The Rev. Matthew Makela’s private life erupted in controversy this week when the anti-gay pastor was outed online as gay.
According to Queerty, Makela has been outspoken in his stance against homosexuality and has even compared it to alcoholism. He’s also spoken out against same-sex marriage.
It’s for that reason that it came as a shock to his congregation when a source, who asked to keep his name hidden, sent the Queerty screenshots of the married father of two messaging a man on the gay dating app and propositioning him for sex.
Makela confirmed the screenshots are real in an email exchange with Queerty and explained that he’d resigned from his position at his church and informed his wife of his “extracurricular” activities.
On one hand, we feel bad that Makela was ripped out of the closet because, ideally, that should be a moment that any LGBT person chooses to embrace on a timeline of their choosing with people that love them.
However, it’s ironic that a man that has perpetuated the closet culture, self-hate and shame that has plagued closeted LGBT members of the church for years is now living the harsh reality of homophobia in the church.
Some might be satisfied by the thrill of seeing Makela “getting what he deserves,” but what would be much more satisfying and positive would be if Makela and the other LGBT churchgoers across the world were made to feel loved and embraced in their truth instead feeling like they need to hide and tear each other down for simply loving the same gender.
But the story doesn’t end there. Read a letter that Makela’s church penned in response to the controversy after the cut.
