0 shares 24 View comments The White House today abruptly removed 'anti-gay' Atlanta pastor Louie Giglio from President Barack Obama's inauguration programme, when he was due to be the benediction speaker.
Giglio was announced as benediction speaker this week and the target of a White House petition to remove him for his past 'homophobic' comments.The petition stated: 'We call on you to replace Giglio and to select a member of the clergy with a history of supporting LGBT equality to give the benediction at your second inaugural. Sin: Louie Giglio, of Atlanta, gave a sermon against homosexuality and advocates 'recovery' for gays It had already received some 1,500 signatures on the White House’s 'We the People” website in less than one day.ABC News reported that Giglio was removed from the programme at his own request after the liberal website ThinkProgress reported that he had deliveredg a sermon in the mid-1990s in which he said homosexuality is a sin and advocated gay 'recovery'.One of the passages from the sermon was: '“We must lovingly but firmly respond to the aggressive agenda of not all, but of many in the homosexual community. … Underneath this issue is a very powerful and aggressive moment. More... Showdown! NRA to meet Joe Biden at the White House for gun control talks as he vows to have report on Obama's desk by Tuesday President Obama to be sworn into office using two Bibles - one used by Martin Luther King as well as Lincoln Bible 'That movement is not a benevolent movement, it is a movement to seize by any means necessary the feeling and the mood of the day, to the point where the homosexual lifestyle becomes accepted as a norm in our society and is given full standing as any other lifestyle, as it relates to family.'Addie Whisenant of the Presidential Inaugural Committee told BuzzFeed, '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. Preparation: As the inaugural stage is set up, Obama said on Tuesday that Giglio 'represents the ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity that he pursues' 'Pastor Giglio was asked to deliver the benediction in large part for his leadership in combating human trafficking around the world. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will ensure their beliefs reflect this administration’s vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans.'Giglio, the Atlanta-based founder of the Christian youth-recruitment organization the Passion Conferences, had called the sermon 'In Search of a Standard – Christian Response to Homosexuality.”Obama said on Tuesday, before the scandal broke, that Giglio 'represents the ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity that he pursues',Giglio said in a statement provided to ThinkProgress: 'I am honoured to be invited by the President to give the benediction at the upcoming inaugural on January 21. Though the President and I do not agree on every issue, we have fashioned a friendship around common goals and ideals, most notably, ending slavery in all its forms. I swear: Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2009 'Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration. 'Clearly, speaking on this issue has not been in the range of my priorities in the past fifteen years. Instead, my aim has been to call people to ultimate significance as we make much of Jesus Christ.'Neither I, nor our team, feel it best serves the core message and goals we are seeking to accomplish to be in a fight on an issue not of our choosing, thus I respectfully withdraw my acceptance of the President’s invitation. I will continue to pray regularly for the President, and urge the nation to do so. I will most certainly pray for him on Inauguration Day.'Our nation is deeply divided and hurting, and more than ever need God’s grace and mercy in our time of need.'
Giglio was announced as benediction speaker this week and the target of a White House petition to remove him for his past 'homophobic' comments.The petition stated: 'We call on you to replace Giglio and to select a member of the clergy with a history of supporting LGBT equality to give the benediction at your second inaugural. Sin: Louie Giglio, of Atlanta, gave a sermon against homosexuality and advocates 'recovery' for gays It had already received some 1,500 signatures on the White House’s 'We the People” website in less than one day.ABC News reported that Giglio was removed from the programme at his own request after the liberal website ThinkProgress reported that he had deliveredg a sermon in the mid-1990s in which he said homosexuality is a sin and advocated gay 'recovery'.One of the passages from the sermon was: '“We must lovingly but firmly respond to the aggressive agenda of not all, but of many in the homosexual community. … Underneath this issue is a very powerful and aggressive moment. More... Showdown! NRA to meet Joe Biden at the White House for gun control talks as he vows to have report on Obama's desk by Tuesday President Obama to be sworn into office using two Bibles - one used by Martin Luther King as well as Lincoln Bible 'That movement is not a benevolent movement, it is a movement to seize by any means necessary the feeling and the mood of the day, to the point where the homosexual lifestyle becomes accepted as a norm in our society and is given full standing as any other lifestyle, as it relates to family.'Addie Whisenant of the Presidential Inaugural Committee told BuzzFeed, '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. Preparation: As the inaugural stage is set up, Obama said on Tuesday that Giglio 'represents the ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity that he pursues' 'Pastor Giglio was asked to deliver the benediction in large part for his leadership in combating human trafficking around the world. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will ensure their beliefs reflect this administration’s vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans.'Giglio, the Atlanta-based founder of the Christian youth-recruitment organization the Passion Conferences, had called the sermon 'In Search of a Standard – Christian Response to Homosexuality.”Obama said on Tuesday, before the scandal broke, that Giglio 'represents the ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity that he pursues',Giglio said in a statement provided to ThinkProgress: 'I am honoured to be invited by the President to give the benediction at the upcoming inaugural on January 21. Though the President and I do not agree on every issue, we have fashioned a friendship around common goals and ideals, most notably, ending slavery in all its forms. I swear: Barack Obama, left, joined by his wife Michelle, takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2009 'Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration. 'Clearly, speaking on this issue has not been in the range of my priorities in the past fifteen years. Instead, my aim has been to call people to ultimate significance as we make much of Jesus Christ.'Neither I, nor our team, feel it best serves the core message and goals we are seeking to accomplish to be in a fight on an issue not of our choosing, thus I respectfully withdraw my acceptance of the President’s invitation. I will continue to pray regularly for the President, and urge the nation to do so. I will most certainly pray for him on Inauguration Day.'Our nation is deeply divided and hurting, and more than ever need God’s grace and mercy in our time of need.'