Mega-church preacher, dad of Black Lips singer comes out gay in video
"Bishop" Jim Swilley, father of Blacks Lips vocalist Jared Swilley, has come out as gay in a moving video.
As a practicing heathen, I'm not a big fan of professional clergy folk — especially those of the gold chain-wearing, evangelical Christian, mega-church variety. But there's a video online now by "Bishop" Jim Swilley, founder and senior pastor of something called Church in the Now out in Conyers, and I gotta say it's pretty powerful, even moving.
For those in the local indie rock community, the Bishop's name may ring a bell. He's also the father of Black Lips bassist and lead singer Jared Swilley. Last year, as a favor to his son, he officiated at the funeral for scenester/musician B Jay "Bobby Ugangi" Womack.
If you are a rocker, you may have heard a rumor that Jared Swilley's dad recently came out as gay. Well, it's a rumor no more. Bishop Swilley has, indeed, come out rather publicly. The video above is simply a recording of a recent church service — I believe it was Oct. 20 — in which he discusses at length his own lifelong struggles with his homosexuality; the church-sanctioned intolerance that drives some young gay people to suicide; the myth of gay recruitment; and even "don't-ask, don't-tell."