HARLEM — The pastor of the homophobic Atlah Worldwide Missionary Church is threatening to burn the gay pride flag at the church after declaring a court victory earlier this week.
"The foreclosure & sale of Atlah Church has been vacated. To celebrate we will burn the rainbow fag flag in our courtyard TBA,” the sign read on the church’s marquee at West 123rd Street and Lenox Avenue.
Rev. James David Manning put up the message after Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Manuel Mendez tabled the sale and foreclosure of the property earlier this week, DNAinfo New York previously reported.
The city brought the foreclosure proceeding against the church after failing to pay creditors more than $1.02 million, according to court records. The church has maintained that it is tax-exempt and should not have to pay.
Two groups had raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to turn the church into a shelter for homeless youth if the sale of the church had gone through.
The judge, however, vacated the sale and foreclosure in the motion until there is a ruling on the church’s tax-exempt status, the church’s lawyer told DNAinfo.
Manning did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
