Faithful Word Baptist Church

Faithful Word Baptist Church
Founded December 25, 2005 (December 25, 2005)
Founder Steven L. Anderson, Pastor
Type Nonprofit church
Registration no. 1254011-8[1]
Location
Website faithfulwordbaptist.org

Faithful Word Baptist Church is a fundamentalist Baptist church in Tempe, Arizona, in the United States. The church describes itself as "an old-fashioned, independent, fundamental, King James Bible only, soul-winning Baptist church."[2] Members of the church meet in an office space located in a strip mall.[2][3] Steven L. Anderson established the church in December 2005 and remains its pastor.

In August 2009, the church received national attention when Anderson stated in a sermon that he was praying for the death of President Barack Obama. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) listed Faithful Word Baptist Church as an "anti-gay" hate group, citing its pastor's "extremely radical stands" that homosexuals, if judged according to the Law of Moses, should be put to death.[4]

Doctrine

The Faithful Word Baptist Church's doctrinal statement is posted on its website. The church believes that the King James Bible is the inspired Word of God and is without error. The church also believes in the post-tribulation rapture, salvation by grace through faith, eternal salvation through Jesus Christ and eternal torment in hell for the unsaved. Among the church's beliefs are that life begins at conception, that homosexuality is a sin and an abomination which God punishes with the death penalty, and an opposition to worldliness, formalism, modernism and liberalism.[5]

In March 2015, Anderson published a documentary called Marching to Zion, in which he argued that the anticipated Jewish messiah is the Antichrist, and that the Talmud is blasphemous.[6] In May 2015, Anderson created a YouTube video promoting Holocaust denial.[7]

History

Establishment

Steven L. Anderson established the church on Christmas Day (December 25) in 2005 as a "totally independent organization".[4] The church's website states: "Faithful Word Baptist Church is a totally independent Baptist church, and Pastor Anderson was sent out by a totally independent Baptist church to start it the old-fashioned way by knocking doors and winning souls to Christ."[8] The site of the church in a strip mall was used by Anderson's fire alarm installation business, as well. When questioned about the relationship between the for-profit business and not-for-profit church in 2009, Anderson responded angrily.[9][10][11][3] In 2015, the congregation numbered around 150 parishioners.[12]

Border Patrol checkpoint incident

Anderson made national news following a confrontation with United States Border Patrol agents at an interior checkpoint on Interstate 8, about 70 miles east of Yuma, Arizona. A police dog gave an alert on sniffing Anderson's car, and Anderson refused to move his car or roll down his windows, triggering a 90-minute standoff and the calling of Arizona Department of Public Safety officers to the scene. The confrontation ended when authorities broke Anderson's car windows and forced him to the ground. Anderson asserts that authorities beat him and shocked him repeatedly with a Taser while he was lying prone on the ground.[13]

At his arraignment in April 2009, Anderson pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of resisting a lawful order. He was acquitted by a jury of the two charges in August 2010.[14]

National attention over sermon on President Obama

The church received national attention in the United States in August 2009, when Anderson reportedly gave a sermon—entitled "Why I Hate Barack Obama"—in which he said that he prayed for the death of the president.[15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Anderson did not solicit the killing of the President while suggesting that the country would "benefit" from Obama's death.[22] Anderson also told local television station KNXV-TV that he would like Obama to die of natural causes, as he does not "want him to be a martyr" as "we don't need another holiday."[22] Anderson told columnist Michelangelo Signorile that he "would not judge or condemn" anyone who killed the president.[4]

Anderson's invective against Obama stems in part from Anderson's opposition to Obama's support for abortion rights.[23][24][25] Anderson then was the recipient of death threats while a group, People Against Clergy Who Preach Hate, organized a "love rally" attended by approximately a hundred people outside the church.[3][23][26]

The day after Anderson delivered his "Why I Hate Barack Obama" sermon, one of his parishioners, Chris Broughton, carried an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and a pistol at the Phoenix Convention Center, where President Obama was speaking.[3][27][28] Broughton explained that he was not motivated by the sermon although he agreed with it.[23] The New Mexico Independent reported that Broughton's appearance at the rally was part of a publicity stunt organized by conservative radio talk show host Ernest Hancock, who also came to the rally armed, and engaged in a staged interview with Broughton which was later broadcast on YouTube.[29] Anderson told ABC News affiliate KNXV-TV in Phoenix that the Secret Service contacted him after this event.[3]

Anti-gay comments and hate group designation

The SPLC has listed the church as an anti-gay hate group,[30][31] noting that Anderson described gays as "sodomites who recruit through rape" and "recruit through molestation."[4] In explaining the hate group designation, the SPLC noted Anderson' position that homosexuals should be killed, citing a sermon in which he said: "The biggest hypocrite in the world is the person who believes in the death penalty for murderers but not for homosexuals."[4][25] A few days after the listing, Anderson stated: "I do hate homosexuals and if hating homosexuals makes our church a hate group then that's what we are." Anderson has also been vocal of his hate for the transgender community, stating during a sermon that he hopes Caitlyn Jenner's heart explodes.[32]

In a sermon, Anderson said that in the November 2015 Paris attacks the victims brought the attack upon themselves by being devil worshipers for attending a concert by the Eagles of Death Metal, and that France was a sinful nation.[33] In a YouTube video (subsequently removed for violating the website's hate-speech policy) Anderson said of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting that it was good that there were 50 less pedophiles in this world, but bad that there were survivors, and that there would be backlash against gun rights and religious fundamentalism, both Christian and Islamic. He said that the killings should not have been carried out extralegally by a vigilante, but rather "through the proper channels by a righteous government".[34][35][36]

Bans

In September 2016, after Anderson had announced his intention to travel to South Africa, Malusi Gigaba, the Minister for Home Affairs banned Anderson and his followers, citing the Constitution of South Africa and stating "I have identified Steven Anderson as an undesirable person to travel to South Africa".[37]

Anderson was also banned from the United Kingdom[38][39] leading him to change his travel route to Botswana by flying via Ethiopia.[40] On 20 September 2016, Anderson was banned and deported from Botswana.[41][42]

In a YouTube video, Anderson mentioned a planned trip to Malawi to set up a church there.[43] Malawian authorities subsequently made known he would not be welcome and would be banned.[44][45]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Corporate File". Arizona Corporation Commission. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Faithful Word Baptist Church. "Faithful Word Baptist Church - Phoenix, AZ". Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 James, Susan Donaldson (September 7, 2009). "Protesters Rally Against Pastor's 'Why I Hate Obama' Sermon". ABC News. Retrieved August 25, 2012. a Faithful Word congregation member who showed up outside of the Phoenix Convention Center toting an assault rifle in August, when Obama spoke there.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Schlatter, Evelyn. "18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda: Faithful Word Baptist Church". SPLC. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Doctrinal Statement". Tempe, Arizona: Faithful Word Baptist Church. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  6. ↑ Borkett-Jones, Lucinda (10 December 2014). "Anti-gay pastor Steven Anderson tricks rabbis into making anti-Semitic film". Christian Today. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Anti-Semitic Pastor Steve Anderson Promotes Holocaust Denial". Anti-Defamation League. June 1, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Our pastor". Faithful Word Baptist Church. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  9. ↑ Lemons, Stephen (September 10, 2009). "Steven Anderson's Three Alarm Baptist Church: Barry Lynn of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State Weighs In". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  10. ↑ Lemons, Stephen (September 6, 2009). "Steven Anderson Flips Out, Admits Business and Church Share an Address, Says He's Been Contacted by U.S. Secret Service (w/Update)". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  11. ↑ Riley, Jennifer (September 8, 2009). "'I Hate Obama' Pastor Draws Protesters Outside Church". Christian Post. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  12. ↑ Magahern, Jimmy (June 2015). "West of Westboro". Phoenixmag.com. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  13. ↑ J.J. Hensley, Tempe pastor says border agents stopped, beat him, Arizona Republic (April 17, 2009).
  14. ↑ Gilbert, James (August 13, 2010). "Pastor acquitted in Interstate 8 checkpoint incident". Yuma Sun.
  15. ↑ Allen Jr., Eddie B. (August 31, 2009). "Arizona Pastor Calls for Obama Death". BET. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  16. ↑ Felten, David; Procter-Murphy, Jeff (2012). Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity. HarperCollins , ISBN 9780062201287
  17. ↑ Blewett, James (2010). Can I Get Baptized in Fruit Punch? Tate Publishing, ISBN 9781617390142
  18. ↑ Wright, John (2011). The Obama Haters: Behind the Right-Wing Campaign of Lies, Innuendo & Racism. Potomac Books, ISBN 9781597975735
  19. ↑ John Avlon. (2010). Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America. Beast Books, ISBN 9780984295104
  20. ↑ King, Colbert I. (September 20, 2009). "Obama haters see him as the enemy". Nashua Telegraph.
  21. ↑ Brody, David (August 31, 2009). "A Hateful 'Sermon' Against President Obama". CBN. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  22. 1 2 Sundby, Alex (September 8, 2009). "Minister in Spotlight After Obama Death Prayers". CBS News. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  23. 1 2 3 "Phoenix Pastor Draws Protests After Telling Church He Prays for Obama's Death". Fox News. August 31, 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  24. ↑ Hodges, Corey J. (September 11, 2009). "Preacher's anti-Obama sermon goes against the Bible". Salt Lake Tribune.
  25. 1 2 Doland, Gwyneth (December 4, 2009). "Kokesh and the guy who brought an assault rifle to an Obama event". New Mexico Independent. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  26. ↑ Reid, Betty (September 6, 2009). "Church defends pastor; protesters rally". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  27. ↑ King, Colbert I. (September 18, 2009). "Obama needs prayers amid growing hostility". The Washington Post.
  28. ↑ Reid, Betty (September 6, 2009). "Church defends pastor; protesters rally". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, AZ. p. B.8. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  29. ↑ Doland, Gwyneth (December 4, 2009). "Kokesh and the guy who brought an assault rifle to an Obama event". The New Mexico Independent. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  30. ↑ Lengell, Sean. "Family Research Council labeled a 'hate group'". The Washington Times. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  31. ↑ King, James. "Tempe Church Labeled Hate Group; Pastor Tells New Times Government Should Put Homosexuals to Death". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  32. ↑ Salandra, Adam. "Pastor Prays Caitlyn Jenner's Heart Explodes In Her Chest". NewNowNext. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  33. ↑ Hogan, Shanna (November 19, 2015). "Extremist Arizona Pastor Attacks Victims of Paris Attacks". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  34. ↑ Lemons, Stephen (June 13, 2016). "Tempe Pastor Steven Anderson Praises Orlando Massacre for Leaving '50 Less Pedophiles in This World' (Video)". Phoenix New Times.
  35. ↑ Woods, Mark (June 13, 2016). "Orlando shootings: There's only one answer to people who peddle hate". Christian Today.
  36. ↑ Bever, Lindsey (June 14, 2016). "Pastor refuses to mourn Orlando victims: 'The tragedy is that more of them didn't die'". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  37. ↑ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37349683
  38. ↑ "Gay hating preacher who called Orlando victims 'paedophiles' banned from coming to UK". 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  39. ↑ "Anti-gay pastor Steven Anderson banned from UK | Christian News on Christian Today". www.christiantoday.com. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  40. ↑ "Anti-gay pastor barred from South-Africa: 'It's not really that cool of a place.'". Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  41. ↑ "Botswana to deport anti-gay US pastor Steven Anderson". BBC News. 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  42. ↑ "Botswana deports U.S. pastor Steven Anderson over anti-gay views". Reuters. 2016-09-20. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  43. ↑ Stephen KJV1611 (2016-10-24), Faithful Word Baptist Church Malawi 2017, retrieved 2016-10-26
  44. ↑ "Govt. blocks anti-gay pastor from coming to Malawi". Malawi24. 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  45. ↑ Collison, Carl. "Malawi government says 'kill the gays' pastor 'will not be received' in the country". The M&G Online. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
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