Hate preacher defends unhinged colleagues alleged wife-beating in shocking video
A notorious anti-LGBTQ+ Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) hate pastor has been caught on tape defending the domestic violence of a fellow hate-mongering preacher in a recently posted covert recording.In the video recording of a phone conversation between John Anderson the estranged son of Pastor Steven Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona and Pastor Jonathan Shelley (a fellow anti-LGBTQ+ IFB leader), Shelley bends over backward to excuse John Andersons accusations his father beat his mother with an electrical cord countless times, slapped her hard across the face repeatedly, and left her bloodied on numerous occasions. Related Hate preacher says hed rather eat his own vomit than be gay in unhinged sermon He then pretended to eat his own vomit in front of his congregation to show how serious he was. In the call, John Anderson notes the hypocrisy and deceit his father has displayed, publicly denying accusations by him and his sibling (admitted Nazi Issac Anderson) that Steven Anderson punched his wife with a closed fist. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today My dads been meeting with his church members and said, I have never hit my wife, physically laid hands on her, which is something that is blatantly not true, because I saw him hit her on a regular basis for years. Thats something my other siblings can attest to. You can ask any of them.Its important to kind of identify what were talking about, Shelley advises him. I just want to know from your perspective, youre saying that you witnessed your dad with a closed fist punch your mom, and you saw that?No, I never said that. He slapped her, John says after detailing the electrical cord beatings and other violent abuse that both he, his siblings and his mother endured.I have spoken with your dad about some intimate details. Frankly speaking, he told me that he never closed-fist hit your mom.Screenshot/Twitter Hate Pastor Jonathan Shelley Shelley uses the distinction to justify Steven Andersons behavior as consensual discipline of a wife by her husband. That distinction, according to Shelley, justifies Steven Andersons public denials of his childrens allegations, and the alternative abuse itself.Heres the thing, John, Shelley says. Im not going to disqualify a pastor over domestic abuse because the Bible is silent on that.I asked him if he used physical discipline on your mom, Shelley continued, and he told me that whatever he had done between him and your mom was consensual, and that it was behind closed doors, you know, and that whatever his kids were aware of were an exaggeration of what happened.Shelley added that wife-beating in America that was legal for hundreds of years and exercised by many people regularly.John Anderson countered, Being gay is legal in America right now, and you dont think thats okay.In response to the audio recording post, Steven Anderson denied the allegations. Steven Anderson has responded to this video, saying :"just because I'm a pastor, it doesn't mean that people have the right to know everything that's going on between me and my wife behind the closed doors of our bedroom. It's inappropriate to discuss those things publicly, and Protestia (@Protestia) September 25, 2024Both Shelley and Steven Anderson preach that homosexuality is a perversion punishable by death.In 2021, Shelley asked his congregants, Are you sad when f*gs die? No. I think its great! I hope they all die! I would love it if every f*g would die right now.In another sermon, Shelley observed, If someone walks into a homo bar and shoots em all, shoots a bunch of homos and kills all of them, you know how many tears Id shed for that? Zero, he said, adding that he doesnt care how many of them die because they worship the devil. Steven Anderson has said we would rather eat his own vomit than be gay in one unhinged sermon. Like his enabler Shelley, violent hatred of gay people is a recurring theme in his theology and church leadership. Quoted one Christian commenter in reply to the audio recording post, Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife that your prayers be not hindered. It sounds like Stephen Anderson has an uncertain eternity.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.