Yet another anti-queer activist is sexually abusing someone

This week, we take a look at Pastor Andres Savage who coerced an underage girl into sexually servicing him on the outskirts of Houston.

But, before we do that, let’s look at the bad advice Pastor Andres Savage gives out to queer people:

The good pastor called gay people “wicked” and said, “God does not approve of homosexuality as a proper way to live.” During one sermon, the pastor relayed the way he helped a gay man live a life of ritualized repression saying:

Tim has never been able to get rid of same-sex attraction… He understands that for the foreseeable future, he will live with same-sex attraction; however, he also cannot deny the clear teaching of scripture that acting upon those desires is a sin, so he has joyfully accepted living a celibate life. For the first time in our friendship, Tim finally feels the freedom of God’s grace.

Yeah, because repression is “freedom” and “grace” is the same thing as never being open to a loving relationship with someone you want to grow old with!

So, yeah. You probably get what sort of pretentious anti-queer asshole this guy is, but wait! There’s more!

According to CBS News, Pastor Andres Savage admitted to sexually assaulting a minor and was given a standing ovation by his followers at what is now his congregation at the Highpoint Mega-Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Chris Conlee, another pastor at the mega-church, said that –unlike their rapist pastor— the rapist’s victim, quote, “has not been on the same road to healing.”

The victim, Jules Woodson said, “I was sexually assaulted by my youth minister when I was 17 years old.” The assault happened a bit north of Houston after a church event. The rapist pastor said he was going to drive her home but stopped along an empty road and sexually assaulted her instead.

According to KPRC News in Houston, the victim said, “this is something I’ve struggled with all my life.” Making it worse, the victim says the church leaders asked her to keep silent about what happened. The rapist resigned and moved to Tennessee where he became a pastor at the Highpoint Mega-Church in Memphis.

She said, “It’s very hard to tell your story. It’s very hard to speak up, especially when you feel pressured by the church to be silent.”

Empowered by the #MeToo movement, Woodson says she felt compelled to speak up.

• The National Sexual Assault 24/7 Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE
• The Love is Respect 24/7 Hotline by texting “loveis” to 22522
• The Anti-Violence Project LGBTQ 24/7 Hotline at 212-714-1124
• GLBT National Help Center Hotline at 1-800-246-PRIDE
• The Network La Red, serving LGBTQ, poly, and kink survivors of abuse at 617-742-4911