A video has picked up attention online for showing a well-known, anti-LGBTQ hate preacher. What makes this one different is that it shows him surrounded by young kids in the front of his makeshift pulpit.
Queerty has written before about Pastor Jonathan Shelley of the Stedfast Baptist Church in Hurst, near Fort Worth, Texas. In 2019, Shelley gave a sermon in which he welcomed the death of a 75-year-old man who was accidentally run over at a Pride event in Wilton Manors.
Related: Texas, Baptist preacher celebrates gay man’s death at Wilton Manors Pride
“And, you know, it’s great when trucks accidentally go through those, you know, parades,” Pastor Jonathan Shelley said then. “I think only one person died. So hopefully we can hope for more in the future.”
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In a video posted to its YouTube channel yesterday, Shelley delivered another so-called ‘Hard Preaching.”
This time, the camera reveals that a dozen or so young kids sit on the floor just in front of him, and have to endure a 90-minute sermon of hate. Hemant Mehta, a writer and podcaster, posted a short clip to Twitter.
Christian hate-preacher Jonathan Shelley’s sermons sound even worse when you see children sitting in the front. pic.twitter.com/iwq51y2JRD
— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) March 6, 2022
In it, Shelley tells his audience that “fornicators are not welcome in the church. So if there’s a whore, she’s supposed to be thrown out until she repents and gets back in. And then on top of that, the sodomites are never allowed in for any vow!”
He then goes on to mock a “sodomite”:
“‘Oh, I promise I’m saved!’ No, get away!
“‘I love the Lord.’ No, you don’t. Get away from me.
“‘Love is love’ No. There’s no promise you could make, there’s nothing you can say, you’re never welcome. Go away. I just can’t wait until you go to hell.”
As Mehta points out, “Shelley’s sermons sound even worse when you see children sitting in the front.”
It’s not known where this latest church service took place. A couple of weeks ago, a judge in Texas gave the church five days to vacate its building. Its landlord had filed for eviction saying the church had broken the terms of its lease. A Tarrant County judge agreed.
Related: Hate church called for death to gay people. Now they’re getting what they deserve.
The building Stedfast operated from is owned by the nonprofit organization Fellowship of the Sword Inc. It said that sermons advocating violence had led to protests outside the building.
“He was preaching from the premises, that is called a ‘true threat’ of violence, which is not protected under the First Amendment,” attorney Frank Hill, representing the owners, told the Star-Telegram.
“People need to be told that even a church can’t go around spewing threats of violence,” he continued.
Besides being told to relocate, the church was also ordered to pay $42,000 in attorney’s fees.
Shelley posted a video responding to the court’s decision, in which he doubled down on his hateful views.
“The situation is really unprecedented,” Shelley said. “In fact, even the enemies of our church are gloating and bragging about the fact that our church is being evicted for what we believe and what we preach.
“Today, you’re not allowed to preach what the Bible says without receiving a lot of harassment, a lot of persecution.”
He went on to say, “I’ve never advocated violence towards any singular person … I’ve only ever advocated for the legally sanctioned death penalty for homosexuals.”
Cam
Don’t let any of these anti-LGBTQ preachers near kids. So many right wing Republican preachers and members of these religious sects turn out to be child molesters. Along the “Josh Duggar” line.
jt1990
Cam finally we agree on something! Typically these hard-core anti gay pastors have something to hide. Though I often disagree with homos, primarily due to their wacky left leaning political views, I don’t celebrate someone’s death just because of their same-sex attraction. Outspokenly homophobic pastors and sex offending go together like apple pie and vanilla ice cream. I apologize for the reference, I just can’t stop thinking about dessert! Anyway, this guy is a textbook case. And oftentimes their crimes are same-sex child molestation of victims in the 7-10 years old range. I’d say in the next couple years, Pastor Shelley’s mugshot will make one Hell of a report for Queerty, no pun intended.
Mister P
What he is spewing is a threat to the children more than hormone therapy could ever be. He should be charged with child abuse.
Chrisk
One of Steven Andersons proteges trying to make a name for himself I see.
I’d like to see his psycho cult followers get charged with child abuse which this most certainly is. As someone who grew up in that I feel so sorry for those brainwashed in hate kids. They don’t stand a chance to grow up normally.
jt1990
In this case I hope the parents also get charged for letting their kids around this man. People like him (see my reply to Cam) have a tendency towards sexual assault, rape, and other sociopathic crimes, especially towards the naiive and vulnerable. The immediate concern would be the kids being molested, particularly the younger males.
In my response to Cam, I forgot to mention a story from my nephew’s hometown. This happened about a year ago in South Carolina…a very outspoken anti-gay youth pastor was busted for communicating with a minor on some social app. The boy he was talking to was 14 years old; messages were actually posted on facebook at one point of him asking the minor for sexual favors.
Also note that I’m no leftist by any means, but this Pastor Shelley guy is ridiculous!
IvanPH
What’s more problematic are the parents who let their children listen to this lowlife of a preacher. I really pity these kids growing up with parents like them. I just hope that they survive this insufferable brainwashing and indoctrination to a belief full of hatred.
rangerwilcox
the little girl in front, with the dress and jacket… that’s how it should be. ignore his hateful sermon, give it no mind.
radiooutmike
What a monster he is.
Children really don’t know what hate is unless you teach them about it.
Ken A.
Those poor kids having to sit on the hard floor for 90 minutes listening to the ravings of a madman. Parents of those kids should be arrested for abuse and negligence.
barryaksarben
ANYONE that focused on gays is most probably a closet case that will never find happiness in his life because he can never see it
Jim
Why give an asshole like this any coverage? He needs to vanish into anonymity, or jail when he’s arrested for being a pedophile.
BigJohnSF
you’ll pardon the expression, but major gay face on this one
johncp56
Yes organized religions are evil, how is this protecting and teaching children, with hate of others wow just wow,
Joshua333
Okay but can we talk about how the adults sound like a cult, all responding in the same way.
Jaquelope
I have a very strong feeling that he’s going to get slapped down, HARD, when it’s his time to stand before his Lord and Savior and is told, “Begone! I never knew you!” At times, I wish God would do some more smiting of the wicked, and blast him in the middle of one of his hate-sermons.
mailliw110
Didn’t Floriduh just make it illegal to say the word gay? And why would little kids know anything about fornication?
Cozmo2
Plaster say sodomits are going to hell. Well I hope they serve wine and I’ll see that paster there with the whores he’s talking about.
johncp56
LOL FL say gay is worse than this guy sure!!? hate through God wow they let him spew this to children teaching them to hate and kill wow scummy sticky creep !!!!!