Sharpton Rips Churches For Support Of Prop 8

Over the weekend, Al Sharpton spit some hot fire at the organized faiths that worked to pass California's anti-gay initiative, Proposition 8, castigating them for going to the mat to overturn gay marriage in the Golden State while turning a blind eye to the needs of their communities. "There is something immoral and sick about using all of that power to not end brutality and poverty, but to break into people's bedrooms and claim that God sent you," Sharpton said bluntly. He made the remarks as the keynote speaker of the Human Rights Ecumenical Service, which took place Sunday at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Atlanta.

From PageOneQ:

"It amazes me," he said, "when I looked at California and saw churches that had nothing to say about police brutality, nothing to say when a young black boy was shot while he was wearing police handcuffs, nothing to say when they overturned affirmative action, nothing to say when people were being [relegated] into poverty, yet they were organizing and mobilizing to stop consenting adults from choosing their life partners."

"I am tired," he went on, "of seeing ministers who will preach homophobia by day, and then after they're preaching, when the lights are off they go cruising for trade...We know you're not preaching the Bible, because if you were preaching the Bible we would have heard from you. We would have heard from you when people were starving in California--when they deregulated the economy and crashed Wall Street you had nothing to say. When [accused Ponzi scammer] Madoff made off with the money, you had nothing to say. When Bush took us to war chasing weapons of mass destruction that weren't there you had nothing to say.

The remarks strike a contrast to Sharpton's reaction, back in December, at the news that President-elect Barack Obama has selected Saddleback Church pastor and Prop 8 proponent Rick Warren to participate in this coming week's inaugural. At the time, Sharpton said that the decision was "gracious and courageous."

Comments

[jdmba]

Let's not assume his remarks were directed only to Black churches. Let us not forget that white churches funded the movement.

[Meesterclean]

Al Sharpton was a nobody who made himself into somebody. People need to stop looking at the know nothing that he used to be, but the know nothing who knew one thing, that the way the world goes about most things is wrong and who was determined to elevate himself to become one of the world's most righteous spokespersons. His words are great. People need to listen more, despite themselves.

[Crispyorganic]

Sharpton better pipe down or he might start a trend, like attracting open-minded, intelligent people to organized religion.

[113]

Sharpton should be more vocal about this, call out the bigots who hide behind religion.

[TstormVA]

You go Reverend Al. Black churches have dropped the ball since the Civil Rights movement. They are more concerned about building mega churches then what's going on in the community. And with GWB faith-based programs, the Republicans had the Black churches in their pocket. The Black community can be homophbic. We know about homosexuality in our community...seen and unseen. We are in denial.

[DDD228]

I guess Rev. Al has seen his career light kick into overtime now. We have our first African-Amercan President so it's going to be hard for him to remain relevant and get the free money he's grown accustom to through extortion, kinda like Rev. Jesse and what he is now going through. Did you see him cry on TV when Obama got elected? He wasn't crying because he was proud...he was crying 1) because it wasn't him...and 2) he knew his free ride was over thanks to Obama. I find it hard to even type Rev. before their names knowing their past and the downright dishonesty these men are known for. Jesse wanted to cut Obama's family jewels off, as he was caught saying on mic., and Obama cut him and Al off at the knees. Couldn't have happened to two nicer people. Don't believe anything this shill says, my gay brothers and sisters...he's only out for what he can get. The Tawana Brawley debacle will forever be on his back and in our minds.

[Lilly06]

Al Sharpton...lol. I wouldn't even let that man talk on behalf of my dog let alone gay rights.

The fact is churches have the right to utilize their resources as they see fit and if they don't agree with gay marriage.

Gay rights protestors exercise their rights to utilize their time, money and effort to protest for the right to marriage and therefore churches have the right to protest against it.

That gay rights movement must be ashamed as they have obviously lowered the tone of their campaign if Al Sharpton jumps on the gun wagon.

[iwantpie]

You gay people please don't listen to Al Sharpton, he has a motive up is sleeve, he was not speaking on this issue pre-election, because most black don't care about this subject.

[diogenes1967]

Oh, Sharpton has been speaking on this for years. Unfortunately, a lot of people weren't listening.

this is from 2003:

During his presidential campaign in 2003, Sharpton said he thought it was insulting to be asked to discuss the issue of gay marriage. "It's like asking do I support black marriage or white marriage... The inference of the question is that gays are not like other human beings."

[diogenes1967]

"That's like saying you give blacks, or whites, or Latinos the right to shack up -- but not get married," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who said the very question of whether gays ought to be eligible for marriage was insulting.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun also said they supported gay marriage.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/07/16/MN75663.DTL

[unesupernana]

For once Sharpton has really taken up an issue worthy of attention.

Christian churches in all communities need to be called out on their so-called 'moral' stance rooted more in hypocrisy than any kind of Christian doctrine or compassion.

Taking a united stand to oppose starvation, homelessness, brutality and ignorance would be far more beneficial to these communities than this hopeless handwringing over one's choice of sexual partner.

I congratulate Sharpton on the relevancy, and indeed, the urgency in addressing this issue.

[diogenes1967]

To this day, when I think al Sharpton, I think Tawana Brawley, I think many people do. He's never been able to overcome that, really.

[sueno]

You Go! Al
He may not be right all the time,
but sometime he gets it right and
telling the truth about some or many people of the cloth
is due and Sharpton needs to be supported.

[MathIsTruth]

Sharpton's words are quite accurate in this case.

However, you can't place all the blame on the ministers. People who attend those churches have an obligation to use their brains and their hearts and to figure out what's right. If their minister is exhorting them to hate, they should either get a new minister for their church or change churches.

[diogenes1967]

True, but Sharpton is saying something far more than that. He's calling them on their hypocrisy.

Provided that you stay silent about the matter, homosexuality is accepted in the black church, whether it's in the choir or behind the pulpit. But it's a white elephant in the room that will only be talked about as gossip. Yet sermons that condemn homosexuality and are all fire and brimstone are the red meat that, in part, gets the crowds coming in. Sharpton is also pointing out the hypocrisy of those in the church that do the things that are preached against in Leviticus.

[Vixter]

I normally do not agree with Rev. Sharpton on a myriad of issues, but he has stated eloquently the TRUTH in this matter. I am a straight female who has been blessed with the friendships of a few gay friends. I say blessed because I feel that any true friendship is a blessing - not for any religious reasons. I can state from first hand knowledge that being gay is NOT contagious, so I am at a loss to understand why so called Christians are so afraid of Prop. 8. I was raised Catholic, & was taught that God wanted us to love our fellow man. Does that mean women aren't supposed to be loved? Sounds ridiculous, but I'm sure that it follows the wording of the Bible exactly....

Why are supposed Christians so upset that two consenting adults have found someone to love, cherish, and with which to spend the rest of their lives? In fact, why are they so concerned with what goes on in someone else's bedroom? Sounds like a personal problem to me.

[jeffp26]

Al Sharpton is a much better, much more coherent, thinker and speaker than his reputation would suggest.

He hit this nail on the head. And he hit it hard.

I would love him as my senator!!!!!!

[Space Walker]

Sharpton is nothing more than an opportunists that makes a living off simple minded minorities that are not smart enough to know that this man is a fraud. Anything he does is for political or financial gain, just a chaff which the wind driveth away.

[postman606]

Whatever church you belong to, the guy looking at you is doing the same.

[kimmr]

Um, correction.
Sharpton makes a living off of -fighting for the rights- of us simple minded minorities.
I guess if we were smarter we would reject his presumptuous and offensive overtures of dedicating his life, time, reputation and purpose to service for and defense of minority rights.
He may not always be politically correct and popular in his approach, but he has earned a well deserved respect from us minorities.
I think that the ignorant view of Al Sharpton and many of his ilk as mere frauds and opportunists is mere wind which bloweth much, but doth signify nothing.
PS - Have you ever heard Rev Sharpton giving an interview or speech at length?
He has a shrewd and brilliant thought process.
Don't get it twisted.