Pharyngula

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Thursday, January 05, 2006

Stand up for Lonnie Latham

DefCon reports on a "dog bites man" story. This stuff isn't surprising anymore.

An executive committee member of the Southern Baptist Convention, and an outspoken opponent of homosexuality, was arrested on Tuesday night after propositioning a male police officer.

Oh dear.

From the Associated Press:

Lonnie Latham, senior pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church, was booked into Oklahoma County Jail Tuesday night on a misdemeanor charge of offering to engage in an act of lewdness, police Capt. Jeffrey Becker said. Latham was released on $500 bail Wednesday afternoon.

Latham, who has spoken out against homosexuality, asked the officer to join him in his hotel room for oral sex. Latham was arrested and his 2005 Mercedes automobile was impounded, Becker said.

My first thought wasn't that it was shocking that a Baptist anti-gay crusader wanted illicit sexual release, but to wonder that it is apparently illegal to simply ask for oral sex in Oklahoma. Is it coercive? Are Oklahomans all so flamingly gay (but repressed) that they can't just say no?

I say, Free Lonnie Latham! He's a martyr to the suppression of the rights of gay men in Oklahoma!


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Comments:
#57685: — 01/19  at  04:37 PM
though i am not a member of South Tulsa Baptist Church (although I do know they are a wonderful congregation and they are built on GOD and not LONNIE) I have heard Dr.Latham speak. Yes, his recent actions did show signs of hipocracy but, his sermans were of God. What he said came directly from the bible. if one were to doubt what Lonnie had said, they would be doubting the Lord. And though his recent actions may be hippocritical you have to think to yourselves, who isn't a hippocrit? A pastor is a man. like any other man, he makes mistakes. he sins. In God's eyes offering oral sex to a gay man is just as bad as telling a lie. Don't put Lonnie on the same throne as Jesus. Jesus was the only perfect man to ever walk the face of the earth. everyone else on this EARTH is a hippocrit. your PARTNER, MOTHER, BEST FRIEND, YOU! every one! Lonnie is just a man! Yes, he made a mistake (who doesn't).. but just wait before you start criticizing the man and remember he is like any other sinner.


and for the most part i think most of these people commenting on here are rude, ignorant, and speaking with emotional blocks.



#57686: PaulH — 01/20  at  09:07 AM
"In God's eyes offering oral sex to a gay man is just as bad as telling a lie."

Remember folks, doing something gay is just as bad as being Hitler. Apparently.



#57689: — 01/22  at  01:35 PM
Wow. Emma's comments are more than a little painful. First let me point out, if Emma's 'known' Lonnie 'most of her life' and he was at the church 4 or 5 years? She must be young. So consider that, while you attack her immature comment. She is Y O U N G.

I know Emma. I used to be her Sunday School teacher. And, although I in no way APPROVE of her crudeness in commenting, I must approve of her heartfelt support of a pastor, that for the most part, we all at STBC love, and miss. Jesus clearly tells us, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Should Lonnie be burned at the stake for his supposed actions? Is he gay? Who but he and OUR Heavenly Father knows for sure. Am I ALSO A SINNER? Yessiree. Did Christ die on the cross FOR ME, YOU, EMMA AND LONNIE? Sadly, yes. Because we were going to be unworthy, HE BORE OUR SIN. That's not a pretty picture. It is at once sad, painful, and GLORIOUS.

So please don't judge Emma. And don't judge Lonnie. Take this situation for what it is. Only one perfect MAN ever walked on this earth, and He IS JESUS. Learn from Lonnie. He's not perfect. And if everything we have heard is TRUE, then we can count it as praise, that we as sinners, are loved by Christ. Not because we are sinless, or WORTHY. But because Christ himself is (was) will always be sinless and worthy.



#57690: — 01/22  at  03:13 PM
Put your money where your mouth is, then, and give him his job back.



#57691: — 01/22  at  08:04 PM
If only that choice were mine, not Lonnie's.



#57692: julia — 01/22  at  09:12 PM
First of all, Jesus was not perfect. He was human. He despaired on the cross. Despair is a sin. That was the point of his becoming man, that he became man and man isn't perfect. To say that he was perfect is to obviate the point of the sacrifice he was making.

I appreciate your attempt to be balanced. It's just that a few people from your church have said that so far, and it's just wrong.



#57693: — 01/23  at  11:01 AM
Good for you, then.



#57695: — 01/25  at  06:49 PM
"and for the most part i think most of these people commenting on here are rude, ignorant, and speaking with emotional blocks."

And for the most part I have great trouble with people who can't spell or use proper punctuation or grammar (as in language, not your mammie's mammie) and who have pretentions to special knowlege.

Has anyone checked to see if Emma has any nude pics of herself?



#57696: — 01/26  at  07:17 PM
Attn: Archbishop Raymond Burke

pretensions not pretentions
knowledge not knowlege

"I have great trouble with people who can't spell"

You're an idiot.

Judge not, lest you be judged, the theme of this blog? Yes, I think you are a terrific example.

An 'archbishop'that is online looking for pictures of little girls? What a minority.

You are disgusting, but then I think you knew that.



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