The old saying “nature abhors a vacuum” must also apply to religion. Who knew that when the hateful homophobic Fred Phelps died, that someone would see a need to fill his shoes?
That someone is Steven Anderson, the pastor of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona. Anderson’s church is a totally independent Baptist church. Quite frankly, I’m sure no other denomination would want him. I’m sure he feels every other denomination doesn’t teach the Bible the way it should be and doesn’t do “hard preaching.”
Anderson made the news again recently because he was banned from New Zealand. He wanted to take his hateful show on the road to the Kiwis, and they rejected him. The rejection was, as the Joe My God website reports, “based on character grounds due to the long list of countries he has already been banned from.” In fact, Anderson posted a video to his YouTube channel explaining that New Zealand was the 34th country he has been banned from. The video is below.
Anderson doesn’t seem to understand that when 30+ countries ban you, that marks you as an undesirable. He considered the ban to be unreasonable.
Let’s be clear; Anderson believes that “hard preaching” and good Christian doctrine include:
- The King James Version of the Bible
- Anti-Calvinism
- Anti-Dispensationalism
- The Death penalty for LGBTQ+ people
- Anti-Liberalism
Most of these seem innocuous. I’m not a Calvinist or Dispensationalist; however it’s his extreme Right-Wing views on LGBTQ+ issues, Women, Liberals, and other Progressive Christian issues that make him undesirable.
His “hard preaching” on LGBTQ+ issues is nothing more than hate speech. How severe is his hate speech? Even Jamaica, the most homophobic country in the world, has banned him!
He is known to go off on homophobic rants proclaiming that “all actors are sodomites,” and anyone who dislikes him “is a homo.” He has been known to mock people with disabilities, like autism, claiming that their disabilities are a pharmaceutical hoax and that they need more beatings. He yells and mocks everyone who disagrees with him. He thinks this is the way preachers should act and preach.
I guess Jesus’ words are too soft for him. “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” (Matthew 13:34-35)
Jesus tells us that all men, Jamaicans, New Zealanders, etc., will know that we are Christians by our love for one another. Anderson doesn’t get that no one can recognize him as a Christian because he promotes hate. He appeals to the worst in people. He appeals to the darkness in people rather than the light. I’m sure if Jesus showed up, Anderson would denounce Him. Jesus was too lovey-dovey. Anderson would probably call him a faggot.
Thanks for reading, please subscribe, like, and share my blog. You can watch my vlog at Rev’s Reels on YouTube. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter. Join me and a bunch of other former Fundagelicals at Open Door Ministries in Westminster at the Westminster Mall.