Conservative Pastor: My Prayers “Set My Son Free from Homosexuality”

Pastor Kent Christmas (his actual name) of Regeneration Nashville, whose upcoming plans include healing a woman in a “vegetative coma,” is also rabidly anti-gay.

During his sermon on Sunday, Christmas explained how his prayers helped cure his own son’s homosexuality… which was necessary because his son was apparently so gay, he had his own parking spot at a local gay nightclub.

My firstborn son, and his testimony is he was gay for years. And my wife and I would intercede and pray, and I kept hearing, “Well, nobody ever gets delivered from homosexuality.” Or I would hear from other believers, “Well, you know, that’s just the way God made him. You just need to love him there.” Or “No, he’s never going to be changed.” All I know was I dedicated him to the Lord for this day…

…

… It was quick for you, wasn’t it, son? God just shows up in his house, calls me that night, he said, “Dad, you won’t believe it!” He said “The Holy Ghost showed up in my house when I was getting dressed to go party at the gay club.” We had the largest gay night club, I think in several states, right downtown on Cowan Street, in the country. Josh had his own parking spot!

…

… And he said “The Holy Ghost showed up in my house, spoke to me, and said, ‘Because of the prayers that have gone over you, I’m setting you free.'” And instantly, God set my son free from homosexuality, and you saw the results today, by the power of God!

Uh… how did everyone “see the results today”? I’m sure there’s a normal answer to this question if I watch more of the service, but I’m more amused just letting that question linger.

Anyway, prayers don’t turn people straight. Nothing turns people straight. But when you’re raised by parents who describe homosexuality as a “demonic spirit that’s come after our seed,” we shouldn’t be surprised when a son does everything he can to avoid the label.

Several years ago, Josh gave his own version of that same testimony and talked about how his entire life was spiraling out of control when he moved out on his own and began dating men. His problems didn’t occur because he was gay, but he assumed that was a part of the problem. And then, with God’s help, he says, everything got better. Maybe that’s what he thinks happened. But to pretend that everyone can or should be “cured” of homosexuality reveals his own ignorance and bigotry. Like so many pastors, he thinks his anecdote represents everyone’s reality. And that fallacy is propped up by an entire church system that doesn’t care to hear any alternative to that narrative.

(Thanks to Kyle for the link)