Michele Bachmann's anti-gay Pastor Bradlee Dean suggests Obama isn't a Christian
Sat. May 21, 2011 5:48 AM by OnTopMag.com
Minneapolis, MN -
Anti-gay pastor Bradlee Dean, who has close ties to Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann, was invited to give the opening prayer at Friday's Minnesota House session.
Who invited Dean to deliver the prayer on the day the chamber is expected to take up a gay marriage amendment was unknown.
Dean founded the non-profit ministry You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International, hosts the nationally syndicated radio show The Sons of Liberty, and is the drummer for the Christian rock band Junkyard Prophet.
The unconventional minister has previously said he believes gay people, by definition, are "criminals" and should be jailed.
Dean and Bachmann enjoy widespread support from the Tea Party and have been featured together at several fundraisers. Bachmann also opposes gay rights.
Dressed in a track suit, Dean suggested President Barack Obama is not a Christian: "I end with this. I know this is a non-denominational prayer in this Chamber and it's not about the Baptists and it's not about the Catholics alone or the Lutherans or the Wesleyans. Or the Presbyterians the evangelicals or any other denomination but rather the head of the denomination and his name is Jesus. As every president up until 2008 has acknowledged. And we pray it. In Jesus' name."
"Today hope was crushed by the words of a single speaker," Democratic Representative Terry Morrow told lawmakers afterward. "Mr. Speaker, I do trust and hope that we understand the gravity and the severity of the prayer that has been given to the people within this chamber and out."
"I'm shaking right now because I'm mad," he added. "This cannot happen again."
House Speaker Kurt Zellers, a Republican, apologized for the prayer: "I respectfully apologize to all members in the Minnesota House of Representatives and all citizens of this state for today's morning prayer. As Speaker of the House, I take responsibility for this mistake. I am offended at the presence of Bradlee Dean on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives. I denounce him, his actions and his words. He does not represent my values or the values of this state."
In an interview with the Star Tribune, Dean said it wasn't right to label him "anti-gay," but then enthusiastically added that he thinks gay sex would be banned.
"I'm simply fighting for our posterity. I'm simply fighting for our next generation and the way to do that is to go back to who we are rather than what we are becoming. … We don't enforce those laws anymore and we wonder why we are going backwards. If you were to ask me my position as far as enforcing the laws of sodomy in the state of Minnesota, I would say absolutely yes. Yeah. Yeah."
Who invited Dean to deliver the prayer on the day the chamber is expected to take up a gay marriage amendment was unknown.
Dean founded the non-profit ministry You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International, hosts the nationally syndicated radio show The Sons of Liberty, and is the drummer for the Christian rock band Junkyard Prophet.
The unconventional minister has previously said he believes gay people, by definition, are "criminals" and should be jailed.
Dean and Bachmann enjoy widespread support from the Tea Party and have been featured together at several fundraisers. Bachmann also opposes gay rights.
Dressed in a track suit, Dean suggested President Barack Obama is not a Christian: "I end with this. I know this is a non-denominational prayer in this Chamber and it's not about the Baptists and it's not about the Catholics alone or the Lutherans or the Wesleyans. Or the Presbyterians the evangelicals or any other denomination but rather the head of the denomination and his name is Jesus. As every president up until 2008 has acknowledged. And we pray it. In Jesus' name."
"Today hope was crushed by the words of a single speaker," Democratic Representative Terry Morrow told lawmakers afterward. "Mr. Speaker, I do trust and hope that we understand the gravity and the severity of the prayer that has been given to the people within this chamber and out."
"I'm shaking right now because I'm mad," he added. "This cannot happen again."
House Speaker Kurt Zellers, a Republican, apologized for the prayer: "I respectfully apologize to all members in the Minnesota House of Representatives and all citizens of this state for today's morning prayer. As Speaker of the House, I take responsibility for this mistake. I am offended at the presence of Bradlee Dean on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives. I denounce him, his actions and his words. He does not represent my values or the values of this state."
In an interview with the Star Tribune, Dean said it wasn't right to label him "anti-gay," but then enthusiastically added that he thinks gay sex would be banned.
"I'm simply fighting for our posterity. I'm simply fighting for our next generation and the way to do that is to go back to who we are rather than what we are becoming. … We don't enforce those laws anymore and we wonder why we are going backwards. If you were to ask me my position as far as enforcing the laws of sodomy in the state of Minnesota, I would say absolutely yes. Yeah. Yeah."
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine