A North Carolina pastor has been accused of making homophobic comments at a high school graduation ceremony, telling students gay people will go to hell
A North Carolina pastor has been accused of making homophobic comments at a high school graduation ceremony, reports WISTV.
According to angry parents and students, Pastor Scott Carpenter told graduating students that they would go to hell if they are gay.
A parent of one student at Kings Mountain High School, Cleveland County said:
“This is bullying. Bullying doesn't have to happen from the back hallway of a school or a back parking lot. It can happen from the pulpit, it can happen from the stage.
“It's a public school. There are children here. I think there should be some level of responsibility of the speaker coming in to not take advantage of a captive audience.”
However, Carpenter has said that he has no regrets because he loves the students “too much to not tell them the truth”:
“Do I hate anybody? Absolutely not….Was I trying to be mean spirited? Absolutely not. Was I trying to hurt somebody's feelings? Absolutely not. I simply had to do what I had to do as a Christian minister.”
Cleveland County Schools have said in future they may be more cautious about the selection process of baccalaureate speakers.
Watch a report on the remarks, AFTER THE JUMP…