The Media hates Christians Who Are “Out of the Closet!”

The Media hates Christians Who Are “Out of the Closet!”
by Flip Benham March 29, 2006

Below we have a classic example of how the media distorts the activity of simple Christians living out their faith in the streets. When Jesus works a wonderful miracle (the end of “Charlotte Pride”) through the lives of those who bring Him to the very gates of hell, the media begins its relentless onslaught. Here is Channel 14's take on the demise of “Charlotte Pride.” Our response follows:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Pride festival has been canceled this year, and a radical Christian group is claiming victory.

For years, Operation Save America has protested the annual gay pride event, which usually takes place every May in Marshall Park.

“For the past five years, Charlotte Pride has been parading its sin, like Sodom, right here in this public park,” said Flip Benham, the leader of the group. “When Christianity comes out in the streets, homosexuality has to return to the closet. And I pray that it will return to the grave from which it came.”

Laura Witkowski, the executive director of the Lesbian & Gay Community Center, said Operation Save America has nothing to do with the cancellation.

“I know (Benham) is taking credit for the ‘downfall' of Charlotte Pride,” Witkowski said Monday. “But the reason why Charlotte Pride is not happening at the time planned and in Marshall Park is because the former organizers decided, for whatever reason, that they just don't have the time or energy to do it this year.”

Witkowski, who called Charlotte Pride a family-friendly event, said she is frustrated with Benham.

“He doesn't represent the Christian community, and he clearly doesn't represent the (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community well,” she said. “He just really wants to get people riled and see us as this crazy faction group in Charlotte.”

Regardless of why the event was canceled, Benham views it as a victory.

“This park is going to be free from homosexual sodomy taking place right here in the purview of everyone who comes by,” he said. “It isn't going to happen this year. But believe me, it'll come back next year and we're going to have to deal with this issue again and again and again.”

The issue might come back sooner than Benham originally thought. Another group is planning a new, bigger gay pride event for later this year.

Flip's response:

This is the typical reporting we get from the secular media.  Just look at the Title! It never ceases to amaze me.  We present the power of the Gospel of Christ, and they report that we are trying to take the credit.

For ten minutes I spoke exclusively to this reporter from channel 14 and did everything in my power to give praise to Almighty God for the victory He had won in the city of Charlotte (Matthew 5:16).  At one point the reporter specifically asked if I was taking credit for this "victory."  "Absolutely not!  This was a victory given by Almighty God Himself."  I wondered why he asked that question.  It became clear only after the report was aired.  It was his angle.

I assured him that churches from all over the Charlotte area had risen up to express the heart and Word of God to those lost in homosexual bondage.  I told him about First Baptist Church doing a twenty-four hour prayer walk around Marshall Park the night before "Charlotte Pride" - praying for the public debauchery to end.

God answered their prayer.  Who gets the credit – First Baptist Church?

Notice that in none of the quotes aired on 14 was there ever any mention of anyone attempting to take credit for the demise of “Charlotte Pride.” None that is except Laura Witkowski, the executive director of the Lesbian and Gay Community Center.  It was from her mouth that we hear that somebody was trying to take the credit. 

Oh, the hiss of the serpent!  The media is a very willing dupe in the hands of the devil.