Update at article’s end:::::::::::
Reposition Yourself urges the title of TD Jakes’ newest book. The Dallas celebrity bishop and media figure may be taking his own advice as he swapped show appearances with Dr. Phil (McGraw) in late September.
Apparently, this budding collaboration between the two media giants began when Jakes first interviewed Dr. Phil on TBN in early September (ratings month). Dr. Phil’s TBN appearance with Jakes was on the subject of divorce and relationships. Our guess is that Jakes wanted to talk about, but not talk about the Juanita Bynum-Thomas Weeks Bynum-Paula White-Randy White multiple fisascos. After all, both of his “spiritual daughters” were making a mockery of Christian ministry and marriage. Perhaps, Dr. Phil’s expertise would make the disccusion professional and not necessarily religious. Read Bishop Jakes’ blog entry praising Dr. Phil’s opinions (yes, he has a blog now).
Thus, this seems to be a case of you come on my show, I’ll come on yours. Case closed. Right?
Not so fast.
A reader, who wished to remain anonymous, emailed GCM Watch about Bishop Jake’s appearance on the show. The individual was concerned that might be signaling a suttle turning or “repositioning” in Bishop Jakes theology because of Dr. Phil’s beliefs on homosexuality. Is there something beyond just the reciprocal guesting? As a Christian, is Bishop Jakes aware of Dr. Phil’s open endorsement of homosexuality as natural? What about this statement posted on Dr. Phil’s website?:
Christine: My 22-year-old daughter is in a relationship with a woman. I don’t believe she is a lesbian. Could this be a form of rebellion and a result of getting in with the “wrong” crowd? Can homosexuality be learned and unlearned?
Dr. Phil: Homosexuality is not a learned behavior. A sexual orientation is inherited; you are wired that way. Certainly some people will experiment with a gay lifestyle, and a gay person might experiment with a heterosexual one. If she is really gay, she will find a place in that life and in that community. The important thing is that you just love her through that. What difference does it make if she is gay? Accept her, support her and do not be judgmental. It is difficult enough for her to live openly and honestly in this society; don’t put your judgment on top of that.
So Dr. Phil is 100% sure that homosexuality is inherited. Inherited from who and how? And his expert opinion is just to support and accept? For someone who has built a show around “getting real”, Dr. Phil’s beliefs about homosexuality are as about as real as a McDonald’s on planet Jupiter. Even though the evidence is quite the opposite, Dr. Phil’s beliefs per se are not the issue of this post. Bishop Jake’s are. Bishop Jakes alludes to Dr. Phil’s closet Christianity, but doesn’t come right out and say it. If Dr. Phil is a professing Christian, that makes his remarks about homosexuality even the more alarming. However, the problem with Bishop Jakes is that he has a confusing record on the homosexuality issue. He sounds, at times tight lipped, at other times he sounds mildly sympathethic. Sometimes, he abstains from saying anything at all and sometimes he sounds just plain ignorant. That’s hard to accept from a man who has written 30 of the most celebrated Christian relational books on the market.
In March 2001, I was at the Potters House where I saw something that impacted me tremendously. Bishop Jakes became physically angry at the response of a crowd of men gathered to hear his fatherly wisdom. He was talking about how some gay men are broken because they have had sexually abusive relationships. Jakes explained that some of them don’t know how to have a healthy relationship with another man. He said something else that was a tad vulgar, but I won’t mention it here. That remark elicted sparodic laughter from the men. But from his reaction, it was clear he didn’t intend for it to be humorous. He rebuked the men sharply, telling them they had “little boy” attitudes. He blamed high death rates from AIDS on their attitudes. I was both shocked and pleased. Shocked that the men didn’t see his seriousness on the matter and pleased that he didn’t let them get away with it.
Is Bishop Jakes repositioning his thinking?
TD Jakes made his fortune preaching as if he had some sort of intuitive reading on the human condition. But oddly, as he has risen in popularity, his statements about homosexuality are less defined.
Some believe this is because one of his twin sons is gay. The young man was spotted at a black gay club in Atlanta during the popular 2006 MegaFest. One of the more recurrent search questions bringing people to GCM Watch is “TD Jakes’ gay son”, so there is considerable talk already out there. Reportedly, the young man has already told his father he is gay. If this is the case, as the reader pointed out to me, TD Jakes is repositioning himself by linking with Dr. Phil’s dangerous ideology. Would Dr. Phil tell TD Jakes the same thing he told “Christine”? Your son’s homosexuality is inherited and immutable, so just accept it and support him. Would Dr. Phil tell TD Jakes that? And would TD Jakes accept it as truth?
I feel for any parent faced with dealing with their child’s sins. But the answer is not to align yourself with people who espouse beliefs contrary to the scripture. We reported to you how one Atlanta pastor completely turned away from what he had previously believed in the scripture because his son was homosexual. Will TD Jakes be caught in that same trap by his relationship with Dr. Phil?
Additional Reading:
- Dr. Phil exposed – site critiqing Dr. Phil’s advice in light of his alleged Christianity.
- TD Jakes, Andrew Merritt linked to gay church movement
- G. Craige Lewis weighs in on the TD-Phil partnership controversy with a notice to “church house negroes”
Gay Christian Movement Watch 
This is an interesting article. This would not only have repercussions in the Trinitarian realm, but also in the Oneness realm. He is hated by conservatives in both camps, because they both rightly recognize that he is trying to straddle the fence. He refuses to be pinned down to either camp, Trinitarian or Oneness. He has preached for Oneness Apostolic revivals before (I am thinking of one in New York City that I know about for a fact, but can’t seem to find the link with the write-up). Many Apostolics claim him as one of their own- but the conservative Apostolics find this as abhorrent as the conservative trinitarians do. We both know that the two do NOT mix, but he is trying.
So if this man accepts homosexuality, it will spill over into the Oneness Apostolic camp, too. When I have more facts on the matter, I will blog about it too!
Caya I cant help but agree. Fench straddling bothers me. Jakes repositioning (which he sometimes refers to as streams) and partnerships with those who believe and uphold so-called sexual freedom can take on a dangerous connotation for people across the spectrum.
His cageyness about this issue and his Godhead beliefs are parallel.
I’ve heard him allude to the fact that he wont let anyone define him, but perhaps without realizing it, he is defining himself. And the image doesnt look good.
We will have more on this story. Thanks for commenting and please come back!
Here’s a thought.
Does homosexual “tolerance” mean we have to put up with Homo-nauseousness?
T. D. Jakes needs to seriously pull his head ….
Caya: TD Jakes is not “straddling the fence.” The guy is clearly oneness. He is ordained, was made a bishop by, and is a denominational leader in a oneness denomination. When challenged about his oneness beliefs, he claims to believe in Trinity, but then goes on to describe the Trinity using the oneness language that the Father, Son, and Spirit are “manifestations” or “states of being” rather than being distinct Persons. When challenged that about his trying to get away with passing off oneness for Trinity, he then plays the parlor trick of claiming that “his views on the godhead are developing, the true nature of God is unknowable” and of course “we need to get away with things that divide us and start focusing on the things that we agree on and then work together on God’s business of getting people saved.” Or at least THEN he was about getting people saved, NOW he is placed that on the back burner! Jakes is not straddling the fence, he is just a liar and a deceiver who will tell virtually anyone that he is dealing with what they want to hear, including his large number of devoted female followers that they are not responsible for their sins, but rather it is due to “psychological issues from having been mistreated by their father/husband that need to be dealt with.” The most popular message that Christians want to hear: that they are not accountable for their behavior, that they do not have to repent for it (because it is not true repentance if you can blame someone else) and that God will not judge them for it.
Please know this: Jakes has strong financial ties to the Council on Foreign Relations. As such, we should not be surprised that he is slowly moving his teachings towards what can be called existential unitarian universalism (more or less the doctrine of CFR) and taking his followers along with him, and he would be doing this even if his son was not gay.
TD Jakes and TBN have turned Christianity into a mockery. They worship the creature more than the Creator, Who is blest forever. They are a confusing group of people who operate by their “createdsigns and wonders” of twisted Bible verses, people of warning to avoid in the scriptures, and they have turned this into a Christianity to make people feel guilty if the people do not give money to support the headinistic lifestyle of people like TD Jakes and TBN owners. God is not at all pleased, but God warned that this would happen in the last days.
Wow, I love this blog. I will keep watch. Thanks gcmwatch!
lets call an ace an ace and a spade a spade
MAYBE I SHOULD NOT BE SO VAGUE.THE PROBLEM WITH AFRICAN AMERICANS IS WE SEEM TO BE USING EUROPEAN HISTORY ,THOUGHT.FOLKWAY AND MORAYS AS OUR GAGUE OR MEASUREMENT AND THATS WHERE WE GO WRONG.DR.PHIL IS RIGHT IT IS INHERITED BUT ONLY IN EUROPEAN PEOPLE.IT IS A NATURAL THING FOR THEM .THEY ARE WIRED THAT WAY IN ORDER FOR ONE TO UNDERSTAND THEIR PLANNING YOU MUST FIRST STUDY THEIR HISTORY.
This is an old argument I have heard amonst black nationalists and even some preachers; Homosexuality was not known among Africans until the europeans introduced it. WRONG. The Canaanite people were of Hamitic origin, Black people and they were also involved in homosexual behavior. Their is also evidence that Africans colonized gay Africans in their own villages. Human naure is just that across all racial and ethnic lines. For all have sinned and come short, even Africans.
ELDER JIMMY PLEASE DIRECT US TO THE SOURCES OF INFORMATION WHICH SUPPORT THAT ARGUMENT AS I WILL DIRECT YOU TO MY SOURCES.SEE THIS IS WHAT FOLKS RESORT TO WHEN THEY HAVE NO EVIDENCE ELDER JIMMY I PLACE MY LIFE ON THE FACT I KNOW YOU CAN NOT EMPIRICALLY PROVE A HOMOSEXUAL ORIGIN IN AFRICA ,THE BIRTH CANAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY WAS IN GREECE AND THE WOMB RESTED IN ROME YOU CAN FIND ALL THIS IN THE HISTORY OF THEIR MYTHOLOGICAL GODS WHO RAPED THEIR WOMEN YOU CAN FIND IT ON THE WALLS OF THE CAVES YOU CAN EVEN FIND IT IN THE SEXUAL REPORTS DONE BY MASTERS AND JOHNSON AND ALSO KINSEY,THESE REPORTS WERE SPECIFICALLY OF AND ABOUT THEM AND IT IS PEOPLE SUCH AS YOURSELF WHO HAVE NOT DONE ONE DROP OF RESEARCH INTO THIS STUDY WHO USUALLY DRUM THE LOUDEST.MAYBE YOU SHOULD HEDGE SOME OF YOUR BETS ON MANY OF THE OLD ARGUMENTS INSTEAD OF THE NEWER BASELESS SOURCELESS CONJECTIVE FILLED NEO-BABBLE THAT PEOPLE USE TO JUSTIFY EVERYTHING THEY DO AS RIGHT SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DID IT.AND THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL AND EVERYMAN DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES.DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR ELDER JIMMY PLEASE ALSO KNOW THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELDERS AND OLD FOLKS ELDERS PASS ON WISDOM OLD FOLKS PASS ON…….WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
GCMW: B Wheeler, try, try try to not type in all caps. Its a difficult read on the eyes. Thanks!
B Wheeler I know youre passionate about your assertions, but please remember this post was not about genetics or race.
Sin is an equal opportunity employer.
We (all of us) are born in sin and shaped in inquity. One’s race or gender does not give you any sort of advantage nor is it a criteria to use against another.
Let’s end that line of discussion here although feel free to comment on any other aspects of the post.
dr.phils arguement is based on genetics if you could kindly peruse it once again and that is what i disagree with.the church can not continue to turn its back on history and science just because it may be a bit uncomfortable to some.it is better to have enemies by truth than friends by flattery
BW, Youre right he is arguing genetics. Sorry, you are on topic. But if he is wrong, shouldnt you be contending for the opposite position? The opposite of his position is not that homosexuality is “inherited only in european people”. That’s not biblical in any context. B W, neither history (or rather interpretive history) nor science can supercede God’s Word. It has to agree. Elder Jimmy did cite biblical history with the hamitic factor noted in Genesis 9 and 10. The hamitic lineage includes the peoples of Africa, not Europe.
Japthets descendants were the eurasians, while Shem’s were the arabians
This is both historical and biblical. If there was any notion of genetics connected with homosexuality it was the with the lineage of Ham. Sodom and its peoples were in that lineage.
I will certainly try and post the info I alluded to. ASAP
Regarding being an elder I am an elder from the church’s tradition and quickly becoming a literal elder. I will post my info as soon a s possible.
what i am arguing is that no one can find an african origin of
homosexuality because this practice does not point to the practices
of the african people.inheritance means something is passed down
the word inherit from the latin inhereditare means to pass down
this is why i added the terms folkways and morays in an earlier
post so some of us could see the somatic effect that these unnatural acts
can bring.no history can not supercede Gods word of course not,but it can support
Gods word.we are talking about the byzantine era;so of course there were
those phenotypically africoid in appearance who developed homosexual practices
while the word of God is truth i think where the issue lies is in the interpetation
of it.the illustration above does absolutely nothing to substantiate and origin
it shows a geneology.while the geneology is correct using it in this manner
does nothing to disqualify the position of origin.but i have enjoyed this
particular line of discourse and hope to be able to expound on topics
such as these as long as im allowed
by the way elder jimmy i pray GOD id blessing you and all you love and i pray you have not found me insuling and if so i apoligize in advance and forethought
B.Wheeler El,
It’s all okay. While I am still looking for the info let me say this: I think you also have to take into consideration the fact that in the African tradition there is not very much written history of many of the nations and people groups of that continent because they did not document primarily through qwriting but through the oral tradition. Which is one way history and culture is passed the the elders you made reference to in your earlier post. Much of what we know of the very early traditions of African people does indeed come from the observations of Europeans and Arab cultures that documented what they saw and understood. Admittedly this was often biased by their view of what the norm was from their Eurocentric view.
I am trying to look up again the ancient words that several African people used to describes homosexuality and homosexual behavior. As I am looking at the info that I will post. The words do indeed describe sexual behavior between same sex people and other homosexual practices. Apparently, the words used do not connote any judgement or what may be called homophobic (in the common view). It is so far, clearer to me than before that this behavior existed well before Euro involvement or Arabian influence.
PS B. Wheeler El,
I will be awaiting your posted sources as well.
Hello elder jimmy
I would respectfully disagree with your statement that that there is not very much written history of many of the nations peoples and groups of that continent because they did not document primarily through writing but through oral tradition.to the contrary we were the creators of the so-called phonecian writings and having visited Africa on 4 different occasions I can assure you there is quite the timeline and written history including the dogon people who were some of the most remote dwellers of all peoples of that continent.even though there is plenty evidence to refute your point I wont consider that greatly right now.
People like Audrey lourde and people like the somes’ who are from Africa but have a book selling agenda have had their theories,ideas and thinking debunked publicly about homosexuality such as in the sex imperatives by larry Crawford who even debunked john s mbitis “love and marriage in Africa.
Some of my sources are
Black on black violence amos n Wilson ,Charles grantham.”lesbizo”,burnett w.gallman “an African centered evaluation of homosexuality”William darity jr “sex ratios”cheikh anta diop the African origin of civilization(myth or reality). And I have a ton of direct sources many written from the European point of view that support the non-african origin of homosexuality,please let us understand that just because a nation or group is first does not mean they are the inventor,perveyour ororiginator of a thing this is the same as many of the individuals mentioned in the lineages,many of those people were inhabitants which comes from the word inhabio (latin) which means they we not indigenous to the land they simply moved to the land;just like moving in to your home,you are an inhabitant you did not come with the home,so in all the history I have studied on this subject which I have challenged from both the pro and con ,this issue is not even debatable,there is no solid evidence pointing to an African origin of homosexuality.amos Wilson wrote”the socialization of a subordinate culture involves the inculcation of its young with values and attitudes that serve to perpetuate the dominant social system”.
Elder jimmy we should be constantly vigilant against internal as well as external sources of confusion.
Regarding the Phonecian writings, yes you are correct. But I am speaking much more generally and widely when I make mention of the wrtiten history of Africa. The African history is established primarily in art, culture and oral tradition. When the researchers and the colonizers; one in the same came to “study” the Africans they had to gather much of their info from the elders of the people groups because there was very little documention in written form of the lesser developed nations. I know you must know that. I was certainly not saying that there was no written info at all.
The primary source from which I have garnered my info is Homosexuality in Traditional Sub Saharan Africa and Contemporary South Africa by Stephen O. Murray. There are some who disagree with your assertions. You are apparently well read and quite passionate about the subject matter. Let me say that I am well aquainted with the difference between an inhabitors and indigenous people. (My father being of a true Native people in North America).
Back to the source I cited. There appears to be evidence of indigenous people from Africa who have language and artwork that depicts homosexual behavior, roles and subculture prior to the British or other colonizers appearnance in Africa. I respectfully disagree with your position as I know you do mine. I do not believe your position is true to all that we know about human nature and sexuality. It defies reason . The indigenous people of North America (Indians, so called) and every other people group in the world have language (words), pictures, art, oral history that describe homosexuality, transvestites, etc., except Africa?
Since as you say (and in this discourse you are clearly the expert) the issue is not debatable, let’s not debate it.
brother elder jimmy lets just pray for those who are trapped in this sad existence that they find the GOD and turn from these evil ways,it is clear that the media.politicians.psychologist are all ill equipped to deal with this sick plight that is upon the nation it wont be changed by oprah dr.phil none of their books or dvd’s onlt the power od GOD can open the eyes of the lost and turn them from darknessand the power of satan that they may recieve forgiveness for their sins
Amen.
I think Bishop Jakes would decide w/ the Word of God not that of an intellectual or scientific opinion what the truth is. He is a firm man and not easily decieved.
MHeiman,
TD Jakes IS easily decieved. He denies the trinity. He drives around in Bentleys, lives in mansions, has his own personal plane all bought from the “love gifts” sent in by his followers. This man is full of deceit.
Kyle
Kyle either he’s deceived or he’s just plain stupid for hooking up with Dr. Phil.
mheiman, its apparent that Bishop Jakes has already ignored the Word of God and at the least entertained the faux intellectualism and science of Dr. Phil. Are you blind and deceived too?
I guess we didn’t post enough evidence for you to see that he has not adhered to the truth.
I was skeptical at first at the idea of TD jakes being on Dr Phil’s show. Dr phil being no where near saved and all but I WATCHED ALL THE EPISODES HE WAS THERE and all i can say is God Bless you Bishop. In the first show you brought the love of God and gave a rebellious teen an actual chance to break out of her family’s generational curses bringing the word of god, revelation understanding about her situation. I watched you use Christ’s love, to a girl that no one could deal, and break her down until she was in tears and saying she was ready to start her life over! That was amazing! Praise God! Then i watched the next episode where Jakes pulled out ALL THE STOPS and began reciting word after word after word from the scriptures to a guy who convinced himself he was no longer a woman beater but a changed man- despite showing the exact same attitude he always had. I was worried for him at first but the audience ate up every second. I had never heard an american audience respond to the word of God in such a way, they were clapping at every scripture, some were hollering, as if they had been starving and someone finally tossed them some warm bread! The best part was watching the conviction hit that man when he realized he had sinned against the God even he claimed to be serving- and realized his actions were totally wrong until he literally shed tears!!! I watched Dr Phil’s face get more and more agitated and annoyed the more scripture you poured out but you were a man on a mission and it was clear you weren’t watching Him and his ‘let’s take a break’ every 10 seconds, you were there to bring the Word plus common sense back to the people of america watching you and you did it! I bet it killed Dr Phil to put any kind of check in your hands after that, he looked livid! Let the God of abraham bless you for being so diligent in putting those important scriptural values across and possibly changing people’s lives just as Jesus did! Let the world see that the word of GOD IS STILL THE FINAL AUTHORITY AND THE ANSWER TO ALL LIFES QUESTIONS AND ISSUES! Please pray for him saints, if you saw the episodes he was there you would agree, even i couldn’t find fault! I saw him do more in 2 episodes than some ministers on TV have done in years! God is awesome!!!! It’s encouraged me to get out there and spread the word! x
To B.WHEELER EL,
Besides not being supported by any science, your claims are pretty racist…
(not to mention homophobic)
Figures for homosexuality is at aproximately the same level no matter what contry you choose from
your claims echoes a bit of some african (amongst other) dictators who claims that there are no homosexuals in THEIR contry…