Tell me again why we shouldn't single out these homophobic churches and firebomb them with the congergants all inside? I keep forgetting....

The young gay couple should MOVE out of that hate-filled hell hole as soon as they can for their own safety.

Sue the motherfuckers.

Charming, utterly charming.

@1 Nice to know you're just like the church here.

I cannot fathom the betrayal an assault such as this entails. To be attacked by one's own family, at a purported sanctuary, in view of indifferent onlookers... I am amazed to see Pittmann Jr. recount his experience as calmly as he did. I hope that they get the justice they deserve, and I'm glad that this story isn't being swept under the rug by the local media.

This is the second time that I've read about this incident, and there is something about it that leaves me feeling like something is being left out. I find it hard to beleive that Mr. Pittman, Jr. did not know about his father's attitude, and that the younger Mr. Pittman didn't go there looking for a confrontation of some sort. *If* the couple had been told to stay away and that they weren't welcome, they would have been trespassing, which *might* just give the Deacons all the legal cover they need.

@7 yes because no matter what, they deserved what they got.

Really?! It's mealy-mouthed individuals like you "caris in jax" that are no better than those christfuckers who resorted to violence.

How long before the bullies start screeching "Persecution!"? Clearly, if they are not allowed to beat people into a bloody pulp, their right to free expression of their religion is being infringed.

As Jesus commanded- He who doesn't KILL THE FAGS shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven!
er...he didn't say that? I forgot.

I'm with caris to a certain extent. I find it hard to believe they didn't know how the deacons - their relatives - would react when they went there. Now, be that as it may, they CERTAINLY didn't deserve that kind of behavior. But it seems likely they went there both expecting and baiting a confrontation.

Personally, I couldn't care less about the law aspect of it, and as far as I'm concerned they should both press charges and sue. But, yeah... there's no way they went there not knowing that bad things were going to happen. Maybe they were looking for a Rosa Parks moment, I don't know. And again, the deacons are assholes for laying hands on anyone, and there's no excuse for it. Smart move on their part would have been to call the cops and have them removed. But we can't expect bigots to be smart.

I've sometimes wondered why gay people have anything to do with religion at all. Women too, for that matter. How do you look at a system that's been so often used by so many different groups as a way to keep you in your place and go "Well, shit, that looks like fun!" Sure, you can start your own and be all inclusive, but at the end of the day you're still part of a system that was begun by looking down on you.

Religion is not a required component for a belief in God. Nor is dealing with assholes. Hell, I'm white, hetero, and male, thus hitting the Triumvirate of Awesomeness as far as so many faiths are concerned, and I still manage to stay as far away from religion as possible. Admittedly I'm agnostic, so we don't really have much to talk about, but even if I believed in an Almighty I can't see joining a bunch of fellow assholes express how awesome we all are because of it.

Awesome. Let's play "blame the victim". Cuz they totally deserved it.

Why was this gay couple assaulted? Because these attackers chose to commit violent acts, and assaulted them. The end.

Apropos of which, the quote Dan keeps using is, I think, derived from Matthew 7:16 which is commonly rendered as "By their [Godly men] works shall ye know them ." But the actual King James Version (and many others) is "Ye shall know them by their fruits." (as in "fruits of labor") which amuses me to no end.

And, what @14 said, full stop. This particular version of victim blaming is just like slut shaming. "Oh she wore a dress! She deserved it!" <--> "Maybe these guys were provoking a confrontation! They deserved it!" Eeeeeesh.

@15: Why were a gay couple attempting to attend an extremely homophobic church then?

@15: I'd like you to point, please, to the exact spot I or anyone else said they deserved it. Instead, you know, the opposite.

On the "baiting" issue--I suppose you folks think a woman who is raped while wearing a miniskirt also should have known she had it coming?

@18: No, I don't. But I suppose you think this man and his boyfriend went to the church expecting his father, his uncle, and the other deacons to welcome them with open arms? I mean, all I or anyone else has argued was that they probably knew they would receive a lousy reception, but you seem to have a hard-on to make it into something else. Maybe instead of ostracizing allies, you should try a little rationality. It's been said time & again that no matter what they didn't deserve to be assaulted. Your dissatisfaction with that answer isn't my problem.

Maybe they were trying to provoke a confrontation. I don't see how that is at all a problem. Making people confront their hypocrisy of preaching love yet condemning people for who they love is a worthwhile goal, I doubt they expected to just walk into services with no protest. However to any reasonable person a confrontation at CHURCH would be at worst a shouting match and being asked to leave not being assaulted before even getting out of your car.

@20: Provoking a confrontation is fine. Trespassing on private property to do it is not.

Coming from a Penticostal Christian, no matter what race, color, creed or sexual orientation, any type of prejudice is wrong. I just wanted to put out there that not all Christians are homophobic fanatics, though it seems that the exception always proves the rule...