Megachurch leader comes out

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Matt Akersten

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Tue 2nd Nov, 2010 in International News
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A 52-year-old Christian church Bishop has suddenly come out as gay, saying he and his wife kept his secret for 21 years.

The recent spate of gay teen suicides prompted Georgia church leader Jim Swilley to out himself. “I thought I needed to say something,” the father of four explains, adding that he can’t bear to think about what those teenagers and their parents were going through.

Reaction from his congregation has been encouraging so far, but some Christian bloggers have condemned him.

Watch a local news video report on this story below:

Meanwhile, a TV documentary about church and political leaders living closeted double lives airs locally on SBS tonight at 10pm.

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Comments

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Tim D

Tim D said on the 2nd Nov, 2010

Wow, amazing stuff.

coast_boy

coast_boy said on the 2nd Nov, 2010

These people really piss me off. I bet he spent his entire time at church preaching hatred against gay people and making money off the bigoted people he preached to...

Totka

Totka said on the 2nd Nov, 2010

And there we have another one! Church=Hypocrisy.

TheOldie

TheOldie said on the 2nd Nov, 2010

I was hoping it would be Hillsong.

poolboy jackson

poolboy jackson said on the 2nd Nov, 2010

'In my Father's house are many mansions'

Churches are as diverse and pluralistic as gays.

Light-Bearer

Light-Bearer said on the 2nd Nov, 2010

Jesus- never mentions homosexuality. Never. Not once in his ministry.

Saul/Paul was a very hateful man. He gave the church it's teachings against homosexuality. The word used in the anciet biblical text- doesn't really get translated to homosexuality- but more pederasty.

I would say- during the middle ages- alot of word changing took place, to make the universe somehow straighter

Light-Bearer

Light-Bearer said on the 2nd Nov, 2010

The Old Testament discusses homos too. Especially the book of Leviticus. It is the book of Jewish law. It was more popular in the Old Testament it would seem.

My favourite biblical story is when the Angel came to Sodom and all the men tried to fuck it cos he was hot.

Pretty on the money there- I thought

local_warming

local_warming said on the 2nd Nov, 2010



agreed completely. this tool who has just come out gets no support from me

blueterrace

blueterrace said on the 6th Nov, 2010

yet another hypercritical evangalising bullshitter. got no time for gutless toads like this

Matt Akersten

Matt Akersten said on the 10th Nov, 2010

The mega-priest's son talks:

http://clatl.com/cribnotes/archives/2010/11/08/black-lips-swilley-discusses-fathers-recent-coming-out

alanz

alanz said on the 11th Nov, 2010

They all either fuck boys, or slappers, but funnily enough not their own wives.

SamInt303

SamInt303 said on the 13th Nov, 2010

I'm disgusted.

Claude

Claude said on the 13th Nov, 2010

"I bet he spent his entire time at church preaching hatred against gay people "
Speculation without any supporting evidence.

"Church=Hypocrisy"
One priest = the worldwide Christian Church.

"agreed completely"
Gains support.

"They all either fuck boys, or slappers, but funnily enough not their own wives."
Becomes all-encompassing.

"I'm disgusted."
Is now taken as fact.

My speculation:
Jim Swilleys business is the church he and his wife run (Church In The Now), so there's nothing like a now fashionable "coming out" to get plenty of FREE publicity.
The twice-married father of four, previously known only to a small congregation in the US, made [url=http://www.livestream.com/bishopjimswilley/video?clipId=flv_c06fb65a-d284-4545-8237-775df11a2819]this 1 hour 15 minute video now being watched around the globe.


.


.

poolboy jackson

poolboy jackson said on the 13th Nov, 2010



My favourite stories are Nimrod and Job. I liked the plot of the Angel story but I thought it lacked character motivation...
http://www.turnbacktogod.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/the-bible-1966-movie-07.jpg
... and the actor was so wooden.

BoneIdol

BoneIdol said on the 14th Nov, 2010

This whole choice thing that christians crap on about all the time really shits me. So what if it is?? I wouldnt choose to be heterosexual even if it was. Hullo being a hateful bigoted christian is a choice.

poolboy jackson

poolboy jackson said on the 14th Nov, 2010

Peter O'Toole got raped in his first 3 movies.

He got sodomised playing the Angel visiting Sodom in 'The Bible' (picture above).
He got sodomised by the quivering-lipped Turkish general in 'Lawrence of Arabia'
And I heard he got sodomised in the 1964 film version of Joseph Conrad's 'Lord Jim' (which I haven't seen.)

Claude

Claude said on the 14th Nov, 2010

Well the 'O' in O'Toole does mean 'of the' - Peter Of The Toole.
Lawrence of Arabia was a raving fag.

poolboy jackson

poolboy jackson said on the 14th Nov, 2010


I don't think it's fair to judge someone with criteria which didn't exist in his lifetime.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/5/57888/1238422-te_lawrence_large.jpg
I see him as a fastidious celibate who was eager to escape his awkward family and England's tawdry homosexual scene. At least he had somewhere to run to. He MAY have formed platonic attachments with locals and he MAY on occasionally have paid for an assistant to perform some mild S&M to help exorcise unclean thoughts. A talented, stylish and celibate man.

Rabid_womble

Rabid_womble said on the 26th Nov, 2010



I listened to an interview with him and he made it clear that his ministry NEVER did anything like what you suggest. Far from it.

Not everyone is the same, not even fundamentalist Christians...It is an incredible decision he made and he's probably done more to change a communities views of homosexuality than 100 pride marches!

poolboy jackson

poolboy jackson said on the 26th Nov, 2010

Some gay people are SO bigoted and SO ready to drag out massive generalisations about people they hate.

His son sounds OK in the interview
http://clatl.com/cribnotes/archives/2010/11/08/black-lips-swilley-discusses-fathers-recent-coming-out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QxwA4ZCioI
http://clatl.com/images/blogimages/2010/11/06/1289058808-jared.jpg


.

fjmac

fjmac said on the 25th Feb, 2011

Straight, Gay or simply confused; come on everyone let's stop the hate and just get on with life. We NEED to learn to live together and just move on get over it life is far f****** to short to waste

local_warming

local_warming said on the 25th Feb, 2011



well that sounds brilliant as potential lady gaga lyrics, but in reality, we owe this turd nothing, in fact less than nothing. he deserves all the scorn he is recieving, and is to recieve in the future

jungle_stress_fever

jungle_stress_fever said on the 25th Feb, 2011



Apparently Tony Abbott joined the Church in his early career ambitions, to become a pastor or reverend or what not, but he was shocked by the "strong homosexual culture".
And it was at this point he decided he was a man for pussy only and then started rambling all sorts of shit...

Marc

Marc said on the 25th Feb, 2011



Perhaps he "saw the light" ....... From the arse of the twink son of his associate pastor......And decided it was time to fess up and be a "real" man.