Minister who heckled Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended by the church after saying being gay is ‘abhorrent’ and a ‘perversion’
Jeremy Corbyn (L) was heckled by a Church of Scotland minister who has frequently referred to being gay as a “perversion”. (Screen captures via Twitter)
The reverend who heckled Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and was exposed as homophobic, racist, Islamophobic and antisemitic, was just suspended by the Church of Scotland.
A tweet from the religious bloc confirmed that reverend Richard Cameron – who referred to homosexuality as a “perversion” – has been kicked out of the Kirk.
Cameron was catapulted into the public sphere after jostling with Corbyn during his campaign stop in Glasgow, Scotland, referring to the socialist politician as a “terrorist sympathiser”.
Church of Scotland suspends controversial reverend following ‘complaints about his social media use’.
In the statement, the Church of Scotland said: “In accordance with our procedures, reverend Richard Carmon has been administratively suspended.
“This is to allow us to carry out an enquiry in relation to the incident which took place earlier this week and the subsequent complaints about his social media use.”
An update on Rev Richard Cameron. pic.twitter.com/fgQPCR75AU
— Church of Scotland (@churchscotland) November 15, 2019
The pastor has been shadowed by complaints against his character for at least the last year, The Herald Scotland reported.
In February, the Humanist Society reportedly raised a complaint against the reverend’s social media activity. Presbytery of Glasgow ministers issued advice to the reverend as a result.
Moreover, yesterday, parents at Scotstoun Primary School were told Cameron would “no longer be engaged” with the school as chaplain.
A letter issued to parents by head teacher Gill McKay read: “You may be aware of some social media posts currently circulating over the last 24 hours involving our school chaplain reverend Richard Cameron.
“I wanted to write and inform you that he will no longer be engaged with Scotstoun Primary School.
“Glasgow schools celebrate diversity and the cultural make up of our city – teaching respect and understanding of these cultures and religions to our children and young people and like all Glasgow schools we pride ourselves in the expression of different opinions.
“However, when these opinions cause offence, then we need to evaluate the repuational risk to our school and the potential damage to the education of our children.”
What did the pastor tweet exactly?
The minister’s time on Twitter since 2013 is one dotted by discriminatory comments.
Calls to “ban gay priests”, persistently tagging homosexuality a “perversion” and praising homophobic individuals froth out of Cameron’s feed. Nestled between an array of antisemitic and anti-Islamic tweets.
Cameron himself doesn’t believe being gay is a sin, he tweeted in 2014, “however, engaging in homosexual activity is a sin”.
The man who heckled Jeremy Corbyn today was Rev. Richard Cameron.
This longstanding account links to his church and says they're Richard Cameron. Here are some of his tweets. pic.twitter.com/Uvao62OGR3— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) November 13, 2019
“It’s not homophobic to believe homosexual behaviour is wrong,” he later clarified in 2017. When fellow users questioned this logic, he clarified that he has “gay friends”.
Although, he has since tweeted: “Christ has the power to help and change anyone.
“Obviously many gays hate this because want to carry on in their perversion.”
In one tweet, shortly after the Church of Scotland announced it will appoint married gay ministers, Cameron described the move as giving “a clean bill of health to perversion” and in another, called it “tragic”.
Moreover, he voiced his support for Israel Folau, a rugby player whose contact was torn after he tweeted “hell awaits” gay people.
