These Texans Protested Outside the Church of an Anti-Gay Christian Hate-Preacher

Pastor Jonathan Shelley of Stedfast Baptist Church in Hurst, Texas recently celebrated a gay man’s death at a Pride parade, then told his congregation, “I think it’s great! I hope they all die! I would love it if every f*g would die right now… I really mean it!”

He later reiterated that sentiment:

None of that was surprising coming from the head of a New Independent Fundamental Baptist church. It’s not the first time Shelley has called for executions either.

But yesterday, a group of people in his city decided to protest in a public area outside his church. The group, which was organized on Facebook, wasn’t trying to stop Shelley or change his mind — good luck with that — but they focused their message on people in the community who may not be aware of what Stedfast Baptist is teaching.

I doubt anyone present there expects to change minds of the people inside the church — not in a single day, anyway — but given the bigotry that’s being spread inside the building, it’s important for the public to recognize that one hate-preacher doesn’t represent the community.

Incidentally, Shelley responded to them in one of his sermons, saying only that if protesters really wanted to go after a bad church, they should go after the more moderate ones for not truly preaching the Word of God.

(Images via the No Hate in Hurst Facebook group)