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Subscribe to RSSWAUKEE, IA –- Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann yesterday attended a church here in Iowa, where the pastor called homosexuality "immoral" and "unnatural," and later showed a testimonial video from a man who claimed to have been gay before having a conversation with God.
Before the sermon at Point of Grace Church -- a non-denominational congregation near Des Moines -- Bachmann stood with her husband, Marcus Bachmann, before a crowd of about 100 people, clutching her personal copy of the Bible.
“This is a time that we need to be encouraged this week, not discouraged,” she said, referencing Friday night’s credit downgrade and Saturday’s news about the Navy SEALs killed in Afghanistan.
“Whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,” Bachmann said, reading from the book of Philippians, “think well on these things.”
The reading drew cheers. Pastor Jeff Mullen, standing next to Bachmann, took her Bible his hand. “There are some candidates who start running, and have this come-to-Jesus moment,” he said. "What I love about this Bible,” he said, “is how well it's used.”
Mullen offered a prayer honoring democracy. “We have a nation where people can still rise up and speak their voice, and say, ‘This is what I believe.’”
When Bachmann and her husband returned to their seats, Mullen began a half-hour presentation on his church's beliefs. Reading verses from the Bible to support his case, Mullen said, "We inherently know that homosexual behavior is immoral and unnatural."
“God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,” Mullen said, reading from the book of Romans.
Mullen’s sermon concluded with video testimonial from a man named Adam Hood, who claims to have been gay before experiencing a conversation with God. "I am so happy God has given me natural affection for a woman," Hood said in the video, adding that his wife is nine months pregnant.
"We need to have compassion for people that are bound by that sin," Hood added. "And it is a sin. Call a spade a spade."
The Bachmanns remained in the church for the duration of the service, and afterward posed for a picture with Pastor Mullen and his family.
In an interview with NBC News, Mullen called his sermon on homosexuality “a bedrock, just a Biblical truth we’ve taught over the years.”
“It just so happens they were here today,” Mullen said of the Bachmanns. “And we were teaching on both marriage and homosexuality.”
The Bachmann campaign released this statement on Mullen's sermon: "Michele was an invited guest, she always welcomes the opportunity to meet with parishioners."
The Point of Grace Church service was the second church event Michele Bachmann attended on Sunday. Earlier, they visited the Des Moines First Church of the Nazarene, where the presidential candidate discussed the origins of her faith and political life.
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Hooray for Mrs. Bachmann! Homosexuality is immoral. It is sin. Man was made for woman, woman for man. Homosexuality by definition is aberrant behavior.
Hooray for Mrs. Bachmann! Homosexuality is immoral
Well -- from what I read in the Bible, lying is immoral also. So are you equally upset when she lies -- something Bachmann frequently does?
It would be preferred if you kept your ignorant comments to yourself unless you choose to educate yourself. There is one thing that trumps your view and the bible, its nature. Homosexuality exists every where in nature. This is a FACT, I know its something the right wingers don't like hearing about, FACTS!! I might encourage you to get some education and learn some things your bible doesn't tell you. Leviticus also states that eating shell fish is an abomination, I wonder how much shellfish you eat?
Hey Lonesome, which I am sure you are, maybe you should try swinging the other way, then you might not be lonesome....
Power mad clerics influencing governments have caused enough trouble in the world without the likes of Michelle and her brand of histrionic bigotry peddling flaming her clan.. the ignorant here the US.
Please.... Ig NO RANT!
Yes, with the economy in flames Michelle is here to find a witch. She would have fit right in with the hysterical teenagers in Salem.
Yes, with the economy in flames Michelle is here to find a witch.
Well -- when you don't have any solutions for REAL problems, you make up imaginary problems and fix them.
Bachmann is looking better and better. Thanks for keeping us informed. Good to see somebody with real Presidential chances standing up for genetic freak victims of a deadly condition like homosexuality. Like those with many other genetic diseases, homosexuals can't help it.
Wow, are you an imbecile. The part that really worries me is your vote is equal to mine.
If this is what you consider "real presidential chance" no wonder America is in trouble. Politicians should be elected because of their intelligence and knowledge not the lack of it. This woman as educated as she seems is in the same league of Palin, extremely ignorant of facts, reason and logic. If that is the kind of politician you would vote for mabey we should consider that when allowing people like yourself to vote.
How do we know Jesus wasn't gay? Never really dated, hung out with a bunch of dudes with blue collar jobs (just like the village people). Just something to think about before you sell your daughter in to slavery like Leviticus tells you. I wish all so-called good christians would read that book before they use it as a basis to slam gays. Think of how many lives Ted Haggerd destroyed because his religion won't let him come to terms with who he actually is.
Jesus was totally a homo, didn't he make out with Judas or something? I remember something about them kissing...
in one of the "lost gospels" that never made it into the bible, jesus saved a young man who was so thankful to him , that he spent the night with j.c. now i will admit it doesn't really say what they did, but in that time the vernacular of "spending the night" has definite homo-erotic overtones.
So what! YIPO sat in the church of the Rev. Wright who denounced America and white people. The American people then voted him President. We better start praying they have more than a church service. Bachman scares me but these liberals scare me too.
it's always the most vocal opponents of homosexuality who are the ones secretly tapping toes under the stalls of america.
and you have taken a survey on this one? Is this from your own research? So you are saying everyone in evangelical churches are closet homosexuals. Funny, there sure are a lot of children in those churches.
lighten up, francis.
What a MEAN, NASTY, PERSON Michelle Bachmann must be!! It's abhorrent to judge others in the name of G*D!!
No Stu, you don't have to judge anyone. God has already done it. She is just repeating what God says. If He says it is a sin there is no need for us to judge. She is just taking God's word for it.
Ray, I don't think the "God made me do it" excuse works as much anymore. If people can't think for themselves, they shouldn't even be voting, much less running for President.
so, ray, does that mean that michelle b. has a hotline to be able to speak personally to god? personally i think it is much more likely that she is listening to the voices in her head again, too bad they are as bigoted and close-minded as both you and she are.
When are people going to wake up to religion? When are they going to realize that it's nothing to be proud of? There is no value in believing in such nonsense. This woman will never be president and her closet case husband skeletons will be dragged out of the closet sooner than later. I do wonder about one thing though, these people raised like 25 kids most foster kids, where are they? Don't most "family" oriented candidates parade their families around to self promote? I wonder why they are keeping them under wraps. These people are no better than the Taliban, if anyone can dispute that I would love to hear it.
Go for it, you and the other 2% or 3% of Americans who are atheists. You are smarter than the rest of Americans and God.
Ray, the majority of Americans are not atheist, but they still don't want to see over-zealous religion influencing government.
Um, I believe we athiests are up to about 10-15% of Americans now. And our numbers are growing every day. Church attendance and general belief in Christianity, however, have been on a steady decline for years.
Rev. Wright FORMER rev. for Obama. Get it, the ability to make an informed choice? He moved away from that person. That girl is spewing herself...it is HER SPEW of hate.
Why do liberal think this is a problem for Bachmann? She is an evangelical and they believe in the Bible as the word of God. The one thing you can say is that the Bible does call homosexuality a sin. So you believe her crime is to believe the Bible. Ok, but don't expect this to be a big gotcha issue outside the far left.
No, it's more of a gotcha issue concerning the constitution of the United States.
Particularly the "all men are created equal" part.
no ray, it does not call homosexuality a sin, it calls it an abomination. just like eating shellfish, or divorce. why do you bible thumpers only choose what YOU think has revelence from the bible, if you believe, believe it all, word for word. so be careful of mixing fabrics, just sayin....
This woman is just plain dangerous to the future of America! I hope the GOP is stupid enough to run her against Obama in 2012... they will get slaughtered!
No Thanks Tea Party! You've done enough damage already!
Seriously how can anyone even listen to this crazy bi*ch?
If only clerics ran the US....we could have more like Michelle.
God is gay. That is why we have gay people. haha. I really hope there are enough ignorant morons to get her the nomination. The debates would be absolutely hilarious!!
Why is it that the left always thinks the majority of Americans agree with them. They think you should pull out the parts of the Bible they like and throw away the rest. Some parts of the Bible you may no like but it still doesn't make them any less of God's word.
Just like the pope now agreeing with evolution or any christian who has ever fought science. You all pick and choose which part of the fairy tale is an "exageration" or "story" and which is real! It's just whatever you want to use to support your idea. ...its all garbage though.
Actually, it's evangelicals who pull out some parts of the bible and throw away the rest.
Liberals just treat it like any other work of fiction. Personally, I think Shakespeare was a much better writer.
"Why is it that the left always thinks the majority of Americans agree with them."
Probably for the same reason the right thinks the majority of Americans agree with THEM: self-validation.
Well let's see if I have this right. She's a christian, she attended a christian church and heard a christian sermon. Where is the story?
She is a Presidential candidate who believes gay people are agents of Satan and denounces any rights for them - that is why its news. On top of that, she has been quoted multiple times making a biblical interpretation of facts regarding such issues as global warming and Middle East policies - that should scare everyone. She is a smart woman, but a complete fanatic, which puts her in a league with people like Mussolini and Hitler.
@flyoverme. But we already knew that information. She didn't write the sermon so why is it news. We know her views on the subject. Non story. Nothing new to report.
If she really is smart, that means that she is also evil.
Michelle get back on your broom and fly away!
Maybe not outside of E-podunk.
This has got to be the most ignarant AND stupid woman I have ever seen......she tops Palin!
Oh yeah......she's REALLY going to win the Presidency with this!! -_-
Wonder what her fag husband thinks about all this.
He practices "pray away the gay" .... so he must be thrilled.
A growing list of members of the GOP think Michelle Bachmann is unfit to serve or run for President. I count myself among them. She is disgraceful and not representative of what the GOP has been about. Disgusting fanatical woman who needs to be culled from the race. What we are so in need of is someone of some weight to stand against her and speak the truth. Sadly, no one is on the horizon. Obama can easily win a second term simply due to the pathetic slate of competitors. I will abstain from voting before pulling the lever for any of the current candidates. The issue of ones sexuality has no place in public debate here - science has settled it for us and the discussion is over. Let it be. Religion cannot be the litmus test.
Fly, I'm pretty liberal in many ways, but I truly feel bad for you that you don't have a candidate that you feel you could vote for.
I can sympathize a bit, though. I'm stuck voting for Obama in 2012.
Denominations like the Episcopalians, the Lutherans, the Presbyterians, and the Methodists are in a pitched battle over whether to ordain gays, or to bless gay unions. Many of the theological moderates and many of the Bishops have taken to saying that they are "open" to hearing both sides. By taking no public position they hide from the threat of being defamed by one side as being a "bigot" and a "hater" or being charged by the other side with being unscriptural. The resistance against the gay agenda in the churches is left to the most conservative, the most principled, and those most willing to stand alone. Those who love God and truth more than they hate being publicly slimed by the gay activists and their liberal allies must often bear a heavy cost. When the liberal clergy seize control of a denomination and back a gay agenda, they ostracize the conservatives who oppose the gay agenda and exclude them from the seminaries, from denominational committees, and from speaking engagements. So much for liberal "tolerance" and "inclusion."
Yes, Raymond, we don't tolerate intolerance.
jock59801, When you say "we don't tolerate intolerance". Who is the "we" ?
Well, I can't speak for all "liberals," just all the ones I know. But if you want to exclude and be intolerant of gays, is it so surprising that someone might respond by excluding and being intolerant of YOU?
Let her attend whatever type of church service she chooses. The voters can then decide if they're comfortable with this--and some of her other positions--or not.