Megachurch Pastor Comes Out Of Closet

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ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. -- The pastor of a Rockdale County megachurch has publicly announced he is gay.

Jim Swilley, bishop of Conyers’ Church in the Now, said he hopes his coming out will change attitudes toward homosexuality.

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

...

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.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/25568419/detail.html

[alienlovechild 75]

ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. -- The pastor of a Rockdale County megachurch has publicly announced he is gay.

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.

So he fathered 4 kids and a had sham marriage with a wife who figured he'd change his ways. He should publicly announced he's a jerk as well,

"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 bit about rash of gay suicides. . .

"Ritch Savin-Williams, professor of developmental psychology and director of Cornell University's Sex and Gender Lab, has said that there is absolutely no scientific evidence of an 'epidemic of gay youth suicide,' or even that gay youth kill themselves more frequently than do straight youth.

Savin-Williams said, "It is important to point out in these moments of grief that there is absolutely no scientific evidence of an 'epidemic of gay youth suicide,' or even that gay youth kill themselves more frequently than do straight youth.

"The recent tragic deaths of several youth who are gay or suspected of being gay are rendered even more tragic because they come at a time when growing up gay has never been better or easier. Today's high school youth endorse same-sex marriage, gays in the military and gay rights. Most believe it is simply wrong to attack someone because of his or her sexuality. Never before has there been a generation more accepting and supportive of sexual diversity," Savin-Williams added."

http://sify.com/news/no-scientific-evidence-of-gay-youth-suicide-epidemic-news-international-kkrpagjdcad.html

[Danno 1,228]

I'm just not buying the line about him thinking of Gay kids committing suicide... and thats what brought him out of the closet.

Number one job of a parent is to protect your kids, he has two teens who grew up in a Church environment.

Q: why not wait until they are out of their most vulnerable teen years in life to spring this stuff on them?

A: He has a "Boyfriend" and this sneaking around stuff is getting old.

Another low life.. using the deaths of a few gay teens to further his own agenda.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Does ANYBODY CARE? I am sure the underlying point spam boy is trying to make is that religious folks are gay.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

and finally

what a joke. And people still follow these fairy tale tellers around. It's 2010 people, wake up!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'll be interested to know if his congregation is anti-gay. If they are and they change their views, it will say something quite interesting.

Baaaa-aaaa

Edited November 2, 2010 by Ron Burgundy

[peejay 327]

So he fathered 4 kids and a had sham marriage with a wife who figured he'd change his ways. He should publicly announced he's a jerk as well.

I have never understood the mentality behind some guy having sex with a woman while really prefering to be with guys instead. That is bad enough, but I really feel sorry for the kids. It's devestating for the wife, but it really painful for the kids...especially the sons.

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what a joke. And people still follow these fairy tale tellers around. It's 2010 people, wake up!

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