Tim Tebow has announced that he has cancelled his planned April appearance at the First Baptist Church of Dallas, a scheduled visit that attracted national attention because of its pastor’s extremist views on other religions and homosexuality.
Tim Tebow
Photo: William Philpott, Associated Press
Tebow had been scheduled to deliver two sermons April 28 at the 10,000-member megachurch, whose leader — pastor Robert Jeffress — has gained notoriety in recent years for his virulently anti-gay and anti-Semitic statements.
Tebow, a quarterback for the New York Jets, made no specific references to Jeffress, but said his decision was based on “new information.”
“While I was looking forward to sharing a message of hope and Christ’s unconditional love with the faithful members of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in April, due to new information that has been brought to my attention, I have decided to cancel my upcoming appearance.” Tebow announced Thursday in a series of tweets on Twiiter.
“I will continue to use the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope and Love to all those needing a brighter day. Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless!”
In October 2011, in a speech endorsing Rick Perry for president, Jeffress claimed that Islam, Mormonism and Judaism are heretical religions “from the pit of hell.”
According to ThinkProgress, during the same speech, Jeffress told a crowd at the high-profile Values Voters Summit that gays should not be allowed in the military because “Seventy percent of the gay population” has AIDS.
Jeffres has also said that homosexuality “is perverse” and “represents a degradation of a person’s mind.”
UPDATE: Right Wing Watch reports that in an interview today with fellow anti-gay activist Tim Wildmon, the president of the American Family Association, Jeffress said that Tebow told him “he would like to come back to our church at a later date” once the current controversy blows over.
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I’m glad he cancelled!!!!!!
Thank you, Tim T
I am glad he cancelled.
Good!
Change the venue. There were ALOT of people who won’t get refunded their money on the tickets…rude
I am not a fan of Tim Tebow, but for once good for him for doing the right thing.
Good choice, Tim. Now, if only you hadn’t refused to do the video for It Gets Better.
70%? Where the fuck is that asshole getting that statistic?
Straight people get AIDS too you dumbass.
wow he FOUND his balls
He looks FABO in pink! :-)
He’s still a hair-brained, homophobic, christofascist swine.
…with a good pr rep who tells him how to tweet bs to save face.
these comments about the pink shirt are just childish and do nothing but perpetuate stereotypes
Perhaps ‘her’ is planning to come out……
What a total ass, and horrible QB.
Although not a real indicator of sexuality Tebow is pretty fay, he must have been gay bashed when he growing up, and this church gay bashes.
Maybe he just gives a damn about humanity? Ya know that part in John 13 where Jesus said “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” So, I guess bad company corrupts good character. I reckon Tebow is just trying to keep clear of haters coming in Jesus name.
Why did it take him so long to refuse this appearance? I think that if he were REALLY sympathetic, he would have done it much sooner.
I don’t think it was really his choice. He was “bullied” by the NFL. He’s still a homophobe, even though he looks “pretty in pink.” Damn, Timbow is hot!
Call my cynical, but I doubt it was truly a change of heart. He’s still just as intolerant as ever. Did you all miss the last paragraph where it was said he told the pastor he did want to go when “the controversy blows over”??
nice shirt Timbo
good man. god has no room for hate…satan does though lol
Good. Maybe, he’s “finally… seen the light! “
Oh, he will show up there later.
Its all damage control. I respect him even less than before because he doesn’t even have the balls to stand up for what he professes to believe in, even if that belief is not mine.
Jeffress you retard. :)
Smart move, Tim! Smart move!
Lol jeffress Jesus was a Jew
maybe Tebow got a Klewe?
Still don’t care. This punk doesn’t matter one whit. Lets stop paying attention to him and maybe he will go away.
Gay..