'It was f**king ridiculous': Some GOP lawmakers ditch meeting after representative tries to shame them with Bible passage on homosexuality that calls gays 'reprobate' and 'worthy of death'

  • Representative Rick Allen of Georgia read from Romans 1:18-32 and Revelations 22:18-19
  • The same passages call homosexuals 'worthy of death' 
  • The passage says says gays become overcome with 'wickedness, evil, greed and depravity'
  • Some lawmakers stormed out of a closed Republican conference meeting after the reading
  • Allen made the unusual pitch as the House prepared to take up a spending bill that included language on President Obama's executive orders on transgender rights

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.s. Political Editor For Mailonline.com

Published: 09:32 EST, 27 May 2016 | Updated: 09:47 EST, 27 May 2016

Some House Republicans are smoldering over a Republican lawmaker who read a fire and brimstone Bible passage at a closed meeting to urge colleagues to oppose a Democratic anti-discrimination amendment dealing with gays. 

Representative Rick Allen reportedly read from Romans 1:18-32 and Revelations 22:18-19, two New Testament passages that contain graphic and condemnatory information about homosexuality. He insinuated that those who supported the proposal were violating the Christian tenets of the scripture.

Some Republicans were so shocked by the display that they stormed out of a meeting in the basement of the Capitol Thursday. 

'It was f---ing ridiculous,' one incensed lawmaker told The Hill.

Fire and brimstone: Rep. Allen infuriated some fellow Republicans when he read from the bible as a way to chastize dozens of Republicans who had backed a Democratic nondiscrimination amendment

Fire and brimstone: Rep. Allen infuriated some fellow Republicans when he read from the bible as a way to chastize dozens of Republicans who had backed a Democratic nondiscrimination amendment

Chapter and verse: Rep. Allen read from bible passages that condemn homosexuality at a closed Republican meeting in the Capitol

Chapter and verse: Rep. Allen read from bible passages that condemn homosexuality at a closed Republican meeting in the Capitol

'A good number of members were furious,' one Republican told Politico. Several walked out of the meeting, although the vast majority stayed.

'There was some Scripture that was read and the like. ... Nothing good was going to happen to those that supported [the provision]. A good number of members were furious,' the lawmaker added.

Several outlets including reported that the passages Allen read from were Romans 1:18-32, and Revelations 22:18-19.

'And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet,' the passage reads.

It continues that God gave the men over to a 'reprobate mind.'

The passage continues: 'Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.'

Holy water: Allen, seen hear at a mock swearing in ceremony with former Speaker John Boehner, invoked the good book as the House was debating an energy and water spending bill with provisions on discrimination against gays and lesbians

Holy water: Allen, seen hear at a mock swearing in ceremony with former Speaker John Boehner, invoked the good book as the House was debating an energy and water spending bill with provisions on discrimination against gays and lesbians

Allen's office told Roll Call that Allen read those lines.

The Republican fury over the gay and transgender language in the bill helped sink a $37.4 billion dollar measure to fund energy and water projects across the country, with 130 Republicans joining Democrats in opposing it.  

'To suggest that protecting people from being fired because of who they are means eternal damnation, then I think they are starting to show their true colors,' Maloney told the paper.

During the prayer, Allen called out the 43 Republicans who had crossed the aisle to back a Democratic amendment on lesbian, gay, and transgender rights.

Republican Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania called the prayer 'wildly out of bounds and 'inappropriate,' the Washington Post reported.

There are morning prayers in the House and Senate, but some lawmakers didn't take to a bible passage referencing homosexuality read at their closed meeting

There are morning prayers in the House and Senate, but some lawmakers didn't take to a bible passage referencing homosexuality read at their closed meeting

Maloney's amendment would deny federal payment to federal contractors who discriminate against gay, lesbians, or transgender people, strengthening an executive action President Obama took last summer. 

Republicans responded by adding their own amendments that would reverse Obama's recent order that schools accepting federal funds under Title IX must provide bathroom accommodations for transgender people. 

Most Democrats, 175 out of 188, voted against the final bill, helping to bring it down, in a defeat for new Speaker Paul Ryan.

Ryan made a plea Thursday for 'real party unity, not pretend party unity.'  

One Republican lawmaker, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, recently cut a public service ad about transgender issues featuring the lawmaker and her adult transgender child.

'Our son is transgender,' Ros-Lehtinen says in the ad. 'We loved him as Amanda and now as Rodrigo.' 

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