Much Ado Over Outing

No single article that I have ever written or protest that I have participated in has garnered as much attention as the “Outing Black Pastors” campaign that I did with my colleague Keith Boykin.

It was a simple idea hatched in a casual conversation of Black gay activists while in Washington D.C.  Frustrated with the increasing number of attacks on same-gender loving people by Black pastors, we decided to take action.  The action in this case was calling out Black pastors on their hypocrisy as it relates to the gay community and their relationship to the current Bush Administration.

The outline of the campaign was straightforward.  Each day for one week Keith and I profiled a Black pastor highlighting his relationship with the Bush Administration, recent homophobic gay comments, and ending with the question, is this pastor gay?  Starting with mega church pastors Bishop Eddie Long and T.D. Jakes, we included profiles of other prominent pastors including Los Angeles’ Noel Jones and Bishop Charles Blake, D.C.’s Reverend Willie Wilson, Chicago’s Reverend Gregory Daniels, New Orleans’ Bishop Paul Morton, Georgia’s Creflo Dollar, and ended with a joint profile of ex-gay gospel singer Donnie Mclurkin.

For the record, there is nothing wrong with asking a question. Myexperience has shown that the people who are the most adamant on certain issues also tend to be dealing with their own issues. People who are comfortable with who they are usually don't care as much about what other people are doing. Which lead me to an obvious question, are these pastor’s gay?

Remember that despite all of his racist rhetoric, Senator and former segregationist the late Strom Thurmond fathered a Black daughter to everyone’s surprise.  Conservative pundit and frequent Republican candidate, Alan Keyes caused a stir during the 2004 Republican convention by labeling Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter a sinner and calling homosexuality "selfish hedonism."  Alan Keyes’ daughter Maya is a lesbian.

So you see, being able to point out the hypocrisy that exists in our community is why we have a democracy.

To date, I have received over 1,000 emails regarding this campaign and they still continue to come in.  While a good number of the responses that I have received regarding this campaign are positive, I will say that I have received many threats against my life for “bringing harm to a man of God.”  And if the email wasn’t a threat against my life I was blasted for speaking badly about men of God, not notifying the pastors ahead of time and put on notice that I was going to be on a direct path to hell, as opposed to a more scenic view.

Do I have remind you that anyone can claim to be a man of God?  Jim Jones said he was a man of God and because of him 913 people, many of whom were Black are dead.  President Bush claims he is a man of God and was called upon by God to lead this country and look at where we are today.  Reverend Craig Ward of the Brookins African Methodist Episcopal Church considers himself to be a man of God, but he was still arrested in Oakland for trying to negotiate a 20-dollar oral sex act.

So you see, claiming that you are a man or woman of God does not automatically elevate you to sainthood, at least not in my book.

The other issue that people took offense to was not notifying the pastors ahead of time that they were going to be the subjects of a vicious attack.

Well, I don’t recall a memo ever coming across my desk saying that this Sunday’s sermon was going to condemn me and those like me to hell.  But I am supposed to send them advanced notice on what I plan to do.  Seems like a double standard to me.

Depending on what you believe, heaven and hell are both up for interpretation as is religion period. 

I find it hard to believe that someone who has never been to hell and does not know for a fact who’s in hell, knows that I am going to hell.  Until you can send me a link to a Mapquest with clear directions on how to get to Lucifer’s lair, I reserve the right to question your claim that I am going to hell, or even heaven for that matter.

To date, the campaign never specifically “outed” anyone as it pertains to his or her sexual orientation and possible secret sex lives.  However, we did expose in depth the ties that certain Black pastors have with the Bush Administration, which is equally dangerous and harmful to Black communities.

In order to institute change, sometimes you have to deviate from traditional methods.  That was the case with this campaign.  We pushed the envelope and brought the discussion of homophobia in the Black church and President Bush’s Faith Based Initiative to mainstream Black America.  Had we done just another article about yet another Black preacher spewing hate against gays, we probably wouldn’t have garnered as much attention as this single campaign did.

In the words of the great Malcolm X, “usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change.”

This campaign was a way to fight back and to challenge the validity and authority of people using God and religion as a way to oppress a group of people.  It sent a clear message that there are those of us in the community, gay and non-gay that are tired of the hypocrisy and double standards where it concerns same-gender loving people and took this conversation out of the Black gay community and introduced it to mainstream Black America.

Personally, I feel that it is my right and my responsibility to get up each and every day and fight oppression in all of its many forms, government, big business, and yes the church.  I feel especially duty bound to take up the issue of homophobic Black pastors so that they can redeem themselves before it’s too late and go to heaven with me and everyone else, including lesbian and gays that have earned a place up there.

Our campaign may have been the first of its kind, but it is a part of a much larger movement of oppressed voices beginning to speak up for themselves.  The days of silence on these issues are long gone on the Black community.

Comments

[Rene]

Many black prominent black pastors are homosexual. T.D. Jakes is homosexual. Although I agree with your project I disagree with your reasoning behind it and your lifestyle choice.

Ignorant, no spell ck, LOL

"So you see, claiming that you are a man or woman of God does not automatically elevate you to sainthood, at least not in my book."

That statement alone illustrates how ignorate you are what it means to be a man or woman of God.

We are all born in sin and have sin nature. Because a man or woman believes in God provides him/her forgiveness not absolution. Every action has a consequence, no exemptions.

[dominique charbonnet]

First of all jasmyne, you and keith are wrong to ousting people because they speak out against gay/homosexuals. Just like you believe you have rights, these people have the right not to agree with homosexuality. You and keith must have plenty of extra energy to take the time peer into others lives. I can't seem to find the extra time after God,work, school and my family to be concerned with how someone else is living. Like some of you homosexual like to say let God be the judge then practice it. As for the post of the lesbian who say she love God. You are greatly decieve if you think that you will spend eternality with the Holy Father of heaven and Our Lord Jesus Christ. God said in word or did you skip that part while you were reading, (if you even read at all) that the effiminate will not see the kingdom of heaven. God does not hate homosexuals He hate what they do. You need to be deovered and accept what God made you to be a woman to be with a man not another woman. If you ask me that just plain ole nasty. Oh by the way it is not God's fault you are gay. I you and keith have fun swimming in the lake of fire. Turn to Jesus before it is to late.

"I find it hard to believe that someone who has never been to hell and does not know for a fact who’s in hell, knows that I am going to hell. Until you can send me a link to a Mapquest with clear directions on how to get to Lucifer’s lair, I reserve the right to question your claim that I am going to hell, or even heaven for that matter."

"I feel especially duty bound to take up the issue of homophobic Black pastors so that they can redeem themselves before it’s too late and go to heaven with me and everyone else, including lesbian and gays that have earned a place up there."

Matthew 7:13

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."

For a person who's not so convinced about heaven or hell, you seem to have your reservations in Heaven, signed, sealed and delivered. And if you're no so convinced about heaven or hell, why are you so concerned about the church in the black community? Just live your life. After all, God will judge, right? In deed He will, and He will judge us based on how well we followed the instructions in His Holy Word. That is the "Mapquest" which will direct you into heaven or hell. Just as you feel duty bound to take up the issue of what you perceive as homophobic pastors and christians, those of us who are christians and our pastors feel just as duty bound to take up the issue of winning souls to Christ by preaching the word of God outlined in the Holy writ and we will be just as vocal in trying to reach those who want to change and who want to be reached. You can't pick and choose which parts of the bible you won't to follow. God will never back up what He has condemned in his Holy Word, and although none of us have ever been to hell, I sure wouldn't want to find out the reality of it when it's too late (most of us have never been to the North Pole either, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist). So I'm gonna take my chances and believe that the Word of God means just what it says about both places, and how to reach one and avoid the other. I would suggest you do the same. God bless you and I hope that you will someday be redeemed so that you can, in fact, join us in the biggest celebration of all time, being reunited with our Lord and Saviour!

[tracyL]

Sounds like you and Keith have more of an issue with God and not the men of God. The issue is moreso with the inate tendency for the homosexual to debate the authority of the bible. That's cool. I'm a lesbian, love God and do acknowledge the right and wrong in His word. His word clearly states that being a homosexual is not his perfect will for my life (he never said not to be homosexual), but nevertheless he loves me and I am assured of spending eternity with him. Something deep inside of you is troubling you....as if you need confirmation, validation or something. Hope you find the peace you are looking for and maybe outing these pastors helps you somehow therapeutically. Unfortunately, 99% of the ones you've targeted are not homosexuals. Yes, they are wrong for putting down the homosexual, but that is through ignorance. Perhaps if some homosexuals that aren't as angry as you and Keith can help to inform these folks with civility, you may get somewhere. As a member of the homosexual community your approach was quite embarassing and ghetto. That is one big reason why I don't embrace the GAY LIFESTYLE. Too many hateful and prejudicial folks hiding behind their rainbow flags for me. Unfortunately, the pastors targeted have many homosexual members that love and support them dearly and millions of followers. The funny thing is....you were ignored. They are still standing their ground and haven't been moved. And now, you all are trying to get clowns like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson on your bandwagon which most blacks with good sense have long ago lost respect for those two has beens. What was your point again???

Hello Jasmyne...

I just read your article on the outing of preachers, and I thoroughly loved it (not only because I agreed with it, but because it was so well-written and clever). I think what you and Keith Boykin are doing is a fantastic service to the gay community.

I propose that you broaden the scope of your project and take it other gay organizations. I think your tactics would well serve us in battling the Frists, DeLays, and Santorums of this world. We need this sort of no-nonsense approach to deal with these idiots.

Anyway, thank you very much for your hard work. Good luck on all future projects.

Best to You... Ronald Bomia

[taylor Siluwé]

Your campaign did ruffle a lot of feathers ... and in my book, that just shows you were doing something right.

Keep those feathers flying ......

[NancyP]

Hint. Navy blue type on a black background (link to Boykin website) is illegible.

[a thomas c]

haha...

i am anything BUT conservative or a traditionalist dear...

i take issue with the method, plain and simple...

they asked a question...i'm giving an answer that isn't necessarily what folks want to hear...but i have to right to answer it...

thanks.

[Laura]

people forget that a lot of us have already been homophobic christians ourselves, shouting "Amen" the loudest at heterosexist and antigay remarks from the pastor.

shakespeare put a name to it 500 years ago, a thomas c...it's called protesting too loudly. i know you conservatives/traditionalist automatons don't like to discuss various aspects of reality, but why aren't the rest of us permitted to talk about it?

it's just a question, get over it already.

[a thomas c]

in depth?

that's debatable...