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Okla. Pastor Arrested on Lewdness Charge

from The Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY - A pastor who has spoken out against homosexuality was arrested after propositioning a male undercover police officer outside a hotel, authorities said.

As the Rev. Lonnie Latham, 59, left jail Wednesday, he said "I was set up. I was in the area pastoring to police."

Latham, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee, was arrested Tuesday and charged with offering to engage in an act of lewdness, Capt. Jeffrey Becker said.

Calls to Latham and his South Tulsa Baptist Church were not returned for comment.

Latham has supported a convention directive urging members to befriend gays and lesbians and try to convince them that they can become heterosexual "if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and reject their 'sinful, destructive lifestyle.'"

The Southern Baptist Convention is the nation's largest Protestant denomination. Messages left for the convention were not returned.