Silence Isn't Always Golden
RMSAcross the country, people have been angrily reacting to what Pastor Sean Harris of the Berean Baptist Church in North Carolina said from his pulpit... but what's gone largely uncommented on is why none of the people in his congregation protested his hateful rant.
For those who've somehow remained unaware, the Pastor found himself in hot water after a sermon in which he urged parents to "punch" male children if they acted effeminate and prevent their daughter from being too "butch" by making sure they looked attractive and "smell like a girl."
Listen to the congregation to the crowd the pastor -- who has issued the standard unapologetic apology -- addresses, and you can hear shouts of approval and laughter. But you know what you won't hear? A single person standing up to stop his homophobic rant.
So while pundits are taking the man of God to task for his unholy declarations, I can't help thinking they're missing the big picture. Because as indignant as many of us are at his remarks, where is the anger directed at the people sitting in that church who agreed wholeheartedly with his words?
It's easy to take to task the man whose words have echoed across the nation, but what about the people whose silence also speaks volumes? If actions truly speak louder than words, what are we to make of people who said nothing while listening to a man advocate such hateful behavior?
Reader Comments (1)
On his blog, he says "Clearly, I would like to have been more careful with exactly what I said, but sometimes I say things without enough clarity."
I dunno, it sounded pretty damn clear over here. I'm pretty sure I heard him preachin about what a dumbass he is and how everyone fool enough to listen to him is a dumbass, too. I'm pretty old, so maybe he was talking about how his head is up his ass. Oh hell, it coulda been both.