North Carolina pastor Sean Harris is being featured on many gay rights blogs this week due to his lesson on parenting to his congregation, including his advice that parents should punch and slap the gay out of children.
I doubt I could do the Pastor justice in his approach to child-rearing so here are his own words:
“So your little son starts to act a little girlish when he is four years old and instead of squashing that like a cockroach and saying, “Man up, son, get that dress off you and get outside and dig a ditch, because that is what boys do,” you get out the camera and you start taking pictures of Johnny acting like a female and then you upload it to YouTube and everybody laughs about it and the next thing you know, this dude, this kid is acting out childhood fantasies that should have been squashed.
Can I make it any clearer? Dads, the second you see your son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist. Man up. Give him a good punch. Ok? You are not going to act like that. You were made by God to be a male and you are going to be a male. And when your daughter starts acting to Butch you reign her in. And you say, “Oh, no, sweetheart. You can play sports. Play them to the glory of God. But sometimes you are going to act like a girl and walk like a girl and talk like a girl and smell like a girl and that means you are going to be beautiful. You are going to be attractive. You are going to dress yourself up.”
You say, “Can I take charge like that as a parent?”
Yeah, you can. You are authorized. I just gave you a special dispensation this morning to do that.”
Harris is the senior pastor at the Berean Baptist Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina. According to his bio, Harris is a former paratrooper who promises “bold” but not “rash” preaching to his parishioners:
“‘Rash preaching,’ said Rowland Hill, ‘disgusts; timid preaching leaves poor souls fast asleep; bold preaching is the only preaching that is owned of God.’ ” If Pastor’s preaching can be categorized with any one word, “bold” would be that word. And his boldness comes not from his self-confidence. It comes rather from his belief that consistent, expository preaching of the whole of Scripture will be used by the Spirit to draw people to the Son. And when people are drawn to the Son, they are saved, sanctified, and they become disciples and teachers themselves. Pastor takes you through the chapters of God’s Word. You will learn the passage’s historical intent, literal interpretation, and twenty-first century application. He strives to teach God’s Word accurately and clearly, and he strives to preach God’s Word boldly.
The audiotape shows parents cheering and laughing at the sermon. The tape was originally posted here.
Of course, nothing brings clarity to gender confusion like a good beating in Harris’ view.
Elaine M. on May 2, 2012 at 9:35 am
I think Harris suffers from PTGD–Post Traumatic God Disorder. His biography should be revised:
It was during his last deployment to Iraq after he suffered several concussions that he sensed God’s call to the ministry.
Sean enjoys running, cycling, skiing, writing…and smacking the gay out of children.
*****
What a hero!!!!!
—————-
Yep, an all-American hero, Elaine M. (We probably haven’t heard the last of this guy.)
(His “favorite missionary martyr”?: Jim Elliot Philip James Elliot (October 8, 1927 – January 8, 1956) was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador. — Wikipedia)
I’m guessing that “Pastor” Harris might be one of the “time is now” ten percent…
Some good material:
Pastor’s Various Favorites
Person: Best friend and wife, Pamela (and son, Austin)
Restaurants: Outback, Cracker Barrel, Texas Roadhouse, Jason’s Deli (Reuben Sandwich)
Desserts: Breyer’s Black Rasberry Ice Cream, Mint Chocolate Ice Cream, Brownies and Ice Cream, New York Factory Cheesecake
Candy: Good and Plenty Candies
Authors: Anthony Hoekema, Ravi Zacharias, Mark Dever, John Piper, Stu Weber, Dale Harvey, C.J. Maheney, John MacArthur, and others (check out great book recommendations under the Resource Tab above)
Movies: Amazing Grace, Luther, End of the Spear, Glory Road, Pistol Pete, Courageous
Songs: “Before the Throne of Grace” by Sovereign Grace Ministries; I’ll Fly Away O’ Glory, Amazing Grace and anything by Michael Card
CD: Come Weary Saints by Sovereign Grace Ministries
Books: When Sinners Say “I Do,” Tender Warrior, Desiring God, 9 Marks of Healthy Church, Saved by Grace, Spectacular Sins, Leadership by MacArthur, ESV Study Bible
Missionary: William Carey
Missionary Martyr: Jim Elliot
Preachers: Charles Spurgeon, John MacArthur
Camp: The Anchorage on Lake Waccamaw, NC
Sport: To watch high school basketball; running
Quotation: “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything; for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen” (Martin Luther, April 18, 1521 at the Diet of Worms).
Professor Turley, Contributors, Others with connections, please arrange for this parody song to find its way to those who can compose parodies and broadcast them.
I offer this song into the public domain and waive all interests in it. If any consideration is needed, Angering Pastor Harris would be all I ask in return. My post is late and I hope others read it. Here it is.
Sung to Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific song “I’m Going to Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair.”
Nellie (Pastor Harris):
I’m gonna slap that gay right outa my son,
I’m gonna slap that gay right outa my son,
I’m gonna slap that gay right outa my son,
And send him on his way.
I’m gonna punch that dyke right outa my girl,
Nellie (Pastor Harris): and Girls:
I’m gonna punch that dyke right outa my girl
I’m gonna punch that dyke right outa my girl
And send her on her way.
Don’t try to patch it up
Girls:
Tear him up, tear her up!
Nellie (Pastor Harris)::
knock him out, cast her out,
Girls:
Push him out, throw her out,
Nellie (Pastor Harris)::
Cancel him and let her go!
Girls:
Yea, Pastor!
Nellie (Pastor Harris)::
I’m gonna slap that gay right outa my son,
I’m gonna slap that gay right outa my son,
I’m gonna slap that gay right outa my son,
And send him on his way.
If a boy don’t understand you,
If you fly on separate beams,
Waste no time, make him pay,
Ride that boy and show him the way.
Rub him out of the roll call
And shame him out of his dreams.
Girls:
Oho! If you laugh at different comics,
If you root for different teams,
Waste no time, weep no more,
Show her what the door is for.
Rub her out of the roll call
And shame her out of her dreams.
Nellie (Pastor Harris)::
You can’t light a fire when the banned books are wet,
Girls:
No!
Nellie (Pastor Harris)::
You can’t make a butterfly manly.
Girls:
Hmm, hmm!
Nellie (Pastor Harris)::
You can’t lay an egg when it ain’t quite a hen,
Girls:
And you can’t fix a boy when he’s sinned!
Nellie (Pastor Harris)::
You can’t put back a petal when it falls from a flower,
Or man up a boy when he starts swinging’ sour
Girls:
Oh no! Oh no!
Nellie (Pastor Harris): and Girls:
If his eyes get sad and sullen,
When you look for glints and gleams,
Waste no time,
Make him switch,
Drop him in the nearest ditch!
Rub him out of the roll call,
And drum her out of her dreams
Oho! Oho!
Nellie (Pastor Harris)::
I went to slap that gay right outa my son,
I went to slap that gay right outa my son,
I went to slap that gay right outa my son,
‘cause God is on my side!
Girls:
He went to punch that dyke right outa his girl,
He went to punch that dyke right outa his girl,
He went to punch that dyke right outa his girl,
Nellie (Pastor Harris): and Girls:
‘cause God is on his side!
The kingdom of God is not in word (Bible), but power…it’s not food and drink…but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit….St Paul.
The kingdom of God is within you…..Jesus.
The great prayer says, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”.
As time goes on I believe we’ll learn more about these things concerning “the kingdom” and then we’ll learn not to be so enthusiastic about anything or everything that’s written down from old times.
Jesus said, “the Holy Spirit will guide us into all things”. Thankfully, that’s what’s going on in the world today. And many are not happy about it.
How can a preacher talk about Jesus while advocating violence? It’s also teaching the John Wayne concept of dispute resolution: bring on the fists and the guns.
Great concept to teach the kids. (sarcasm, again)
don’t hit the kid too hard, might knock the jesus out of them
Another example of hate rhetoric ending in death with the victim charged with manslaughter. Just love our justice system (sarcasm).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/02/cece-mcdonald-minnesota-transgender-woman-manslaughter_n_1472078.html
@bettykath
The main issue in this story is mis treatment of the LGBT community by citizens and by public officials.
But it also highlights reprehensible medical treatment of prisoners at all levels of incarceration. Doesn’t matter if you are at the county jail of with the FEDs or in a facility run under contract by a private company. If you are inside, your life may depend on not getting sick or injured.
Oh, well its just perps. Does anyone really care?
OS,
Thanks. I just wanted to be precise. I was afraid if I wasn’t accurate, the good minister might come here and “give me a good punch”. Or was that “how about a nice Hawaiian punch? ” 🙂
I raised 17 children and didn’t avoid appiying corporal punishment as appropiate. I had one rule for myself when giving out punishments. Never punish a child when or because you are angry with them. Put off the punishment until you can rationally decree a punishment which is consistant with the severity of the offense. Discuss with them what they did and tell them that you love the them very much, but wont tolerate bad behavior, and since they have exhibited poor judgement , they must suffer the consequences. They knew I had no problem with spanking them. Incidentally , I probably didnt give more than approxamately 10 spankings total for all 17 kids, but I had credability and they knew what would happen if they broke the rules.
they all grew up to be normal adults. None went to jail, or are agressive.
raff, good catch. There is a world of difference between beat and punch. As the late Mark Twain said, “There is a world of difference between lightning and the lightning bug.”
Next time I want to take a swing at a kid, I will explain to the authorities that it was only a punch and not beating. I am sure they will be persuaded by that explanation and not haul me off in Smith & Wesson bracelets.
Didn’t Tammy play with some porn star actors after the steam room incidents……
I wonder what he keeps in his closet….to wit… James Bakker…..
@rafflaw “Man up. Give him a good punch. “
Apparently we all misunderstood and this was really a joke. Well that’s the story in the AP anyway.
I hesitate to ask, oh heck, I’m going to man up and ask any way:
If ‘give him a good punch’ is what fundamentalist Christians say when joking with children, exactly what do they say when expressing hostility or fighting words.
It is essential that I receive this vital information so I will have something powerful to say in my next bar fight.
Let me correct my quote of the minister: “Man up. Give him a good punch. “
I agree with OS and Elaine that the words of this so-called man of God do advocate child abuse. He didn’t say you should discipline the child or spank the child, he said “beat the gay out of them”. Sounds pretty clear to me.
eniobob,
Great Stooges clip!
http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/05/the-gops-war-on-gays.html eniobob, The damage has already been done no matter what they say now.
SwM:
Mitt Romney Campaign Says It Begged Richard Grenell, Openly Gay Adviser, To Stay
Posted: 05/ 2/2012 2:26 pm Updated: 05/ 2/2012 3:12 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/02/richard-grenell-quits-mitt-romney_n_1471638.html?ref=politics
No one said “breaking” or “beating.” Is there more to the speech that I’ve missed – honestly, I want to be sure. I thought he just said “punch,” which I interpreted to mean a congenial “punch on the shoulder,” a common sign of camaraderie among men. Did he mean to break bones by “cracking” a wrist? I was confused by that…oops…