Pastor Tells New Times Government Should Put Homosexuals to Death

[teko]

http://walkerlightning.newsvine.com/_news/2010/12/05/5589453-pastor-tells-new-times-government-should-put-homosexuals-to-death


A Tempe, Arizona church has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and after speaking with the church's pastor this morning, we have a pretty good idea why.
Pastor Steven Anderson, the leader of the Faithful Word Baptist Church, is no stranger to controversy. He recently made headlines for saying he was praying for the death of President Barack Obama, and, just this morning, told New Times he thinks the government should put homosexuals to death.

"I don't think I'm a hateful person -- I'm a happy, positive person," Anderson tells New Times."I hate certain people."

[April2]

Yeah, I agree. What's scary is we''re going to see more and more of these "false prophets". Jesus said many will come in his name, even proclaiming to be the Christ and deceive many. Scary. That's why I try to stay close to the Lord! As close as I can.

This guy reminds me of the pastor in Kansas (google Westboro Church or Pastor Fred Phelps) who spews all that hate stuff against homosexuals, etc. They are a very hateful people. I've had the displeasure of being witness to their picketing when they came to our state and picketed some of the churches here. I just shake my head and wonder how someone can be so filled with hate.
I watched a news program awhile back where one young lady got out of that church (or cult rather) because she started questioning the doctrines, etc. They not only kicked her out of the church but her family disowned her! She's not even allowed to see her younger siblings and she was broken up about that. But she still held to her guns that the God she had come to know was a God of love, not the God of hate that the church preached. This came out of one of their own church members and family member.
Sure sounds like a cult to me!

[teko]

Wolves in sheeps clothing. Pretty much sums it up. By their works you shall know them. It is obvious to any who have spent much time in reading the Bible that this person is obviously not of God, nor does he speak on his behalf.

This person is hateful and evil and needs to be gotten off the pulpit. Unfortunately it is also predicted that as time goes by we will see more and more of this, and even some of the very elite (dedicated) shall be decieved.

This guy is a false prophet. period.

[adgal]

I understand that you feel that way, but that is exactly my point.  There is a huge difference between not agreeing with someone's actions (which is how you feel) and hating someone who is different then you, especially when it comes to the point of committing violent actions against them.  So someone who is not supportive of the lifestyle, especially for religious reasons is one thing.  I may not agree, but I can understand that.  Someone attempting to twist the words of the bible to commit an act of violence against that same individual is manipulating the bible to suite their own personal agenda, which in this case i feel is hatred.  Plain and simple.

It's like the abortion issue...I know you feel it is wrong.  But I somehow doubt you would ever murder an abortion Dr. or blow up a clinic...because you understand that would be wrong as well.  There is a world of difference and to me that is the difference between someone who is a true believer (which I respect) and someone who twists religion and justifies violence by twisting religious words.  

[el_em_en_oh]

Sorry April, I didn't mean to imply that you & I were arguing.

I absolutely LOVE debating/discussing religion, politics & sex, so you'll have to excuse my passion! I get a little carried away sometimes, but it's all in the name of good conversation & educated debate.

I have the upmost respect for faith, even though I'm not faithful myself... HOWEVER, in response to the original article, I cannot condone or agree with anyone who claims to be faithful/religious that has thoughts like this guy has. He's free to believe and say whatever he wants, and we're free to disagree & hate him for it.

That's the beauty of this country!

(except for WikiLeaks... they're the exception to the rule.)

[April2]

el_em_en_oh, I wasn't trying to win any argument at all. I was trying to say that God (the God of the bible, which is what this church supposedly follows) Himelf has said not to look to man but to HIm and not to always believe that just because someone says they are doing things in His name that it was Him who sent them. That's all. :)

ILADVOCATE, you have a way with words, you really do. Thank you.

[ILADVOCATE]

  I'd have to say my question is would be if that the person the article spoke about or anyone who supports those specific ideas be willing to carry them out? I would hope the answer would be not since that kind of action would (especially as regards the president) be considered a realistic threat. However since I do not believe that to be the case I would tend to think that like any other form of ignorance its hatred but would be classified as free speech but well worth ignoring. I do not think they would have the courage to defend our country and support any ideas worth fighting for so they are supporting ignorance for what it is, a form of cowardice that is supported by people who would not fight to protect their rights that give them the freedom to express this kind of ignorance.

[el_em_en_oh]

Sorry April... the quote should read:

"More blood has been spilled in the name of God, by people that are deceived and under the devil's influence, than for any other cause."

At the end of the day, whether under the devil's influence, or not, it all started with a belief in God and the fact that they're more right than the person on the other side of the fence... that they have to kill, kill, kill.

Sorry April, quoting scripture won't win this discussion/argument. Killing in God's name (A god's name, aka, in the name of a religious belief), no matter what your religion/faith/belief, has been going on since intelligent man has walked the Earth.

Cavemen
ME: The sun god is better than the moon god!
YOU: No he's not... the moon god's better!
ME: Nu-uh, the sun god's better!!!
~Gratuitous killing ensues~

Don't mistake YOUR belief in God (the one-true-God as you would refer to him as) as the same as everyone else's belief in God.

Hindu's believe in MULTIPLE god's... are they wrong, or are you just right?

[April2]

Don't get me wrong, adgal, I do believe the act of homosexuality is a sin because it's pretty clear in the bible. However, again I will stress it's the ACT or the SIN not the person that God has a problem with. The only danger is, like any other sin, people have a tendency to harden their hearts towards God. When someone has completely hardened themselves then they can no longer hear the voice of God.

I do believe that this church and many others are acting in hate, not love. That's the difference. We are to be an example of Christ and love people to Christ and pray for them. We cannot save them or change them. That's God's job.

And el_em_en_oh, those people who are killing in God's name are deceived and under the devil's influence, I believe. God says we are to be careful not to be deceived by those claiming to do things in God's name but to test all the spirits to make sure it really is from God.


Jeremiah 14:14 Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeremiah 23:32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD.

[adgal]

And so many more examples as well.  

My personal opinion on these types of occurances is that these people did not really kill in the name of God, but rather twisted religious teachings to further their own hateful causes.  Somehow they were able to convince others (and still do) that it was justified in the name of their religion.  So very sad that something that can be so wonderful and beautiful can also be used to perpetuate so much hate.  It's why I believe we all have to be so careful not to paint members of any single religion with the same paint brush.  It just makes things worse.

[el_em_en_oh]

"More blood has been spilled in the name of God than for any other cause."

The crusades; the Hebrew genocide of the Canaanites­; The holocost, which led to WWII; 9-11; Branch Davidian; Jonestown; all the wars over who owns Jerusalem; The ongoing war over Kashmir; and the civil war in which both sides felt they were fighting for Gods justice. All of these are tied to religion, and thats just off the top of my head. Add to the things I mentioned, which took place in the last 20 years (obviously not all of it did), the assasinati­on of Dr. Tiller as he served as an usher in his church, and the Oklahoma City bombing, as well as the first bombing of the World Trade Center (although I'm not 100% sure the OK city bombing was a religious statement or a political one).

Christians, Hindu's, Jews, Muslims, et all... congratulations on killing millions upon millions of people in the name of God.

Carry on.

[adgal]

April, no worries hon, it's not just Christianity.  In all faiths and religions, there are those that truly try to live their belief system (people like you!).  Then there are those that will twist it to suite their own agenda, and those that use it to justify horrible actions and feelings.  The first group is to be admired and respected (at least in my opinion), the latter to be dismissed.  So while every religion is full of wonderful people, every religion also has those that I personally don't think are true believers or followers, but use it to justify their hate.  Sad, but true I think.

[April2]

Amen. Make every effort to live in peace with ALL people.

[tbabi20]

Christians do slip up and I hope that those who harbor hate in their hearts would snip it at the bud before Satan takes full control.

I think this exactly what causes discord among communities. People hating Christianity and those practicing it because we (the believers) don't look at the Bible, but want to be representatives of it. The Bible says, "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

[April2]

You know what I just cannot get about some "Christians"? Is that they seem filled with hate and think it's ok to look down their noses at others and judge. I do not get this! The bible warns very seriously about not judging others, to leave the judging to God. No one knows another person's heart except God, no one! We are not to hate any person because that is God's creation. We ARE to hate sin but only because we know what sin can do to us, how it can destroy us, but we are never, ever to hate any person or any part of God's creation. Instead of hating, we are supposed to PRAY. First we pray for ourselves, asking God to reveal any hidden sin that we are entertaining, because we cannot hear from God if we are entertaining sin, and that includes hate! Then we are to pray for each other, but it is in LOVE! We are to pray for each other because we are to love each other.

This is the second church I've heard of that is so full of hate (the other one is in Kansas, and I think you know which one I'm talking about). If a church or pastor or any Christian is filled with hate, they do not have God's spirit in them because God is a God of LOVE not HATE. He does hate SIN, don't get me wrong! But he loves people because we were made in His image. We all fall short of the glory of God. One person's sin is no better or worse than another.

It's very troubling for me to see so many so called Christians spewing hate. We are not to grieve the Holy Spirit or quench him. God will show us how to pray and act if we will only yeild ourselves to Him and be willing to be humble.
Do you know how many times I've gone to God asking Him to change someone only to have God remind me that He wants to work on MY heart and let HIM deal with the other person? We each are responsible for ourselves and our own salvation. We cannot save any other person but we can pray for them. That's all we can do. We pray for each other and ask God to reveal His truth to all of us.
The judging needs to be left to the only one worthy of being judge.


“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." Mathew 7:1-5


"Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?" Romans 2: 1-3


"There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?" James 4:12

[tbabi20]

I think that pastor is not really a pastor at all. The Bible says all kinds of things about an attitude such as this. Somewhere he stopped reading the Bible and allowed hatred to enter in. He does an injustice to Christianity - making it to seem evil and hypocritical. Real Christians hate no one, The Bible says "Love your enemies and do good for those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6:27-28.

[brice1967]

Any person that claims to be a pastor, deacon, preacher etc. and spews crap like this is an a-hole.  Doesnt the bible say something like "thou shalt not judge" or something?

[adgal]

I am speechless.  Don't know how we could have misunderstood though...very clear he's not a hater...dont you just love how people justify and excuse their ignorance?  It's like saying I'm not a racist, I just don't trust or like anyone that isn't white, christian and heterosexual.  But nope, not a racist.  Puleeze...

[ILADVOCATE]

  This is the exact kind of ignorance and hatred that people have immigrated to the United States to flee persecution from and also this kind of fundamentalism (regardless of religion) is what the United States is fighting to defend our country against. There is a fine line between what is free speech and hate speech but statements against the president might overstep it and be considered a threat. I would be less concerned about one ignorant person than if they are of influence and anyone believes what they say as literal and follows up on it. We don't need this kind of hatred and divisiveness not only in general but especially at a time like this.