Fake Christian Pastor Dies from “God’s Message to Fornicators and Gay Americans”

This is not a funny story, because someone lost their life. However, hypocrisy creates its own form of humor.

I believe that the greatest enemy to freedom is organized religion. By their very design free thought is denied. The fact that religions are a creation of mortal men, they cannot be trusted.

Fact: religious leaders are multimillionaires, although most .of their followers are low income or impoverished

It is important here to offer a fact: today’s Republican Party in name only is owned by the Christian Religious Right: the CRR. This is the only reason why same-sex marriage and abortion are political issues. What they should be are personal rights as guaranteed by the first amendment; matters of privacy.

America is a diverse nation with a history of controversy. However, interference by the CRR and the acceptance of this fact by an entire political party, is a continuing violation of the first amendment.

Irvin Baxter Jr. is an anti-gay Christian pastor; or should I say “was?” He constantly preached that the coronavirus is God’s punishment for gays and non-virgin brides. Really; I couldn’t make this shit up.

“There are 7.5 million unmarried couples living together in the United States,” Baxter said in an episode of ‘”The Jim Bakker Show.” “That means 15 million people are living together unmarried, and that’s increased over the last 10 years by 138 percent.”

He complained that, per his own research, “5 percent of new brides in America are virgins.” That means 95 percent have already committed fornication,

He also thought that God, for some reason, needed to rely on foreshadowing.

“God may be using this as a wake-up call. This coronavirus may be a privilege, because I will tell you right now, there is a much bigger judgment coming.”

If you’re into “dark humor,” this is your chance to laugh. Guess who just died from Covid-19. That’s right: Pastor Irvin Baxter Jr. The irony is overwhelming.

You need to know that although I was raised a Catholic, and at one time considered the priesthood as a vocation, today I am one of nearly 70 million Americans who reject organized religion, and question the existence of a “God.”

I adamantly protect your right to practice whatever faith you choose, but my right to reject all religions is equally protected under the first amendment. My belief is that free thought offers a greater opportunity to seek a higher level of spirituality every day; I do not need a man standing behind a pulpit telling me how to achieve a better me.

This is America, and why I have been proud to wear the title of “American citizen” for 74 years. This is one of the only places in the world where individuality is a respected right. The ‘herd mentality’ creates clones. Freedom to be you offers an opportunity for great ideas which benefit all mankind. Most religions require their members to share the same thoughts and obey rules without questioning them.

With Trump about to leave the White House, our country has an opportunity to become a great nation. Racism will creep back into the shadows. Compassion and understanding will return to our nation and replace the anger and hatred of the Trump administration. Diversity will be celebrated, the title American will mean something unique; respected by the people of the world.

Op-ed by James Turnage

Photo courtesy of David Shankbone

My writing can be found HERE