Tony Perkins and Bryan Fischer are
among the Christian conservatives crying foul over Pastor Louie
Giglio's withdrawal from President Barack Obama's second
inauguration.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee on
Wednesday announced Giglio had been selected to deliver the
benediction.
The selection was criticized by
ThinkProgress.com, which reported that in a mid-1990s sermon Giglio,
of the Georgia-based Passion City Church, advocated for therapies
which claim to “cure” gay people's sexual orientation and called
on Christians to prevent the “homosexual lifestyle” from becoming
accepted in society.
Less than 24 hours later, Giglio,
acknowledging the sermon, said that he had a right to “hold
differing views” and withdrew his name.
“The president appears determined to
stir division and create two Americas: One America that holds to a
biblical view of sexuality and another that offers tolerance so long
as you embrace its redefined view of sexuality,” said Tony Perkins,
president of the Family Research Council.
In his AFA-sponsored radio show, Focal
Point, Fischer told his audience that it was a “lie” that
Giglio withdrew on his own.
“The bully bigots at 'big gay' they
went to work on the inauguration committee and they got Louie Giglio
bounced right out of this deal,” Fischer said. “Do not believe
it. Do not let them lie to you. You're going to hear people say,
'Hey, he pulled out on his own. It was his decision.' That is
absolutely a flat out total bald face lie.” (The video is embedded
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