Tennessee Pastor Demands the Arrest and Execution of Members of the LGBT Community
Grayson Fritts, from Knoxville, Tennessee, is currently under fire after saying that LGBT people should be arrested, tried, and if convicted, sentenced to death.
According to the pastor, who is also a detective for the Knox County Sheriff's Office, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are "freaks" and "worthy of death."
In the sermon delivered, Fritts accused law enforcement of chasing the wrong people, which he described as "cookie thieves," and that they should really go after the "animals" at the Pride Parade.
LGTB FORBIDDEN FROM ENTERING THE CHURCH
Fritts, a pastor at the All Scripture Baptist Church, urged the government to send a riot team to the Pride Parade, which is scheduled to take place on June 22.
The Pastor's hatred for homosexuality has been made quite clear in the church's website as part of its Doctrinal Statement:
"God said homosexuality should be punished with the death penalty, as set forth in Leviticus 20:13. No homosexual will be allowed to attend or join All Scripture Baptist Church."
CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION
After Fritts' controversial statements, Charme P. Allen, from the Knox County District Attorney's Office, started reviewing all pending cases involving the pastor.
According to the district attorney, she is "ethically bound" to investigate a person after an expression of hatred towards a class of citizens, and will be looking for potential bias in the cases Fritts worked on as a detective.
NOT SORRY FOR WHAT HE SAID
After the controversy hit social media, the Pastor was quick to say that he did not call for violence against members of the LGBT community and was only preaching the bible.
According to the pastor, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are "freaks" and "worthy of death."
Fritts suggested that, as a Baptist preacher, he was practicing his religion and if his words offended society, then there was nothing he could do about it.
PRIDE PARADE AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL
Eight months ago, Izzy Montague, a Christian mother from South East London claimed she was victimized after refusing to allow her son to attend a gay parade at his school, Heavers Farm Primary School.
Montague said that, for keeping her son at home, he was given detention, as every student is expected to attend school events. She was also faced with a t-shirt that said: "Why so homophobic?"
However, the mother explained that she meant no offense and only wanted her son to "receive an education, rather than indoctrination."