Church cancels speaking engagement with NFL star LeRoy Butler after he showed support for Jason Collins

PUBLISHED: 19:42 EST, 1 May 2013 | UPDATED: 19:42 EST, 1 May 2013

Former NFL star LeRoy Butler has had a speaking engagement at a Wisconsin church cancelled after he went to Twitter to support NBA player Jason Collins for identifying himself as a gay man.

Butler, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, was scheduled to speak at an unnamed church in Wisconsin this week.

He believes the cancellation is directly related to his message to Collins, congratulating him for coming out in a Sports Illustrated editorial published this Monday.

Leroy Butler believes a church cancelled his speaking engagement because he supported NBA player Jason Collins for identifying himself as a homosexual

The announcement makes Collins the first openly gay professional male athlete in one of America's four major sports leagues.

'Congrats to Jason Collins,' Butler tweeted to the Washington Wizard.

'This is a man's personal story,' Butler told the Milwaukee Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 'I've always been on the record saying if there was a gay person in the Packer locker room, I would have played with them. All I care about is if you can run and jump, and can you win Super Bowls.'

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He added that the pastor for the church is actually 'bullying' people by cancelling the engagement.

Collins came out in a Sports Illustrated editorial

'This is a form of bullying, what you're doing,' he said. 'You're trying to get me to do something I don't want to do. He disagreed, and I said, 'We agree to disagree' and he said 'No, I'm right and you're wrong.''

Butler retired in 2001.

He now does charity work through the LeRoy Butler Foundation which gives financial assistance to women fighting breast cancer.

Church cancels LeRoy Butler's speech after he backs gay NBA player

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Comments (10)

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Hypocrites.

- Gator , Florida, United States, 02/5/2013 10:48

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How can you say this is a form of bullying...any company or group can decide that they do not want someone to speak at events or to represent them if they do not like their behavior or their beliefs and actions go against their own beliefs....if ur actions conflict with what the church believes in then they have every right to do as they did...trying to shame the church an attack them claiming its bullying is a bullying tactic...you are trying to force your belief onto others..and refuse to understand they have every right to their own opinion

- Sofia , chandler, United States, 02/5/2013 09:42

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Wow nice to see the church support everyone! Very sad really in 2013.

- Kay , Stoke-on-Trent, 02/5/2013 08:35

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Gee, how "Christian" of the church to judge him, then to un-invite him from what is supposed to be Gods house? Shame on them! This is why we don't go to church.

- Desi , Bell, 02/5/2013 07:37

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The church has become the last bastion of prejudice and discrimination. Shameful.

- Helena Hankhardt , London, 02/5/2013 06:56

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It's time we started to phase out religion. It has no place in these modern times

- luke , sunbury, 02/5/2013 06:43

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DM forgot to mention the part where the pastor told Mr. Butler that he needed to remove the tweet, apologize, and ask God's forgiveness. Then he could come speak to the church. Mr. Butler's response was "no, only god can judge". The church sent him a sort-of apology basically thanking him for not mentioning their name but never actually apologizing. Mr. Butler is a man of God and of high standards.

- mimi , USA, 02/5/2013 06:37

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Good for him for standing up to bullies!

- NesserFace , Vancouver,WA, 02/5/2013 06:09

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It's ok for the church to do as they wish....the ball player did!

- tymarq , Minneapolis, Mn, 02/5/2013 05:28

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Pal, you will be welcome to our church.

- DoReMeme , Toronto, Canada, 02/5/2013 05:09

Click to rate Rating 11

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