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Anti-LGBT pastor will again officiate tonight’s mass marriage ceremony

February 13, 2013
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Last year a dozen or so same-sex couples who showed up on the Bexar County Courthouse steps for the annual Valentine’s midnight marriage ceremony got good ol’ religious rebuke local pastor Joe Sullivan. “He said we were there solely to be repulsive and disgusting,” GetEqual Texas activist Julie Pousson told us back then. “And for more than five minutes he spoke these hateful words to them (same-sex couples).”

Though no official agreement exists between the county and Sullivan, the Pastor has been the sole officiant of the midnight mass marriage ceremony for years. Although activists petitioned Commissioners Court and appealed to the County Clerk’s office, asking that the county tap a pastor who wouldn’t shout down LGBT couples, Sullivan will again lead tonight’s ceremony.

“I practice forgiveness,” said Bexar County Clerk Gerry Rickhoff.

Rickhoff insisted he recently had a long talk with Sullivan, saying, “He was cautioned against making any kind of divisive language against any people in our community. That’s just not gonna be tolerated.” Rickhoff says he will personally be at tonight’s ceremony, and that court security will be on standby.

We don’t figure Sullivan is too repentant for his comments last year. After the dustup, we reached out to the good pastor to get his take, and his remarks didn’t get any less offensive. Here’s what he told us last year:

Sullivan insists he was deeply troubled by the “behavior” of the same-sex couples, claiming they were ruining the ceremony for everyone else (about 300 people in all, it appeared). “The behavior I’m taking about is they were hugging and kissing and licking each other’s faces, acting like, you know, like – I don’t even know if animals act like that. … They were very, I think, disturbing and almost animalistic there, a couple of them. They were trying to make a display of what they call, I guess, affection. It wasn’t affection to me. It was almost assault.” … “I didn’t even look at them anymore because they were embarrassing to me and a whole lot of other people. I don’t hate homosexuals, but I hate homosexuality, I don’t mind saying so. And I think I have a right to say that, don’t I? I think it’s wrong and not of God. … I didn’t ask them to leave, but I will say this: I would have been glad if they had.”

– Michael Barajas

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  • http://www.facebook.com/irene.williams.507 Irene Williams

    “i dont hate homosexuals but i hate homosexuality” thats like saying i dont hate christians but i hate christianity. only more insulting cuz you can choose your religion, you cant choose who your attracted to and love. marriage is about love and acceptance. shouldnt the person officiating be about that as well instead of this close ,minded man whos afraid of open affection

  • the.klansman

    The ONLY reason why the homos are being there is to be disrespectful and disruptive. What if I went down there and starting grabbing the tits and vag of my wife and acting all stupid and such? These homos act like clowns in public. Personally I would love to see them all lynched and hanging on each of the downtown light poles.

  • GeorgeLC

    Apparently, it is not acceptable to have a diverse opinion! Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all condemn homosexuality in their scriptures along with adultery, incest, bestiality, prostitution, fornication, among sexual activities. Most of these are heterosexual activities that are condemned. It is true that there are some homosexuals who are intentionally gross, something that is seen in some “Gay Pride” parades, that have even been denounced by decent homosexuals. I remember reading a letter from a lesbian mother in California who said she would never take her daughter to those parades, as they didn’t reflect Her lifestyle. In many of the parades there are people acting very bizarrely and even indecently, mooning the people, but the police fear to intervene since some local authorities pander to even the most bizarre or vulgar actions of those individuals, which this pastor describes. Yes, there are people who hate Christianity but don’t hate Christians, and others who hate both. In 2011, the San Pedro Playhouse presented a city-funded play on that city-owned property. The play was “Corpus Christi” (Body of Christ in Latin) which ridiculed and blasphemed Christian faith by showing a foul-mouthed Jesus figure and his 12 disciples. It was protested by Jewish, Christian and Islamic leaders, but Mayor Castro and the City Council approved it. So much for tolerance and respect. Was there a protest in this periodical?

  • GeorgeLC

    Let it be noted that the actions described by the pastor of those who crashed a Christian marriage ceremony –yes, as it was officiated by a Christian pastor– were attempts to trash the religious connotation of the same. I wonder what the Bexar County Clerk was referring to. Is he referring to respecting the pastor’s right to his take on the bizarre examples shown by some? Or does it mean that he is politically correct? Christianity does not recognize homosexual marriage, even though some sects do, just as they recognize various practices and opinions at variance with Christian scriptures.

  • GeorgeLC

    Christianity has its beliefs and practices. Same sex marriage is certainly not one of them, and homosexual practice is condemned by both Jewish as well as Christian scriptures. That may not be agreeable to some, but it is the belief of those who follow the scriptures and Judeo-Christian orthodox teachings. Those who practice or promote actions against those teachings have a right to their opinion, but not the right to crash and trash a Christian ceremony. I remind you that Queer Nation and Act Up invaded St. Patrick’s cathedral in New York in 1989 during a Mass officiated by Cardinal O’Connor. They received communion, then spat it out, and started shouting and screaming to interrupt the ceremony. O’Connor called upon the Catholics to remain calm and not fight back. What do you think about that?

  • tobeornottobe

    There is nothing Christian about homosexuality nor are there any variances in scripture.

  • tobeornottobe

    Christianity is not about religion and a choice to choose such…Christianity is about believing and following Jesus Christ, and yes, we all have a choice to choose to believe or not. As for me, I choose to believe. Also, why is it that a Christian who believes what he believes is closed minded and they are mocked and ridiculed if they do not have tolerance and/or acceptance of and towards those who do not hold decadent views (sounds a bit like what Jesus went through, i.e. mocked, ridiculed and persecuted). it takes one to open his mind and heart to see the things of that cannot be seen, so a closed minded view would never do; for how would one ever believe in God, or that He gave His only begotten Son so that those who believe would not perish but have eternal life, or that Jesus was God in the Flesh. Truly I say to you that only an open mind could ever believe.

  • tobeornottobe

    should have read ” of and towards those who (hold) decadent views…

  • GeorgeLC

    Irene: There are those who come to Provoke, such as some seem to have done in this case, knowing that it was a Christian marriage. I know that there are some radical Christians, and I would say “christians”, who provoke, such as the Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas who provoke the families of dead military at funerals and they insult homosexuals with insulting language. Don’t you believe there are bad and intentionally provocative people on both sides? I believe most heterosexuals and homosexuals are provocative, so I see no need to speak up for Provocateurs. They should be Denounced by one and all. Don’t apologize for them.

  • GeorgeLC

    Why is the pastor labeled “anti LGBT”? Has this become a useful putdown so as to marginalize someone’s beliefs?