Is It Okay For A Pastor To Call Women ‘Hoes’?

Andy Thompson, Pastor of the World Overcomers Christian Church, Durham, North Carolina

Andy Thompson, Pastor of the World Overcomers Christian Church, Durham, North Carolina has landed in hot water recently over something he posted on Twitter. He reportedly told women, that if they did not want their man or husband to look at other women, they should themselves shine more and not let the “hoes” or whores beat them to their man.

The untactful tweet was placed by Thompson on April fools day this year and many believe that it may have been his attempt at a practical joke or “April fool.” However, others are not so forgiving for his tasteless attempt at humor, if it was that, one of them is Taurean Brown, writer, speaker, activist and poet on the blog blacksankofa.

Brown wrote that Thompson should never have used the word “hoes,” not even if he was referring to those women who make a living selling their bodies for sεxual purposes. He added that it was a very derogatory term to be used for any woman.

The outraged blogger continued that the pastor of over 10,000 members in his church should immediately apologize to women everywhere for his insulting remarks and should humble himself to the world by owning up to his mistake.

Apparently Thompson realized immediately his blunder, even if he had been pushed into doing so by Brown, and posted a video on YouTube. He also deleted his twitter post that same day.

In the video, Thompson says that he is so sorry for his careless remarks about women and asks their forgiveness for his slip up. He continues, however, that he believes that he has been misunderstood in what he was trying to say.

Thompson continues in the YouTube video that he had been speaking to wives from his congregation at a marriage seminar, where he had been giving advice to them for a successful marriage. He adds that “Some may feel like there’s never any context in which it’s okay for a pastor to call women hoes. You’ll have to forgive me. Please forgive me. Our goal and our aim, is to help women.”

As for future tweets from Thompson, it is probably a safe bet that he will think carefully about what advice he gives, given the fact that people will be watching his tweets with more scrutiny in the future, especially people like Brown.

JAMES 3:

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

ECCLESIASTICUS 9:1 Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, and teach her not an evil lesson against thyself.

2 CORINTHIANS 11:6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

ISAIAH 30:

9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.