Pastor Who Told Parents to ‘Punch’ Effeminate Sons Speaks Out

[exOBCstudent]

‘I Wasn’t Advocating Violence Against Gays’

Original Link

A North Carolina-based preacher caused furor last week after his sermon encouraging parents to “punch” their gay sons made its way around the blogosphere.

While Pastor Sean Harris of Berean Baptist Church in Fayetteville, claims he was only joking, gay rights activists, among others, have publicly ridiculed his remarks. Earlier this week, Harris spoke out about the controversy in an interview with CNN.

(Related: ‘Give Them a Good Punch’: Pastor Says He Was Joking When He Told Parents to Hit Their Gay Kids)

“Can I make it any clearer?” Harris asked in the original sermon. “Dads, the second you see that son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist. Man up. Give them a good punch. OK?”

In his interview with CNN, the pastor explained — as he had in previous media interactions — that he wishes he had been more careful with his wording. He attempted to better frame the meaning behind his commentary.

“I was telling them, in strong words, that we’re not careful. What did I learn this week? Be more careful with your words,” he said, going on to recap how he would re-frame his words if he could go back and do so. ”I would say straighten that wrist…It’s amazing how punch has been equated to inciting violence against gay youth. That’s not what I meant.”

When pressed to provide more information about what, exactly, he intended by his encouragement that parents “punch” those young boys who are acting effeminately, he attempted to clarify.

“A shove, an affirmation. You see coaches give their players a good punch a good slug,” he said. “It’s a way of affirming the gender distinctions between a male and a female.”

On the apology front — something many in the gay community would like to hear — Harris is only sorry over his choice of wording, not the Biblical views he holds dear.

“I was apologizing for my failure to say the right thing. To be more careful,” he said. “To make sure that no one thinks that Sean Harris is suggesting, as was said, although I never said this, ‘Beat the gay out of children.’”

The pastor also said that he doesn’t “believe there [is] such thing as gay children.”

“I was dealing with effeminate behavior and instructing parents to affirm the manhood or the womanhood in their children,” Harris said regarding apologizing. ”I don’t think I need to apologize for preaching to my people what the word of God says. That’s my responsibility.”

Members of his church defended Harris, claiming that they knew what the pastor meant during the controversial sermon and that he doesn’t need to apologize or change his wording.

“They knew that I wasn’t advocating violence against gays, lesbians, youth,” he said of his congregants.

[exOBCstudent]

This is just classic BS. Of course the church members are going to blindly defend him. What do ya think would happen if one of them stood up and said something against it? I'm glad this guy got to eat some of his words on national news.

[Just Exhaled]

“A shove, an affirmation. You see coaches give their players a good punch a good slug,” he said. “It’s a way of affirming the gender distinctions between a male and a female.”

Oh no they don't! Not a good coach anyway. I've been surrounded by high school coaches from my early youth to this very day and I can assure you that a coach that has the player's best interest at heart would not punch or slug a player. I have witnessed coaches "pounding" (for lack of better word) a kid's shoulder pads or helmet, but that was always after the kid made a great play and was a way recognizing the accomplishment. I have never seen a coach worth his salt slug or punch a kid after he has messed up. It's humiliating and does nothing to gain trust or loyalty and does not encourage the player to improve. This M-o-g's mind is so twisted that he actually has to accuse others in position of authority of bad judgement and poor mentoring/parenting skills to justify his ignorant behavior. Speak for yourself Pastor Harris!

[lucrezaborgia]

Quote:“I was apologizing for my failure to say the right thing. To be more careful,” he said. “To make sure that no one thinks that Sean Harris is suggesting, as was said, although I never said this, ‘Beat the gay out of children.’”

The pastor also said that he doesn’t “believe there [is] such thing as gay children.”

“I was dealing with effeminate behavior and instructing parents to affirm the manhood or the womanhood in their children,” Harris said regarding apologizing. ”I don’t think I need to apologize for preaching to my people what the word of God says. That’s my responsibility.”

Members of his church defended Harris, claiming that they knew what the pastor meant during the controversial sermon and that he doesn’t need to apologize or change his wording.

“They knew that I wasn’t advocating violence against gays, lesbians, youth,” he said of his congregants.

[Tiarali]

Sean Harris needs to resign and take a big cup of sthu.