Teh One Who Knocks
06-18-2016, 11:07 AM
Tobias Salinger - New York Daily News
http://i.imgur.com/vA6uQ8Pl.jpg
Christians who think the Orlando massacre shows God’s wrath against LGBT people are spouting “the worst theology I’ve ever heard,” an evangelical Ohio pastor said.
CrossLink Community Church Pastor Dave Bever recorded a Facebook video after the early Sunday attack on the gay nightclub Pulse, which killed 49 people. His video from the Grove City church, near Columbus, had been viewed 11 million times Friday.
“Don’t you dare, and don’t you ever allow anyone to state no belief that, somehow, in some sick, twisted way God had anything to do with that,” Bever said in the seven-minute video. “That was not judgement for homosexuality. That was not God’s wrath. That was not God’s correction.”
He continued: “That is the worst theology I’ve ever heard. And if you’re a preacher or you’re a pastor or you’re a Christian, and you are going around today quoting scripture and telling people that that’s the wrath of God, then shame on you.”
Bever spoke the same day the pastor of an independent Baptist church in Sacramento, Calif., Roger Jimenez, celebrated the attack from his pulpit at Verity Baptist Church.
“The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die,” Jimenez said. “I’m kind of upset he didn’t finish the job — because these people are predators.”
He went on to call for the government to round up all LGBT people and “put them up against a firing wall, put the firing squad in front of them and blow their brains out.”
Baptist leaders nationwide rejected Jimenez’s comments, and Republican Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick apologized on Sunday for a tweet hours after the massacre he said had been scheduled well in advance of the killing.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows," the tweet said, quoting Galatians 6:7.
Patrick said later that he “regrets the unfortunate timing.”
Bever didn’t say in the video who specifically had inspired his comments. Facebook users had shared his post almost 300,000 times and written over 3,700 comments in response to it Friday.
“I’m gonna be part of the change,” Bever said in the video. “I don’t have to endorse sin. I don’t have to embrace everyone’s beliefs or lifestyle. But I can tell you this: I will treat every human being with dignity. I will treat every human being with respect. And anyone and everyone that rides with me, if you ride with me in your life, I will hold you accountable to do the same thing.”
http://i.imgur.com/vA6uQ8Pl.jpg
Christians who think the Orlando massacre shows God’s wrath against LGBT people are spouting “the worst theology I’ve ever heard,” an evangelical Ohio pastor said.
CrossLink Community Church Pastor Dave Bever recorded a Facebook video after the early Sunday attack on the gay nightclub Pulse, which killed 49 people. His video from the Grove City church, near Columbus, had been viewed 11 million times Friday.
“Don’t you dare, and don’t you ever allow anyone to state no belief that, somehow, in some sick, twisted way God had anything to do with that,” Bever said in the seven-minute video. “That was not judgement for homosexuality. That was not God’s wrath. That was not God’s correction.”
He continued: “That is the worst theology I’ve ever heard. And if you’re a preacher or you’re a pastor or you’re a Christian, and you are going around today quoting scripture and telling people that that’s the wrath of God, then shame on you.”
Bever spoke the same day the pastor of an independent Baptist church in Sacramento, Calif., Roger Jimenez, celebrated the attack from his pulpit at Verity Baptist Church.
“The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die,” Jimenez said. “I’m kind of upset he didn’t finish the job — because these people are predators.”
He went on to call for the government to round up all LGBT people and “put them up against a firing wall, put the firing squad in front of them and blow their brains out.”
Baptist leaders nationwide rejected Jimenez’s comments, and Republican Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick apologized on Sunday for a tweet hours after the massacre he said had been scheduled well in advance of the killing.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows," the tweet said, quoting Galatians 6:7.
Patrick said later that he “regrets the unfortunate timing.”
Bever didn’t say in the video who specifically had inspired his comments. Facebook users had shared his post almost 300,000 times and written over 3,700 comments in response to it Friday.
“I’m gonna be part of the change,” Bever said in the video. “I don’t have to endorse sin. I don’t have to embrace everyone’s beliefs or lifestyle. But I can tell you this: I will treat every human being with dignity. I will treat every human being with respect. And anyone and everyone that rides with me, if you ride with me in your life, I will hold you accountable to do the same thing.”