Fresno pastors criticize Pride events at downtown rally, call for day of prayer, fasting
A few hundred people gathered in Eaton Plaza in downtown Fresno on Wednesday morning to listen to a group of local pastors decry a number of Pride events in town.
Led by Cornerstone Church Senior Pastor Jim Franklin, a group of about 50 pastors and elected officials spoke out against the raising of the Pride flag at Fresno City Hall and an upcoming private event at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo featuring performances by drag queens.
“Jesus calls us to love all people. We all need God’s mercy and grace, and we must extend that grace to one another,” said Pastor Elias Loera, senior pastor of Family Christian Assembly. “However, that grace does not come at the expense of truth. We cannot be silent concerning openly dangerous or offensive behaviors. Not speaking is itself speaking; not acting is itself acting.”
The pastors specifically took issue with a prayer Pastor Raygan Baker of the Big Red Church said before the second annual Pride flag raising at Fresno City Hall. Baker, in his prayer, referred to God as “the queer one” and “the ultimate transgressor.”
In a statement to The Bee on Wednesday, Baker said the people who attended the Pride flag raising event at City Hall “know what the words in that prayer meant and deeply felt them.
“The entire event was a beautiful celebration of Fresno’s diversity, and deliberate misunderstandings of that don’t merit response,” Baker said. “The best thing the LGBTQIA+ community can do is to continue to be ourselves. We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re a part of Fresno, too.”
The pastors at Eaton Plaza also denounced the zoo event, saying, “activists should not co-opt this publicly-supported community institution to target our kids and expose them to overtly sexual behavior.”
The pastors called on Clovis and Fresno “believers” to participate in a day of prayer and fasting on Friday, the day of the private event at the zoo.
The pastors’ joint statement was followed by a recitation of the Lord’s prayer and singing “God Bless America.” The statement was signed by 60 other Christian pastors, who Franklin estimated represented tens of thousands of local parishioners. People in the crowd carried signs that read “protect the children” and t-shirts saying “Need prayer?”
Franklin discouraged the pastors from giving additional individual interviews to news reporters. At least a dozen people in attendance declined interview requests from The Bee.
Fresno resident Chris Whitehead said he attended the Eaton Plaza event because he was concerned the Pride flag was raised at City Hall and about Baker’s prayer.
“We want to make sure that Christ or the Bible is represented truthfully, who He is and the love that He has for everybody,” Whitehead said.
Last week, Jon Forrest Dohlin, CEO and zoo director, issued a statement saying the zoo is proud to support the diverse audience of the Central Valley. He said the private, after-hours event will be age appropriate and include games, community partner booths, G-rated entertainment, and interactions with “animal ambassadors.”
“Our Family Pride Night event is just one of our many inclusive programs that welcomes and celebrates the communities and cultures of our region,” Forrest Dohlin said. “As one of the leading cultural institutions in the Central Valley, it is our responsibility to ensure our Zoo is safe and welcoming for all. We will continue to work with local organizations to welcome our neighbors and provide opportunities, events, and experiences that bring people together.”
The Fresno County Republican Party issued a statement on Tuesday criticizing both events as well.
“It is our responsibility as parents and concerned citizens to speak out and call for the protection of our children from overt attacks on their innocence,” the statement said.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer declined to comment on the events.
Before the 10 a.m. news conference, a smaller group of LGBTQ+ community members and allies congregated at Fresno City Hall for a counter-protest. A few of those people walked over to Eaton Plaza to attend the pastors’ news conference while carrying Pride flags.
Laura Splotch, Kathie Mollica and Jenn Guerra attended the City Hall event and the Eaton Plaza event. They said they wanted to attend the Eaton Plaza event to promote visibility of the LGBTQ+ community.
“I will be here to show support for my community,” Guerra said. “They won’t make us feel fearful for being who we are. We won’t hide in the shadows.”
Wednesday’s events come about a week after the Pride flag-raising ceremony at Fresno City Hall. Councilmember Garry Bredefeld afterward took to Twitter to express his outrage at Baker’s prayer.
The second Pride flag-raising was calmer than last year’s when the Pride flag was raised at Fresno City Hall for the first time in history after a week-long, high-profile debate between Fresno’s mayor, the city council, community leaders, and residents.
Tensions between Fresno’s faith and LGBTQ+ communities have bubbled for years as Adventure Church has operated out of the Tower Theatre in Fresno’s most queer-friendly neighborhood. Adventure Church Pastor Anthony Flores stood in the group of pastors and signed on to their statement.
This story was originally published June 22, 2022 at 12:13 PM.