Former actor turned religious activist Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains) and his sister, Candace Cameron Bure (Full House/ Netflix’s Fuller House) are hosting a concert tonight, Sunday, April 19, at 8PM ET livestreaming on Facebook Live. The concert is called “Hope Rising: United Through Music and Message” and proceeds from the concert will go to Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse.
The religious non-profit organization has come under fire recently for the mobile hospital Samaritan’s Purse has opened in New York City’s Central Park. Contractors and volunteers staffed in the hospital are required to sign, as NBC News states, “a statement of faith that includes a declaration that ‘we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female.’ “
Performers for “Hope Rising” include Mercy Me, Casting Crowns, Newsboys, American Idol alum Danny Gokey, and Gloria Gaynor.
While Gaynor’s turn to Christianity is not new, the singer, whose disco song, ‘I Will Survive,’ became an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community, stated in an interview with NPR’s All Things Considered in December 2019 concerning her faith and her feelings on the LGBTQ+ community:
“I’m not against anybody. I just am a full believer that God knows and wants only what’s best for each and every one of us and is the only one that can bring it to pass if we rely on him. That is the beginning and end of my thoughts about it….
So, none of what I feel about homosexuality or my faith in God and my absolute belief in the Bible, which I believe to be the word of God, has anything to do with my – has – none of it taints my ability to love them. And I think that is what is important.”
Gaynor adds in the interview that her fan club president as well as her social media person sitting next to her during the interview were gay and have “no misunderstanding” about her feelings on homosexuality.
With Kirk Cameron’s history with the LGBTQ+ community as well as the recent events surrounding Samaritan’s Purse and their Central Park hospital, how do you feel about Gaynor’s involvement with this concert? Let us know in the comments.
Source: NBC News, Cross Rhythms, Zora, NPR, CNN
Featured Image Photo Credit: Screenshot of Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’ video via Solrac Etnevic YouTube Channel (above)
oh boy… I thought that “you’re either with us, or against us” rhetoric was reserved for the Bush/Chaney politico set. Samaritan’s Purse is a charity group, period. As far as I know, it doesn’t withhold charity from persons based on sexuality. It’s actually great to see KC doing something other than moralizing. And, I’m sure if there were a large-scale LGBTQ+ allied charity streaming concert, GG would be participating. KC organized it first. That’s gotta hurt…
Your clearly are not familiar with the DOZENS of abhorrent, indefensible, homophobic, bigoted comments that this “charity” has made causing unconscionable harm & death to LGBTQ people, particularly youth. They were not rightfully classified as a HATE GROUP because of their “caring, compassionate” words & actions. Graham & his “followers” (not unlike those who blindly supported Hitler & Jim Jones) are indefensible and his unconscionable hatred & bigotry is not difficult to find. Educate yourself & look it up! FYI, along with the several millionS of dollars that Graham “secretly” paid to his pool boy (Giancarlo Granda, who received nearly $2M to open a gay “hotel” in Miami) & personal trainer (Benjamin Crosswhite, who received $1.2M from Graham upon graduating from Liberty Univ) to prevent them from going public with stories of their gay affairs with Graham. The most virulent homophobes are usually covering up the fact that they are gay themselves (I.e., Aaron Schock, Larry Craig & countless others) & this bigot who attempts to use religion as a weapon to “justify” his insidious words & actions towards towards who were born gay is no exception! Karma never forgets — and she’s a bitch, Franklin!!
Mike, you clearly are not familiar with Franklin Graham and Samaritan’s Purse dozens of abhorrent homophobic past comments attacking LGBTQ people that make Kirk Cameron sound like an ally. They were not classified as a HATE GROUP by the SPLC because of their “caring, compassionate” words and actions. Franklin Graham and his “followers” (who blindly believe his hateful rhetoric, not unlike those who shamefully supported Hitler and Jim Jones) resulting in unconscionable harm (including death) of LGBTQ citizens, particularly youth, are complicit in the hatred and bigotry that he espouses — while using religion as a weapon to “justify” his indefensible words and actions (as many who have committed heinous acts against those who are different than themselves in some capacity have used throughout world history). The statements, words and actions attacking those were born gay are well documented and are not difficult to find. I suggest you educate yourself and look it up before supporting Samaritan’s Purse as a “noble charity” under the guise of Graham’s religious bigotry. In addition, Franklin Graham has “secretly” paid MILLIONS of dollars to both the pool boy who he met at the Fountainbleu Hotel in Florida (Giancarlo Granda, who received nearly $2M to open a gay “hotel” in Miami while he was in his early 20s and had ZERO qualifications) and his former “personal trainer” at Liberty University (Benjamin Crosswhite, who received $1.2M shortly after graduating from Liberty and whose since deleted comments on social media leave little doubt as to his “relationship” with Graham) in order to prevent those two young men from going public with their stories of gay affairs with Franklin Graham — on the condition that they sign “non-disclosure agreements” in exchange for the 7 figure checks that they both received. The most virulent homophobic bigots are often covering up the fact that they are gay themselves (i.e., Aaron Schock, Larry Craig and countless others in and out of the public eye) and Graham is clearly no exception. His requirement that ANYONE who wanted to work at his tents in Central Park for Samaritan’s Purse sign agreements that included highly homophobic language is no surprise — even if they were a qualified medical professional — and NONE of them were employees of Mount Sinai Hospital, as the hospital has confirmed much to Graham’s dismay, since he obviously wanted to keep it all “secret” (along with MANY other aspects of both his past and that of the organizations he is associated with). Graham’s insidious attempts to use religion as a weapon (AGAIN) to “justify” his indefensible words and actions against those who were born gay (after he has had multiple gay affairs himself with young men) is despicable and deserves the scorn and negative publicity that he has received from numerous NYC leadership (including Mayor De Blasio, Speaker of the NYC Council Corey Johnson, Gov Cuomo and HRC Pres Alphonso David, among others). Truth matters! And karma NEVER forgets and makes those who cause harm to others pay tenfold — and karma is a bitch!! Which applies to both Franklin Graham and Kirk Graham and anyone who chooses to associate themselves with either of these abusive individuals (including Gloria Gaynor, who has literally made MILLIONS of dollars due to the LGBTQ’s community’s support of “I Will Survive”) are complicit in their reprehensible words and actions.
Gloria Gaynor can hold whatever beliefs she wants to; that is her business. But associating herself with Kirk Cameron, who is an open homophobe and anti-LGBTQ+-rights militant is actually spitting in the face of the community. I would retain my respect for her if she dissociated herself from that homophobe and that event. Otherwise, it’s over for me and many in the community.
Just like Donna Summer she is a relic of the past, great singer and great songs but that was then and just like I learnt to stop hating myself for being queer when I grew up I found other singers to listen to as I grew older.
I don’t hold anything against them I just don’t see their views or music as relevant in the 21st century.
That is a really good outlook to take.
Look at all these judges? Don’t criticize or pretend you know a artist while you all sit behind your computers and do nothing to heal the world. You are a bunch if haters. Do something constructive.
Let’s see, I work in a hospital and put my life on the line every night I work during this pandemic. Is that Constructive enough for you?
yes i thought of donna summer too. history repeats again. plus the old ” some of my best friends are……..” as so many like her get older they suddenly turn to god. that big worry bout the afterlife. but the worst is the franklin graham issue. he is in no way like his dad.
So she uses a few gay people to help her make money to take away american freedoms we have had to fight for our right to have. Well the Uncle Toms that work for her should be shunned as much as her. Have they no shame? No talent Kirk and his no talent sister are terrible Christians and even worse Americans, They should be shipped off to their mothers womb to be Born Again…as decent human beings for the first time.
It’s always a huge red flag when people have to point out that they have Gay friends or employees. And then of course the old stand by, It doesn’t matter how I feel about “them” Jesus teaches love and so I love “them”. Besides God will get them in the end. Right?
I am sorry I spent money to see her perform last year.
I am a gay man and friends with Gloria Gaynor, she has never spoken out against the gay community and as she has spoken out about having people within her circle working for her says it all. God bless Gloria gaynor
Anyone who says “I have friends who are gay” to “justify” in their mind that they are no homophobic immediately throws up a red flag. If Gloria really IS supportive of the LGBTQ community (who have indisputably prolonged her career) how much money and time has she devoted to supporting LGBTQ causes and anti-discrimination (especially when she is surrounding herself with someone as evil as insidious as Kirk Cameron, whose past comments about gays are unconscionable). You say that you support us, Gloria? PROVE IT! And NOT by saying “I have a gay friend/co-worker/relative who I “tolerate”. Speak out against the indefensible statements that Cameron, Graham, Pence, et al have made and disassociated yourself from those bigots — permanently! THEN I’ll believe you truly have our backs!
Anyone who says “I have friends who are gay” to “justify” in mind that they are not homophobic immediately throws up a red flag. If Gloria really IS supportive of the LGBTQ community (who have indisputably prolonged her career) how much money and time has she invested to supporting LGBTQ causes (of which there are many) — especially when she is currently surrounding herself with someone as insidious as Kirk Cameron, whose past comments about gays are unconscionably evil. You say you support us, Gloria? PROVE IT! NOT by saying “I have a gay friend/co-worker/employee/relative who I tolerate” but by speaking out against the indefensible statements that Cameron, Graham, Pence, et al have made which has caused tremendous harm to LGBTQ youth and disassociating yourself from those hateful bigots — permanently! THEN I’ll believe you truly have our backs! Actions speak louder than words (whether they were written by you or a highly paid publicist, manager or attorney).
She is a completely ungrateful noxious has been hag. The Gay community were always supporters of her
And I want to punish my eyes for crushing on when he was actually attractive noxious abhorrent puddle of puke Smirk Cammeron …
She need to be put on the no listen to list. She knows where her money has come from, And it has been the gay community
Guess she’s added to my “no-listen list”. #fuckher
Disgusting she made money off the LGBTQ for decades with her anthem I Will Survive and those homophobic Cameron clan , love is love no matter what
Disgusting. That reminds me of what Donna Summer did to us as well. Great coverage Gerald!