Recently Out Pastor Jim Swilley Says God Made Him Exactly As He Is
PUBLISHED: NOVEMBER 14, 2010
Recently out Megachurch Pastor Jim Swilley says he's not about to second
guess God.
The twice-married father of four founded Church in the Now in Rockdale
County, Georgia 25 years ago. The 52-year-old Swilley told his flock last
In an in-depth interview with gay weekly the Georgia Voice, Swilley disagrees
with leaders who prop up their anti-gay views with biblical teachings.
“When people want to start throwing Leviticus around, I think, 'If we're
going to play Bible wars, let's go for it!' Jesus said if your hand offends you,
cut it off. If your eye offends you, pluck it out! I have never in my entire
life met anyone who has dismembered their body in a quest for holiness.”
“When I was speaking to an obese elder in my church who was grilling
me about my 'sin,' I was just thinking to myself, 'The Bible also says in
Proverbs 23:2 to 'put a knife to your throat if you're given to gluttony.'
If he really took the Bible as literally as he expects me to take it, why
hasn't he slit his own throat?”
Judah Swilley agreed with his father: “You know, Leviticus says all kind
of crazy things. I mean that with all due respect but it says things like
not to let cattle graze with other cattle, don't have a variety of crops in
the same field, don't blend fabrics of your clothing. If you are
disrespectful to your parents, you must be killed.”
of crazy things. I mean that with all due respect but it says things like
not to let cattle graze with other cattle, don't have a variety of crops in
the same field, don't blend fabrics of your clothing. If you are
disrespectful to your parents, you must be killed.”
“These people will say, 'Maybe you were born that way but you don't have
to live that way. You can be celibate,'” Pastor Swilley added. “However, the apostle Paul made it clear that celibacy is a special call from God that few
people receive. Do all gay people fall into this category of specialty called
by God to be celibate?”
to live that way. You can be celibate,'” Pastor Swilley added. “However, the apostle Paul made it clear that celibacy is a special call from God that few
people receive. Do all gay people fall into this category of specialty called
by God to be celibate?”
Swilley went on to say that being gay is “not a sexual fetish.”
“It's not just about sex. It's about attraction. It's about love,” he said,
then added that “straight people aren't called 'sexual intercourse.'”
then added that “straight people aren't called 'sexual intercourse.'”
“I can't second guess God's creation,” he concluded. “God made me
exactly who I am – spirit, soul and body.”
exactly who I am – spirit, soul and body.”
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