Protesters Rally Against Iowa Church’s Anti-LGBT Message

Fort Des Moines Church of Christ Rev. Michael Demastus expected backlash, but he still claims he was surprised when his Iowa church’s marquee drew media attention—and a significant protest.

Demastus changed his church’s sign last week to read “Gay is Not OK,” taking a week away from his series on Moses to preach about the immorality of homosexuality. The sign drew condemnation across the area, alleged vandalism with rainbow stickers, and a “Gay is OK” rally that drew more than 100 people to the church’s sidewalk on Sunday morning. 

By the time the protesters arrived, Demastus had changed the marquee to read “Adultery is Not OK,” in an apparent attempt to ward off criticism.

Even in the single-digit Iowa morning, protesters laughed, sang, conversed and prayed; a young man in a hooded sweatshirt threw peace signs to passing cars, periodically shouting out, “God loves you!”

After their numbers had swelled to around 100, some protesters gathered around a soapbox, where people told stories about their experiences with religion and homosexuality. Some, like Marti Doyle, had once agreed with the Church of Christ; Doyle spoke about her journey out of fundamentalist religion, and toward greater acceptance of LGBT people.

“Though it was horribly cold, the fellowship and friendship shared this morning made the temperatures bearable and even enjoyable,” Tony Tyler, who helped organize the rally, told Campus Progress.

At a planning session the previous night, around 20 people met in a downtown loft to work out logistics, talk about their mission, and make signs. Protesters stressed the need for a positive message—and a nonviolent, very peaceful strategy that was evident on Sunday morning. One organizer donated muffins to the congregation as a “peace offering,” while others stressed to passers-by that they were offering a different perspective on homosexuality, not protesting the church’s First Amendment right to preach what it wants.

Inside the church, a few protesters peacefully attended the service to hear the pastor’s sermon, which was a mish-mash of homophobic tropes and approving references to anti-gay organizations and individuals.

Prior to his sermon, Pastor Demastus thanked the FAMiLY Leader, an organization notorious for President Bob Vander Plaats’ 2011 remarks that homosexuality is “a health risk” akin to second-hand smoke. Demastus also credited Robert Jeffress, a Dallas Baptist pastor, with inspiration for his sermon. Jeffress gave a 2008 sermon featuring a marquee saying “Gay is Not OK.” The pastor also told Think Progress last year that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a good idea because “70 percent of the gay population has AIDS”—a grossly inaccurate statistic.

Demastus took pains to set himself apart from the Westboro Baptist Church, which was initially rumored to make an appearance that morning saying that the single-family church was “not who we are, not who we’ve ever been.”

But he proceeded to compare homosexuality to alcoholism, incest, and murder; even as Demastus said that homosexuality was not “the unforgivable sin,” he implied heavily that belief in God would cure one’s gay impulses and denied the existence of LGBT Christians.

“I’ve been asked if a god-fearing person can be a homosexual? Absolutely not,” Demastus said. “People out there who are homosexual who are worshipping God are not worshipping the God of the Bible; they are worshiping the God of their own creation.”

In many ways, however, Demastus’s sermon was an admission that conservative Christians were losing the battle against gay rights. He approvingly cited a TIME magazine article from 1966 that called homosexuality a “pathetic little second-rate subsitute for reality,” and wondered how so much could have changed in 40 years.

Even Demastus’s references to more virulent anti-gay rhetoric were cloaked: Instead of saying outright that homosexuality is an illness and can be cured through a specific program, Demastus obliquely cited curative therapy advocate Dr. Charles Socarides.

Outside the church, protesters, many with families, waved to passing cars and sang “Amazing Grace,” their voices faltering slightly in the cold air. When they finally went home, the Facebook event wall was flooded with positive feedback.

“I saw folks of all sorts of background, including straight allies, taking a bold stand on the side of love,” Tyler said. “And in the end, love wins.”

Shay O'Reilly is a staff writer with Campus Progress. Follow him on Twitter @shaygabriel.

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