Comments on: Reverend Brent Dugan: Lifelong Service, Suppression, Treachery and Despair

By: Follow up on the FCC complaint in the case of Brent Dugan — Warren Throckmorton

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:39:40 +0000

[...] Dugan was about to be outed and took his own life in a Mercer, PA hotel room. I (David Blakeslee) wrote about that tragic event here and was prompted to look into aftermath of the situation by a recent comment left on that post from [...]

By: David Blakeslee

David Blakeslee — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:06:55 +0000

Thanks for checking in this morning Kevin…

It is terrifying and important to be at the edge of people’s confusion, limitations, fear and anger. But it is the most loving place to be…because otherwise we are completely alone.

God is fearless in meeting me there, I pray He meets you there moment by moment.

By: Kevin Holleran

Kevin Holleran — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:49:56 +0000

I knew Brent quite well, he was neighbor and more importantly a friend. We live in a society where it is profit at any cost. Profit can be defined in so many painful ways in this situation. I miss him and pray for him everyday. I am hopeful we find a way to change, to accept, to be at peace. I am sad to say, this will not happen in my lifetime. thank you for sharing his story.

By: Warren

Warren — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:19:40 +0000

Thank you very much for sharing this touching tribute to Rev. Dugan.

By: BEVERLY

BEVERLY — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 14:37:12 +0000

I have known Brent Dugan for 38 years. He came to our church fresh out of the seminary. He was our assistant pastor then our pastor. We all loved him. He stood by me no matter what. I truly loved this man. I only know that the world has lost someone that cannot be replaced. My heart goes out to the congregation at Ben Avon. I know the sorrow you are feeling. I did not know that he had passed away until just this week. We e mailed each other every Thanksgiving and Christmas. When I did not get a reply this year, I was a little concerned. On Tuesday this week, I looked up his phone number on the internet, indending to call him on my lunch hour. There was a link to his name, and I hit it. What a shock, and for what? Because of his sexual preference? Because KDKA TV had to have a story? My son came to me and told me he was gay, then asked me if I still loved him. Of course, not just because he was my son, but because I have no right to judge anyone in any social situation. I only wish Brent could have known the unconditional love, support and help that so many people would have given him. I only want to say, Brent, I love you unconditionally, you have been my best friend, biggest confidant, and the spiritual support I have needed over the years. This world is going to miss you. I hope that as the years go on, someone will learn from this and continue your legacy…rest in peace my friend, I will see you again when my work here is done, I love you

Pony

By: Glenn Dewar

Glenn Dewar — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 17:58:51 +0000

If Dugan had been revealed to have been having an affair with a married woman, would he have committed suicide?

Would it have been any less sinful? Yet we live in a culture dominated by people who insist on interpreting Christianity in a twisted fashion that is based more on culture and bigotry than on Christ.

If Dugan had been preaching that interpretation, the press would have been right to expose him for his hypocrisy.

The only blame should lie with those that continue to create a world where culture and bigotry dictate religious morality.

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 09:51:46 +0000

I am confused. Is this a man who was violating the trust of those who paid his salary. Is this a fellow who chose to be a servant of God while being grossly unfit for that responsibility? Is this a man who inflicted his own pain upon himself through deception and concealment? Is this a man who knew his homosexual behavior to be abhorant to God. Yes it is.

I am confused by your statements that reporting was at fault. The reporting was not libelous. It is not unlike the pictures published of sex offenders and lawful.

The tragedy is that he took his own life instead of leaving the ministry and getting the counseling he needed. Remember, this is a man who thought it wiser to take his own life instead of forsaking his sins.

You need to ask yourself what is it about a church that would allow such a person to conceal their true selves to a congregation. What does such a congregation stand for if they allow their morally broken pastor to live in such deception. Certainly many in the church knew he had these behaviors, yet they did nothing. They could have quietly released him and counseling him to leave the ministry.

But no. They were silent.
What a terrible terrible thing that has happened because neither those leaders of the church nor the minister himself could own up to the truth. And now a family is broken.

It is about time churches stood for Christian Principles.
Oh how sad.

By: Warren Throckmorton » Blog Archive » Church coalition files FCC complaint over suicide of Brent Dugan

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 21:17:37 +0000

[...] Blakeslee posted in January about Reverend Brent Dugan’s tragic death in Mercer, PA hotel room. Now, a coalition of Pittsburgh area church denominations have [...]

By: Nora

Nora — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 17:30:07 +0000

How sad that Rev. Dugan battled with the feelings of SSA or that anyone does. How commendable that he rejected the behavior for such a long time. We – the Church – in many cases, refuse to face homosexuality and same-sex attraction as yet another sin. We refuse to deal with it in churches, afraid we’ll get our lily-white hands dirty when all the time we are being judgmental and UN-Christlike in our response to people who so desperately need the love of Christ and the love and acceptance of the Church. What sin have we committed by this behavior? Think about it. How can we say we represent Christ, when we refuse to offer hope to those who struggle – with any sin? We must remember there has only been one sacrifice for sin and that is the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. When we realize that, we MUST recognize that sin is sin. There are no “good” sins. All sin is of Satan. How, then, can we cast aside the individual who is yearning to be loved and accepted. As Christians, we are failing if we reject the person/s suffering with SSA, who want deliverance and victory in Christ. We must stand up for Christ – be His reflection – and offer His love to all. We can only know that Rev. Dugan was feeling guilt and despair for having given in to his feelings. We can be thankful God knows our heart. Hopefully, Rev Dugan accepted God’s love and forgiveness as he lay dying. Can you imagine the compassion of Christ to him? May God also reach the man who tempted him and drew him into this final web.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:09:01 +0000

I have read this thread in great sadness. I too realize that there are many who struggle with their SSA in secret and in fear. I know of friends who deal with serious depression because of these feelings. I also know of my own life of depression and avoidance. My actions did not correspond with my value system. I rejected myself and felt I was not worthy and that no one could accept me for who I thought I was.
Once the fear was overcome I could start to reach out to some who where compassionate and begin to get honest with them and myself. Once I felt like I did belong it became easier to be myself around them. As these relationships deepened I know longer needed to hold on to my old ways of coping with the world and isolating myself. I began to enjoy peoples company, especially mens friendship and sexual desires eventually began to weeken. Yes there are times when I allow myself to become over stressed and I feel a need to retreat back into old patterns and ways of thinking, but try to remind myself how I felt when I isolated myself.
I have not rejected the value that I learned early in live I have rejected a behaviour pattern that led me to believe I was something I was not. I have also used the best of the values I learned to try to be as compassionate to others who are hurting and walk along with them as others did for me in my most difficult times, but I do not just tell them to accept that because they have SSA that is all that they are. I hope to be able to show them there is so much more to them than their sexual desires.