Bizarre, Media, Religion, Society, Uncategorized

Is This the Most Racist Pastor in America?

by Charlton “Chuck” Stanley, Weekend Contributor

Since February is Black History Month, it seemed to me that a local story was worth discussing. I first became aware of the story when it appeared in the Johnson City (Tennessee) Press last Tuesday . A little further digging revealed the story originated when a member of the church sent a copy of one of “Brother” Donny Reagan’s sermons to The American Jesus blog. The American Jesus blog is run by the Rev. Zach Hunt, who is currently working on a graduate degree at Yale Divinity School. Zach published a brief story and posted the seventeen minute long sermon on The American Jesus blog last week.

“Brother” Danny Reagan is pastor of the Happy Valley Church of Jesus Christ, located between Johnson City and Elizabethton, TN.  He records and archives all his sermons on the church website. Or at least he did until a couple of days ago. Now look what you get when you click the link.

In the seventeen minute sermon, Reagan rails against interracial marriages and biracial children. He says he doesn’t consider it right for white people and black people to marry. He calls such relationships “hybreeding.” So one might know this neologism is not a slip of the tongue, he says it repeatedly.

“Hybreeding, hybreeding, oh, how terrible, hybreeding. What white woman would want her baby to be mulatto, made by a colored man? Let’s stay the way God made us. I believe it’s right.”

Local media contacted him and he did not back down. He released more statements, and the more he talked, the deeper the hole he digs for himself.  He says the main thing he regrets is that some folks might think his statements reflect badly on his congregation. No kidding!

He added that he would not conduct a marriage for an interracial couple.  He added,

“This doesn’t have anything to do with race, I don’t think it would be right or fruitful.”

He claims to know who sent the video of his sermon to The American Jesus, but has not identified who he suspects sent it or why.

Then something curious happened. The video, which had been posted on several web sites, was deleted by YouTube on a claim of “copyright violation.” Not only the sermon in question, but all his other archived sermons as well. Gone. Deleted. 404 Error.

His archive of recorded sermons had been available online until the past day or so. I didn’t get a chance to view them before they were deleted, but there were a number of responses to the article when it appeared in the Johnson City Press. From the comment section we learn the following factoids:

….he preaches against homosexuality much more than mixed marriages.

He doesn’t think women should vote…. Called women “dogmeat” in one sermon. I thought we were past all of this.

It’s as if we have traveled back 50 years. I can’t bring myself to call him pastor or preacher. Maybe Grand Wizard but not a man of God!

We can thank those who watched the sermons and reported on them before they were deleted. It occurs to me that if he believed so much in what he was saying, he is cowardly for not having the courage to keep them online. Copyright violation, indeed! Can we add hypocrisy to the list of this preacher’s sins?

One thing Mr. Reagan forgot. This is the internet age, and nothing ever truly disappears. His seventeen minute sermon has been excerpted and some of the juiciest parts where he talks about “hybreeding” presented on news programs. Here is the clip from The Young Turks with hosts Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian.

His church is a rather large one, and according to local accounts, about 500 people show up for services every week. That sounds like a large number, but given the fact the tri-cities area of northeast Tennessee has a total metro area population well into six figures, 500 people are not representative of the community at large. It was gratifying that the local populace was outraged, horrified and vocal in their denunciation of the video and its creator. This is a conservative area of a conservative state, but this is racism, not conservatism. And as the comments in the newspaper suggest, he is not only racist, but sexist and homophobic as well.

According to a Gallup poll cited by the Johnson City Press,

“A 2013 Gallup poll showed that 87 percent of Americans approve of interracial marriages, as opposed to just 4 percent in 1958.”

Looks like everyone is out of step but Donny Reagan.

More here:

News Australia.

Gawker

80 thoughts on “Is This the Most Racist Pastor in America?”

  1. raff,
    Racists have always been with us and always will be. However, like all such things, they are increasingly marginalized. I had a discussion some time back with a cultural anthropologist regarding this phenomenon, and the way social psychologists believe it will be solved. Cultural and social pressure will be exerted slowly but inexorably. We can use smoking as an example of how that works in the real world. At first, it was having no smoking sections set aside in restaurants. Then workplaces. Then eliminated altogether.. Recently my daughter filled out a job application that asked if she had EVER smoked.

    The biggest medical center in the area, which owns a major teaching hospital and as fourteen hospitals in two states, has just outlawed smoking anywhere on hospital property, even inside your own car in the parking lot.

    The Gallup poll result quoted in the JC Press is telling and encouraging. The same kinds of results are obtained in public acceptance of same sex marriage. There are always going to be those who won’t accept anything, fearing the different “other.” Our best hope is to marginalize them, just as was done with smoking.

    I was introduced to Mr. Bill, the wonderful storyteller from McCook, Nebraska, a couple of days ago. I think one of his stories might be both informative and entertaining.

  2. I do not agree with this pastor in any way, shape, or form. Interracial children, in my opinion, have fewer rough edges. Just because I disagree with the pastor, doesn’t mean I believe that he shouldn’t have the same civil liberties and freedoms that I enjoy. Denying the pastor his free speech right, is no different than fighting bigotry with bigotry. Leave the man alone to fade away on his own. There’s a reason why interracial marriage is more acceptable today — the 96 percent against it a half centry ago, are mostly dead by now.

  6. annie, they are not difficult to find. It took all of 30 seconds to get off of youtube.
    Are you new to the internet? There is a web site called youtube. You can type things in the search box and come up with all sorts of videos. Its pretty easy. You do not even want to try and compare white vs black violent crime. I could throw up a 100 videos for everyone 1 you can find.

    Btw since its Black History Month as pointed out as the inspiration for this article. Lets also look at this video.

  7. So Truth, you must have theses videos right at your fingertips. Ready and eager, a bit too eager to post them. Feel better now? That’s right let it all out.

  8. truth, There was a time, not long ago, where you would have been jumped on and called a racist, etc. I haven’t seen that happen on this thread? If so, please point it out. Believe me truth, I know your frustration. Just keep your venting civil is my only suggestion. I sense you may have been here previously? The tenor has changed for the better here. You may not get through to some folks, but you won’t be attacked for trying, as long as you keep it civil.

  11. nick, its stupid, it really is. What kills me is how anyone that points out racism from non whites is immediately labeled a racist. The irony is incredibly insane. It takes serious practice to become that ignorant.

  12. Happy Valley

    Faith and Love of Man
    Marriage, a blessing by God
    Rabid froth, clenched teeth.

  13. truth, There is a unhealthy amount of self loathing here. It’s not relegated to just race.

  14. To anyone saying that I am defending the bigot in the original video? Kiss my ass.
    The sad part is you cannot see how ignorant YOU are by only speaking out when racism is applied in one direction. You are nothing more than idiotic hypocrites.

    I just showed you several videos of blacks beating up white men tbecause they are dating black women. I show you black people speaking out against interracial dating. And what the only time you say a damn thing is when its someone white being a bigot.

    So either put up or shut up.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu8uDi0SN-E

  16. On the church’s main website page it reads:
    “Archived Services Are Unavailable At This Time”
    ~+~
    Unavailable? rather curious use of the word. Sounds like a backlash is arriving.

    What is rather amusing also is how Brother Donny says how he would not conduct an interracial marriage and then “This doesn’t have anything to do with race.”

    He might as well say in his videos “I am not a racist, but I play on on TV”

    Hopefully this church will see the light and send him packing.

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