loved by whom

Jesus loves me when I'm good.
When I do the things I should.
Jesus loves me when I'm bad,
but it makes him oh so sad.(“Jesus Loves Me This I Know”)

Forever and ever those who believe they are direct soldiers of God, seem to think as long as they insist God has spoken to them that all the harm they do to anyone deemed unGodlike is hunky/dory-peachy keen. If the soldiers for God stand upon the mount, recite God’s name a few dozen times, clutch their Bible firmly in their right hand and victimize the pronounced sinner, only good can come from this bad. Hate is okay if it has God’s approval, bigotry fine if the Lord provided permission, and lies can be recited as long as they are followed by an AMEN.

AND as long as all that venom and vile is not shared with anyone who might find offense in using the Lord’s name in vein, or question this poison as not being made from a God like elixir, then the soldier can proceed on the battlefield and claim victory...of course in God’s name.

Needing yet one more scapegoat, one more enemy, one more excuse for his own bias and bigotry, Pastor Sean Hiller provided his flock of lemming like parishioners with the following sermon:

A North Carolina pastor appeared to use a recent sermon to encourage parents in his flock to hit the gay out of their kids if they thought the young ones were displaying homosexual tendencies.

Sean Hiller  senior pastor of the Berean Baptist Church in Fayetteville, greenlit parents to punch their kids to "squash like a cockroach" any stereotypically gay behavior.

"Dads, the second you see your son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist. Man up. Give him a good punch. OK?" Harris preached in the audio. "And when your daughter starts acting too Butch you rein her in."(Daily News.com)

Jesus loves me! this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
they are weak but He is strong.(“Jesus Loves Me This I Know”)

Most bully’s feed on the fear of others. Many a religious bully feels empowered by his/her own interpretation of the Good Book, and often times has little difficulty in keeping a lot good out of the Good Book and replacing it with a whole bunch of Bad. Bully’s are brave when they believe no one feels strong enough to question their play for power. Bully’s are braver when they think the entire crowd is cowering. And bully’s are bravest when they are sure NO ONE will ever question their will or way.

But then Pastor Sean Harris was caught:

A Fayetteville pastor says he was joking when he told parents in a sermon Sunday to hit children who show signs of being gay.

Sean Harris, pastor of Berean Baptist Church on Glensford Drive, said he does not advocate hitting children and wishes he could take back a remark encouraging fathers to punch boys who act effeminately.

But he defended his belief in the need to reinforce traditional gender roles in children.

"If I had to say it again, I would say it differently, no doubt," Harris said Tuesday. "Those weren't planned words, but what I do stand by is that the word of God makes it clear that effeminate behavior is ungodly. I'm not going to compromise on that." (fayobserver.com)

Pastor Sean Harris was found out and called out regarding his disdain for children, proper parenting, and abuse. Thinking he could scream and shout fire in a theater from a safe distance as those in the theater run for their lives in a mad dash, he was proud of himself and his hate filled speech. UNTIL, those with sense, moral values, and a real understanding of God confronted him and his sermon. And like any bully when they are caught in the act, with tears streaming down a check or two, they insist the words were misconstrued. I didn’t mean what I said, at least, well I meant them but now that I am caught, awwww shucks, that’s not at all what I was saying.

Too often the negative message is said, spreads like a virus, as was the intent, and is glued to the psyches of those who need validation for their own hate. Too often the evil is spread upon the land and once set free able to destroy the intended victims. And too often it is disguised as words from a God.

If you actually knew shame Pastor Sean Harris that would be a start.

When the nights are dark and long,
In my heart He puts a song.
Telling me in words so clear,
"Have no fear, for I am near." (“Jesus Loves Me This I Know”)