Rev. Phil Snider, Missouri Pastor, Responds To Viral Gay Rights Speech (VIDEO) | HuffPost

Pastor Seen In Viral Gay Rights Video Speaks Out

By

Deputy Director of News & Analytics, HuffPost

|

Reverend Phil Snider has been caught off-guard by the outpouring of support after a YouTube video of a speech he gave supporting gay rights went viral over the weekend.

Snider, a pastor in Springfield, Mo., delivered his speech on gay rights to a Missouri City Council over the summer when the city was considering an LGBT ordinance that would have added homosexuals to a list of protected minorities, The Advocate reported.

Snider began his gay rights speech by saying that "special rights for gays and lesbians" was in opposition to God's order and would lead to "destruction and trouble." What appeared to be a homophobic litany took a twist when Snider said, "I'm sorry, I've brought the wrong notes with me this evening. I've borrowed my argument from the wrong century. It turns out what I've been reading to you this whole time are direct quotes from white preachers from the 1950s and the 1960s all in support of racial segregation."

The YouTube video of the reverend's speech has since received over 2 million views and counting.

On Saturday, Snider took to his blog to thank those for their "kind words of affirmation and support."

The last few hours have been a bit of a whirlwind for me, to say the least. I’m really heartened by all of the emails, Facebook messages, and kind words that I’ve received over the last 24 hours. As I read each one, I don’t see them simply as messages that seek to affirm a particular talk I gave on a particular night in Springfield, MO (as grateful as I am for such affirmations), but rather, I view them as a reflection of the thousands — indeed, the millions — of people who, on a daily basis, are journeying together because we believe that our world can be a better place, a fairer place, a more beautiful place — for all people and not just for some — and we won’t stop calling for a more beautiful world to be born. I’m also grateful for all of the people who have come before us — many whose names history won’t recall — who have allowed us to be where we are now, on whose shoulders we stand. These folks may not be famous — more times than not they are friends or family members who have bravely told their story, often in the face of major consequences. They are the ones who have brought us to this place, and we carry their stories with us as we try to build a a more just world.

He goes on to say that there are countless pastors across the nation who support LGBT rights, "not in spite of their faith, but precisely because of it."

Click here to read Snider's full blog post.

The Missouri town has tabeled the LGBT ordinance, according to MSN. The bill would have secured sexual orientation and gender identity protections in the areas of employment, public housing and accommodations.

Support HuffPost

At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.

Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Most Inspiring LGBT Religious Leaders

Dr. Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajaje(01 of56)

Dr. Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajaje is Provost of Starr King School for the Ministry, Professor of Cultural Studies and Islamic Studies, and Sufi. Taught the first divinity school class in the US on African-American faith communities and HIV prevention.

Irshad Manji(02 of56)

Irshad Manji is a Muslim and founder and director of the Moral Courage Project at New York University's School of Public Service. (credit:Getty)

Bishop Gene Robinson(03 of56)

Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. (credit:Getty)

Rev. Ouyang Wen Feng(04 of56)

Reverend Ouyang Wen Feng founded a gay-friendly church outside Kuala Lumpur and is thought to be the country's only openly gay pastor. Although he now lives in the U.S., he frequently returns to Malaysia to call for gay rights, despite the country outlawing homosexuality. (credit:AP)

Imam Daayiee Abdullah(05 of56)

Imam Daayiee Abdullah is the imam and religious director of Masjid An-Nur Al-Isslaah, and the co-director of Muslims for Progressive Values

Bishop Mary Douglas Glasspool(06 of56)

Bishop Mary Douglas Glasspool serves as the Assistant Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum(07 of56)

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum serves as the spiritual leader of Congregation Beit Simshat Torah, the largest LGBT synagogue in the world.

Rev. Troy Perry (08 of56)

Rev. Troy Perry founded the LGBT denomination of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) in 1968.

Larry Yang (09 of56)

Larry Yang is on the Spirit Rock Teachers' Council and a core teacher at the new East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, Calif.

Pastor Manny Santiago(10 of56)

Pastor Manny Santiago is the pastor of University Baptist Church in Seattle, Wa.

Rev. Scott Anderson(11 of56)

Rev. Scott Anderson is the first openly gay PCUSA minister ordained after the church voted to allow individual presbyteries to set their own ordination guidelines around sexual orientation

Rev. Pat Bumgardner(12 of56)

The Rev. Pat Bumgardner is currently the Senior Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of New York.

Rabbi Steven Greenberg(13 of56)

Rabbi Steven Greenberg, the first openly gay Orthodox rabbi, is Director of Orthodox Programs for Nehirim, the organization for GLBT Jewish culture and spirituality. (credit:RNS)

Bishop Yvette Flunder(14 of56)

Bishop Flunder founded the United Church of Christ Church, City of Refuge and presiding Bishop of The Fellowship.

Archbishop Carl Bean(15 of56)

Archbishop Carl Bean founded the Unity Fellowship Church Movement, a primarily African American and LGBT denomination.

Rev. Malcolm Boyd(16 of56)

Rev. Malcolm Boyd is an Episcopalian Priest and author of "Are You Running With Me Jesus?"

Justin Lee(17 of56)

Coloradem:
Justin Lee is the founder and Executive Director of the Gay Christian Network.

William R. Johnson(18 of56)

William R. Johnson - First Openly Gay person ordained in a mainline denomination (United Church of Christ) and founder of the UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns andMaranatha: Riversiders for LGBT Concerns at the Riverside Church, NYC.

Rev. Robin Reiter(19 of56)

Rev. Robin Reiter is the Founder and director of Sacred Abundance Ministries

Rev. August Gold(20 of56)

Founder of the Spiritual Center - NYC, Author, speaker, life coach.

Jimmy Creech(21 of56)

Jimmy Creech was defrocked by the United Methodist Church and lost his ordination for performing same-sex commitment ceremonies. He is the author of Adam's Gift: A Memoir of a Pastor's Calling to Defy The Church's Persecution of Lesbians and Gays.

Minister Mychaeltodd(22 of56)

Executive Director of Fig Leaf

Rev. Dr. Jo Hudson(23 of56)

Rev. Dr. Jo Hudson is Senior Pastor at Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, TX

Bayard Rustin(24 of56)

Bayard Rsutin was the Quaker activist who not only mentored Dr. King in the principles of non-violent, non cooperation, but also helped found the Southern Church Leadership Conference. Rustin was the chief organizer of the '63 March on Washington, as well as of the first Freedom Rides in 1947. Because Rustin was openly gay, he had to remain behind the scenes in the Civil Rights movement, as his sexuality was the target of attacks by anti Civil Rights antagonists.

Candace Chellew-Hodge(25 of56)

Candace Chellew-Hodge is the founder of Whosoever: An Online Magazine for GLBT Christians that was founded in 1996. The magazine was the first of its kind on the internet has continued to be a resource for the LGBT community since then at whosoever.org. She is also the author of Bulletproof Faith: A Spiritual Survival Guide for Gay and Lesbian Christians published in 2008.

Rabbi Denise Eger(26 of56)

Rabbi Denise Eger serves at Congregation Kol Ami and long time LGBT activist

Rev. Peter J. Gomes(27 of56)

Rev. Peter J. Gomes (who passed away earlier this year) was longtime pastor of The Memorial Church at Harvard. He came out in 1991, saying "I am a Christian who happens as well to be gay. Those realities, which are irreconcilable to some, are reconciled in me by a loving God."

Pastor Dennis A. Meredith(28 of56)

Pastor Dennis A. Meredith is the Pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA

Pastor Darlene C. A. Franklin(29 of56)

Pastor Franklin is the Pastor of Agape Spirit Life Ministries in Detroit. She is a leader in social justice and a pioneer in spiritual equality for the LGBT Community.

Rev. Roger E. Hayes(30 of56)

Rev. Hayes is the Senior Pastor of Church Of The Holy Spirit Fellowship located in Winston Salem, Nc

The Rev. Elder Jim Mitulski(31 of56)

Rev. Jim Mitulski, pastor of MCC New York City, came to MCC San Francisco. Under Jim's leadership for 15 years, the church entered a period of sustained growth during the devastating years of the AIDS epidemic and shifted from being a place to meet on Sundays into an integrated part of the San Francisco queer community.

Dr. Herukhuti(32 of56)

Dr. Herukhuti, Founder of Black Funk: The Center for Culture, Sexuality, and Spirituality; author of Conjuring Black Funk: Notes on Culture, Sexuality, and Spirituality; and practitioner of traditional African and African Diasporic spirituality.

Archbishop Michael Seneco(33 of56)

Archbishop Michael Seneco, the presiding bishop of the North American Old Catholic Church- a progressive Catholic denomination with ministries in 23 states.

The Rev. Dr. Katrina D. Foster(34 of56)

Rev. Dr. Katrina D. Foster is an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) pastor. In 2007 she came out of the floor of her denomination's national assembly, after which the bishops put forth a resolution allowing them to abstain from discipling lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pastors with families and not face disciplinary action themselves for not bringing charges against these pastors.

Rabbi Andrea Myers(35 of56)

Rabbi Andrea Myers is the author of the book, "The Choosing-A Rabbi's Journey from Silent Nights to High Holy Days", an activist and mother.

Author Jay Michaelson(36 of56)

Jay Michaelson is a writer, scholar, and actvist whose work focuses on the intersections of religion, spirituality, sexuality, and law. His newest book, "God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality" shows that the Bible supports equal rights.

The Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas(37 of56)

The Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas is currently the Senior Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles.

Rev. Cannon Susan Russell(38 of56)

Rev. Cannon Susan Russell is the Associate Pastor at All Saints Pasadena, CA, past president of Integrity, HRC Religion and Faith Council.

Pastor Bradley Schmeling(39 of56)

Rev. Bradley Schmeling is Pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, ELCA, Atlanta GA. Led the way for full inclusion of LGBT clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Rev. Dr. Nancy L. Wilson(40 of56)

Rev. Dr. Nancy L. Wilson is Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches

Rev. Michael S. Piazza(41 of56)

mjk h4pj:
Senior Pastor of Virginia-Highland Church in Atlanta, President of Hope for Peace & Justice, Co-Executive Director, Center for Progressive Renewal

Rev. Michael Hydes(42 of56)

Rev. Michael Hydes is the Pastor of New Light Metropolitan Community Church in Hagerstown, MD

The Rev. Jeff R. Johnson(43 of56)

vagtsama:
The Rev. Jeff R. Johnson was one of the first openly gay seminarians in the Lutheran church (ELCA) and a founder of a Lutheran movement to extraordinarily ordain publicly identified LGBT people. Ordained in 1990, Pastor Johnson currently serves University Lutheran Chapel of Berkeley, CA.

Bishop George R. Lucey, FCM(44 of56)

wjfreeman:
The Most Reverend George R. Lucey, FCM, Presiding Bishop of the American National Catholic Church. The denomination has parishes and ministries across the U.S.

Rabbi Tracee Rosen(45 of56)

lilalexei:
Rabbi Tracee Rosen joined Temple Gan Elohim in September 2010. Before coming to Phoenix, she was the senior rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami, a Reform and Conservative congregation in Utah, from 2003-2010. Prior to that, she served as one of the rabbis at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California with Rabbis Harold Schulweis and Ed Feinstein. She was ordained in the second graduating class of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, CA, where she received numerous awards for academic excellence. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Jewish Studies and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to rabbinical school, she was a banker, working for one of the top banking corporations in the country. Rabbi Tracee, her life partner, and their daughter, recently relocated from Salt Lake City to be closer to family.

The Rev. Jeff R. Johnson(46 of56)

vagtsama:
The Rev. Jeff R. Johnson was one of the first openly gay seminarians in the Lutheran church (ELCA) and a founder of a Lutheran movement to extraordinarily ordain publicly identified LGBT people. Ordained in 1990, Pastor Johnson currently serves University Lutheran Chapel of Berkeley, CA

Bishop Christopher Senjonyo(47 of56)

frank mcmullan:
Bishop Christopher Senjonyo, Uganda

Rev Mervyn Kingston(48 of56)

frank mcmullan:
Rev Mervyn Kingston, Ireland

John McNeill, SJ(49 of56)

frank mcmullan:
Fr John McNeill

Sr Jeannine Gramick(50 of56)

frank mcmullan:
Sr Jeannine Gramick

Archbishop Desmond Tutu(51 of56)

frank mcmullan:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South Africa

Cantor Shira Nafshi(52 of56)

Shiranafshi:
Cantor Shira Nafshi serves as the Cantor for Temple Beth Jacob in Concord, NH. Her partner, Rabbi Robin Nafshi, serves as the Rabbi for the same congregation.

Muslims are not the only cult who live a Middle Ages life in the 21st century(53 of56)

Bishop Jeffrey Montoya(54 of56)

Milwaukee30guy:
Jeffrey Montoya is an openly gay bishop in the Universal Anglican Church. He is a past board member of DignityUSA and the Religious Activities Director of Milwaukee PrideFest.

Rev. Gene Dyszlewski(55 of56)

Jakob Lazarus Lbjc:
Rev. Gene Dyszlewski is the acting head of Marriage Equality RI and a UCC minister in the state of Rhode Island. As a straight allie, he is a strong political force in the state.

Rev. Shari K. Brink(56 of56)

cath264:
Throughout her career, religious and not-for-profit leader Reverend Shari K. Brink has been committed to bringing people together from diverse racial, socio-economic and religious backgrounds. As a founding co-president of Room for All, a small not-for-profit organization that educates and advocates for the full inclusion of LGBT people within the church, she challenges the church to rise above issues of gender identity and sexual orientation. Reverend Brink was appointed as Executive Minister of historic Marble Collegiate Church last summer, where she provides strategic leadership to one of New York City's most diverse congregations. “Nothing brings me more joy than a congregation in which everyone knows they belong and has an opportunity to use their gifts and skills, strengths and experiences for the greater good,” said Reverend Brink. She also leads the G(LBT) people in Faith, Tradition & Service (GIFTS) fellowship, which is celebrating its 20-year history and finding new vitality in the continuing movement toward LGBT equality. –DP

Suggest a correction

|

From Our Partner

HuffPost Shopping's
Best Finds

The Best Durable Shoes, According To Zookeepers Who Work In Mud All Day

The Most Comfortable Sandals For Walking All Day, According To Tour Guides Who Live In Them

This $4 Cat Toy Is 'Worth Its Weight In Gold' — And Behaviorists Say There's A Reason

This Seemingly Silly Luxury Is Actually Important For Your Pet's Health

9 Stylish Swim Trunks, According To The Best-Dressed Guys We Know