
Posted by: JT | Oct 18, 2009 11:53:19 AM
I cant help it - but it annoysme even more when I see black Homophobes.
Posted by: Disgusted American | Oct 18, 2009 11:57:06 AM
Once again only white gay people show up. Not surprisingly many black people showed up to show their hate; more than those that attended the National Equality March held in Washington D.C., a majority black city.
Posted by: Bill | Oct 18, 2009 12:47:29 PM
It's been at least a century since American evangelical Christians were a reliable source of information about what is found in nature.
Posted by: RedCedar | Oct 18, 2009 12:53:45 PM
Yes, Bill, anybody with eyes can see that. But why don't we take a position of support for our gay African-American brothers and sisters who have to deal with AA homophobia a lot more directly than we do ?
Posted by: JT | Oct 18, 2009 2:09:19 PM
The irony is that most evangelical so-called "Christians" defy all that Jesus taught in favor of whatever their local community has told them to think.
Jesus and his male friends not only kissed one another but questioned those who did not.
When Jesus said to Simon "You did not give me a kiss," it was in the context of suggesting it would have been an appropriate show of love. Peter told men to kiss each other. And although Paul's time was after Jesus', he wrote again and again that men should greet one another with a kiss.
Posted by: GregV | Oct 18, 2009 2:35:06 PM
Shocker that most of those counter protestors being black (insert sarcasm)
Posted by: Jayjay | Oct 18, 2009 2:40:21 PM
DAMN! Do you know how long Jesus has be "coming"? I hope he keeps hydrated!
Posted by: J.P. | Oct 18, 2009 4:36:19 PM
I grew up Catholic and Lutheran. Evangelical and pentecostal ideology is alien to me. I don't understand their obsession with sex, especially homosexuality, and don't understand their obsession with the end of the world, i.e. 'End Times' or 'Rapture'. They seem to me to be almost death cults.
Posted by: John in Boston | Oct 18, 2009 10:59:06 PM
"As if straight men wake up and say 'Hmmm ... I think I'm gonna suck a dick today ... Naaaah, I choose not to.'"
-- Wanda Sykes (paraphrased)
Posted by: John Gorman | Oct 18, 2009 11:13:05 PM
No thanks for the misleading, inflammatory headline.
Posted by: Bryan | Oct 19, 2009 12:43:16 AM
First of all. Towleroad HMMMMMMMMMMMMM
The pics are suspect to the core. Notice more whites are seen from the gay point of view and then on the religious side more Blacks are seen from the religious point of view. Things that make you go HMMMMMMMMMM?
Say what the fuck you want that was put here clearly to start the race rant. Thanks to comments from Bill and Disgusted American
BTW Disgusted American you said :I cant help it - but it annoys me even more when I see black Homophobes.
Posted by: Disgusted American | Oct 18, 2009 11:57:06 AM
You DUMB motherfucker it annoys me more that I'm really beggining to accept that we as a community will NEVER get along. Because too many of you racist white queens not all are and I know that but the idiots always seem to make themselves heard will forever try to blame us African Americans for this community's woes. DUMB ASSES. How many Blacks and Latino's are in the senate???
Try 1 a piece everybody is WHITE and are not trying to do a DAMN thing about Gay issues. But that's okay with some of you white gays. HMMMMMMMM I tell you this shit gets more and more pathetic every day.
And John in Boston said: I grew up Catholic and Lutheran. Evangelical and pentecostal ideology is alien to me.
Oh really? Then why the damn Priests, Bishops, and even the Pope will not allow you to take communion being a queer, or Marry you?
Why do they adamantly speak against homosexuality? They are no different than Evangelical and Pentecostals. They put their trust in God and most Catholics believe in ritualistic worship and trust Rome. Praying to the Holy Father who is the Pope. The last time I cited the Lord's Prayer. It said.
Our Father whom Art in HEAVEN...Not Rome!
Until Gays put their home training of being prejudice aside and work together the fight is in vain and there will be no progress at all. Get over Hillary already she has already said she doesn't plan on running for Pres again.
Posted by: Mr Chris | Oct 19, 2009 3:42:52 AM
Catholics also say the Lord's Prayer.
Catholics believe Jesus Christ is the savior and Son of God
Catholics DO NOT worship the Pope
Catholics are taught ultimately to follow their conscience.
The Catholic Church is HUGE, over one billion members....larger than all Protestant + Baptist COMBINED. That's one reason why it is hierarchical. It's like a monumentally large corporation. And the kind of bureaucracy you'd expect for an institution with over one billion members. It's also why lawyers and class action lawsuits targeted them. They have the money other churches don't.
I attended both Catholic and Lutheran churches growing up, but the last time I went to church was for my father's funeral. I AM NOT RELIGIOUS, and consider myself agnostic.
I stand by my Evangelical and Pentecostal comments. To a mainline Protestant or Catholic, you're weirdos.
Posted by: John in Boston | Oct 19, 2009 4:21:55 AM
Forgot:
One of the few saving graces of the Catholic Church for a homosexual is it's ideology isn't the literal interpretation of that 2000 year old series of writings written by mortal men, the Bible. The Bible is not meant to be read literally. It's a series of child-like parables designed for very ignorant people who lived 2000 years ago. It's also been badly interpreted from the original ancient languages into our modern. Unfortunately, Evangelicals do interpret the Bible literally. THIS IS WHERE MOST OF THE ANTI-GAY RELIGIOUS REFERENCES originate.
Catholics do condemn homosexuality, but there's no obsession with the subject like Evangelicals.
Also, polls all show Catholics out-poll Protestants in favoring gay rights. Catholics also out-poll Protestants in favoring abortion rights. So you can see, Catholic church ideology has limited influence on most American Catholics compared to Evangelicals and their religious ideology. That's why I say Catholics are less of a threat than Evangelicals.
Posted by: John in Boston | Oct 19, 2009 4:45:10 AM
No obsession with the subject?
You weren't around for Cardinal Levada's epic fights with the City of San Francisco over domestic parnership benefits and gay adoptions. Or his blaming homosexuals for the sex abuse scandal. And even after he left for Rome to take over Pope Benny's old job as Grand Inquisitor, Levada continued to direct his underlings here to do everything they can to promote Proposition 8 because it is still technically his See. This also means the old fool drops in ocassionally to consecrate new churches and wag his finger at the "objectively disordered," as well as warn potentially homosexual seminarians at USF and Santa Clara they're under the Church's benevolent DADT policy.
No obsession indeed.
Posted by: John | Oct 19, 2009 5:00:34 AM
Thanks John and to John in Boston.
My friend DO NOT CONFUSE yourself with those polls if you really think that most Catholics support us. You're really rolled in it more than I thought.
These polls only ask about 1,000 to 2,000 people and that is a whole lot different than than 1,000,000,000 that you say are Catholics in America.
And you said: Catholics DO NOT worship the Pope
Really, Then why when they meet him he is consider "HIS HOLINESS" and kiss his ring? Sounds strange to me. One of the 10 Commandments says.
"THOU SHALT NOT HAVE NO OTHER GOD'S BEFORE ME FOR I AM A JEALOUS GOD"
And kissing a human's ring an bowing to him might be tradition. It's also consider IDOLATRY!
And I have no reason to go in a confession booth to tell another human "Forgive me Father for I have sinned" That is for me to go directly to God and confess NOT MAN!
You can stand by what you want and let us both be clear I'm not denouncing The Catholic Church just pointing their woes as well as The Pentecostals and Evangelicals as you're doing.
But when it comes to faith from their end THEY'RE ALL A THREAT TO GAY SOCIETY PERIOD.
Remember John in Boston BILL DONOHUE of The Catholic League does represent Catholics and he is no friend to Gays...
Have a defense strategy for him???
And for them to have the money other churches don't. Then they need to come and spread the DAMN wealth because there are alot of Catholic Schools closing down due to MONEY $$$$$$ Especially here in Philadelphia and it's suburbs!
Oh and another thing I'M NO WEIRDO
Just another Gay Male having a very spirited debate.
Thank You Very Much Buddy!
Posted by: Mr Chris | Oct 19, 2009 6:05:15 AM
My first thought was about the sign that says, in part, Jesus is coming. Just from kissing? Isn't that premature?
Posted by: gleeindc | Oct 19, 2009 7:32:39 AM
Catholic, baptist, evangelical, i dont care, its all bullshit, they are all homophobes and they are all wrong.
Posted by: Rovex | Oct 19, 2009 7:32:47 AM
Someone implied there was scant minority participation in the recent March. From my perspective, I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of my fellow marchers. Were we at the same event?
Posted by: Ingmar | Oct 19, 2009 7:56:24 AM
Look..I have Nothing against anyone....I judge people by how they treat me,and others...I dont care if you are green blue purple whatever - but I was just inferring that it irritates me to see other Minorities STOMP on the RIGHTS of others...when in fact (they,no matter WHO they are- should know better)
Posted by: Disgusted American | Oct 19, 2009 9:46:30 AM
"Oh and another thing I'M NO WEIRDO"
Please don't stop.
Posted by: JeffRob | Oct 19, 2009 10:42:45 AM
I wish these "Christians" would act more Christ-like.
Posted by: chasmader | Oct 19, 2009 12:13:29 PM
40 vs 40? How biblical.
Posted by: anon | Oct 19, 2009 12:49:18 PM