By M.H. Cavanaugh
Christian Action League
October 23, 2015
MITCHELL COUNTY – Tuesday, the Mitchell County Gay Straight Alliance in partnership with Youth OUTright held a free workshop at Trinity Episcopal Church in Spruce Pine.
The Mitchell County Gay Straight Alliance, which was formed in October of 2011, state that their “mission is to work towards ensuring equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Mitchell County.”
The organization has described itself as part of a coalition of so-called equality advocates from across the state who opposed the passage of North Carolina’s constitutional amendment to define marriage as one man and one woman.
Youth OUTright, which is based in Asheville, describes its mission as “a youth advocacy and leadership organization dedicated to providing affirmation, information, support and resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth of ages 14 -23 in 18 counties of Western North Carolina.”
Youth OUTright claims to be “the leading advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in Western North Carolina.”
The workshop in Spruce Pine sponsored by these two groups was designed for people who work with youth, counsellors, social workers, therapists, healthcare workers, nurses, educators, law enforcement, as well as any community members and parents who have interest.
The Christian Action League did not have anyone at the meeting to monitor what was said. The information provided in this story simply comes from the websites of these two organizations.
The Christian Action League learned of the meeting a day after it had taken place.
Daniel Whetstine, director of missions for the Mitchell Baptist Association, wrote an email to numerous pastors and other key church leaders in Mitchell, Avery, and Yancey Counties. It was also sent to the Christian Action League. In the email, Whetsine appraises the churches that such meetings will take place quarterly in the area. He urged church leaders to forewarn parents.
“In my opinion,” questions of sexuality shouldn’t be “answered by a group of gays and lesbians, but by parents and God’s Word,” he writes.
Whetstine further instructs, “I understand too that this organization will be in downtown Spruce Pine on Halloween handing out brochures and information to the children as they collect candy…Please warn the parents to steer their children clear of these people. Better still tell them to go with their children if they are going to Spruce Pine and not accept anything from this group. I understand that they will be in the new park on lower street.”
Dr. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said he appreciates Whetstine for being a watchman on the wall.
“The Episcopal Church that facilitates these meetings has embraced heresy. The Mitchell County Gay Straight Alliance and it partnership with Youth OUTright are peddling poison to young people – poison that will damn the soul,” said Dr. Creech.
“These organizations would have us to believe they are all about protecting and providing a safe place for LGBT youth, but who will protect our children from these groups?” asked Dr. Creech. “Church leaders should urge parents to be diligent to keep their children away from these organizations that evangelize for sexual deviancy. They seek to normalize what the Scriptures unquestionably declare to be exceedingly sinful and unnatural.”
Similar workshops to the one held in Mitchell County have also been held in Transylvania and Macon Counties.
“Concerned citizen Christians should be careful. I suspect such efforts are not only taking place in other Western North Carolina areas, but in some form or with some group in the eastern part of the state as well,” said Dr. Creech.