Pastor Steven Anderson may take the cake for homophobe of the week. Not only does he want us all executed, he wouldn't mind seeing Barney Frank and Barack Obama go that route either. Pastor Anderson preaches at the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona.
Here are some of his choice quotes (via Pam'sHouseBlend):
"The sodomites are recruiters and you know who they are after? Your children. They are being recruited by the sodomites. They are being molested by the sodomites. They recruit through rape, they recruit through molestation, they recruit through violation. Our country is run by faggots. You know who was the man who was the architect of the bailout? His name is Barney Frank, he is a pedophile…"
"That's who just sold our country into fascism. That's who just sold our corporations to the government. That's who sold out our country, a faggot!"
And in case the Secret Service isn't paying attention, here's another, "God Hates Barack Obama, I hate Barack Obama. I hate Him. God wants me
to Hate Barack Obama. Someone who commits murder should get the death
penalty." OUCH! That can't be legal…
He calls this religion? What a fool! What do you guys think?
– Andy
(Picture is of Westboro Baptist Church member, not Pastor Anderson)
I think Steven Anderson is trying to give Fred Phelps a run for his money. I am so glad I grew up, investigated current and archaic religions, and left not only christianity, but all organized religion. And I’m quite happy with my current spiritual path, thank you (agnostic Taoist, leaning atheist, FWIW). Proselytization neither required nor desired.
While I concede the value religion can have for some people, to me it is a cancer that needs to be eradicated.
You know how there is no cure for animals when they contract rabies? Unfortunately, there is no cure for this type of hatred. The pastor should be reminded of that old saying that begins “He who lives by the sword…”
I’ve heard a lot of females who get raped and instantly fall in love with their rapists so the pastor’s arguments make a lot of sense.
Freedom of speech is such a complicated issue but these type of people shouldn’t be able to parade around with this type of shit.
“Someone who commits murder should get the death penalty”. Are these idiots talking about George w. Bush and his crimes against humanity in Iraq?
Just proves how motivated these people are by politics and racism. So so sad!
Curious what murder Obama bin-Laden has committed. But, yes, murderers deserve the daeth penalty – that’s what it’s there for.
I do think the pastor may be a bit mixed up, though. As for freedom of speech, Leo, what about those who think you’re slinging shit around? They don’t think you should allowed to parade yours either.
Tolerance and acceptance of human beings does not mean, and should never be confused with, acceptance of behavior. The pastor needs to remind his flock to hate the sin not the sinner.
I think Michael W needs to do more investigation. He may not change his mind, but then how many others chose Christianity after trying to prove it wrong?
Self-righteous, self-contradicting teachings that misinterpret and make up facts to persuade people to hate the same things someone else hates, and spread that hate like a plague?
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s religion.
(OK, not all religion. Some of them are alright with a little open-mindedness. I still go to temple a couple times a year myself.)
Not to make this into a discussion on religion,necessarily, but Martin, let’s see. I started out christian, of a more conservative variety. When I got older and realized my sexuality, I started investigating other religions that were more tolerant of homosexuality, including more liberal flavors of xtianity. Judaism, even the Reform variety, didn’t work. Islam definitaly didn’t work. Shinto, sorry, but I’ve got some reprehensible ancestors not worthy of respect, let alone worship, much like the god of the Old Testament. Deism might work, if I saw any evidence of deity at work in the world or the universe. Buddhism kinda, sorta works, but only because it’s a philosophy and not a religion, belief in a deity is not required. Taoism fits closer, but the Tao is indifferent, and belief/disbelief doesn’t matter. Hence the designation I have chosen for myself.
Don’t assume that because someone is no longer christian that they don’t know of what they speak. I have read the bible cover to cover–have you? I have read the Koran–have you? I have read the Tao Te Ching–have you? I have read some of the works of Confucious–have you? I have read the Bhagivad Gita–have you? I have read the obviously slanted versions of the “dead” religions–have you? I have delved into the theologies of the still “living” religions–have you?
Don’t make assumptions. I stated in my original post that I see the value in religion. However, I think it is generally harmful and there are other things that exist, or can be expanded upon, that are not so harmful, that can fulfill the same function.
This guy and Fred Phelps(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps) should both die a pretty horrible death at the hands of what they hate. Specifically Fred. I’m debating on getting my ex-boyfriends and their buddies together and protesting his funeral. Anyone else wanna join?
everyone is entitles to their opinion, but I for one will just ignore this and go on with my day. if enough people ignore him, hopefully he’l just go away!
and i don’t think protesting on someones funeral is the way to go – don’t stoop to their level…
James I agree with you to a certain degree but imagine the impact a protest at his funeral would have on his followers. Am I wrong to think that that kind of behavior is so appalling for someone they love that they would reconsider their own behavior? Food for thought.
I consider myself a recovering Catholic…I was raised in the faith, attended Catholic school for 7 years…until it got too expensive for my parents to send 7 children to Catholic school. These were the same 7 children The Church had a hand in my parents producing…ie…rules on birth control.
After many years of struggling and searching, I finally came to spiritualism, or I guess I should say it came to me… and in someone else’s words, ‘I am so happy that I don’t have to worship ‘scary god’ anymore…’
The people who follow these kinds of leaders are mostly idiots and follow from fear and hatred…you can’t change their ignorant minds, and they will follow anyone who will make them feel superior to someone else, and quickly learn to hate them. ie…the KKK.
Once these people have found someone who can make them feel and believe this superiority, you could beat them over the head with the truth for eternity, and wouldn’t be able to change 1% of their small minds…so:
I feel that the best we can do is continue to show the world that we are good, honest, decent people, just a little different, not better, not worse, just different.
Michael w – we could take this offline if you want, but I’m sorry… I had to laugh when you mentioned Deism and then you couldn’t see a deity at work in the universe – that’s the point of Deism… God built the clock, wound it up, set it in motion, and then forgot about it – never had anything to do with it again.
He owns a business called Anderson Fire and Security, Incorporated with two offices – one in California and one in Tempe. According to his website, http://www.andyfire.com/coverage.html , his company services customers in a bunch of states. I wonder if they have a problem taking money from sodomites?
Martin (@8:04PM), I’d be happy to take it off-line. Religion is a topic that has always fascinated me. If you click on my name, it will take you to my blog, and there’s a link to my regular email address there.
As for Deism, it insists on positing a deity, or “prime mover”, if you will. And that’s where it falls down for me. Taoism doesn’t really do that, nor does Buddhism. Based on what we know scientifically, deity is neither needed nor required for the formation and evolution of the universe, but we can’t scientifically rule out the existence of deity–there is no evidence one way or the other.
Michael W