Indiana Gryphen and the Temple of Baptists.

Today I visited the Anchorage Baptist Temple which served as ground zero for the anti-homosexual fervor that swept through my city this summer as the Anchorage Assembly voted to pass Ordinance 64 which would have provided the same rights for the LGBT community to live and work in Anchorage that everybody inside this monstrous building took for granted.

Of course that was before Prevo's lapdog, and our current sorry excuse for a mayor, Dan Sullivan vetoed it.

This Sunday was a special Sunday at ABT because it was the 38th anniversary of Jerry Prevo's ministry. Yep thirty eight years of putting down homosexuals and begging for handouts. How could I miss it?

The huge parking lot was fairly bulging with cars, and I found myself amazed at just how many people are members of this church. And as you can see for yourself from the picture, the building itself is ginormous!

Inside the building was opulent and I could almost smell the money wafting through the ventilation system. Inside the auditorium itself, I was amazed at the vaulted ceilings, professional lighting, and huge stage that would be the absolute envy of theater companies anywhere in Alaska.

Even the PAC in Anchorage had nothing on this place.

They had four, count them four, large Digi Power 72 cameras placed strategically throughout the auditorium to record and broadcast Prevo's sermon for those Baptists too sick to attend, but perhaps not too sick to write a check.

When I sat down Prevo was just wrapping up his morning service and was oddly enough talking about how nobody thought he would ever amount to anything, and look how famous he had become with all of his accomplishments, delivered as some sort of message on the importance of humility. Yeah I did not get it either.

The 11:00 session started off with a song containing a strong military flavor that invoked images of "soldiers of light" and the "crushing of enemies". It made me wonder if they were confusing Jesus with Rambo?

After that Glenn Clarey took the stage and started the beatification of Pastor Prevo. According to Mr. Clarey Jerry was just barely this side of the "walk on water, make water into wine" guy that I thought this place was built to worship. (One very interesting fact that was mentioned is that, according to a Focus on the Family study, "fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry every month, or 2-3 a day. When I heard that my first thought was, "See these people can be helped".)

Then Mr. Clarey launched into how proud they all are to have a minister like Jerry Prevo who did not abandon his flock and who "bravely" fought against the "homosexual ordinance" this summer. Oh yeah suppressing human rights is heroic indeed!

After that my sensibilities were assaulted with a video homage to Pastor Jerry, which ended with yet another reminder of his "victory over the homosexuals". (They simply could not seem to stop talking about this subject!) This was followed by a standing ovation from the congregation. (Now I know why none of my gay friends wanted to come with me.)

Afterward we were exhorted to give Prevo a "love offering" to show our appreciation for all of his hard work and sacrifice. (You know bashing those gays really works up a sweat.)

When Mr. Clarey finally pried his lips off of Jerry's ass, the stage was taken by a middle aged man, with a powerful voice, who sang a very beautiful song to honor Pastor Prevo called "Thank You". I was actually quite moved, but not for the same reasons as the rest of the crowd.

What the congregation at large may not have been aware of is that the writer of that song, Ray Boltz, just came out of the closet last year and admitted that he was gay. (Damn it! They are everywhere!)

After the song, while still wiping his eyes, Prevo took to the podium, and without a hint of irony, started talking about the recent funeral of George Sullivan (our current mayor's father) and HIS brave stand against the homosexuals. He then followed that up by making the statement "If YOUR pastor did not stand up against this homosexual ordinance last summer, you should fire him!" This was followed by a standing ovation from the mostly middle aged, slightly chunky crowd. (Just how close is that damn exit door anyhow?)

So not only is Jerry Prevo openly promoting hatred toward the gays, he is promoting the punishment of any other Christian minister who does not agree with him. Wow! Now THAT is some set of balls on this guy!

For the meat of his sermon today Prevo chose to preach on, and I kid you not about this, "The Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs". Apparently a story that I have read over a hundred times to thousands of young children is actually a Christian morality play. Who knew?

Anyhow, according to Prevo, the sin that the pigs engaged in was not "building their lives with the right stuff". Now what is the "right stuff" you may ask? Well apparently it is constant church attendance, adherence to the Word of God, and tithing. Yep apparently if you give God protection money, by way of tithes, he will take care of you and provide you with material things like "good wine", "good food", and "prosperity".

If you fail to do that then you will be "blown to hell" by the Wolf/Satan.

I looked around to see if anybody else found this analogy as ridiculous as I did and I did manage to see a few furrowed brows trying to make sense of Prevo's bastardization of a children's story to make a point about morality and giving money to his church. (Well good there are some thinkers in the crowd.)

As he was wrapping things up (and that soft spiritual music started wafting through the speakers) Prevo reminded any visitors that they could come back to the VIP room and he would meet them face to face.

What? You can actually meet and talk to the gay bashing Jerry Prevo face to face if you want? Do I dare?

Are you new here? Of course I was going to stay and meet Pastor Jerry!

In the VIP room there were doughnuts and yet another video extolling the virtues of the Anchorage Baptist Temple and Jerry Prevo, and ending, I kid you not, on his work to suppress gay rights. (I guess that leaves no doubt as to exactly HOW Prevo defines his ministry.)

I shook a few hands and gave my name, my REAL name, to a number of junior pastors who were quite pleasant and very cordial. (Not one of them batted and eye or seemed to recognize me by name, which means I guess even members of ABT don't listen to Eddie Burke's crappy radio show.)

I then noticed Jerry Prevo enter the room and slowly made my way over to him.

After he had greeted a few other newcomers, he turned his attention to me.

Now Prevo's reaction was somewhat different then that of his junior pastors, he DID recognize me. And that was very evident by the look that came over his face. When I gave my real name, he asked me how he knew me, with one suspicious eyebrow raised. I mentioned that I had interviewed him at the Assembly meeting back in August. Oh, he said and followed up with "and what brings you here"?

Now I am not one to be rude to somebody in their home without provocation, and I did not come to start trouble, so I simply said I had come to check out his church and congratulated him on his sermon. (I know, but I was trying to be non-threatening.) Prevo's face, which had appeared a bit troubled, relaxed and he warmly smiled and said "well I hope you will join us again sometime". He then patted me on the shoulder and walked off to greet other new visitors.

As I made the long walk back to my car I thought to myself, I wonder how long before Prevo puts two and two together and realizes who he just talked to, and I wonder how different my reception might be if I take him up on his offer and decide to infiltrate his temple in the future.

Well THAT is an adventure for another time.