Pastor Gigglio Pulls Out of Benediction-Chuckie Still on for Defense

Chuckie for Defense

According to Time Magazine Pastor Giglio withdrew from the invitation to give the benediction to the President Inauguration. Not too many people knew Giglio, even with a name like that. Besides He’s been quiet for a while (quiet does not mean he is not preaching homophobic speeches, just media wise).

 When he was nominated we had no problem with him compared to Obama’s last choice on his last inauguration.  That was awful!!
To be honest we didn’t know much about Giglio and by the time we found out about his ugly anti gay speech 2 decades ago or so we figured Obama was doing a Chuckie Hagel thing.  That is get a homophobic who said he was sorry for remarks even though the guy might still be anti gay, which is Hagel.

Hagel being Secretary of Defense as we learned that the Pentagon is prohibiting the armed forces from reading most gay sites on the net but not sites with the fat man and the mustache, Limbaugh and Company.
 So this Giglio praying to god that Obama does good did not bother us too much. Even though I’ve learned from Time that he is recommended Gay therapy, which makes it him a bad choice.
So Im glad he stepped aside and more important, I wish the person that recommended him should step aside.
To be making recommendations to the president without background checking is a big thing. Of Coarse that’s for his boss to see what a jack ass the guy is. But with Obama going for Chuckie Hagel, he is left the door open that homophobes that said ugly things in the media before he was president and that is ok.
Below is the Time report. I took one word out I didn’t like Liberal(Im a liberal and I think Time has no idea what a liberal vs. very liberal or moderate is just like they don’t know what they are.  adamfoxie*

The evangelical pastor chosen to give the benediction at President Barack Obama’s inauguration withdrew from the ceremony Thursday after remarks he made two decades ago condemning the gay rights movement surfaced.

The Rev. Louie Giglio of Passion City Church in Atlanta said in a statement he withdrew because it was likely that the “prayer I would offer will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration.”

Addie Whisenant, a spokeswoman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said the committee had chosen Giglio because of his work to end human trafficking.

“We were not aware of Pastor Giglio’s past comments at the time of his selection and they don’t reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this inaugural,” Whisenant said in a statement.

The xxxxxx website ThinkProgress posted audio of the sermon Wednesday. In the talk, which the pastor said he gave 15 or 20 years ago, Giglio cites Scripture and called same-sex relationships sinful and an abomination. He warned congregants about what he called the “aggressive agenda” for acceptance of the “homosexual lifestyle.” And he recommended the writings of an advocate for therapy that aims to convert gays and lesbians into heterosexuals. Repeatedly in the sermon, Giglio urged congregants to welcome gays and lesbians to the church and says God loves them.

In Thursday’s statement, Giglio said “speaking on this issue has not been in the range of my priorities in the past 15 years.”

Obama’s inaugural planners have put an emphasis on reflecting diversity in the festivities, including the participation of gay Americans. Obama personally selected Richard Blanco, whose work explores his experience as a Cuban-American gay man, as the inaugural poet. And the Lesbian and Gay Band Association of St. Louis was one of the first selections to march in the inaugural parade.

Whisenant said the committee was considering others to deliver the benediction at the Jan. 21 event.

By Rachel Zoll