Dave Bautista Perfectly Shuts Down Catholic Bishop Who Warns That Gay Pride Is 'Harmful' For Children
Actor Dave Bautista recently called out a homophobic bishop via Twitter.
The Avengers actor took to Twitter after Bishop Thomas Tobin tweeted a particularly problematic statement regarding Pride Month.
June commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which was the catalyst for the start of LGBTQ pride. The riots were a response to a police raid on Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, in 1969.
Bishop Tobin tweeted a warning on June 1st to Catholics, urging them to "not support" Pride month or attend any events, stating that they are "contrary to Catholic faith and morals."
A reminder that Catholics should not support or attend LGBTQ “Pride Month” events held in June. They promote a cult… https://t.co/xlhA1wisKk— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@Bishop Thomas Tobin) 1559388682
Bautista responded to the tweet on June 2nd, responding specifically to Bishop Tobin's statement about LGBTQ being "harmful to children."
The actor was raised by a lesbian mother, and cited her passion for helping those in need.
My moms a lesbian. I think I turned out ok. And the activities she chooses is to help the homeless and people suffe… https://t.co/Ak23m6mwCf— Vaxxed AF! #TeamPfizer Poor Kid Chasing Dreams. (@Vaxxed AF! #TeamPfizer Poor Kid Chasing Dreams.) 1559515347
He ended the tweet calling out Bishop Tobin for being a "judgmental hypocrite," and included a middle finger emoji to further emphasize his point.
The response to Bautista's tweet has been overwhelming, and many cheered him on for standing up to the bishop.
@DaveBautista THIS!! THIS!!! THIS!!!!! BATISTA HAS SPOKEN.— Natasha Lopez ➐ (@Natasha Lopez ➐) 1559517805
@DaveBautista @HartHanson I've always suspected @DaveBautista was an awesome guy- I, too, have struggled to stay cl… https://t.co/VLxd6L0VPm— donal logue (@donal logue) 1559523574
@DaveBautista youve always been a hero of mine and now your mum is too— brooke (@brooke) 1559515782
@DaveBautista @MLeeLunsford We truly don't deserve you, Dave. Thanks for everything 😀— TransmorpherDDS (@TransmorpherDDS) 1559515670
@DaveBautista This is the REAL Batista Bomb.— Puckett (@Puckett) 1559574903
Bishop Tobin has already received a lot of responses to his initial tweet, with many calling for his resignation.
Several have also pointed out the hypocrisy in the bishop's preaching, citing the Catholic church's history with sexual abuse towards children.
@ThomasJTobin1 May want to do a google search on “Catholic priests” and “children”.— The Hoarse Whisperer (@The Hoarse Whisperer) 1559508900
@ThomasJTobin1 Annnnd we wonder why there's a crisis in the Catholic Church. The countless accounts of sexual abuse… https://t.co/rkregHyIz7— Cheryl Reeve (@Cheryl Reeve) 1559488849
@ThomasJTobin1 This is pure ignorance & bigotry. Ignore this hate-filled hypocrite. His mind set leads only to suff… https://t.co/Keoa1JCpVH— Mia Farrow (@Mia Farrow) 1559484710
@ThomasJTobin1 You know what’s proven to be actually harmful to children..? The Catholic Church.— Wilson Cruz (@Wilson Cruz) 1559544288
The bishop released a statement soon after his tweet went viral, reacting to the overwhelming response to his post.
"My comments yesterday about Pride Month have turned out to be so controversial in our community, and offensive to some, especially the gay community. That certainly was not my intention, but I understand why a good number of individuals have taken offense."
However, he declined to retract his initial statement.
"As a Catholic Bishop, however, my obligation before God is to lead the faithful entrusted to my care and to teach the faith, clearly and compassionately, even on very difficult and sensitive issues."
Despite all of the negativity, Pride is slated to be a fun and welcoming environment for all, especially in the bishop's home state of Rhode Island. How would the bishop look in this?