You know how some anti-LGBT people tend to quote the Bible a whole lot when trying to defend their bigotry? A city councilman in Louisiana pulled that stunt recently when trying to bring down an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policy, but one activist put him — and his Bible-thumping hypocrisy — in his place.
Last month, the City Council of Shreveport, Louisiana, passed an ordinance protecting LGBT people from discrimination in matters of housing and employment. The sole dissenting vote was cast by Councilman Ron Webb, who cited the Bible when explaining his decision:
I’ve worked with homosexuals before, and you know I don’t socialize with ‘em. I don’t think that you know that we should. The Bible tells us that we shouldn’t. The Bible even tells you that homosexuals is abomination and that they will not inherit the kingdom of Heaven. And when judgment day comes around, you know that’ll be between them and the good Lord. And it’s not for us to judge. But I agree that when you were born, we’re all born in the image of God, but I believe that we do have the choice to decide what we’re going to do.
Shortly after the council approved the nondiscrimination ordinance, Webb introduced a measure to repeal it. Dozens of people showed up to a City Council meeting last week to denounce Webb’s measure, but none more passionately than Pamela Raintree, a transgender woman who called Webb out for hiding behind the Bible to justify his beliefs. Check out the video:
The moment that speaks loudest is when Raintree challenges Webb to act on his beliefs, pulling out a large stone to prove she’s not kidding around:
Raintree brought the stone with her to the council meeting and stated, “Leviticus 20:13 states, ‘If a man lie also with mankind as he lieth with a woman, they shall surely put him to death.’ I brought the first stone, Mr. Webb, in case that your Bible talk isn’t just a smoke screen for personal prejudices.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. The Bible is a convenient cover-up for personal bigotries for which individuals refuse to take responsibility. If they believed everything they quoted, we’d have loads more people in prison for drive-by stoning attacks.
Oh, and Webb withdrew his repeal measure just minutes later.
Thank you, Ms. Raintree.