Human rights advocates braved the elements Saturday in Harlem to show their angst over the church sign promoting violence against the LGBT, and for good reason.
Just 20 blocks away, last year, fists were thrown at a transgender woman who lay dying on pavement stones. Islan Nettles was taken off life support by her mother a short time after. This is the violence that the ATLAH church promotes and this very sign, the one demanding violence, was most likely seen by the people that beat Islan to death.
“Homos, sodomites, perverts of the worst sort.” – ATLAH Pastor James David Manning
Protest organizers Jennifer Louise Lopez
and Terry Roethlein at Atlah World Ministries
When a preacher maliciously uses words to hurt, it makes one pause and wonder, what kind of religious leader would lead his parishioners to hate?
It’s pretty clear that the ATLAH church doesn’t preach love, and there is no law against that, but do they go over the line and should they be considered a hate group?
The Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) definition of a “hate group” includes those having beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.
Co-organizer of the protest, Terry Roethlein, had this to say:
“ATLAH fits the SPLC’s definition of a hate group in that they consistently and publicly preach grossly negative messages about LGBT individuals. JD Manning also uses his pulpit to teach young parishioners homophobia and these destructive recent messages referring to stoning actually incite violence. By all means, any religious group like this should be at least called on their actions.”
After watching these videos and reading this post if agree ATLAH should be designated a hate group you can tell the SPLC here.
Our community is blessed with the strong leadership of transgender woman Jennifer Louise Lopez, a journalist with the TransAdvocate, as one of the organizers of the rally so I reached out to her and she offered this about the protest:
“Several transgender leaders in NYC came to support me and the LGBT community. We as Trans people physically feel the violence that signs, homophobic and trans messages such as the ones spread by David Manning spread. Less then 20 blocks away from that church, a Trans woman was killed, beaten to death for simply being trans. It is signs and teachings like this that cause such hate in our community. Tonight I was afraid to walk home, I waited at the event I was at until a friend was ready to walk home with me.”
Ms. Lopez has this to say about Manning’s hate-filled screed “Ten Cold Homos” in a video.
“I have yet to determine my response to the hateful message that was directed at me by David Manning and not sure if he even deserves a direct response from me. My attention is not on his little church building, however on the big mega-churches that are teaching this hate. I am directing my attention to help the LGBT community on a global level when it comes to these hateful evangelical Christians”
So who is this hate infested cult leader? According to Vocativ he’s a convicted felon who used to make a living doing home invasions until he found a better way to make a living by condemning LGBT people. He has also gone on record predicting an armed overthrow of our country’s democratically elected government.
You can call me anything, except late for my stoning.
Matthew 22:36-40
New International Version (NIV)
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
I remember combat training in the USAF, part of military police training, academy phase II so to speak. I quickly realized how little I knew as we were taught about enemy diversionary tactics, lessons apparently learned in Viet Nam in which AF MPs assumed primary base defense responsibilities.
As I take in all of these stories about trans-bashing that advocate violence against us, they took me back to that early training.when awareness of diversionary tactics became as basic as drop, roll and crawl. Those early lessons translated well later with personal defense but remain crucial even now given the extreme rate of violence against our community.
What has become obvious, more and more to those outside our community as well, is that those who 24/7 advocate for extreme violence against us or against children are, despite being deviously deviant (redundant), well versed (no pun intended) on strategy. Pedophiles time and time again hide behind the esteemed role of teacher, coach, or pastor as they divert attention from their evil intents to the appearance of having a child’s best interest at heart.
Should we really be surprised that a wolf intent on consuming innocence uses the garb of those society upholds as esteemed for cover and concealment? Should we really be surprised that bigots of the worst and vile kind often hijack religions as cover for their nefarious plots? Within Christianity, Jesus’ teachings are the standard set for followers. Even when He became angry, it was in a tone of justice, not hate as this church serves to stand in contrast. It was about the bible—-phase II where throwing stones in judgement gave way to a message of forgiveness. Should it also come as a surprise that 2,000 + years later, Christianity itself has become diluted and compromised by a den of thieves with malice-laden hearts not unlike those who persecuted Jesus? This explains the animus against AB 1266 and other trans equality bills fueled by churches such as Calvary Chapel Chino Hills who encroach upon American constitutional values.
Sadly, we know the answers to these questions. We see the fruits of these so-called churches———and love is not found on any branch of their tree. By this it shall be known who real Christians are. They have forgotten the part about “He who is without sin, cast the first stone”.
Disgusting….. so much for christianity…. bunch of hypocits
That second video has literally made me ill. How on earth can people sit in his church? OMG, horrific.