Opposing rally has 'pridefest' fans enraged

Homosexuals planning for tomorrow's Pride Charlotte festival in Charlotte, N.C., are enraged because the Coalition of Conscience has set up a Christian event, called "God Has a Better Way" nearby at the same time.

Michael Brown, who is director of the Charlotte-based coalition, said hundreds of people from area churches are coordinating the rally that will be unique.

"Nothing like this has ever been done in conjunction with a gay pride event in any city before, and those who join together on this day will be part of history in the making," he said.

Brown told WND that when his ministry moved into Charlotte several years ago, his goal was to reach out to individuals with compassion and resist homosexual activism with courage.

Since the strategy was adopted, the homosexual event has been moved out of a public park and onto private property, and the goal now is to say, Brown said, "This [pridefest] is not welcome, but at the same time we care about you as individuals, friends and neighbors."

But homosexual activists apparently aren't listening.

At the pro-homosexual TruthWinsOut.org, a commentary said, "Brown has since launched an online initiative titled 'God Has A Better Way,' in which Brown claims that his agenda is 'Spirit-birthed' – a statement of sheer, unapologetic blasphemy."

The website's attack continued, "Brown refers to his crowd's 'biblical convictions' but his 'convictions' in no way resemble the message of the Gospels or, for that matter, much of Hebrew Scripture. Brown appeals for gay people not to be mean-spirited – but he fully intends to remain as mean-spirited and warlike."

Another site, InterstateQ, said, "This time, Brown's twisted logic won't be enough to save him from his own words. The disturbed and maniacal history of his verbally violent, militant and extremist rhetoric serves as its own ironclad indictment. He can no longer hide or run from this history, and neither can he sweep it under the rug."

Sarcasm ruled on Lavender Liberal, which wrote, "'We understand, of course, that in your eyes, our biblical convictions constitute hate, and it is hurtful to us that you feel that way.' Awwwwww! It's 'hurtful'! Mikey's dainty little feelers are hurt!"

The commentary continued, "If there is a god, or a thousand gods, or no god, you know nothing of the 'love' you have twisted, corrupted, and aborted from that Holy Book of yours. Your 'message' no more resembles that of your fabled Jesus than Pat Boone resembles Big Mama Thornton."

Several of the condemnations of the Christian rally went further, too:

On the BoxTurtleBulletin site, "jimmy" said, "I will have my pepper spray, spring loaded baton and taser if these nutcases even get near me! I have used them before and will use them again on these nutjobs!"

Another comment on the "joemygod" site was, "Nail them all to crosses and let the corpses rot as a warning to other Jesus-pig people."

Brown told WND that his event is supported by Lou Engle, the national director of "The Call to Action," seeking to bring cultural change through prayer and fasting.

He also said other national ministries are looking at the model being used in Charlotte.

Brown said his "God Has a Better Way" rally will require participants to sign statements affirming, "I will not engage in hate speech, name-calling, or angry rhetoric; I will seek to befriend those who oppose me; I will seek to overcome bad attitudes with good attitudes; I will seek to be a living example of Jesus; I will not violate the law."

"We have great love for the gay and lesbian community," Brown said, "and have always treated them with dignity and respect; at the same time, we take strong exception to the gay activist agenda and will be sending a message to the city and the nation that God Has a Better Way."

Rally participants will meet at Charlotte's First Baptist Church at noon and will talk together to the Pride Charlotte rally. The group has a permit for an event on property across the street from the homosexual celebration.