There are so many things that happened in Orlando in the matter of one week. But for some reason, I found this one of the most disheartening things. It made me sad to know that in a world that is already so hateful, those who should be spreading love are doing the opposite.
“The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die. The tragedy is — I’m kind of upset that he didn’t finish the job!” These are just a few words stated in the sermon by Pastor Roger Jimenez from Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento in regards to the Orlando Massacre.
He also went as far as comparing them to predators and abusers.
“They take advantage of people,” said Jimenez. “And look, as Christians, we need to take these stands that it is not our job to sit there and say, oh, this is a tragedy, or oh, this is something we mourn. Look, the Bible paints the picture that these are wicked people. These are evil people.”
I find it disheartening that a leader of a congregation is teaching those who follow him to hate so deeply. I find it even more discouraging that he still has a congregation because that means that there are others who think the same way as him. In fact, an Arizona pastor by the name of Steven Anderson posted a similar response in the form of a YouTube video.
“I’m not sad about it; I’m not going to cry about it,” Anderson said of the massacre, adding that the victims “We're going to die of AIDS and syphilis and whatever else; they were going to die early anyway.”
Are you serious? Those are the only words to describe what I am feeling at this very moment and here is why: he didn't commit the murders but he is just as ill as the guy who did. How can anyone support the taking of innocent lives? How can anyone support someone who believes in that?
As someone who does not even attend the church of either of the pastors, I was disgusted. What is even worse are the comments from “Christians” that were left after the video. No life is less valuable than the next. The beliefs and sexual orientation of someone else are no one else’s business but their own. As a pastor, it is not your job to spread hate and voice your opinions. It is your job to preach the word and spread love. We cannot improve a world full of hate with more hate. Truthfully, that is the very thing that drives the violence taking place.
With everything negative that is happening today, what we all need are prayers. The hateful and hurtful words spoken by these two pastors are intolerable and do not reflect the values of the Christian community.
#IStandWithOrlando
1 John 4:20
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”
