The Sickness Surrounding the Religious "Right"

Perhaps you've seen it, or at least heard about.  The demonic type sermon preached to the flock of followers  last week  of the Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden, N.C. by Pastor Charles L. Worley. It is all over the Internet.  It has been played on CNN.  In case you haven't seen it, here is a link and an article from The Huffington Post:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/22/charles-l-worley-north-carolina-pastor-gay-rights_n_1536039.html


 Basically, the good pastor ranted and raved for quite some time about filthy homosexuals.  He flat out stated that they should be put in camps surrounded by large electric fences, and left to die.   His exact words:  "Build a great, big, large fence -- 150 or 100 mile long -- put all the lesbians in there.  Do the same thing for the queers and the homosexuals and have that fence electrified so they can't get out...and you know what, in a few years, they'll die out...do you know why? They can't reproduce!"   

Most logical and compassionate people would view Worley's comments as vile and contemptible.    Indeed, several human rights organizations have come forth calling for a protest at the church and the company that hosted his church's website has taken it down.    But silent are others who could make an even greater statement against this public call for annihilation of gays and lesbians.  Namely, other churches and pastors across America.

With one of their own spewing such rancid hatred and calling for the extermination of an estimated ten percent of the U.S. population,  why are we not hearing from other religious organizations condemning such volatile and unlawful actions.   The only religious leader that I am aware of who has publicly chastised Worley is Rev. Welton Gaddy, President of Interfaith Alliance.
Speaking to Anderson Cooper on CNN, Gaddy said,  "In one fell swoop this angry minister managed to discredit from his pulpit both the Constitution of the United States and the compassion that we find in the bible, and additionally he did a very dangerous thing by planting seeds of hatred in sick minds that in the right circumstances can act on them and do the kind of violence that has no place in our world."  

That's all well and good, but where are the Catholics? Where are the Mormons?  Where are the Presbyterians?   Where are the other so called religious leaders who espouse love and understanding?   Their silence on issues such as this can only be interpreted by many as an endorsement of Worley's views and desires (though I am sure others may argue that by addressing Worley, even if as a challenge, it would be legitimizing what he has said).

I do know some pastors who may address this issue in their sermons to their local congregations.  Though I have not talked with her, I can imagine a friend of ours in San Diego who leads quite a contemporary congregation would be outraged.   These are pastors who do not at all believe in what Worley stands for, and they have been vocal in their own ways to their smaller gatherings.  They are to be commended.   Still, it would be refreshing if some of them would contact their local TV stations and newspapers before this weekend's services, if indeed they plan to rebel against Worley's hatred.   Let them know the public is welcome to hear them lash out against the bigotry and hurt unleashed by this Baptist church.  It's the type of public religious backlash against this type of hatred  that so far we have not seen.
There's more.  In Worley's sermon, he attacked President Obama.   He told his parishioners, "I'm not going to vote for a baby killer and a homosexual lover!"    That's his prerogative, but since churches, including his, enjoy a tax-exempt status and pay absolutely nothing to keep the government operating, why should those churches have any say in the political process in the U.S.?   Clearly, the Constitution calls for a separation of church and state and when religious organizations become advocates for any particular party or issue, they have violated that separation.   It is time that the justice department began investigating the influence that tax-exempt religious organizations have on the political process (including the large amounts of cash that the Mormon and Catholic churches put into defeating same-sex marriage in California), and if investigators determine that these organizations are indeed advocates for one party, one candidate, or one issue, their tax-exempt status should be revoked, and they should be taxed on income just like any other business.

And when it comes down to it, isn't that what a lot of religion has become in the U.S.?  It is a big business, no longer concerned about helping humanity but rather chastising those who do not fit into their image of what society should be, and by doing so raking in huge amounts of cash.   We will likely never stop the lunatic fringe of religion, the so called "religious right," that has permeated part of America.  But it would be refreshing to hear more mainstream religious organizations denounce the sermons of hate, and bring some true faith back into what has become a dubious sector of Americana.