Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Gay Bar Massacres Then and Now



In 1973, someone knocked on the door of a gay bar in New Orleans and lit a trail of lighter fluid on fire, killing 32 patrons. This arson was barely investigated and many people refused to identify or bury the victims. Families were embarrassed and homosexuals were afraid of losing their jobs if they admitted to knowing anyone in that bar. Radio hosts made light of the situation, and public officials remained silent. At least three bodies were never claimed. The following is a quote from this New York Time’s article:

“Churches refused to bury the victims’ remains. Their deaths were mostly ignored and sometimes mocked by politicians and the media. No one was ever charged. A joke made the rounds in workplaces and was repeated on the radio: ‘Where will they bury the queers? In fruit jars!’”

The same article refers to the early 1970s as “a time of pernicious anti-gay stigma.” You see, back then more Sodomites were in the closet, and those that came out were usually disowned by their families.

No, the killer wasn’t motivated by some fundamentalist Christian preaching hard against sin. The primary suspect was a homo who had been kicked out of the bar earlier that day. Just like with Orlando, it was a case of one wicked murderer killing other evil people.

Among the charred remains found at the “UpStairs Lounge” was the body of a Sodomite minister. He was the pastor of a community church that was notorious for welcoming homosexuals. Even though this man pastored what was probably the most liberal church in town, he had not come out to his family as a homo. When his mother found out what had happened and realized what he was, she refused to accept his remains.

Just like after the Orlando attack, hate mail was sent to a church--but to a different kind of church and for a different reason. People were furious with an Episcopal bishop for holding a memorial service for the victims. A Unitarian church and a Methodist church also had services, and mourners had to be ushered in through a back door. Are you noticing the stark contrast from the way things are today? Apparently, mourning Sodomites was not in vogue in 1973.

“For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” Ephesians 5:12

Here is a sermon to go along with this article.

13 comments:

Jon Hunt said...

Wow. Oh but today as society spirals down the toilet I can hear "We've progressed!" echoing up the porcelain bowl.

Unknown said...

Where is the sermon mentioned at the end?

sanderson1611 said...

Branden, if you click on the words "Here is a sermon..." it should link you to the sermon.

Vanderpool said...

Amazing that we've come this far so quickly.

Unknown said...

We've come a long way…..President Obamanation just made The Stonewall Inn (A gay bar that sparked riots) a NATIONAL MONUMENT! Oh the shame!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow. This is an AWESOME post, brother. Keep the fire burning!

Anonymous said...

@Lora Ritz - Shame, indeed. The Stonewall Inn was owned by the NYC Mafia, and was notorious for drug trafficking. That it is now a national monument is nothing short of disgusting, but Babylon must do what Babylon does, I guess.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shawn B said...

Yup. What a contrast indeed.
The phrase "Progressive" is such a foul taste in my mouth because it is now associated with a movement to progressively abandon God and adhere to abominations.


Here is a blog post I made showing the difference between what the public schools used to say about Homos compared to what they teach about homos today!

http://godgunsgutsglory.com/blog/?p=342

Anonymous said...

When our leaders/governments are accepting of evil against God, it seems that God will always send wrath on the entire nation (good and bad people within it). It is therefore our OBLIGATION to either flee that nation, as Christians, or fight back! If we do nothing/say nothing (like most are taught to do) then we are accepting of evil as well, and judged accordingly. Defend The Lord or we can't be his people!! Preach on Pastor Anderson! Godspeed!

Anonymous said...

Good information. Thank you.


Just shows how all the decent people have been weeded out of the media over a period of time.


Paul said...

As a relatively new Christian, I'm constantly looking for ways to learn more about how to interpret the Bible. I found your site because of a video you posted about the Orlando massacre. I'm not writing to debate. We all have different views on life. But from the perspective of genuinely wanting to learn, I would love to get your perspective on this from a different angle. One problem with which I have struggled while studying the Bible is learning what is to be taken literally, what is to be taken as metaphor, and what is not metaphor but is different because of the day in which we now live.

You referenced Lev. 20:13. I read it, and it is pretty clear. No issue with what the Bible says there. What confuses me are the verses before and after that one. That section of the chapter is filled with different people that should be disciplined. It references people who have sex with animals and relatives. Some, like having sex with animals and a boy with his mother require death, others are less extreme results. One is sex with another man's wife (ie, adultery), and one is cursing parents. Both of these require death.

My first question relates to whether you would support illegalization of these things (adultery, cursing parents) and the ultimate death of those convicted? I'm genuinely curious if it is specifically homosexuality that deserves the death penalty or if all of those dictated in Leviticus deserve it as well. For the record, I am nowhere near a homosexual man. I am happily married (to a woman!). I just think this is a good opportunity to get some perspective of interpreting the Bible by somebody who seems to be a faithful (to the letter) follower.

My second question may seem like a "challenge", but it really isn't meant that way. It goes to the concept that is often quoted by church members, and I struggle with it when it comes to understanding my own sins. It is somewhere in the New Testament. And it relates to when some people were going to stone a woman (I think a prostitute). Whether there or someplace else, Jesus said something like, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." And everybody turned around because they were all sinners. So it seems like the Christian faith says to pray for sinners, but not to judge them because of their "particular" sin. "We all fall short" is how it is often quoted to me. Given these thoughts, how would you think about the sin of homosexuality relative to all other sins?

Thanks for your time.

Paul

PS - If you decide to not publish this comment, I would appreciate your thoughts at upstreamfiscal@aol.com

Juan Carlos Berrios said...

Oh JESUS, I beg you to come and destroy your enemies. BRING JUDGMENT UPON THE WICKED.
Thank you for the report of THEN and NOW.

Just like that homo pastor/minister was a closet case, there are thousands upon thousands behind the pulpit with the same secrecy and many other hidden evil desires. WICKED!

Thank you, Pastor Anderson for sharing the report.