Yet another wingnut on the loose in the pulpit -- Final End

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, [6], 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 23:49:16 07/06/02 Sat
Author: Drummond
Subject: Yet another wingnut on the loose in the pulpit

Politicians dissent from religious speech
PASTOR DENOUNCED NON-CHRISTIAN FAITHS
By Frank E. Lockwood
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

Several politicians moved yesterday to distance themselves from a minister's comments about immigrants at a church-sponsored patriotic rally Tuesday night.

U.S. Rep. Ernie Fletcher said yesterday that he was "deeply disappointed and appalled" by comments about non-Christian immigrants by Jeff Fugate, pastor of Clays Mill Road Baptist Church.

Lexington mayoral candidates Scott Crosbie and Teresa Isaac, who also attended the event at Applebee's Park, also distanced themselves from Fugate's claims that opponents of Christianity should go into exile and that non-Christians shouldn't bring their religions with them when they immigrate to the United States.

The rally, which attracted 5,000 people, included short patriotic speeches by Fletcher and former Gov. Brereton Jones, and lengthy sermons by two Baptist preachers.

U.S. Senate candidate Lois Combs Weinberg also attended the event but could not be reached for comment yesterday.

During his sermon, Fugate said: "If you don't want a Christian nation, then go to one of the many nations that are heathen already, rather than perverting ours."

America already has its own Bible and its own Christian faith, Fugate said Tuesday night. "You're welcome to come, but leave your religions, your bibles, all your other things back where you came from," Fugate said.

Yesterday, Fugate said he wasn't trying to denounce all non-Christian religions, just Islam and religions that are "anti-American."

"Islam and America are opposites. They hate us. They want to kill us," he said. "I'm not anti-Jewish or anti-Catholic. I'm anti-Islam because that religion right there is anti-American."

Still, his comments made some others uncomfortable.

Fletcher, who left before Fugate's sermon, said that Christianity has helped to shape the nation but that religious tolerance and religious freedom are bedrock American values.

"Faith is a part of the foundation of the nation, but it's not a faith that divides, but rather unites. It is a faith that really helps guarantee our freedom," said Fletcher, who is considering a run for governor in 2003. "We were founded by people moving here desiring to have freedom of faith and thought, and I think that's critical to the future of our nation."

Isaac, who heard the comments, said they bothered her.

"I think in Lexington, we need to send a message that we care about values, character and religious beliefs, but we don't force them on other people," she said. "And whatever your religion is, you have the right to practice your religion."

Crosbie also said he disagreed with Fugate's message. "I make no bones that I am a Christian. However our country's tradition of religious tolerance is a very important freedom that I think every American citizen should enjoy," he said.

"We have a strong history of religious tolerance in this country, and we can't prescribe what someone's religious beliefs are going to be, and I don't believe that's what our country's all about," he said.

But Fugate said he is not anti-immigrant. He noted that his church has a Hispanic ministry and provided transportation and interpretation for Spanish-speaking people who wanted to attend the rally.

Fugate said he has heard from dozens of people who approved of the rally and his message. He also criticized liberals, homosexuals, cross-dressers, Hollywood stars, rock musicians and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Another minister, Russell Anderson, suggested during the event that Catholics aren't Christians.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]