Comments on: Mayor Leppert joins First Baptist Church, calls anti-gay Pastor Robert Jeffress a ‘good guy’

By: Instant Tea » Blog Archive » Mayor Leppert responds to criticism concerning his decision to join First Baptist

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:17:58 +0000

[...] (shown above) has issued a statement in response to criticism from some in the LGBT community, including myself, about his recent decision to join First Baptist Church of Dallas. Leppert previously was a member [...]

By: Instant Tea » Blog Archive » Heinbaugh calls Leppert’s choice of anti-gay church ‘a highly personal decision’

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:31:05 +0000

[...] a response from Chris Heinbaugh, Mayor Tom Leppert’s openly gay chief of staff, about the mayor’s recent decision to join First Baptist Church of Dallas, which is led by famed homophobe Robert Jeffress, whom Leppert calls a “good guy.” In [...]

By: Disappointed Reader

Disappointed Reader — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:08:12 +0000

Right on JW RICHARD !!!

Gee, I’m surprised that you didn’t censor his comments John for disagreeing with you, like you do others in the community……………………..speaking of hatred

By: John Wright

John Wright — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:35:49 +0000

We could compare and contrast the African-American and LGBT civil rights movements all day long, or talk about the city’s segregationist history. But I think the bottom line is, Leppert’s decision to join First Baptist is a slap in the face to the LGBT community of Dallas. Park Cities Baptist is much more progressive than FIrst Baptist, and yes, I think it’s quite obvious that Jeffress is among the most anti-gay Southern Baptist pastors. He preaches hatred, and for Leppert to be so closely associated with him is shameful.

By: JW Richard

JW Richard — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:58:44 +0000

What I mean, John, is that just because the mayor works to support different people around the city doesn’t mean that when it comes to his place of worship he’s going to choose a church far different than his own background and personal beliefs.

And you do really think that Pastor Jeffress is anymore anti-gay that many other Southern Baptist ministers? Maybe the other pastors don’t have the money to have the marquee that caused the protest last year, but Jeffress isn’t saying anything out of step with many Southern Baptist ministers. So if Mayor Leppert is Southern Baptist, what did you expect him to do? Join Cathedral of Hope?

Religion is a personal matter and, yes, by joining that church, the mayor may very well be siding with Pastor Jeffress on the issue of gays. However, he also may NOT believe that, as many Christians don’t and still attend that same church weekly. Since when do we gays become the only ones who merit the benefit of a doubt?

In this closing, I’ll say that your previous attempt to correct my analogy with a statement so oblivious to the actual segregationist past of this city is infuriating beyond belief and further underscores the how the 50’s/60’s civil rights movement and LGBTQA liberation movement are not exactly the same struggle. While what is similar is that the same bible was used by the majority to condemn Black and gay people for their very being, if you were Black and on the wrong area of town too long, you ran the risk of not being around long to tell about your gayness (as if someone on that side of town didn’t already know, but that’s for another post).

By: Jack E. Jett

Jack E. Jett — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:05:56 +0000

I don’t think we need to wait for a note for Chris Heinbaugh to understand what this is about.
I don’t care if Jeffress churchs is full of blacks or whites, if they follow his shit , it is full of bigots. I mean let’s call it for what it is. If this city would have voted on experience and qualifications, Oakley would be mayor.

And John Wright has never been so (W)right on (sorry) with his analogy.

By: John Wright

John Wright — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:16:23 +0000

JW,
I’m not sure what you mean about Friendship West, but Pastor Jeffress is one of the most prominent anti-gay voices in North Texas. I believe the appropriate analogy would be, if the mayor of Dallas had joined a church that excluded blacks in the 1960s and called the racist pastor a “good guy,” which very well may have happened.

By: JW Richard

JW Richard — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:21:21 +0000

Disappointing on what grounds, John? Joining a church is a very personal decision, and our mayor isn’t gay. Mayor Leppert support the overall Black community in Dallas as well, and he didn’t ask to be placed the Friendship West roll book, either.