The last time we posted about Guillermo Maldonado, the Trump-supporting megachurch pastor who founded the King Jesus International Ministry (in Florida) and hosted an event for Trump’s re-election campaign earlier in the year, he was criticizing members of his own congregation for staying “home in the cave afraid of the virus.”
That was back in March. Florida has since been one of the worst states at combatting COVID in large part because the Republicans running the state never pushed for a shutdown or mask mandate. Gov. Ron DeSantis even banned local governments from enforcing mask mandates on their own.
And yet Maldonado is still denying the severity of the virus. Even worse, he urged his congregation on Sunday not to get any vaccine against it because that’s what Satan wants.
“People, I want you to look at me,” Maldonado said, as he frequently switched between speaking English and Spanish. “That is exactly what is happening with COVID-19. They’re preparing the structure for the Antichrist. How? The vaccine. They’re gonna demand for you to have the vaccine in your passport, otherwise you will not be able to travel. Because they are preparing the way.”
“The vaccines, they are made to alter your DNA,” he continued. “They are made to track you down. Do not [take] the vaccine. Believe in the blood of Jesus. Believe in divine immunity.”
Everything he just said is a lie. Maldonado doesn’t care about lying because he’s a Christian who believes lying is always okay in the name of Jesus.
Saying the vaccine will alter your DNA is both a scare tactic and an admission of ignorance. Saying it’s the will of the Antichrist is just batshit delusional.
What’s especially insane is that he’s saying all this as people wear masks in his audience. Somehow they’re aware of the need for a piece of cloth to prevent the virus from spreading… yet they think a vaccine would go against the will of God.
Suggesting people obtain “divine immunity” is just code for “I don’t care if you or your family members die.” Maldonado is leading a death cult — and unfortunately the gullibility of his audience could affect the lives of everyone they meet, too.
For these people, Christianity is causing as much harm as the virus. We’d be better off if they took COVID more seriously.
(via Right Wing Watch)
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