Pastor Roger Jimenez is learning the hard way that sometimes actions do, indeed, have consequences.
Jimenez made headlines last week when he launched into a hateful diatribe praising the Orlando mass shooting.
“Are you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed today?” the pastor of Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento said in his sermon just hours after the massacre. “Um no, I think that’s great! I think that helps society. I think Orlando, Florida is a little safer tonight.”
He followed that up by saying Christians “don’t need to do anything to help” and suggested the government “round them [gays] all up and put them up against a firing wall, and blow their brains out.”
Related: Christian Pastor Hopes God “Finishes The Job” And Kills Orlando Survivors
Well, it appears the landlord who owns the building where Verity Baptist Church congregates got wind of the sermon and didn’t appreciate it. So he’s terminating their lease.
According the property managerment company Harsch Investment Properties, Jimenez’s speech violates a clause in their lease agreement which states “tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives” will not be tolerated.
Since the lease doesn’t technically expire until 2017, Harsch Investment Properties says it will not renew the congregation’s lease. They have also met with Jimenez to encourage him to move out sooner, saying they won’t impose a penalty for breaking the lease.
“We have many places of worship and other religious organizations in the properties we manage,” company officials stated in a press release. “Like all our tenants, their occupancy rights are protected in their leases.”
Related: Conservative Wingnuts Waste No Time Using Orlando Tragedy To Further Political Agendas
The statement continues: “Just as we respect the right of individuals to speak their views, as distasteful as they may be, we also respect the right of others to protest as a reflection of their values. For decades, the owners and staff at Harsch Investment Properties have supported the LGBT community and many other organizations whose missions are to further respect, dignity and the ability for all individuals to live their lives as they wish.”
dinard38
Awesome!!!!!!
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
Very awesome indeed!!!
Tackle
It’s so hard to believe that someone can be that harsh and insensitive with there words. Such a sick twisted mind…
Stache
@Tackle: Especially, since the shithead isn’t even from here. He’s from Venezuela.
Bob LaBlah
How much you wanna bet that the good reverend featured here ISN’T married? Enough said.
MacAdvisor
As a resident of Sacramento, CA, where this church is located, I ashamed my town has such a place. It is like the Westboro of the West.
However, I think the landlord will have great problem getting them out before the expiration of the lease in 2017. The landlord, through its property management company, cannot renew the lease and force the church to move then, but forcing them to move early for the religious beliefs of their pastor, however hateful, is going to be difficult. The California Constitution gives greater protection to free speech than does the US Constitution. In the case Pruneyard Shopping Center v. Robins, 447 U.S. 74 (1980). the US Supreme Court upheld the more expansive protections the California Supreme Court provided. Thus, unless the landlord could show the church presented an actual threat to others, they would likely not prevail in an eviction proceeding.
I know these people are awful and I am not defending them. However, there are a couple principals I don’t think we should lose sight of in the heat of the moment. I don’t think we want landlords controlling the messages of their tenants, particularly churches. I also don’t think we want controversial enterprises to lose their spaces. The gay rights movement was once at the mercy of this and I think the best solution to hate speech is more speech, not controlled speech.
Sansacro
@MacAdvisor: Sure, with you. But what about the advocacy of violence against a group. There is a line between free speech and the advocacy of violence.
i.e., Court’s 1969 decision in Brandenburg v. Ohio. “There the Court said the government could not take action against a member of the Ku Klux Klan, who said, among other things, ‘We’re not a revengent organization, but if our President, our Congress, our Supreme Court, continues to suppress the white, Caucasian race, it’s possible that there might have to be some revengence taken.’ The speaker did not explicitly advocate illegal acts or illegal violence. But in its decision, the Court announced a broad principle, ruling that the right to free speech does ‘not permit a State to forbid or proscribe advocacy of the use of force or of law violation except where such advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action.’ (http://prospect.org/article/violent-speech-right)
Kangol
Glad the lease had that clause so the landlord could send him packing.
But like so many Christian ministers (including his pal also mentioned on the current Queerty front page), he can spew all the anti-gay hate including calling for gays to be summarily killed he wants but we don’t have to worry because he’s not Muslim, correct?
jud
I want to email Harsch Investment Properties in Sacramento, but I only find a phone number.
Does anyone know what an email address would be for them to thank them and honor them with their stand against this monster and his followers?
Email me at [email protected]
thanks
and thanks so very much to Harsch for its integrity.
rcktetr
I’m all for us gays having a better understanding of Christian people and I think we need to be more tolerate and open to them instead if having animosity and judgement, like we hope to receive. However this pastor is nuts and dangerous and hate filled. Good bye sir. You are a disgrace to Christianity.
martinbakman
@Bob LaBlah: That was my first thought as well, but no, he is married with a gaggle of kids living in in this lower middle class ‘hood. Hopefully he won’t succeed at being another nutty, rich Cali preacher.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6183512,-121.4886182,3a,37.5y,197.3h,84.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZUdJERipX5JDdgrwUK1GIA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1
KerryB
Religion is the only contagious form of MENTAL ILLNESS!
Louis
Despicable bastard and bravo to this man for doing the right thing kick this despicable bigots ass out as he most assuredly deserves.
I doubt when this disgusting man dies many people will cry tears of sadness.
Rimminit
I don’t think there’s a judge in California who wouldn’t agree that the terms of the lease were in violation when the pastor spewed hateful rhotoric publicly.
James
Landlords statement & contact details here http://www.harsch.com/news/459/
DMRX
@MacAdvisor: You’re adding words that don’t exist in the story. The management company has “encouraged” them to move out sooner. The company has not tried to “force” them out.
DMRX
@jud: Looks like calling is the only option for that office, but you could send a message via Facebook to them.
lykeitiz
@MacAdvisor: Can you read? This lunatic suggested having us rounded up & killed by firing squad.
Here in FL, we have “Stand Your Ground” law, and if he were to say that in person to someone here, they would be in their legal right to put that sick dog down.
Hopefully that will happen before this nutjob causes another Pulse incident.
There should be NO tolerance for dangerous people like him.
Billysees
@Tackle:
” It’s so hard to believe that someone can be that harsh and insensitive with there words. Such a sick twisted mind… ”
It is hard to believe especially since he proclaims Christianity. Fundamentalists often quote 2 Chron 7:14…….Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
In other words, if these same fundamentalists will ‘turn from their wicked ways’ of loveless attitudes and comments about others. Christian conversation and attitudes should always be seasoned with grace and salt. To speak with grace means to say what is wholesome, fitting, kind, sensitive, purposeful, complementary, gentle, truthful, loving, and thoughtful.
@MacAdvisor:
” …I think the best solution to hate speech is more speech… ”
I think you should’ve said — the best solution to hate speech is love speech. Overcome evil (hate speech) with good (love speech)……Romans 12:21
@Kangol:
” Glad the lease had that clause so the landlord could send him packing. ”
@rcktetr:
” …this pastor is nuts and dangerous and hate filled…You are a disgrace to Christianity. ”
—–
The preaching from this guy is from a loveless fundamentalist mindset. And they probably think they’re being persecuted and wonder why their words and attitudes are not acceptable. Here’s why —
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men…..Matthew 5:13
Christian conversation and attitudes should always be seasoned with grace and salt. To speak with grace means to say what is wholesome, fitting, kind, sensitive, purposeful, complementary, gentle, truthful, loving, and thoughtful.
Hateful, mean-spirited and scornful public rhetoric, even cynically quoted scripture by some angry, immature, conservative, fundamentalist Christians, namely towards LGBTs, is constantly being ‘thrown out’ and ‘trampled on’ by all sorts of mature minded folks who simply know better and because they better understand the benefits of expressing common-sense and love-sense attitudes.
The moral of this story should be —
Christianity without good quality works and deeds and with all kinds of loving attitudes included won’t amount to a hill of beans…….James 2:26
M K
Harsch Investment Prooerties is based in Portland, Oregon and is owned by the Schnitzer family, with Harold Schnitzer as the family patriarch and Son Jirdon Schnitzer running day-to-day activities.
M K
That would be, son, Jordon Scnitzer….
silveroracle
@Tackle:
Could this pasteur not have been arrested for trying to incite hatred?
Curtispsf
@martinbakman: Are you saying that the HOME ADDRESS of this anti-gay violent preacher man is 303 Run Circle Lane, Sacramento? If so, it might be time for some protesters to show up in HIS neighborhood. Nonviolent, mind you but definitely in HIS face. Just a thought /|\