A controversial prayer rally took place at Ford Field Friday and Saturday but many mainline Christian leaders protested the event, calling out organizers for their anti-Muslim, anti-gay and even anti-Catholic views. The Detroit Free Press reports : Organizers for Engle’s prayer event were expecting 50,000 to 70,000 people to show up, but the crowd size was markedly smaller than that, with much of the stadium unfilled
“„Organizers for Engle’s prayer event were expecting 50,000 to 70,000 people to show up, but the crowd size was markedly smaller than that, with much of the stadium unfilled. They also were heavily targeting African Americans in Detroit, but most of the crowd was white.
“„“Their message is not one of inclusion; it’s of hate,” said Jennifer Teed of Detroit, who opposed Engle’s prayer event. “I don’t see how that’s religious.”
“„She held up a sign that read, “All are people” and “Standing on the Side of Love.”
“„The protest against Engle featured Catholic, Baptist and Methodist pastors from Detroit, as well as gay rights and women’s activists. Chanting “Stop the hate” and “Spread the love,” the protesters said the prayer rally inside the stadium promotes division and intolerance.
“„“God did not call us to hate,” said the Rev. Charles Williams of Historic Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit.