I was surfing the cable news channels this week and caught part of an interview of a nice looking young minister from Tempe, Arizona named Steve Anderson. I got a real jolt when I suddenly realized the picture didn't match the words I was hearing. This fresh-faced, wholesome looking young man was advocating the death penalty for homosexuals and equating them with pedophiles.

Notwithstanding the fact that homosexuality is not even a crime in this Country, much less one deserving of Capital Punishment; plus the fact that 99%of all pedophiles are heterosexual, I was frankly gobsmacked. Maybe because my Dad was a Baptist Preacher all his adult life, or because I am an ordained Southern Baptist Deacon, or because I happen to know, like and respect several folk who happen to be gay; for whatever reason, my interest was piqued.

The young Preacher mans the pulpit at Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe. It may just be Faithful Word Church at this time, since their Baptist Affiliation is reportedly in a state of flux. A google search turned up both recordings and transcripts of sermons by the good preacher during which he outlines his rationale for his proposed, rather draconian treatment of gays: it seems that their numbers are ever-increasing and, since they are incapable of biological reproduction, Pastor Steve deducts that they are growing their numbers by "recruiting"; that is, seducing and "converting" our youngsters to homosexuality. The fact that our population as a whole is growing seems to have escaped him.

Both "Crooks and Liars" and "Right Wing Watch" have reported extensively on Anderson and according to David Neiwert and Pam Spaulding, respectively, it gets worse. In an August 16, 2009 sermon he states that he is sick and tired of having the Government run by "faggots" and cites Rep. Barney Frank as the main culprit. He goes on to express "hatred" for President Obama for his support of women's right to choose and for "bringing lewdness" into the White House... I can't help you with that one. He equates homosexuals with "animals" and "not human" therefore, somehow deserving of extinction. Pastor Anderson states he does not pray for President Obama, but if he were to do so, he would pray "for his death." Apparently, for Anderson, lewdness and homosexuality are unpardonable sins. I have a passing acquaintance with the Old and New Testaments, having read them from cover to cover many times and continuing daily. There are prohibitions against homosexual behavior. The Old Testament judges it an offense worthy of death, along with gathering firewood on the Sabbath or touching the Ark of the Covenant. Paul's letters in the New Testament are definitely not in favor of it, nor of women speaking in church or disobeying their husbands, for that matter.

So the question I'm left with is this: what would motivate a Christian Evangelical Preacher to soil his tongue with such vitriol when his commission is to preach the Gospel, the "Good News"? The Christian Evangelical Message is a positive one; a message of hope, redemption and forgiveness. What could prompt this young minister to take such a harsh turn in his Doctrine? Other preachers come to mind; specifically, Brother Ted Haggard. He was especially harsh when it came to preaching against sexual lasciviousness of all stripes. That is, when he wasn't hooking up with his favorite male prostitute for sex and drugs. Pastor Haggard is out of the Preaching business now, apparently trying to "unlearn" his homosexual tendencies. With his undeniably "light" loafers now empty, could it be that brother Steve is trying them on for size? American history is replete with men who have their personal demons, but attack others for those very same "shortcomings". Psychologists have a name for that behavior: they call it Projection. Google it or check a dictionary if you don't believe me. I personally don't know much about psychology, I just figure if the shoe fits, wear it.