Mega-church pastor comes out

[JamesSavik]

Megachurch Pastor Comes Out; Being Gay Is Not A Choice

-Anomoly

Source Link: Freak Out Nation

In light of the recent tragic suicides of young people in our gay community, some people are speaking out to say, it gets better. The pastor of a megachurch has come out of the closet to announce he?s gay, hoping to change attitudes toward the gay community.

The Pastor says he?s willing to risk his reputation in order to save a teenager.

?I know a lot of straight people think it is a choice. It is not,? Swilley told Channel 2′s Diana Davis.

Swilley, 52, founded the church 25 years ago. He seemed the stereotypical picture of a pastor, with four kids and a wife who doubled as his associate pastor. But Swilley said he?s known he was gay since he was little boy. He said his wife, Debye, also knew his secret from the start.

?I think some women marry gay men because they really think they can change them,? Swilley said.

The now-divorced couple kept their secret for 21 years, but earlier this year, Swilley said Debye told him it was time to stop living a lie.

She said he should practice what he preaches and follow the church?s motto, ?Real people experiencing a real God in the real world.?

So, Swilley came out to his kids and his congregation. He said he knew he might risk everything, but the recent rash of gay teen suicides pushed him over the edge.

?As a father, thinking about your 16, 17 year old killing themselves. I thought somebody needed to say something,? Swilley said through tears.

He says he?s received support from many in his congregation, but at least one conservative Christian blog has called him sick, twisted, unclean and an instrument of the devil.

?I know all the hateful stuff that?s being written about me online, whatever,? Swilley said. ?To think about saving a teenager yeah, I?ll risk my reputation for that.?

Compare this to Tony Perkins who said gay kids know they are ?abnormal,? which is why they kill themselves.

It?s past time to stop the bullying and bigotry but the only way to do that, is for the rest of us to become intolerant of bigots. Enough!