A private Muslim event at a Texas water park was legal. Greg Abbott shut it down anyway.
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The Christian Nationalists in charge of Texas have shut down a Muslim celebration of the end of Eid al-Adha at a city-owned facility using the excuse that their event was limited to Muslims and therefore discriminatory. Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to withhold $530,000 in public safety funding from the city of Grand Prairie if the June 1 event was allowed to proceed. It’s just the latest example of Republicans using their religious superiority complex to make life worse for non-Christians in the state.
The event in question was “Epic Eid” taking place at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. While the city-owned park is open to the public most days, groups willing to pay can rent the whole damn place for private events at a cost of at least $5,000/hour. That’s what local Muslims did the past two years when they bought out the place for an Eid celebration. Interested families could buy tickets through the group, knowing that halal food would be served, everyone would be in “modest” swimwear, and there would be space set aside for evening prayers.
To be clear: There’s nothing unusual about this arrangement. Private groups can rent out public facilities and set their own rules for admission. (And it’s perfectly sensible to allow in only members of your group.) The flyer for last year’s event called it a “Muslim-only event” and said the park was “reserved exclusively for the Muslim community.”
There were no complaints about it in the past because why the hell would there be?
That’s why the organizers didn’t think there would be any issue with this year’s identical event:
Unfortunately, they made the mistake of being Muslims in Texas. And when right-wing activists saw this flyer, they knew they could get a rise out of their bigot base by pretending this was an example of Islam taking over their state. The New York Post and conservative commentators pointed to the “Muslims only” description as a blatant case of discrimination and ran with it.
The organizers attempted to fix the issue by revising the flyer to say that anyone was welcome as long as they wore modest clothing and wanted to celebrate Eid. (That was always the case, but it was easier to advertise to the broader Muslim community by saying this was an event exclusively for Muslims.)
Organizer Aminah Knight explained:
“At its core, this event is about creating a space where individuals and families, particularly those who value modest dress and a modest environment, can come together and enjoy a recreational setting comfortably,” Knight wrote, adding that anyone who is “a different faith who wants to celebrate the Eid holiday with us and adhere to the modest dress code” is welcome to attend the event.
For what it’s worth, this is a normal things groups do! Hell, here’s another event at a water park in Texas that’s sponsored by Christians and includes a baptism. (It’s not a perfect comparison—that location isn’t city-owned, for one thing—but it’s the same principle.) Ministries often rent out publicly funded baseball stadiums for massive events, too! Globe Life Field, a publicly funded stadium where the Texas Rangers play baseball, is hosting a Christian event later this year and tickets are limited to people ages 18-25; that’s not age discrimination! It’s also worth pointing out that Christian events don’t normally have to say they’re “Christian only” because the purpose of those events is to baptize or proselytize. This Muslim event wasn’t about converting anybody.
It didn’t matter.
Gov. Abbott immediately acted like this Muslim event was a threat to everyone. He sent a letter to city officials saying he would pull their public safety grants if they didn’t put a stop to this, even comparing it to a “Whites only” event, which is not how analogies work.
In public fliers, organizers described the event as: “MUSLIM ONLY EVENT”; “FOR MUSLIMS ONLY”; and “CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC — MUSLIMS ONLY.” In a tacit admission, organizers have already rushed to delete that language. Now, fliers state that “ALL ARE WELCOME” and the event is restricted only by a requirement of “MODEST DRESS.” The first hint that the broader public is not really welcome, however, is language explaining that any women wishing to attend must wear “burkinis.” The organizer’s website makes matters clearer, stating that “[t]his event is closed to the general public” and “at all times” attendees must “dress in accordance with Islamic values.”’ If there were any doubt remaining, the website dispels it: “The entire waterpark has been exclusively reserved for Muslims.”’
… An event at a city-owned pool that was publicly and indiscriminately advertised as “Whites only” would surely violate the Constitution…
Abbott added on X/Twitter: “ The City must cancel the event and commit to never allowing something like it again by May 11th, or lose $530,000 in state grants. Let this be a lesson to local officials: Facilities funded by ALL taxpayers are not just for a subset of Texans.”
That’s a wild thing to say in the state currently forcing the KJV version of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom… Then again, we’re talking about the same people trying to suppress the power of the Black vote by claiming the Voting Rights Act made them victims of anti-white discrimination.
But this facility isn’t discriminating against anybody. They rent out their space to anyone, and those private parties have every right to set ground rules for who can attend. If I rent a public banquet hall for a religious wedding, I’m allowed to have religious rules during the event. It’s not like the water park is discriminating against non-Muslims. And even the organizers freely admitted they weren’t discriminating either; if you wanted to celebrate Eid with them, you were welcome to come!
Sadly, though, the threat worked.
A spokesperson for the City of Grand Prairie said Thursday the city canceled the DFW Epic Eid Celebration scheduled for June 1 at the Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark.
“After further review and in the best interest of the City of Grand Prairie, the June 1 Eid event at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark has been canceled,” the spokesperson said.
Notice that the city didn’t admit any discrimination was taking place. Because there was none. It appears that the city’s “best interest” is simply to not fight this battle. I don’t blame them. That said, they gave a bizarre explanation to Knight as to why they were canceling: They said she hadn’t made the proper payments. Knight told FOX 4 she had been trying to make those payments for several days. If that’s true, the city’s excuse could be their way to avoid any potential lawsuit.
Knight doesn’t seem like she’s going to file any lawsuit right now, but you better believe she’s confused about why this is a problem:
“Last year the flyer said, come on out to celebrate the Eid. This will be a Muslim-only event. I just want to clarify that because it’s celebrating the Eid holiday — I mean who celebrates the Eid holiday? Muslims, right?” Knight said. “It was my way of letting the Muslim community know, hey, I’ve curated something just for you.”
She said in a follow-up statement:
I am deeply disappointed that DFW Epic Eid has been canceled.
What began as a private event for the Muslim community to celebrate Eid in a joyful and modest environment became something much bigger than I ever imagined. The flyer was originally shared within private community spaces, but it was later circulated more broadly by people who were not interested in attending, but rather in creating division and controversy.
While I did receive hateful messages from people who misunderstood the event, I also believe this moment sparked important conversations about Muslims in America and how our community is viewed.My faith is not something to fear.
Not because I am personally afraid of disagreement, but because fear and misunderstanding can grow into discrimination, and that is dangerous for any society. When people begin to see their neighbors as foreign or as though they do not belong, it weakens the fabric of our nation.
I was born here. I was raised here. I was educated here. I belong here. I am proud to be both Muslim and American. I have spent nearly 20 years serving my community as an educator and attended NYU, USC, and Vanderbilt University.
And despite the negativity, I still choose conversation over division.
So this Fourth of July, I will be partnering with brothers and sisters from other faith communities to host an interfaith event called “The Great American Cookout,” where people from different backgrounds can come together, connect, and truly get to know one another as fellow Americans.
Although this experience has been painful, my faith teaches me that within every difficulty there is ease.
And I believe something beautiful can still come from this.
She’s a better person than Abbott and his Christian Nationalist allies can ever hope to be. (Dr. Knight did not respond to my request for further comment.)
A lot of the backlash to this online comes from people who clearly don’t understand the situation. They’re acting like this is taxpayer-funded promotion of Islam when it’s nothing like that. Abbott and his fellow Republicans are jumping on that ignorance to fuel even more anti-Muslim bigotry.
But this isn’t complicated. The city wasn’t denying anyone access to a government facility. A private group rented out a public facility for a private celebration, the same way that churches, youth groups, sports leagues, and conservative organizations do all the time. The only reason this suddenly became a crisis is because the people hosting the event were Muslim. That’s it. By pretending this private Eid gathering was equivalent to some kind of Jim Crow segregation, Abbott and his allies manufactured outrage, which is all they know how to do because they’re never really victims of anything.
The hypocrisy here is impossible to ignore. Republicans routinely weaponize the language of “fairness,” “public access,” and “religious liberty” when it can be used against minorities they don’t like. The message to Muslims is clear: You can exist on society only as long as Christians are comfortable. The moment you dare to publicly celebrate your faith, a Christian-run government will be mobilized against you. (Remember that Abbott lost a case where he tried to block atheists from putting up a display inside the Capitol.)
The most telling thing in this whole controversy is how the two sides reacted. Knight responded with grace, outreach, and an invitation to interfaith understanding. Abbott responded with threats, intimidation, and demagoguery. Republicans don’t care about religious equality; the moment a non-Christian group wants to do what Christians do all the time, they’ll be under attack as long as these people are in charge.
American Atheists FOIAs Trump’s DOJ… Again
Tags:American Atheists, Politics, Religion
That the Department of Justice would use the list of those attending the meetings of a government commission to promote a purely Christian event highlights just how far this administration will go to push their extremism.
The post American Atheists FOIAs Trump’s DOJ… Again appeared first on American Atheists.
American Atheists, Partners Announce: Reimagining America Summit
Tags:American Atheists, Politics, Religion
The Reimagining America Summit will bring together an exciting slate of experts, activists, and entertainers for thought-provoking discussions about our collective future.
The post American Atheists, Partners Announce: Reimagining America Summit appeared first on American Atheists.
“We Will Find You”
Tags:American Atheists, Politics, Religion
White Christian Nationalists have decided the less-important thing — the thing that comes second in their ‘Certain Americans First’ strategy — is anyone and everyone with a different way of thinking.
The post “We Will Find You” appeared first on American Atheists.
Daystar’s Joni Lamb dies at 65, leaving behind scandal, cover-ups, and COVID lies
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On Thursday, Joni Lamb, the co-founder of Daystar Television Network, a Christian ministry, died at the age of 65 due to unnamed “serious health matters” that involved a back injury. But before her disastrous legacy is quickly forgotten, let’s remember the chaos she unleashed upon the country as well as her own family.
In November of 2024, her son Jonathan (and his wife Suzy) announced that someone in the family-run ministry, whom they called “Pete,” had sexually abused their little girl. The ministry’s leaders, including Joni, had gone to great lengths to cover it up, they said.
Despite those concerns, Joni and Marcus Lamb (her husband and Daystar’s co-founder) refused to take any action against the relative. They were more interested, it seemed, in protecting their ministry from bad publicity than kicking out one of their own.
They told Jonathan and Suzy not to talk to police and that the incident wasn’t that big of a deal. And in true conservative Christian fashion, Joni blamed the little girl for what happened to her:
Suzy added that when she strongly objected, saying that didn’t explain why Pete was in the room with her naked daughter, Joni blamed the couple’s daughter, saying she was the one who took her clothes off. At this, Suzy said she began screaming at her mother-in-law, but Joni was adamant and reiterated her claim several times over the next 24 hours.
It didn’t stop there. After that blowup, Jonathan and Suzy had their children sleep near them in the beach house they were all staying at during a ministry retreat, instead of in a separate room on a different floor. Joni didn’t handle that well either:
… Joni confronted her, saying, “‘Look at what you’re doing to this family! What about (Pete’s wife and Pete)? What about their feelings?” Suzy said.
Why won’t you think about feelings of the man who allegedly molested your daughter?!
Joni followed that up by announcing to the family that God spoke to her and told her that “Pete” was innocent. In other words, everyone else needed to shut the hell up.
Whatever the truth was, a year ago, a Texas police department closed their own investigation into the alleged abuse citing “insufficient evidence.”
Jonathan also revealed that he was demoted from his job earlier that year for refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. He was later fired for not addressing “the deficiencies in [his] judgment and performance”… whatever those were. (Joni’s judgment, of course, was never in question.)
All of that was shocking in part because, as recently as 2021, Jonathan believed he would be taking over the ministry after his father died. But after those events occurred, his father announced a succession plan that handed control of the ministry to Joni instead of their eldest son.
In 2023, when Joni got re-married (two years after her husband’s death), Jonathan said she had used $100,000 of the ministry’s money to go on a honeymoon.
Interestingly enough, when Joni was on her deathbed this week, the family didn’t even call Jonathan and Suzy to give them a chance to say goodbye. #FamilyValues.
And that was only the internal drama with this ministry. They also harmed people outside their family tree.
Consider the COVID misinformation they all spread. Daystar Television was one of the worst anti-vaccination media outlets during the pandemic. As Right Wing Watch pointed out, there were over 80 episodes’ worth of misinformation about the virus and vaccine at one point on Daystar’s website. Marcus himself told his viewing audience that they had alternatives to vaccines: “We can pray, we can get ivermectin and budesonide and hydroxychloroquine.” (Those were obviously not proven remedies.)
Lamb, along with the American Family Association, then sued the Biden administration claiming that vaccine mandates were a “sin against God’s Holy Word.” Despite being large companies whose employees would be subject to either vaccinations or weekly testing, the Christian groups claimed the mandate would “wound the consciences of their employees and potentially cause them to sin.” That lawsuit was filed shortly before Marcus Lamb was diagnosed with the COVID that would later take his life. He died of a virus that his ministry routinely downplayed and whose cure he rejected.
Daystar TV also applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to pay employees who couldn’t work because of the pandemic, and the company received nearly $4 million of taxpayer money. That in itself wasn’t necessarily a problem since religious groups were allowed to receive PPP money to cover salaries for their staffers.
But Inside Edition‘s Lisa Guerrero found out that Lamb, shortly after getting that money, purchased a multi-million dollar private jet
That segment showed how Lamb used his plane to go on family vacations—hardly ministry purposes—though Lamb told Inside Edition they were working vacations even if he was seen golfing on those trips, and even if his family posted pictures of their trips on social media.
It was only after Guerrero’s inquiries that the church paid back the entire $3.9 million it received from the government, with interest.
It wasn’t just COVID shenanigans either. Joni Lamb had it out for The Gays. She said in 2012 that “thousands” of people had “come out of homosexuality” (which is not how it works), that being gay was “ungodly,” and that God would not bless people who were “operating within the realm of homosexuality.”
In 2012, she also insisted America was a “Christian society,” which meant religious neutrality by the government could be ignored.
In 2020, she defended Donald Trump as a Christian because she insisted that “there’s no way that he would go through what he’s gone through to fight for these things that are important to us had he not had some type of encounter with the Lord.”
That’s what this family is known for. They used Christianity to enrich themselves and knew that fighting culture war battles—and pretending to be persecuted—was an easy path to wealth. They never gave a damn who got hurt in the process. And in Joni’s case, she wasn’t about to let family drama get in the way of her power either.
(Portions of this article were published earlier)
Hate-preacher Greg Locke admits lying about Joel Osteen and Kenneth Copeland
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Christian hate-preacher Greg Locke, who runs Global Vision Bible Church in Tennessee, is suddenly taking back some of his most vicious and unfounded claims, essentially admitting that he was lying to his congregation when he made them.
Perhaps he just realized he could be in serious legal trouble for what he did.
Back in December of 2021, Locke was performing for his audience during a weeknight sermon when he made a shocking claim: He insisted that Christian pastor Joel Osteen, the televangelist and bestselling author, was a “pedophile.” Locke went on to say, “I’ll step down as your pastor if it ain’t true!… I’ll stop preaching if what I’m telling you is not true!”
… Some of your preaching heroes are going to hell! They’ve never been born again a day in their life! They are hirelings! They are crooks! They are conditioning people to think against what the Word of God teaches! And I’m tellin’ you, they are going to drag them out of their pulpits, kicking and screaming, in handcuffs.
And you can tell Joel Osteen I said so because he’s one of ‘em. He’s a pedophile and a crook, and everybody knows it, and I don’t care how mad you get.
You can leave anytime you want to. I wasn’t gonna get into any of this mess. They found more than $600,000 in the plumber’s wall, I’ll tell you that right now. [Hemant’s note: That’s a reference to a 2021 incident in which a plumber at Osteen’s church found that money hidden inside a wall. The church had reported it stolen in 2014. No one was ever charged with a crime.]
Joel Osteen belongs in prison. And if that makes you nervous, you can go to First Baptist or Joy or any other church in this town…
Everybody alright? Cuz I’m at a place where I don’t care if you’re alright or not. This Wednesday night, I’m mad at the devil! Quit following these bunch of perverts. Quit following these motivational gurus that ought to get out of the ministry and sell cars and insurance. I’m telling you, God’s gonna expose ‘em. God’s gonna expose ‘em.
There’s a few more I could call out, but I ain’t going to just… you know, I gotta save somethin’ for next week. I ain’t in the ministry to make friends. I don’t care how much you like his stupid books. Burn them suckers.
It’s a bunch of motivational witchcraft, is all it is.
I’m telling you, you mark my word right now. I’ll step down as your pastor if it ain’t true, I’m telling you right now! I’ll stop preaching if what I’m telling you is not true! And you know why that dirty crook will not sue me? Cuz he knows I’m telling the truth.
When he said all that, he was already a known quantity, a loud-mouthed preacher best known for denying the seriousness of COVID and putting his church members in the path of the virus by holding in-person gatherings at the height of the pandemic. But it’s possible he was still a relative nobody to Osteen—at least to the point that his team chose not to respond to Locke’s allegations.
Maybe that made Locke feel invincible. So in May of 2022, he went even further, calling out scamvangelist Kenneth Copeland.
But you know why they won’t interview me? Because I called out Kenneth Copeland.
Kenneth Copeland is a heretic. You hear me? Kenneth Copeland is the number one Christian heretic in America. He wouldn’t know a Bible if it bit him in the butt in the middle of the road. Kenneth Copeland is a demon and he knows it.
I don’t care how much money he’s got. He’s got a lot. And he got it off of naïve Christians that ought to tithe to their local church and quit sending him money…
I wouldn’t preach for him if he begged me tomorrow on his knees and offered me a million—I am not messing with false prophets!
You know why Kenneth Copeland won’t sue me? Because he knows I got the receipts. He’s a false prophet!…
Kenneth Copeland should be under the jail. You would be shocked if you knew what’s going on behind closed doors in these pastors’ offices. By the way, I dare, I dare, I dare, I dare Kenneth Copeland to take me to court and sue me for what I’m about to say: He is a 33rd degree Mason. He is in the Masonic Satanic cult.
I’m also not a fan of Copeland… but the implication that he’s doing something so illegal “behind closed doors” that he should be “under the jail” was based on no evidence whatsoever.
And then, in July of 2022, Locke went even further. This time, he called out a host of celebrities—Copeland, Osteen, Tom Hanks, Oprah—for a host of crimes involving children. This time, he claimed he possessed pictures that proved what he was saying, which is why they weren’t coming after him.
He added that if they ever tried to murder him to keep him quiet, he had a “dead man switch” that would publicize those photos. So there was nothing they could do about it. That evidence was on it’s way to being public.
… Full-blown demon-possessed Satan worshipers like Kenneth Copeland, the most powerful pastor in America. He’s a demon and he’s going to hell, and you tell him I said so.
I’m about to kick his pulpit over and preach wide slam open tonight.
That lowdown, sorry, sex-trafficking rapist. I wish to God he would take me to court. I wish to God that demon would take me to court. I’ll show the pictures I’ve got.
You ever send another dime to that low-down, sorry pedophile, I pray God curses your finances. I’m sick of these demon-worshipping pastors like Joel Osteen. Look, I’m just going to say it tonight. I don’t care what the news media says. Joel Osteen ain’t gonna sue Greg Locke. I wish you would. Dude’s worth so many millions of dollars, it’s ridiculous.
Why don’t they sue the hillbilly preacher? I’ll tell you why. ‘Cause he knows I’m right. I’m gonna call them all out when I have to.
You say, “Oh my goodness, you mean to tell me that Joel Osteen… he’s that way with women?” No, I’m here to tell you Joel Osteen’s that way with boys.
By the way, you ever heard of a dead man switch? Well, just in case they come and try to suicide me, I got one of them. Let ‘em chase me down, huh? It’ll all go on the internet, every last drop of it. Mm-hmm. Tom Hanks, Oprah, and all them pedophiles…
You’ll never believe this, but Locke never released those photos. He said he possessed proof of crimes against children and yet he never bothered to share the evidence that could have protected other kids. Did he just stop caring…?
The simpler answer is that he was always lying.
And shit hit the fan last week after fellow conservative Christian YouTuber Mike Winger—who exposed the lies behind Bethel Church earlier this year—decided to bring all of this back up. Days prior to the video getting posted, the two of them were going at it online.
(Quick side note: A couple of those Locke clips used in the video come from my personal Twitter account because I’m the one who clipped them and shared them. Not only is there no attribution in Winger’s video, he places himself over my watermark, though you can see it in a follow-up video. I don’t think that’s intentional, for what it’s worth, but come on. Give credit where it’s due.)
After sharing those clips, Winger made a perfectly sensible point: “[Locke] said he had the evidence. He should have brought it forward. He should have brought it to the police, to the FBI. He should have also done something to protect victims.”
Well… yeah. Plenty of Locke’s critics have been saying that for years, but it hits differently when another conservative Christian (especially one with a massive audience) makes the same point. Even before the video went up, they were arguing about it on X/Twitter:
After the video came out, Locke demanded a sit-down debate with Winger, as if going after the messenger was the best plan of attack. Winger said he’d be open to it as long as they focused on the accusations Locke made. He added that he already alerted the FBI about what Locke said, a call-his-bluff move that could theoretically involve interviewing Locke about what he knows—at least if the FBI had any credibility anymore.
Locke stopped responding after that. But on May 4, he issued a formal response to Winger’s video… basically walking back all of his own shit-talking. He said (unnamed) people had approached him years ago about Copeland and Osteen, including a(n unnamed) woman who had “timelines, photographs, and firsthand accounts of alleged criminal activity.”
Locke said he immediately believed her and never saw that evidence firsthand. He never possessed it. Which means he was lying when he said “I’ll show the pictures I’ve got.” And when he claimed he had a “dead man switch” ready to go.
In recent days, Mike Winger has publicly called me out regarding a video I posted four years ago addressing serious allegations against Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen. This situation has been public for years and could have been addressed by him at any time. It has only resurfaced now after I challenged his continual public exposures and interruptions within the body of Christ. I owe him—and the public—no further personal information or private meetings on this matter.
Here is how we arrived at this moment.
Several individuals approached my wife and me with grave concerns about these men and their ministries. Chief among them was a woman who presented what she described as detailed timelines, photographs, and firsthand accounts of alleged criminal activity. Importantly, none of this material was ever placed in my personal possession, forwarded to me, or stored on any of my devices. It remained their story to tell. We simply viewed what they chose to show us in those moments and did not take ownership of it. Believing these claims to be credible and urgent at the time, I spoke out boldly in that video.
What followed was four years of careful, prayerful investigation. As we pressed for verification and sought legal counsel, the stories began to shift and unravel. Key details changed, commitments were withdrawn, and it became clear that my voice had been leveraged because of my public platform and reputation for boldness. I was not being given truth; I was being used as an amplifier.
I have owned this publicly. On multiple occasions I have stood before our church and repented for speaking where I should have first verified. Privately, I have sought reconciliation with a number of the individuals and families involved. Twenty-two years ago I wrote a book sharply critical of Benny Hinn. A few years ago I sat with him face-to-face, apologized, and discovered a man far different from the caricature I had helped perpetuate. That same spirit of humility and pursuit of truth has guided my private efforts over these past four years.
After prayerful counsel with my spiritual advisors, I have decided it is not wise to sit down with Mike Winger, despite my earlier public challenge on X to do so. Their unanimous recommendation is rooted in the fruitlessness of further engagement on a matter that has already been thoroughly examined, repented of, and largely resolved in private.
My commitment remains the same today as it has been for decades: preach the gospel, protect the flock, and walk in integrity. Where I have been wrong, I have repented. Where I have been misused, I have learned. And where reconciliation is possible, I continue to pursue it quietly and sincerely.
Grace and truth to all,
Pastor Greg Locke
Lebanon, Tennessee
Those are a lot of words for Locke to say, “I made everything up because I’m a professional liar.”
The guy who spreads conspiracy theories to an ignorant audience is now arguing he was duped by another conspiracy theorist. You see, he’s the victim in all of this. None of these people ever give a damn about evidence because critical thinking isn’t in their toolbox.
Locke says he did investigate all this, but “the stories began to shift and unravel,” and he realized he was being used. Even if that’s true, no shit, Sherlock. The best-case scenario here is that a con artist found the dumbest, loudest, most undeservingly confident guy she could find to amplify a lie… and Locke ran with it because he’s just that stupid and never bothered trying to verify anything.
He adds that his (unnamed) “spiritual advisors” told him not to sit down for a debate with Winger. Probably because Locke would be embarrassed in any sort of conversation that doesn’t award points for yelling at the top of your lungs.
But all of that raises other questions.
If Locke knew he had been duped about Osteen and Copeland (and Hanks and Oprah), why was the apology never as public as the accusations? Spoiler: There’s no indication Locke has actually apologized for any of this to his congregation. I have not seen any clip in which Locke says to them, “I lied to you about all of this because I’m a petty, insecure man.”
Why did he go after Winger for pointing any of that out?
Why not admit that those of us who shared those clips were right to call him out on his bullshit?
Why did he say it was “their story to tell” only to turn around and make it his story?
Why did he never demand to see this evidence before he delivered a sermon insisting it was all true?
He said he conducted “four years of careful, prayerful investigation.” What the hell did that involve?! Does anyone seriously believe Locke knows how to investigate anything when his whole persona has been spreading lies to gullible Christians?
And then, most importantly, why hasn’t Locke stepped down? He’s the one who said, “I’ll step down as your pastor if it ain’t true… I’ll stop preaching if what I’m telling you is not true!” It wasn’t true. So why is Locke still running his church? He should be posting his resignation letter right now.
I was amused, though, by this passage in a story from The Roys Report:
The Roys Report (TRR) emailed the offices of Osteen, Copeland, Oprah and the publicist for Hanks about the accusations, Locke’s retraction, asking whether Locke personally apologized to them. None immediately responded.
Anyway, all of this is why Locke can’t be trusted as an honest broker, even when serious stuff happens.
This is, after all, someone who falsely claimed children with autism actually suffer from demon possession. He blamed the United Nations for the Israeli government’s genocide in Palestine and called for more murder in the Gaza Strip. He’s a book-burning, anti-vaxxer conspiracy theorist who thinks the moon landing was fake and that anonymous witches watch him live-streaming while they “sit in front of a cauldron and cast spells” on him. He thinks public schools are on a hiring spree for witches. He hates owls. He doesn’t know what comedy is. And more recently, he’s been accused of spiritual and financial mismanagement.
His entire career has been built on lies, exaggerations, and bullshit. That doesn’t make him any different from other evangelists but Locke’s schtick has always been that he’s better than the rest of them. He’s the only one willing to tell hard truths.
Turns out he just tells bigger lies than the rest of them.
The question now is whether people in his congregation will give a damn. Do they have enough self-respect to walk out of the circus tent? Or will they just pretend any criticism against Locke is inherently demonic?
