punchViolence is almost never the way to solve a problem. But if anyone was ever begging for a punch in the nose, a certain homophobic North Carolina pastor making news today fits that bill. During a Sunday sermon, Berean Baptist Church pastor Sean Harris voiced his support for an anti-gay amendment up for debate in the state capital by telling fathers that they need to punch their toddler sons if they are acting "girly" and "rein in" their "butch" daughters.

Of course now that the Internet has called him out for his vile suggestion that dads crack their son's limp wrists and put his stamp of approval on child abuse straight from the pulpit, Harris is backing off. Don'tcha know he was just kidding?

Uh huh. He sounded real hilarious when he said he was giving parents a "special dispensation" to treat their kids like punching bags. Take a listen:

With "jokes" like that from Christian pastors who are supposed to be proclaiming the Good word of a Lord who advocated turning the other cheek, is it any wonder violence against LGBT members of society continues to rise? Any surprise that LGBT youth are at a four times higher risk of committing suicide than their straight peers?

Disagreeing with someone else's lifestyle is protected by the U.S. Constitution and the right to free speech. Getting violent against them for it, on the other hand, is still against the law -- and rightfully so. And hurting children, in particular, is just plain sick. You walk over the line from ignorant ass to scum of the earth when you start picking on 4-year-olds.

When -- if ever -- is it OK to make jokes about child abuse?

 

Image via richard_north/Flickr