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Hoax claims SBC backs ‘gay marriage’
Baptist Press
June 29, 2011
3 MIN READ TIME

Hoax claims SBC backs ‘gay marriage’

Hoax claims SBC backs ‘gay marriage’
Baptist Press
June 29, 2011

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An elaborate hoax Tuesday claimed that

the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was on the verge of formally supporting “gay

marriage” and repenting of its stance on homosexuality, and the hoax backed up

the false claim with a press release, phone number and website.

The stunt was pulled off by a group calling itself the Center for Responsible

Christian Living, but the group didn’t identity itself until later in the day

and only after one major Catholic blog had posted the release as legitimate.

The blog soon pulled it. No major media outlet reported the news as real.

Several media members, in fact, called the Southern Baptist Convention’s

Executive Committee to make sure officials knew of the hoax.

The Center for Responsible Living — which does not have a website — said the

hoax was to “highlight the Southern Baptists’ anti-gay stance as both

irresponsible and unchristian.” The Center for Responsible Living’s press

release did not list a phone number or a spokesperson. All the quotes were of “anonymous”

spokespersons.

Roger S. (“Sing”) Oldham, vice president for convention communications and

relations for the SBC Executive Committee, said the SBC’s approach to

homosexuality is not only biblical but loving.

“Southern Baptists do not think it irresponsible or unchristian to uphold clear

biblical teachings on human sexuality and marriage,” Oldham said. “God’s

expectation of sexual purity is woven throughout every part of Scripture,

across generational and cultural lines. The Bible is equally clear that all who

receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, those who repent of their sins

and trust in Christ alone, will be forgiven and delivered from the bondage of

sin. To deny such a fundamental biblical teaching as God’s redemptive purpose

is the height of irresponsibility and would clearly be un-Christian.”

The fake press release — sent out early in the morning — and fake website

falsely claimed that the Executive Committee, “meeting in extraordinary

emergency session,” had asked that the SBC adopt a statement defining marriage

as “two partners” because “loving and committed homosexual relationships must

have the right to acknowledgment in the eyes of God.”

The hoax further said the

Executive Committee had proposed a resolution urging “our agencies and

institutions seek diligently to bring about greater diversity from the LGBT

community.” The fake resolution also said Southern Baptists were repenting of

their past stance.

The hoax came complete with a website that didn’t look anything like the

convention’s real website but did have enough faith-themed icons that it likely

could trick some people. Curiously, the website claimed to be the “Southern

Baptist Convention of America.” The real SBC does not have “of America” in its

title.

A call to the number on the press release led to a recording with a male voice

stating, “You’ve reached the headquarters of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Please enter the extension of the person you are trying to reach or leave us a

message in our general mailbox after the tone. For more information on the

Southern Baptist Convention or to find contact information on a specific church

in your area, please check at our website, at www.sbcaa.net.”

The SBC’s real website is SBC.net.