Church Labeled as Hate Group

A Tempe church has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. 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." At the top of Anderson's list of hate seems to be homosexuals.

After rambling off a passage from Leviticus, Anderson told us he thinks "the government should put [homosexuals] to death."

He says the bible dictates that homosexuals should be killed, but, as a law abiding citizen, he isn't about to practice any biblical vigilantism by doing it himself. (He just thinks stewing with hate is healthy!)

As for his church's new classification, he says, "I think the Southern Poverty Law Center is a hate group because they hate and demonize Christians... am I going to go around and say I love every child molester, rapist, and homosexual? Of course not." (Equating homosexuals with the monsters he lists)

Anderson says any "hate" he preaches comes from the bible, not him. He says he preaches the literal interpretations of the bible, which many consider to be hateful. "We're not like a lot of churches that pass over a lot of the stuff that's in the bible. We preach the whole thing," he says. "It's not that I'm standing up there three times a week preaching nothing but hate." (But he can't just leave it out either!)

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[genobahamut1337]

Wow... Just wow. I don't think I've ever seen a more hateful person in my life. I know some good people who are christians, and some bad, but this guy is definitely the worst I've seen so far.

[YourBrainOnReligion]

@genobahamut1337 Search for "James the Preacher"... there's worse :)

[genobahamut1337]

@YourBrainOnReligion Oh man, I don't even want to know about how bad that guy might be... Sadly, later I'm probably going to check it out.

I just love how this guy says "yes, I hate homosexuals" and then afterwards says "I guess people are always going to hate religion" as if his being religious has anything to do with why his church was labeled a hate group. Of course people are going to get on his case if he openly says all homosexuals should die. What is he on?

[YourBrainOnReligion]

@genobahamut1337 He's high on Jesus man.. he's a helluva drug. ;)

[Mulholland107]

"Maybe they should label this a hate book"

GOOD IDEA!!! Someone call the SPLC!

[AtheistAussie]

What's the bet that in 10 years he will be caught getting a blow job from a callboy?

[Conquistador2112]

@Mulholland107 No shit, I'm so sick of religion.

[gearzone2611]

Hate thoughts, or maybe hate groups is now a criminal? Just a question. If so, then the entire 99.9% of the books in the face of the world would be gone forever! This hate-crime is quite clever of dilluting the entire nation into a tyrannical system. Why would you criminalized a hate-groups when they're only practicing what they believe. If someone hate the hate-groups, aren't they practicing hate-crimes too? Its time for those pro-hate crimes to practice individualism and not feel-good conform!

[MamaMario13]

sadly, he and the WBC are actually good, honest christians because that is exactly what the bible teaches

[moeschizlac]

This guy is following Fred Phelps foot steps. Phelps and his flock picketed Shepard's funeral on 17 October 1998, holding signs proclaiming "GOD HATES FAGS" and similar slogans, later installing a "memorial" on the church website which proclaims: Matthew Shepard has been in hell for 2102 days. Eternity - 2102 days = Eternity.

[moeschizlac]

@TheEYeZzZz Because terrorists are dangerous. They are religious extremist. The Bible says love your enemies and not hate. Jesus doesn't teach to hate. What I don't like about a lot of religious leaders is that they twist the words of the Bible to fit their own political agenda which is control, wealth,and power. Next he is going to tell his congregation to kill them. Do you remember what happened to Matthew Shepard? What did Reverend Fred Phelps say about Matthew Shepard's death?

[koopaking400]

It's people like this that give Christians a bad name. If this pastor actually READ the bible, then he would know to love your enemies (such as Barrack Obama and homosexuals) he probably wouldn't let homosexuals in his church.

[9844wp]

Fundamentalists are lower than worms. All of them.

[MansonFan64]

Goddamn, its all of the fucking baptists.

[moeschizlac]

This guy is a religious terrorist. This is how terrorism begins. They need to arrest him.

[moeschizlac]

The Demiurge just love to create violence and manipulate people : \