The Piece About Why The ‘Empire’ Donnie McClurkin Shade Took Things A Little Too Far
Originally published on madamenoire.com
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Let me hip y’all to some game. Church folks love ‘Empire.’ Now, the show might have lost some followers once Lucious started calling himself God; (Not after he shot Bunkie in the eye though.), but with 16 million views Wednesday night, many among them, were church folks.
And they noticed that there was a Donnie McClurkin reference. “Fashion Queens” star Miss Lawrence appeared on the show. Lying on top of a piano, in a sequin blazer, he hyped Becky’s life by mentioning that Donnie McClurkin would be attending an LGBTQ award show.
It’s interesting to say the least. Lee Daniels is an openly gay man and Donnie McClurkin is a reformed homosexual. It was clearly a dig.
McClurkin didn’t take too kindly to the reference and issued this press release.
“There’s no explanation or understandable reason for the actions people take under the guise of entertainment. When did the art of creative writing resort to penning scripts for shock value and controversy? During the premiere of FOX Television’s hit show, Empire, the writers targeted gospel artist Donnie McClurkin.
There are several ways one can respond to this new form of bullying and the pastor, singer songwriter took to Twitter to share his comments:
“It was brought to my attention via social media that my name was included in a “back-handed” manner during a scene in the FOX show, Empire. What might have been meant for evil, God uses for good! Despite the scripting used by @leedanielsent it has helped bring attention to the gospel of Jesus Christ that I sing and preach, an empowering moment! To my brothers and sisters, thank you for your support, encouragement & love! No negativity towards @leedanielsent let’s show the love of Jesus,” says McClurkin.
“Let this experience be a reminder that as loving Christians we’re called to share the good news of Christ and be examples of God’s love on the earth.”
I have to be honest, at first I was thinking that Donnie was doing too much. I thought, as a public figure who has been very vocal about his own deliverance from homosexuality and his disagreement with the Supreme Court’s ruling on same sex marriage, this is kind of par for the course, what you sign up for.
But then I stumbled across this article titled “No Longer A Victim.”
In it, McClurkin explains that his first sexual experience was rape, at the age of eight-years-old, at the hands of his Uncle. And then at 13, that same uncle’s son molested him. And when McClurkin found the Lord, instead of the men in the church helping him heal from the abuse, they exploited his confusion and introduced him to a secret, homosexual lifestyle.
McClurkin says it wasn’t until years later, with help from God, he began to finally heal from the hurt of being raped, molested and abused at the hands of men in the church.
You should certainly read the piece in its entirety, as it is very illuminating.
McClurkin has been through some very, traumatic life events that only God could help him come through.
I don’t agree that homosexuality is a sin. And as such, I don’t agree with his stance on marriage between two consenting adults, who happen to share the same gender. But I can understand how he internalized his rape, molestation, abuse and exploitation as painful, dirty and not of God. Those experiences were all those things. He wasn’t given the opportunity to explore his sexuality appropriately or healthily. And He does not want to be considered a homosexual man. As a Christian, he believes that God has delivered him from that. As a human, it is his right to define himself as he sees fit, whether people like or understand it.
However we interpret the events of McClurkin’s life and his subsequent sexuality, his story didn’t deserve to be used as some sort of punchline on a network television dramedy.
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26 Comments
ken
September 28, 05:44Abeg Donnie should grow a pair!
I hate it when public figures nag that they being ridiculed. Puhleese, I never heard Jesus complain of such
Btw am sure if he was made fun of that he’s a str8 man he wont be complaining. This simply means he sees gay people as “bad” or “evil” and so I have no apologies for him. His ridiculous claim that he was delivered from homosexuality is both stupid and irrational, smacks of internalised homophobia. One will almost think Donnie has some igbo blood in him. Lol
Francis
September 28, 05:50Thanks for saving me the stress. Lol.
Kings Kid
October 12, 01:03Okay all you who want to Dog a man for being delivered. You didn’t die for him nor him. So stop being mean. What you scared that one can be set free from this sexual craziness… Stop hating his live for God and believe in what he said God did for him. He didn’t even bash nobody. Sitka like y’all scared that you can get brought out of your messy nasty ways…. Ha ha ha ha Empire that was a low blow…shots fired!!! Don’t mess with your church audience..that can be costly.
Dennis Macaulay
September 28, 06:09I heard Donnie speak at House on the rock once, the man is dealing with so many demons.
Rape is a terrible thing for anybody to experience but pardon my little knowledge but does that make someone gay? My first sexual experience was with our house help who took advantage of me repeatedly at such a young age, it did not make me a straight man, I was still checking out my brother’s grown friends.
Donnie still thinks that homosexuality is wrong and is a sin etc which is valid based on his beliefs and that is why he takes offence with this diss.
It’s not that big a deal really
ken
September 28, 06:53@Dennis I think u slightly missed the both.
Donnie is not celebrating being delivered form his rape “demons”. He is celebrating being cured of homosexuality- meaning he was formerly gay (and had same sex relations) but now isnt. His ridiculous outburst trivialises homosexuality like its a switch that can be turned on and off.
The likes of Donnie and T.D Jakes are the reason I dont bother going to church. Most of these so called pastors are complete ignorant homophobes, no offense!
Pink Panther
September 28, 06:54TD Jakes?
ken
September 28, 08:37Yes, T.D Jakes….
According to the Dallas Voice T.D.Jakes has said that he would never hire a sexually active gay person, has spoken out against same-sex marriage, and has called homosexuality a “brokenness.”
Btw T.D Jakes son, Jermaine Jakes, is gay and was arrested for indecent exposure – wanking in front of an undercover police officer while making eye contact.
Tiercel de Claron
September 28, 08:51He’s had same sex relations,something he associates with being raped,abused and molested,and no longer want to partake of.His choice,but how does that trivialize homosexuality necessitating him being dissed on prime-time television?.How does that further the cause of true conversation about homosexuality?.
You guys despair n cry about not being understood and accepted by the larger society,but apparently,a large number of gay people are themselves narrow-minded people living on a narrow-minded street.
Francis
September 28, 08:57Can’t believe you are asking this question despite all your sapiosexual stunting.
It’s one thing not to want anything to do with homosexuality and its another to propagate that senseless ish that homosexuality can be cured thereby subjecting tons of teens to that mess called conversion therapy which has harmed quite a number of individuals
Pink Panther
September 28, 09:06I agree with Francis. He claims he’s cured. Good for him. But he should stop creating the fallacy for people who weren’t raped or molested into being gay but have the same struggles of self acceptance
Tiercel de Claron
September 28, 09:13I’ve never laid claim to any form of stunting,sapiosexual or otherwise,only called things the way I see it.
I’ve not heard of McClurkin being actively involved in that conversion therapy mess.
Let me lay this down in simple language so you understand,he’d been raped,abused and taken advantage of,sexually,by family and those he’d trusted.Those acts are evil,evil acts he now,unfortunately,associates with being gay and want no part of.He’s not right,but he’s made his choice and that shouldn’t be cause to so publicly diss him like that.He should be left alone to battle his demons and when he comes on public stage to take a stand against homosexuality,counter him with necessary facts without going down into the gutter.
If you would sit in judgement of people like that,be sure to have placed yourself in their position,worn their shoe,before you so do.
It is the measure we used to judge that we’ll be judged by.
Django
September 28, 09:33YIKES!!! TDC, abeg nau, what happened to your space bar? No offence please.
Mandy
September 28, 06:22It doesn’t, really doesn’t help with the LGBT good fight when stories about molestation and rape as an avenue of children becoming gay keep being part of the narrative. Even though young girls get molested all the time, when it becomes a gay molestation, it sort of overshadows every other thing about the discovery of the gay sexuality. Nawa o.
I read the Donnie McClurkin piece. I commiserate with the man on his ugly past. But its like Dennis said. Some gay men were molested by women too at childhood. How come they aren’t heterosexual?
Donnie needs to focus on his ministry and stop being the voice of the smear campaign on the homosexuality.
Henrie
September 28, 06:22Oh dear, I didn’t know the sister on the piano was another cameo. My ignorance. This empire series though.
Donnie we know you’re a homophobic self-defined delivered homosexual. No need reminding us about any of that.
Jaden
September 28, 06:58I knew I like men as early as at the age of 6. I was molested sexually by women while growing up but hey!, I am still gay and I love me some chocolate joysticks.
Jamie
September 28, 07:30LOL…
Max
September 28, 08:06Didn’t even read whatever was written up there, maybe I will do that later. Donnie or whatever has been on my hate list since he talked about being delivered from homosexuality. He’s one of several voices that make life a living hell for gay christians.
That shade was a well deserved one. I laughed my ass off. I wish homophobes could be shaded weekly in TV series.
I don’t like him, never will.. Not if he still thinks homosexuality can be cured.
Tiercel de Claron
September 28, 08:53And I thought this Max took a vacation.
Max
September 28, 09:11And I thought a supposed well read Nigerian Gay man like you would understand.
Tiercel de Claron
September 28, 09:22Oh,I understand quite well.
Only I refuse to see things from just one point of view or perspective.
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle.
Chuck
September 29, 04:08You’ve asked us to let a man continue spreading wrong ideas because he was molested.
As many have said, it’s alright for Donnietp avoid gay sex. It’s wrong for him to keep relating it to his molestation and preach against homosexuality.
P.S. just because Aristotle said something doesn’t make it self evident or mandatorily acceptable/ correct.
sinnex
September 28, 10:08I never knew he was ‘cured’. I guess he is the person Joe Blue got his inspiration from.
Chizzie
September 28, 10:11If Donnie is truly delivered from homosexuality as he claims then such comments shouldn’t incite him, because to be honest I do not see the big deal in what was said abt him on the show. I think its just guilt really, and there might be more to the story. Most folks in the movie industry have inside knowledge about what’s done behind closed doors and sometimes they drop hints, just like Family Guy did with Caitlyn Jenner. Donnie needs to calm down and be honest with himself.
Ace
September 28, 17:33Exactly Chizzie! That is what comes to mind. These folks in entertainment know each other’s skeleton. And your valid point of Catilyn is so true. There were several episodes of family guy I watched before his conversion that highlighted his transgendered life.
Ruby
September 28, 10:24Whatever!!!!!
Ace
September 28, 17:35Look at me about to post on Facebook on how the Empire reference made me listen to the song all day on Sunday. He should better go thank Lee Daniels.