30 Nov 2003 - Christians witness at gay pageant

CFT Media statement
30 Nov 2003

Christians witness at Homosexual Pageant

About 100 CFT members and pastors from various churches prayed and handed out 8000 pamphlets at the `Eighth Annual Mr Gay SA and the Seventh Miss Drag SA Pageant', which took place on 29 November 2003 at the Kismet Hotel in Pietermaritzburg.

CFT and 4 local pastors spoke to the owner of the Kismet hotel before the function, who claimed that he was horrified that the "public were against" the pageant and said "I am a married man with wife, children and wedding ring." He warned CFT to "be careful" as some of the homosexuals "might become violent." He said that he doesn't want to host the pageant again.

It was a moving scene as Christians prayed on their knees outside the hotel, including Pastor Saul Paul who wept as he prayed for the people going into the pageant.

Some of the contestants displayed their bodies on the hotel balcony. Some men had `enhanced' parts of their bodies to appear like women. The praying Christians were jeered at by some but other homosexuals were willing to discuss the issue and accepted pamphlets. Most of the 8000 pamphlets were handed out in the vicinity of the hotel, including taxi ranks.

CFT chairperson in Pietermaritzburg, Pastor Derrick King, says that he held a discussion with a homosexual who said he was already saved. When challenged about the the need to be saved from the sin of homosexuality he retorted that he doesn't want to be saved from this as "God made me this way."

Despite the fact that the SABC interviewed the protesters, they chose to broadcast the gay pageant only and ignore the Christians.

Here you can download a 15sec video (mpg, 5.3 Mb) of the Christians witnessing and singing at the Pageant

Photos

Christians gather at Obed Edom Church		Christians gather opposite the Kismet Hotel to sing and pray		Christians pray together
	Christians pray together		Christians pray together
Christians sing		Some of the gays or lesbians at the Kismet Hotel		Some of the gays or lesbians at the Kismet Hotel
	Some of the gays or lesbians at the Kismet Hotel		Some of the gays or lesbians at the Kismet Hotel
Pastor Saul Paul praying		SABC interview that was never broadcasted		SABC interview that was never broadcasted