Focus on the Fundies: Latham found not guilty

Remember Oklahoma Baptist pastor Lonnie Latham, arrested in January 2006 for soliciting sex from a male undercover cop? Yes, that was a long time ago. Well, his case finally came to trial late last month and a jury found him not guilty, apparently convinced by his lawyer's argument that since homosexual sex is not illegal, then it shouldn't be illegal to talk about it or invite someone to a hotel room to do it. (Link courtesy Christianity Today weblog.)

The Tulsa newspaper did not manage to ask Latham the larger questions of whether he is gay or whether he regrets speaking out -- as he reportedly did when a pastor of a large Baptist church in Tulsa -- against gays and gay rights. Or even if he plans to resume his career as a minister.

Perhaps he will, like Ted Haggard, pursue a degree in psychology. Maybe they could even open up a practice together. I think there'd be plenty of business from others just like them.

technorati: Ted Haggard, Lonnie Latham, closet cases, religious right, hypocrites