Pastor Steven Anderson has used his position at Faithful World Baptist Church, in Tempe, Arizona to bring just a little more hate into the world. Pastor Anderson is praying for the death of President Obama and an eternity in hell.
“Nope. I’m not gonna pray for his good. I’m going to pray that he dies and goes to hell. When I go to bed tonight, that’s what I’m going to pray. And you say, ‘Are you just saying that?’ No. When I go to bed tonight, Steven L. Anderson is going to pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell.”
This is of course not the first death-dealing prayers to be spoken by preachers in the United States, including such prayers for the death of President Obama, judges, or others.
Of course, hate appears to come naturally to the good reverend in Arizona.
“… And yet you’re going to tell me that I’m supposed to pray for the socialist devil, murderer, infanticide, who wants to see young children and he wants to see babies killed through abortion and partial-birth abortion and all these different things — you’re gonna tell me I’m supposed to pray for God to give him a good lunch tomorrow while he’s in Phoenix, Arizona.”
Many have called for his arrest, which would be to combine an abusive use of the law with an abuse of the church.
18 U.S.C. 871 states:
(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
However, praying for the death of an individual is a long-accepted part of Christianity and other faiths. An “imprecatory prayer” is usually a reference to Psalm 35 where David calls upon the Lord to kill his enemies. There are a variety of imprecatory psalms containing curses or prayers for the punishment and death for one’s enemies. Psalms 7, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69, 79, 109, 137 and 139.
Such an arrest would be a deprivation of the free of speech and the free exercise of religion, in my view.
This does not mean that this not a matter of legitimate concern or investigation. It is being reported that the Christopher Broughton, the man who recently carried an AR-15 to the speech of President Obama on that trip to Arizona, is a follower of Rev. Anderson.
For the full story, click here.
Slart,
Sorry, I only use the King James, I mean 4th edition rules.
Gyges,
I’m not sure I like what’s being implied here. What do you mean I failed my saving throw? You didn’t even have the correct components to cast that spell – and I get +2 to all saves against lawyers…
Mespo,
I should say I didn’t mean to imply that you’d ever hang around the kind of people that would debate D&D rules, but I’m pretty sure at the very least Slarti will understand that comparison.
Mespo,
Theological debates remind me of the discussions I always overheard from my D&D playing room-mate and her friends.
You know DAMN WELL that if he was saying George W. Bush instead of Obama, he would of had a personal visit by the Secret Service by now.
Well, gee whiz, the Plutocratic Party, calling itself Republican, owns the flag, patriotism, the elements of the military-industrial-media complex, the Congressional members of said Party, and is supported by Jesus according to all the rightwing Stooges who are dedicated to the comfort and all but tax-free existence of the plutocrats. So how can anyone complain about this Baptist pastor, who after all is with the leading denomination of the Southern precincts of Dupedom South, which is the ultimate source of what is best for the Country?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/15/arts/15abroad.html?hp
Mike A:
“They are vicious in their hatred and terrified of what they do not understand. They are a pox on humanity and a stain on the values of our nation. Rev. Anderson needs to be called out as the vile, pernicious influence that he is.”
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Agreed my friend, but he is the logical extension of a belief system that is so muddled and contradictory that most any vice can march under it’s banner. Theological debates remind me a parsing pepper for fly specks: tedious, irritating , and ultimately pointless.
Mike Appleton:
“One of the great things about this site is that is brings together Christians, Jews, atheists, agnostics and, occasionally, a member of the Muslim faith.”
You’re only young once, but you can be Jungian forever.
Mike A,
Is not the Baptist a separate and distinct religion based upon its date in historical times similar to problems of dissatisfaction with Rome? If memory serves correctly it was the Baptist that were in Armenia (Anabaptist), then the Episcopal, Methodist (Salvation Army), Lutheran and then Presbyterian which separated from Rome? Not necessarily in that order.
I did a stint of about 14 months in the ESSW in Austin, before figuring that there was more politics in the church than in the legislature. More Egos to stoke if you want the right assignment. Then off to Law School I went.
One of the great things about this site is that is brings together Christians, Jews, atheists, agnostics and, occasionally, a member of the Muslim faith. Most of you know that I was raised as a Catholic and that I was a Jesuit seminarian for a time. That background has naturally shaped me in ways which I probably don’t fully understand myself, and it certainly impacts what I have to say on this subject. I finally listened to the You Tube recording of Rev. Anderson’s “sermon.” It is a prime example of what modern fundamentalism represents: a hate-filled, intellectually arid form of theological know-nothingism. Rev. Anderson is a disciple of the anti-intellectual movement that is Christian fundamentalism, people who have no understanding of or interest in history, theology, psychology, anthropology, geology or any of the other sciences. He is obviously unschooled in any of the biblical languages and his notions of the teachings of the New Testament are themselves a testament to his own ignorance. The simple fact is that for those who call themselves Christian, the central message of the New Testament is that the greatest commandment is love. That message supersedes the Old Testament for the believer. That central message is universally ignored by fundamentalists because they cannot reconcile its implications with their beliefs. They cannot reconcile its implications with their views of man and society. They cannot reconcile its implications with their vision of the United States as the symbol of God’s work on earth. They are vicious in their hatred and terrified of what they do not understand. They are a pox on humanity and a stain on the values of our nation. Rev. Anderson needs to be called out as the vile, pernicious influence that he is.
Pastor and his ilk have no idea how good they have it. Just imagine, for a moment, how the FBI would behave if Pastor were black; if the teabaggers were as well, and threatening armed resistance against the state. Can anyone really think that they would be treated any better than the Panthers?
Over at BBC, criminal psychologist Dr David Holmes examines the telephone interview given by alleged kidnapper Phillip Garrido. While the nature of Garrido’s purported crime is far different from Anderson’s stupidity, they both have religion in common. An interesting read:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8226329.stm
gocart mozart 1, August 29, 2009 at 6:22 pm
. . . or I could just join the Unitarian Church. (snark)
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That is bad. Good but bad.
Brothers and Sisters of all Races and Creeds, we will hold a special membership enrollment this Second Sunday of the First Monday for new members.
The purpose of the enrollment drive is to convert those to our way of life. You don’t have to believe to become a member. This is your choice. Seating will be limited to the first 30 thousand paying $50.00 enrollment and membership fees to join. There is a one time processing fee of $125.00.
I hope to see you soon as I believe that you will not feel as fleeced. We are open to suggestions at anytime. We will have a special box for the $25.00 suggestions; $50.00 suggestions $75.00 and $1000.00. Of course with all we will read according to the box that has the least suggestions first.
It is Our Divine belief that we have no deity to follow. Please make time to learn about the undivine.
The Very Most Reverend of Agnosticism
With the looks and a brain like Mr. Anderson’s, no wonder the only job he could find was one as a Baptist preacher. He should pray hard for gawd to improve his lack of personal attributes…
. . . or I could just join the Unitarian Church. (snark)
As an agnostic, I have often thought about forming an organized association whereby fellow non-believers can gather on a weekly basis to affirm our non-belief in a higher deity, but I could never get my mind to the point where I could fully commit to the idea that it was the right thing to do.
Slarti:
I did not have time to listen to the video. Yes it is true. That rhetoric is a “tad” bit out of hand. I wonder if he has a large congregation? I hope not, he should resign and go into the mountains for a few years for personal reflection.
Oh well, those crazy christian conservatives, what are you going to do with them? You cant live with em and you cant kill em.
Hopefully the “good” reverends “prayer” will fall on deaf ears.