Craig Duke, pastor at Newburgh United Methodist Church in Indiana, resigned after congregants were displeased by his appearance in drag on the HBO show We're Here, lipsynching Kesha's We Are Who We Are in a pink wig and a white robe. Duke is now fundraising his living expenses.
Duke, 62, said he thought most of his 400-member congregation at Newburgh United Methodist Church shared his inclusive views, and he was taken aback when a prominent congregation member, soon backed by other churchgoers, circulated emails attacking him.
"You have thrown NUMC under the bus to elevate a minority of individuals," said one of the emails. Another, according to Duke, said Satan must be pleased with the discord over LGBTQ rights.
Duke, who declined to identify his chief critics, told The Associated Press that the attacks "felt very personal," causing him to worry about his mental health.
"I can't believe my Methodist church on the border of Indiana and Kentucky is homophobic" is right up there in the further adventures of people who voted for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party.
