Dallas Pastor Frederick Haynes Rips His Congregation for Opposing Gay Marriage: VIDEO
Here's our must-watch video of the day.
Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III of the Friendship-West Baptist Church blasted fellow pastors and members of his congregation for their outrage at President Obama's endorsement of marriage equality while the congregation stood up and shouted their disapproval at him.
Yelled Haynes:
"You should have seen preachers just scurrying and hurrying to call a conference call to call out the President for what he had declared as a personal opinion. He said it was a personal opinion. But whatever you like to ostracize other people it's because there's a fear that you have yourself, and the fear that you have finds itself rooted in an ignorance of other people. Or in a projection of your issues. Either there's ignorance or there is a projection of your issues...It really blows my mind how outraged you are. You are so outraged over what the President said. First of all, take a chill pill. Take a deep breath, everything's gonna be all right."
Haynes added:
"Have you ever read the Gospel and heard Jesus say anything about homosexuality?...Black folk can't even deal with homosexuality because we got issues with sexuality. And because we got issues with sexuality we can't have a healthy discussion about homosexuality. Why, why do you get so upset?"
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...
Andy, now let's see a video of a prominent WHITE pastor saying these same gay affirming things to his WHITE, or mostly white, congregation.
Posted by: elg/edwin | Jun 8, 2012 12:24:14 PM
what did your dad do to promote Equality, rick? And no, letting you blow him doesn't count :D
Posted by: LittleKiwi | Jun 8, 2012 12:26:10 PM
He's a very honest man "Ratbasrd." And what's most interesting about his sermon is that he relates his flock's problem with homsoexuaity to their problems with all sexuality. He's very thorough. I hope we'll see and hear more from him.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Jun 8, 2012 12:27:30 PM
In Deed!!!!
Posted by: Rob | Jun 8, 2012 12:36:18 PM
What courage.
Posted by: MikeMick | Jun 8, 2012 12:38:40 PM
I like the preaching style and the fact that the congregation agrees with him.
For those who have never been in a Worship setting like this - they are standing in agreement, not trying to shout him down. The one's sitting, which is the minority, are the ones who disagree.
Posted by: Greg | Jun 8, 2012 12:39:51 PM
Again, if Obama's support on this has no other single effect, for this it will be remembered as historic. Opening the gates for the black community to finally face this subject head on. This discussion has been far too long in coming and huge numbers of black LGBT youth have suffered tremendously because of it. Not to mention the greater community.
This man, Sharpton and the rest, the NAACP... More and more will now feel covered when speaking out. It'll be messy, but at least it's happening. Amen is right!
Posted by: Michaelandfred | Jun 8, 2012 12:41:59 PM
@ ELG/ELWIN -- you can hear it almost every week at my church, as well as must UU and UCC congregations.
Posted by: MikeMick | Jun 8, 2012 12:43:54 PM
I liked what he had to say. But where in hell do these pastors learn to "talk-a like-a that-a?" All those North Carolina preachers during the recent protest --also. WTF
Posted by: castaway | Jun 8, 2012 12:47:15 PM
Being from Dallas I can say that the blacks here are really funny. To me most are very obvious but usually very closeted. I am often amazed that they claim to be straight. Others in their community seem to either be really dumb or willfully ignorant as they act like these guys are straight as well. The ones who are out tend to be, well, lets just say flaming. Lol. and even then Aunt So and So still wont clue in that he's a homo.
Posted by: Homo Genius | Jun 8, 2012 12:50:47 PM
@Greg While it is true that in black churches, congregants often reinforce the message of the pastor by shouting their approval, that is not what was going on here--and you would have to be a little naive to convince yourself of that. Even if some of the congregation agreed, it is entirely unrealistic to think that in a Baptist church in Dallas, Texas the majority did and felt so strongly about it that they were shouting their approval.
Reality check.
No, those were definitely shrieks of horror and objection that you were hearing....and that is born out further by the fact that the preacher did not stop his sermon at all to encourage the congregation to participate......as black preachers often will if the congregation is with him.
Also note that the preacher himself stated in the sermon that "y'all are not feeling it" and "I know I am going to lose some of you with this"
Posted by: Rick | Jun 8, 2012 12:52:06 PM
I am a white atheist and this speech made my day.
Posted by: Mona | Jun 8, 2012 12:54:03 PM
First off,....the "church" has strayed as far as it possibly can FROM its actual duty and what a "church" was ment to be. The Church was never supposed to be a building,...ever. 2nd,...Gay people were not nor have they ever been a calling by Jesus Christ to rise up against, Gay could not possibly a bigger absolute non-issue.
3rd thing is every religious group of people in a church,...white or black or purple or any color that purposes to be lead around by it's base emotions - wether it be fear or what-have-you will always fail because the very nature of human emotion that is based at all with ANY sort of selfish ambition wether it be having the best hair,..prettiest hat or best dressed children or the loudest AMEN has already utterly and completely failed - failed way before they even got down the list to sexuality let alone Gay people.
Marriage is for the most part a financial decision to save money and a Religious event so you can look happy and get the most attention and at its very core be all about ME. If the church was truly about following Jesus Christ and adhering to his example and teachings 1) they would not have a huge building with a mortgage. 2) the church would be about feeding the hungry 3) proving shelter for those who need it 4) taking care of those in poverty. There would be no conditions of them helping people -EVER. The idea of ruling state and federal politicians would never even be an idea in their minds and Gay Marriage would not matter one tiny little bit.
Do women feel upset if men would rather participate in gay behavior that be with another woman? Of course! All that says to a woman is they are less desirable to their own men,....add in the other selfish motivations about mixed couples of lighter dark skin,...or even white girls with black men or white men with black women,.....my goodness there is so much selfish mental anguish already going around that any topic that pops up is ripe for explosive emotional discourse,......
The church has become such a joke,....of epic purportional discourse that it has ceased to function as it should have 100's of years ago,...dare I even say 1000's of years ago.
Sadly,....most churches - if Jesus actually dropped by,....would Not let him preach from the pulpit,....and more wouldn't even let him in. Jesus didnt seem to have his own place,...he stayed with other people,......did not hang out with the religious people,..in-fact he called them out. Jesus hung out with the poor,..the unpretty and the outcast of society. Sadly,.....today's church would have very little to do with this man called Jesus Christ,.... And if the "church" ever wanted to get back on track,.....Gay Marriage wouldn't even be an issue,....because Jesus NEVER taught political over throw or " The Homosexual Agenda" because Jesus taught EVERYONE was inclusive,...he taught love and compassion,...he taught actions 1st,....because words mean nothing if your heart didn't mean it and your actions didn't prove your love and compassion.
Posted by: KenWebb | Jun 8, 2012 12:54:34 PM
If I were Christian this would be my new church!!! I'd even wear a hat! lol
People keep referring to the protesting hat ladies..the one they show close up isn't mad, she's saying "preach, Freddy!". I think most of the congregation is supporting him. (although I'm sure not all) I would imagine this congregation has many people who feel the way he does. I mean this CAN'T be the first time he's brought this subject (or homosexuality in general) up and he seems to be a truth telling, see things as they really are, kind of man. I can't imagine people who don't subscribe to his philosophy would be followers.
Anyway. WELL DONE! Proud to call Dallas my home today. Hope the video is going viral as we speak.
Posted by: Chica | Jun 8, 2012 12:56:56 PM
Disclosure: I am the whitest of guys, Agnostic-verging-Atheist-raised Catholic in the heart of Pennsyltucky..
But, you ALL need to turn up your volume when listening to this clip. His congregation is APPLAUDING him. They are smiling, They are not giving him grief. I love the hat-wearing lady (sorry Rick!) at @2:33 that says "Preach it Freddy!"
I understand that it's not common in a lot of tighter wound Catholic and Protestant Churches, but in some black Churches, Mass is a participation sport. It is a dialogue, not a sermon.
Drop your pre-conceptions and listen openly and this is an even MORE powerful uplifting and encouraging clip. LOVE it.
Posted by: Dego | Jun 8, 2012 1:00:17 PM
You can't say these are shouts of approval or disapproval. It LOOKS like approval, the two women they show are smiling, and when the camera cuts to the congregation many are standing and clapping. Read the lips of the lady in the photo (with the hat) - she is saying "Preach Freddy". That photo is a misrepresentation of what is happening in this church.
IMO he is speaking to the black leaders (religious?) who came out against Obama. Hold a conference call he says? That's exactly what they did with Obama when they opposed him supporting SSM.
As for the black community and homosexuality, the term "on the down low" ring a bell? It's used for the black community primarily so there must be some truth to the fear of homosexuals in the community. Unfounded but it's there.
Posted by: Barca | Jun 8, 2012 1:05:25 PM
@Diego...Damn you beat me to it. People need to pay attention to what is happening and not ASSUME they know what is happening in the church. Agreed...black churches are FAR more participatory than non-black churches.
Posted by: Barca | Jun 8, 2012 1:06:50 PM
thanks @Barca I'm glad I wasn't the only one that saw that.
And I'm seriously considering my first ever donation to a Baptist Church.
Posted by: Dego | Jun 8, 2012 1:07:55 PM
I'm an atheist and i must say Amen!
Posted by: Miguel | Jun 8, 2012 1:12:11 PM
Americans in general have problems with sexuality. In most (I said most) other countries it is a fact of life.
Posted by: Jack M | Jun 8, 2012 1:20:58 PM
Wow. It's refreshing to hear words like these more often from religious leaders. To keep going after obvious disagreement takes integrity.
Posted by: Randy | Jun 8, 2012 1:26:20 PM
sigh.... @Randy, there was NO disagreement from his congregation. that's the beauty of the clip.
Posted by: Dego | Jun 8, 2012 1:31:29 PM
Wow...he called them out, didn't he? I imagine whomever that was directed towards (whomever called the 'conference call') must have some "issues" as the Reverend calls it. And I would imagine everyone knows who that is.
But I applaud him. That was brave.
Posted by: Bart | Jun 8, 2012 1:46:10 PM
Wow, I am a Buddhist and my partner has been out of work for a year so we are struggling to make ends meet, but I am absolutely sending this preacher and his parish a contribution along with an email of thanks for the passionate message of solidarity.
Posted by: Shelly | Jun 8, 2012 1:58:57 PM
bless him ---Amen
Posted by: jeff duvall | Jun 8, 2012 2:00:06 PM