- Leppert at gay Pride in 2007.
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, previously a member of Park Cities Baptist Church, has joined First Baptist Church of Dallas, primarily because he thinks anti-gay Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress is a “good guy,” according to The Dallas Morning News. First Baptist on Sunday unveiled a $130 million building program, and Leppert was on hand to lead the congregation in prayer. From The DMN story:
Leppert recently became a member of First Baptist Dallas. He said Sunday that Jeffress was the main reason and described the pastor as a “good guy.”
First Baptist Dallas has long been a bastion of conservative theology and social views, and Jeffress has continued the tradition, drawing protesters last year when he preached a sermon titled “Why Gay Is Not O.K.”
Leppert said Sunday that he would continue to work with gay rights groups, as well as with religious congregations across the spectrum.
“I’m real clear. I’m reaching out to every group in the community,” he said. “People know my faith.”
I’m not sure what Leppert’s quote means, but here’s my take: When Leppert was in a runoff for mayor in 2007 against openly gay City Councilman Ed Oakley, major questions were raised about Leppert’s support for the LGBT community, in part because he was known to be both Republican and Southern Baptist. Since then, however, LGBT advocates have been pleasantly surprised. Leppert hired an openly gay chief of staff, Chris Heinbaugh, and he’s made a habit of appearing at events like the Black Tie Dinner and the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade. Still, you had to wonder how much of this “outreach” was politically motivated, and his disappointing-but-not-surprising decision to join First Baptist would seem to confirm that most of it was. Many believe Leppert is planning to run for U.S. Senate if and when Kay Bailey Hutchison steps down to run for governor, and a membership at First Baptist will come in handy in a statewide race. I’ve left messages for Heinbaugh seeking further explanation, and I’ll let you know when I receive his response.
Disappointing on what grounds, John? Joining a church is a very personal decision, and our mayor isn’t gay. Mayor Leppert support the overall Black community in Dallas as well, and he didn’t ask to be placed the Friendship West roll book, either.
JW,
I’m not sure what you mean about Friendship West, but Pastor Jeffress is one of the most prominent anti-gay voices in North Texas. I believe the appropriate analogy would be, if the mayor of Dallas had joined a church that excluded blacks in the 1960s and called the racist pastor a “good guy,” which very well may have happened.
I don’t think we need to wait for a note for Chris Heinbaugh to understand what this is about.
I don’t care if Jeffress churchs is full of blacks or whites, if they follow his shit , it is full of bigots. I mean let’s call it for what it is. If this city would have voted on experience and qualifications, Oakley would be mayor.
And John Wright has never been so (W)right on (sorry) with his analogy.
What I mean, John, is that just because the mayor works to support different people around the city doesn’t mean that when it comes to his place of worship he’s going to choose a church far different than his own background and personal beliefs.
And you do really think that Pastor Jeffress is anymore anti-gay that many other Southern Baptist ministers? Maybe the other pastors don’t have the money to have the marquee that caused the protest last year, but Jeffress isn’t saying anything out of step with many Southern Baptist ministers. So if Mayor Leppert is Southern Baptist, what did you expect him to do? Join Cathedral of Hope?
Religion is a personal matter and, yes, by joining that church, the mayor may very well be siding with Pastor Jeffress on the issue of gays. However, he also may NOT believe that, as many Christians don’t and still attend that same church weekly. Since when do we gays become the only ones who merit the benefit of a doubt?
In this closing, I’ll say that your previous attempt to correct my analogy with a statement so oblivious to the actual segregationist past of this city is infuriating beyond belief and further underscores the how the 50’s/60’s civil rights movement and LGBTQA liberation movement are not exactly the same struggle. While what is similar is that the same bible was used by the majority to condemn Black and gay people for their very being, if you were Black and on the wrong area of town too long, you ran the risk of not being around long to tell about your gayness (as if someone on that side of town didn’t already know, but that’s for another post).
We could compare and contrast the African-American and LGBT civil rights movements all day long, or talk about the city’s segregationist history. But I think the bottom line is, Leppert’s decision to join First Baptist is a slap in the face to the LGBT community of Dallas. Park Cities Baptist is much more progressive than FIrst Baptist, and yes, I think it’s quite obvious that Jeffress is among the most anti-gay Southern Baptist pastors. He preaches hatred, and for Leppert to be so closely associated with him is shameful.
Right on JW RICHARD !!!
Gee, I’m surprised that you didn’t censor his comments John for disagreeing with you, like you do others in the community……………………..speaking of hatred
Right on JW RICHARD !!!
Gee, I’m surprised that you didn’t censor his comments John for disagreeing with you, like you do others in the community……………………..speaking of hatred
Right on JW RICHARD !!!
Gee, I’m surprised that you didn’t censor his comments John for disagreeing with you, like you do others in the community……………………..speaking of hatred