"Annie Christ" at the Lansdale Library

Lansdale, PA - Today the "Drag Queen Story Hour" happened at the Lansdale Public Library. The event featuring "Lansdale's Own Annie Christ" has sparked outrage and objections as well as support from the community and greater Philadelphia region. Many groups attended the event including Satanic Philadelphia, an independent community of self-identified Satanists and supporters living in Philadelphia, eastern Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey.

A group of "Miss Annie" supporters gathered early in cold weather to build a "wall of love" and welcome the children and families attending the event. A young child and adult strolled around with a wagon and offered cookies. There were many posters with artwork, unicorns and rainbows. A dinosaur danced in the street.

Protestors included Catholics, local concerned residents, and a group that had called for a peaceful prayer rally led by Steve Piotrowski. Steve spoke with the North Penn Now. "What’s happening here today is perversion, it’s not what God would be pleased with. … My heart breaks there are so many people that are so confused, we have our work cut out for us.” The group sang hymns and gathered in prayer.

Police baracaded the area around the Lansdale Library and stood in the street to seperate the protestors from the supporters.

Mayor Garry Herbert addressed the situation on North Penn Now. "We understand that diversity is a strength, not a weakness, and that all people from all walks of life bring value to our home". For these reasons, the borough steadfastly supports Tom Meyer and the library staff for the accommodation of this program, and future programs, that encourage residents to express themselves as they are".

I questioned Pastor Tom Hess, a 76 year-old parent of 4 children, grandparent of 20, and a retired pastor as to why Bible-believing Christians oppose promoting the LGBTQ agenda to children in libraries. "The LGBTQ agenda denies God’s authority both as our Creator and the holy expression of our God-ordained sexuality. Our heavenly Father’s holy discipline, especially as it relates to our morality, are divinely designed to protect and enhance our fulfillment rather than to limit it. God’s holy standard for intimate expression is clearly specified in His holy Word, the Bible, as between one man and one woman in holy matrimony. Any other sexual intimacy is sin and must be judged accordingly unless genuinely repented of and therefore forgiven by the atonement of Christ’s death on our behalf. Of course, true repentance means a commitment to discontinuing the sin in dependence on Christ".

He went on to say "It is well said that nobody knows his product like the manufacturer. Since God is our manufacturer (Creator), then He logically knows what is in our best interest, better than we do. In His perfectly impartial love for each of us, including LGBTQ oriented persons, He has provided the ultimate redemption in the death and resurrection of His only Son Jesus on our behalf (John 3:16). Therefore whatever our sinful “orientation,” we can by faith in Christ be forgiven and empowered by the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead to overcome that sinful orientation within us. The deeper and more entrenched the sinful orientation, the more exhilarating the Holy Spirit empowered deliverance for our freedom personally and for the God-glorifying testimony to others of God’s abundant love and grace in Christ to overcome every trial and temptation we face".

Despite the opposition here in Lansdale and around the U.S., there is a fundraiser happening to launch "Drag Queen Story Hour 2.0" at the Please Touch Museum and "Drag Queen Story Hour" is planned at the Exeter Library for Saturday, February 9th.