No one would be surprised to learn that there are right-wing Christians in this country who disapprove of homosexuality. Neither would it come as a surprise that in rural parts of this country, Christianity and homosexuality when brought together, can create a highly combustible mix.
But who could imagine the hate and rage that would motivate a Pastor to instruct deacons and members of his congregation, Grace Fellowship Church in Fruitland, TN. to physically attack a couple arriving in the church parking lot last Wednesday?
The fact that one of the gay men attacked happened to be the Pastor’s own son, Jerry Pittman, Jr., no doubt contributed to Pittman senior’s noxious edict. According to Pittman Jr., after hearing his Dad yell, “SICK’EM!:”
“My uncle and two other deacons came over to the car per my dad’s request. My uncle smashed me in the door as the other deacon knocked my boyfriend back so he couldn’t help me, punching him in his face and his chest. The other deacon came and hit me through my car window in my back.”
The attackers also verbally assaulted the couple continually with anti-gay verbiage which continued even after a Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on the scene. Bystanders and other congregants made no effort to stop the assault. For that matter, neither did the Deputy Sheriff. Once the barrage of punches ended, the Deputy refused to let the two victims press charges.
Jerry Pittman Jr. and his boyfriend, Dustin Lee, have since filed charges against two of the men who beat them as well as Pastor Jerry Pittman. A hearing has been scheduled in Gibson County Court for Tuesday, October 4th.
One can’t help but wonder if Pastor Pittman really thinks Jesus would back him up on this assault?
Tent of Abraham 
Wow! Thanks for showing us your true colors Pittman, you are a pastor of hate. What comes around, goes around, there little pastor man. You will get yours…… heaven has no place for those that burn in the fire of their own hate.
Please tell me that they are also pressing charges against the Deputy.
Charges should be pressed at the state and fed level as well as locally and it should be done all at the same time, so the local dipwad of a sheriff can’t sweep this incident under his white sheet.
Wow, what an ass! I hope they go to jail and have some random inmate yell sick em! To them!
Interesting to note that all you gotta do is substitute “black” for “gay” and the story reads like something right out of the 50’s. The only thing missing is the Ku Klux Klan, to take the beat-up boys away from the sheriff’s hands and dispose of the bodies.
If Jesus came to Tennessee, I don’t think he’d find a whole lot of followers he’d wanna talk to.
I thihnk charges should be filed on the deputy that arrived on seen and did nothing to stop the attack. As if that wasn’t bad enough… they were refused THEIR RIGHT to file charges?? Sue the dang township too for this being aloowed to go on!!!
Best of luck to the two victims. Stay strong and fight for what is right!! .
This is so awful. It’s “Christians” like these that make people flee from the church.
I am a Christian, and I would NEVER dream of doing anything like this! The God that I know and love is a God of love, he doesn’t beat people up for being gay. Church is supposed to be a place where you aren’t judged and you can be yourself, right? This is so wrong, I hope it doesn’t change how these wonderful men view God. ❤
What worries me the most is this “man” influenced other to do it…i hope they all burn in hell ! And the fact that no one stopped them disturbs me.
To the young gay couple, I am deeply saddened to hear that this has happened. I must say though, those bruises will heal eventually, but by taking a stand and pressing charges will stay for a long time to come… You have my blessing, and applause. You are doing the right thing, as a fellow gay man, I am very proud to hear that you are doing the right thing and seeking prosecution. No one has the right to physically harm another being. As far as the responding sheriff, he too should be charged. He is obligated by law to protect citizens of that county and state. Shame on him, tn my opinion it is even worse then the abuse of your father and the deacons. He should loose his badge and be charged as a co-conspirator.
And why isn’t this page filled with outrage ? That also worries me.
I do not understand how e could hate his own son so much
Behold the divisive power of religion, any religion. Nothing divides as quickly, deeply and permanently. It divides nations from nations, neighbors from neighbors, parents from children, siblings from siblings, friends from friends, lovers from lovers, and individuals from themselves. It painfully splits everything like the stroke of a sword.
If any religious person thinks I’m exaggerating, then honestly examine your own feelings about me right now.
What a profound misunderstanding of the nature of God to believe that He could ever hate His children.
“You know you have made God in your own image when you believe He hates the people you hate.
Donna, I applaud you. Those are some of the most prfound words I think I have ever heard. Thank you.
I agree – Donna – well said
“He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.” — Proverbs 11:29
well, technically, Biblically speaking, the Pastor was in the right :
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
King James Version (KJV)
18If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
19Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
20And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
If you are going to follow a 2000 year old social code, go all the way and show how freaking messed up it really is, I always say…
I would totally welcome these boys into my Christianity-hatred-fuelled free home, sorry your dad is a jerk…
FYI: More news about Pastor Pittman Sr.: Minister Accused of Antig… http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/10/07/Minister_Accused_of_Antigay_Assault_Also_Charged_With_Theft/
I cannot believe that a so-called man who thinks of himself as a man of god would condone such activities against anyone, never mind his own son. I say that they should all be charged and prosecuted to the full extent of the law including the deputy for not doing his job.
The pastor should be defrocked or decomissioned by his church as well. No one needs to have a bigot behind a pulpit.
Fruitland is well named for a fruity pastor of a fruity church, and for the fact that the people of Tennesee agree with this idiot Pastor who is going to hell!!!!
This also could possibly be prosecuted as a hate crime, which is a federal offense and for which the penalties are much more severe. Someone should also speak to a US Attorney for the district.
EXCUSE ME?!?!?! The Bible clearly says that we are to LOVE the sinner, but HATE the sin!!!! This Pastor is a poor, pathetic example of love by encouraging his parishioners to beat on this gay couple.
i cant believe the way that yall are JUDGING Rev. Pittman for 1 the courts seen rite thru the lies and dismissed the charges he is a true man of GOD all it is, is his wife diana king paid those lil boys to lie about Jerry because she is nothing but money hungery she has stolen so much she is also money laundering and is scared now of getting caught and wants to take the attention off of her and put it somewhere else