PASTOR UNDER FIRE FOR CALLING WOMEN HOES Female church leaders say clergyman’s comments were degrading
Pastor Gino Jennings’ recent rant in which he labelled fashion forward women in the church as hoes has not gone down well with female heads of churches who staunchly denounce his stance, saying that he is misguided.
The often controversial preacher, whose broadcasts from the United States airs on local television, ripped apart church women who wear ankle chains, red lipstick, and fake hair.
In the late December broadcast, currently making the rounds on social media, Jennings, who is the head of the First Church of Our Lord Jesus, said: “You so called Christian looking hoes, jumping in some church, flopping your ankle chains around. On the choir, breasts hanging out, lips all red, nails painted red, purple, blue, green, long like bird claws, all this fake hair, breasts implant, toe nails painted with little fake diamonds in it, your toes ain’t richer. You’re nothing but a prostitute.”
He continued: You’re nothing but a singing hoe, a shouting hoe, an organ playing hoe, a choir director hoe. Preacher, if what I just said describes your wife, you are married to a hoe! A man that’s a real man don’t want his wife out in the street looking like a prostitute and you’re a holy woman, or claim you are a Christian. Christian with skin tight pants showing the very shape of your birth canal.”
DEGRADING AND ERRONEOUS
After watching the video, Carla Dunbar, minister of religion at Carla Dunbar Ministries, said the US pastor’s comments are erroneous.
“The statements are debilitating and degrading and erroneous, and he has no scriptural basis for the claims he is making. Women have been used biblical from a long time,” she told THE STAR, noting that many women have been used in ministry, even as far back as the Old Testament.
“So, if he is a bible-reading pastor, he would not speak of women in leadership in the derogatory way in which he has spoken.”
Dunbar, who said Jennings was being sensational, told THE STAR that it is not the females’ fault that men have regressed. She said that women are available and God is using them.
GOD’S CREATION
“There is no scriptural basis for the slanderous views that he has taken, and for a man of God. I would encourage him to seek God’s faith on the matter because we are all God’s creation, and we are advised in the scripture not to speak ill of anyone at all,” she said.
She also stressed that everything must be done in moderation, and that also applies to dress code, whether it be male or female.
“Wearing of cosmetics and stuff like that, nothing is wrong with that. It is not a general rule, so nothing is wrong with cosmetics, nothing is wrong with beautifying oneself, adorning oneself outwardly, nothing is wrong. Everything must be done decently and in order and not in excess,” she said.
However, Dunbar agreed in cases where persons are dressed inappropriately in or out of church, it can be addressed.
Still, she said: “I am not averse to persons looking fashionable. You should look good for Christ.”
And Dunbar is not the only one disagreeing with Jennings’ comments. President of the Moravian Church, Rev Phyllis Smith Seymour, told THE STAR that the Bible does not allow us to degrade anyone.
“Show dignity and respect to everybody, it doesn’t matter who. Even the criminals, they deserve dignity and respect. The other thing about it is that while some of these things I don’t personally do them or wear them, I am not criticising no woman who is creative and thinks that she can add to the beauty that she has. As a matter of fact, sometime how some ladies wear makeup, they just look so good with it,” she said.
According to the reverend people have rights, specialities and creativity.
“I would not join Pastor Jennings saying these things. I don’t know who should have control over an adult in a way like that,” she said.