Brody's Notes... Church Goes On Lockdown Due To Death Threats After Toddler's Homophobic Song Goes Viral

Apostolic Truth Tabernacle Church in Greensburg, Indiana 

By Brody Levesque | GREENSBURG, IN -- Members of the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle Church in Greensburg, Indiana Wednesday told numerous media outlets that the church's office has been receiving harassing calls and its pastor received death threats at his home,  after several prominent LGBTQ bloggers posted a YouTube of a cell phone video recording of an apparent 4 year old toddler singing a homophobic song at the church with pastor Sangl visible in the background smiling and nodding in approval. 

According to some congregants, a prayer meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening at church was moved to a secret location. Church members also said that the pastor, Jeff Sangl accompanied by his wife abruptly left on vacation with out disclosing the location where they will be staying.

In the audio of the recording, members can be heard applauding and cheering the toddler with one person shouting; "That's my boy!" The child sang lyrics which included: "I know the Bible's right, somebody's wrong- Romans 1 and 27, ain't no homo going to make it to heaven."

Noted author, Anne Rice, whose son Christopher is openly gay, posted the video to her Facebook page, writing, "In this country, Christians can teach toddlers to hate and to persecute, and we, through the automatic tax exemption for churches, foot the bill."

Gay rights advocate and co-founder of the "It Gets Better Project," Dan Savage, wrote in his regular column Wednesday:

"The Apostolic Truth Tabernacle is in Greensburg, Indiana. That's the town where Billy Lucas was bullied to death for being perceived to be gay by his classmates. I wonder if they stood up and cheered at Apostolic Truth Tabernacle when Lucas died—hey, another homo in hell. 

I wonder if any of Lucas's tormenters attend services at Apostolic Truth Tabernacle. And remember: I'm an anti-Christian bully for pointing out the connection between what straight kids are taught about 'homos' in the shithole mega-churches they're dragged to by their parents and what they turn around and do to 'homos' they encounter in classrooms. And what if that precocious little four-year-old singer is gay? Praise the Lord and pass the barf bags."

According to news outlet TMZ:

Despite the threats, all the members we spoke to have no regrets about the song getting posted online -- in fact one said, "The people who are upset just don't read the word of God. If we don't teach the children the truth early they will never learn."
As for the thunderous applause after the hate-filled song -- we're told, "Of course we applauded a child who is singing a song about God.

Late Wednesday evening, the church posted the following message to their website:

"The Pastor and members of Apostolic Truth Tabernacle do not condone, teach, or practice hate of any person for any reason. We believe and hope that every person can find true Bible salvation and the mercy and grace of God in their lives. We are a strong advocate of the family unit according to the teachings and precepts found in the Holy Bible. We believe the Holy Bible is the Divinely-inspired Word of God and we will continue to uphold and preach that which is found in scripture."