If you've tuned out my failed efforts to make Donkeyrock own up to the consequences of his words, I want to bring your attention to a far more edifying discussion over on my Baptist post. Some truly excellent and respectful back and forth.
It's now been three months since the state initiative that Rev. Jay Dennis, R-First Baptist Church at the Mall, helped publicly launch stripped gay people of rights they didn't have. He has yet to publicly call for laws to restrict heterosexual divorce, which leads me to conclude that he cares much more about stigmatizing gays than protecting marriage. However, one must acknowledge there has been a development. Dennis is listed as one of the many endorsers of the new Yes2Marriage public relations campaign launched last week.
You didn’t think I forgot, did you? It has now been two months since Pastor Jay Dennis, R-First Baptist Church at the Mall, led the fight to protect the institution of marriage from marauding homosexual monogamy, committment, and fashion sense. I continue to wait breathlessly for him to take up once again the burden/ego trip [...]
I see that Pastor Jay Dennis, R-First Baptist Church at the Mall, has written a letter to his congregation urging them to vote that the state consider monogamous, committed homosexual relationships as worthless. This, of course, comes after he helped kick off the whole amendment drive. That's fine. Pastor Dennis is certainly not the first preacher of any political stripe to forget the rule about rendering unto to Caesar and take a shot at collecting more earthly power and influence. But why stop at your captive congregation, pastor? Surely you're able to defend your positions and moral authority in public, in a healthy back and forth with little 'ol Godless me, right here on Lakeland Local. Let the spirit of political influence fill you up and let's talk this out for our readers to see. Here's a handful of questions for getting things started:
Bio: Billy Townsend was a longtime government, political and general assignment reporter in Polk County and the wider I-4 corridor. He wrote extensively about Polk's unique regional identity and the issues shaping it, including USF Polytechnic, the Heartland Parkway and the CSX rail deal. Billy recently left professional reporting to take a corporate writing job, but he keeps close tabs on news of all stripes (especially political news) and the changes in modern journalism. Billy's wife is Julie Townsend, executive director of the Downtown Lakeland Partnership.They live with their three children in the Lake Morton area. His work at Lakeland Local is his first as an amateur hyperlocal writer.
