On a Facebook thread about LGBTQ issues I found, unsurprisingly, that a lot of people who insist they aren’t anti-LGBTQ put a lot of effort into pretending Christianity isn’t a problem. In response to one gay person saying, “We just want to live,” the apologist argued “no one’s not letting you live.”
It is upsetting that the discussion in this country always softens the conservative Christian position on this, including a refusal to discuss the fact that at the heart of the movement to roll back gay rights are people who have openly admitted they think we should be subject to capital punishment.
Rather than look these up over and over again in order to inform people that, yes, there are people opposed to us being alive, I am just going to keep a running list.
I know for a fact that I have not been able to locate many, many examples I have seen over the years, starting during George W. Bush’s administration (Thanks Google Search enshittification!)
And I also know for a fact that there are many more clergy and politicians who hold these views that have not made local news or Internet reports.
2024
WA – Robert Larson – New IFB Church
“Pastors associated with New IFB regularly call for violence against LGBTQ+ people, using the most hateful and demeaning language possible.
“You know, a couple of my friends in the New IFB,” Larson continued, “they got in hot water because they said that they should line up all the fa**ots and, you know, and put them in front of a firing squad. I think that’s too easy. I think they should get the electric chair, make it a little more painful.””
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/02/hate-preacher-says-gays-should-be-killed-by-electric-chair-because-its-a-little-more-painful/
2023
MT – John Russell Howald
“Howald set out to rid the town of all LGBTQI+ members by killing them. He shot into the home of a lesbian resident, nearly killing her, with the hope of inspiring similar attacks around the country.”
GA – Deven Rogers – New IFB Church
“It’d be better for a millstone to be cast about their neck and for them to be drowned in the sea. That’s what I hope they all do. Kill themselves. [Fake gasp.]
I’m not gonna do it! I’m not gonna kill ‘em! The government should! We’re going to read that in a minute. The government should kill them. The government should convict them of the crime of sodomy, and put them to death, and then line ‘em up and shoot ‘em in the back of the head”
https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/hate-preacher-gays-should-be-executed
TX – Duncan Urbanek – Pure Words Baptist Church
““They deserve the death penalty!” Urbanek insisted.
“They should be arrested. The police should arrest them, go to court, provide the evidence and then perform a public execution. And then all the nations would look at this nation and there’s no homos? They’d be like, ‘Wow, that is a wise nation!’” he continued.
“I mean, the world should just be looking at Uganda right now and be, like, ‘Man, Uganda? Y’all know what’s going on!’” he said, smiling, referring to Uganda’s recently passed bill that bans people from even identifying as LGBTQ+ and allows the death penalty for homosexual acts.”
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/07/christian-preacher-says-the-world-would-call-the-us-a-wise-nation-if-it-stoned-gay-people-to-death/
WA – Jason Graber – Sure Foundation Baptist Church
“Jason Graber, one of the pastors of Sure Foundation Baptist Church was filmed passionately telling his congregation that parents of Trans kids “need to be convicted in trial and immediately shot in the back of the head, and then we can string them up above a bridge so the public can see the consequences of that kind of wickedness.””
https://www.sgn.org/story.php?325817
TX – Jonathan Shelley – Stedfast Baptist Church
“A minister who preaches that homosexuality merits the death penalty railed against Pride Month at the Arlington City Council meeting in Texas this week, saying the Bible teaches “we should hate pride, not celebrate it.”
“God’s already ruled that murder, adultery, witchcraft, rape, bestiality, and homosexuality are crimes worthy of capital punishment,” Jonathan Shelley, pastor of Stedfast Baptist Church in Fort Worth, said at the council meeting Tuesday.”
https://www.advocate.com/pride/2022/5/27/texas-pastor-jonathan-shelley-who-wants-death-penalty-gays-rails-against-pride-month
MI – Tim Walberg – R(MI)
A Republican member of the House of Representatives spoke in support of a Ugandan law that allows the death penalty for those convicted of “aggravated homosexuality.”
The Young Turks reported in December that Rep. Tim Walberg, who’s represented Michigan in Congress since 2011, made the speech in October in Uganda at a national prayer breakfast with the country’s president in attendance.
In his speech, Walberg, a former pastor, railed against “the World Health Organization, or the United Nations, or sadly some in our administration in America” who have spoken out against a new Ugandan law from May criminalizing homosexuality.
https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-house-member-support-foreign-law-kills-gay-people-2023-12
SC – Mark Burns – R(SC)
“Burns said the underlying goal of those he called “the LGBT transgender grooming our children’s minds” is to destabilize the country. He said that parents and teachers discuss LGBTQ+ issues with children are a “national security threat” to the U.S.
“That’s why when I’m elected, I don’t want to just vote. I want to start holding people accountable for treason to the Constitution. I am going to push to reenact HUAC,” he said, referring to the House Un-American Activities Committee.
…
“We need to hold people for treason, start having some public hearings, and start executing people who are found guilty for their treasonous acts against the Constitution of the United States of America,” Burns concluded. “Just like they did back in 1776.””
https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/6/14/pro-trump-sc-candidate-mark-burns-calls-executing-allies-lgbtq-kids
2022
TX – Dillon Awes – Stedfast Baptist Church
“A Texas baptist church — labeled an “anti-LGBT hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center — has caused outrage after a pastor said gay people should be “lined up against the wall and shot in the back of the head.””
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/texas-pastor-says-gay-people-shot-back-head-shocking-sermon-rcna32748
ID – Joe Jones – Faith Baptist Church
“In another even more disturbing incident, Pastor Joe Jones of the Shield of Faith Baptist Church in Boise stated in a recent video sermon posted about four weeks ago that has gone viral, that “sodomites are reptilians.” he also said: “It’s not God’s fault, he told nations how to deal with that. He told the nation that he ruled: Put them to death. Put all queers to death.””
https://www.idahopress.com/boiseweekly/news/local_and_state/hate-speech-from-the-pulpit-joe-jones-pastor-at-shield-of-faith-baptist-church-in/article_b4cab5c4-9958-597c-8e49-96d70d4f9707.html
TX – Tanner Furrh – Stedfast Baptist Church
“Brother Tanner Furrh of the Stedfast Baptist Church in Watauga, Texas called for death to lesbians during a sermon this weekend, saying that getting “a bullet in their head is too nice.””
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/06/christian-preacher-calls-death-lesbians-putting-bullet-head-nice/
MS – Robert Foster – R(MS)
““Some of y’all still want to try and find political compromise with those that want to groom our school aged children and pretend men are women, etc,” the former Republican representative from Hernando, Miss., wrote in a Thursday night tweet. “I think they need to be lined up against (a) wall before a firing squad to be sent to an early judgment.””
https://www.mississippifreepress.org/22283/ex-gop-gov-candidate-calls-for-firing-squad-for-trans-rights-supporters-political-foes
2020
FL – Mike Hill – R(SC)
“Moments later a member of the audience spoke up.
“In 1 Corinthians, it says that a man who has an affair with another man will be put to death,” a man in the audience says to Hill.
Hill responded by saying, “It says that in the Old Testament, too.” Another person asked if he would introduce that legislation (to put gay people to death). The suggestion drew laughter from the room and from Hill.
“I wonder how that would go over,” Hill said.”
https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/05/31/rep-mike-hill-laughing-at-suggestion-that-gay-floridians-be-executed-draws-bipartisan-condemnation/1301454001/
2019
TX – Donnie Romero – Stedfast Baptist Church
“Romero draws laughs from his congregation as he recalls several times he harassed strangers he perceived as homosexual — including a transgender woman in line behind him at Walmart, a “bull dyke” with a “Bart Simpson haircut,” and two teenage boys at an amusement park.
“These queers are right in front of us, and they were holding hands, and I said, ‘No, I am not going to be right next to these guys,’” Romero said. “Who knows what they’re going to do on this Ferris wheel?”
Romero said gays should be marked for death, unlike other sinners, because he said God views them as an abomination.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2014/12/texas-pastor-brags-about-harassing-lesbians-as-he-calls-for-death-of-dirty-fggots/
TN – Grayson Fritts – All Scripture Baptist Church
““God has instilled the power of civil government to send the police in 2019 out to the LGBT freaks and arrest them and have a trial for them, and if they are convicted, then they are to be put to death,” he said in the clip.”
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/14/us/tennessee-preacher-cop-lgbtq/index.html
2018
Matt Powell – Crossroads Baptist Church
“He said: “As far as homosexuality goes, you know, I believe the Bible puts the death penalty on it. I believe it’s disgusting.”
Fiction then goes on to ask: “You don’t believe that gay people should be stoned to death, do you?”
To which Powell – who also hosts a YouTube channel – replied: “I believe the Bible puts the death penalty on it.
“Obviously, not by me or anybody in a regular society, obviously. I believe it’s the government’s job to execute criminals.
“I believe that the Bible says clearly that homosexuality is criminal crime. It’s a crime. It’s one of the worst crimes ever.””
https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/world/christian-preacher-said-us-government-should-execute-all-gay-people-296064/
2016
CA – Roger Jiminez – Verity Baptist Church
“The pastor claims he’s not trying to incite hate, or advocating for arming up and killing gay people, despite saying in the Sunday sermon hours after the Orlando massacre, “If we lived in a righteous government, they should round them all up and put them up against a firing wall, and blow their brains out.””
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sacramento-baptist-pastor-roger-jiminez-post-orlando-anti-gay-preaching/
2015
CA – Matt McLaughlin – Attorney
“A ballot proposal criminalizing sodomy and allowing the death penalty for anyone who “touches another person of the same gender for purposes of sexual gratification” is moving forward because constitutionally, there is really no way to stop it, despite the neo-Nazi nature of the proposed law.
Huntington Beach attorney Matt McLaughlin filed papers to begin gathering signatures for the ballot measure, the “Sodomite Suppression Act” on February 26th.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/death-penalty-for-gays-ballot-initiative-mclaughlin-harris-california-capital-punishment-sodomy/
NC – Robert Lee – Ten Commandments Church
“A pastor has sparked outrage after comparing gay people to murderers.
Robert Lee made the controversial comments after coming under fire for unveiling a banner outside his church which read: “Homosexuality is a death worthy crime”.
Another sign said: “Gays and lesbians are disgraces to humanity”.”
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/gays-just-like-murderers-pastor-5618133
2014
OK – Scott Esk – R(OK)
“Someone asked – “So just to be clear, you think we should execute homosexuals (presumably by stoning)?”
Esk responds – “I think we would be totally in the right to do it. That goes against some parts of libertarianism, I realize, and I’m largely libertarian, but ignoring as a nation things that are worthy of death is very remiss.””
https://kfor.com/news/oklahoma-political-candidate-expresses-extreme-views-on-homosexuality/
2012
NC – Charles Worley – Providence Road Baptist Church
“”I had a way… I figured a way out – a way to get rid of all the lesbians and queers – but I couldn’t get it past the Congress,” he said.””
https://www.wbtv.com/story/18577233/nc-pastor-wants-to-isolate-gays-lesbians-until-they-die-out/
KS – Curtis Knapp – New Hope Baptist Church
“The Kansas-based pastor who argued that the U.S. government should put gay people “to death” is now defending his statements in an exclusive CNN interview.
“We punish pedophilia,” Pastor Curtis Knapp of the New Hope Baptist Church in Seneca, Kan. “We punish incest, we punish polygamy and various things. It’s only homosexuality that is lifted out as an exemption.”
As reported earlier this week by Good As You blogger Jeremy Hooper, Knapp appeared to call for the death of gays in a sermon. Hooper proclaimed: “Oh, so you’re saying we should go out and start killing them? No, I’m saying the government should. They won’t, but they should.””
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/curtis-knapp-kansas-pastor-death-of-gays-defense-cnn_n_1559293
MD – Robert Anderson – Colonial Baptist Church
“Speaking during a panel discussion on the ballot initiative, Rev. Robert Anderson said queer rights advocates are “worthy of death.””
https://www.qsaltlake.com/news/2012/10/25/maryland-pastor-says-gays-and-supporters-worthy-of-death/
2010
AZ – Steven Anderson – Faithful Word Baptist Church
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.
https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/tempe-church-labeled-hate-group-pastor-tells-new-times-government-should-put-homosexuals-to-death-6645232