A self-proclaimed gay anarchist group stormed into Mount Hope Church in Lansing,MI. The Eaton County Sheriff’s office was called in and is investigating.
Reports say that protesters were outside the church beating on buckets and using megaphones to shout “Jesus is a homo” as church-goers went in for morning services. According to those reports, half of the protesting group was dressed to blend in with the church-goers and entered the church.Once inside they reportedly pulled fire alarms, handed out pamphlets and yelled at parishioners. They also were said to have stormed the pulpit and held up a large rainbow colored flag that read “It’s Okay To Be Gay! Bash Back”.
Catholic League President, Bill Donohue, fired back on Tuesday saying "This is astounding. This is a Nazi like tactic to go into a church on a Sunday and disrupt service. I don't care whether it's pro-gay, anti-gay; it has no legitimate role to play in a democracy, which is exactly why we've asked Mike Cox, Michigan’s Attorney General to investigate."
A statement on Bash Back’s web site stated:
“The Mount Hope Church is a deplorable, anti-queer mega-church in Lansing, Michigan. The church works to institutionalize transphobia and homophobia through several repulsive projects including organized “ex-gay” conferences and so-called “hell houses”, which depict queers, trannies and womyn who seek abortions as the horrors. Mt. Hope is complicit in the repression of queers in Michigan and beyond.”
Mount Hope Church was contacted for a response, but they could not comment due to the ongoing police investigation. It did issue the following response:
"The leadership of Mount Hope Church does not attempt to identify the church as antihomosexual, anti-choice, or right wing. The church does take the Bible at face value and believes what the Bible says to be the truth. According to the Bible, Mount Hope Church believes homosexuality to be a sin, just as fornication, stealing, drunkenness, and lying are sins. No sin greater than the next."
