#GraceBibleChurch goes viral after pastor’s homophobic comments

Users took to Twitter under the hashtag #GraceBibleChurch after local celebrity Somizi Mhlongo posted a video online that he stormed out of the church following Heward-Mills comments.

Discussing the soul and sins, Heward-Mills compared homosexuality to nature saying it was unnatural.

He said: “That’s nature. Dogs, cats, leopards. Which animal has one partner? It’s just like homosexuality, you don’t have male and male. You don’t find two male dogs, two male lions, two male impala’s, two male lizards. You don’t find that in nature. That is unnatural. There is nothing like that in nature.”

According to Mhlongo, he stormed out after the comments saying he would not “sit there and listen to someone offending me”.

“This is who I am. I am a gay man. Get it straight into your skull.  My soul is alright with my God. Let me deal with my God and my soul. Don’t tell me.”

Mhlongo went on to criticise other gay congregants of the church who did not object to the comments.

“It’s like somebody offending black people at church and you scream and shout. And I’m actually disappointed at all the gay men and women that sat there and listened to him offending us and didn’t do anything about it.”

He continued:  “I walked out and visibly so. I am proud and I’m going to remain gay for the rest of my life. Let God deal with me.”

Twitter followers reacted with mixed emotions

Tweets:

Just because @somizi is offended doesn’t mean truth must stop being told! #GraceBibleChurch — Tlotliso Mphuthi (@Tlotli_Mphuthi) January 22, 2017 That’s why I’m Pro God and Anti Bible. It causes so much Anger & Hatred, I believe God loves his Children unconditionally #GraceBibleChurch— Thabang Nteso (@Thabang4real) January 22, 2017 Church is a place where truths are spoken, even though it makes a lot of us uncomfortable#Gracebiblechurch— TRUST (@OrielBagani) January 22, 2017 #GraceBibleChurch

In the bible God talks about gay people and he also talks about judging people. — Prudence Molaudzi (@PruhDee_M) January 22, 2017

Controversy This is not the first time the Grace Bible Church has caused a stir. In 2015, its leader Bishop Mosa Sono of Grace Bible Church, Soweto, received summons ordering him to appear before the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Communities (CRL Rights Commission).

The CRL had ordered Sono to present among others, evidence of his ordination certificate, details of the Pastor who ordained him, and the church’s bank statement.

At the time, it was reported that the SACC Acting General Secretary’s Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana was the complainant against Sono.

This is despite Sono being a member of the SACC and part of the Christian leaders who were fighting against alleged human rights violations.

During these alleged violations, congregants were fed snakes and rats allegedly by Pastor Penuel Mnguni of The End Times of Ministries, and petrol and grass by Pastor Lesego Daniels of Raboni Ministries.

Both the church and Mhlongo could not be reached for comment.