Aaron Jackson's charity Planting Peace
has launched a crowdfunding campaign to send lumps of coal on
Christmas Eve to “naughty pastor” who called for the execution of
gays.
Steven L. Anderson, pastor at Faithful
Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona, made headlines last week when
he told his congregation that an AIDS-free world is possible by
Christmas. “[I]f you execute the homos like God recommends, you
wouldn't have all this AIDS running rampant,” he said.
He backed up his claims in a follow up
interview, saying that the Bible commands the government to execute
gays.
“Well, it's not my job or the job of
Christians to kill homosexuals,” Anderson
said in Spanish. “But according to the Bible it is the job of
the government to execute criminals and according to the Bible they
are criminals. And it's the job of the government to execute
killers, murderers and also homosexuals, according to the Bible.”
Planting Peace, which has previously
targeted the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, responded with a
crowdfunding campaign on Crowdrise.com.
“In response to his ridiculous and
unbelievably offensive statement, Planting Peace invites you to make
a donation that will go toward helping people with HIV/AIDS,” the
group says in its pitch. “It's clear to us that Pastor Anderson
falls on the 'naughty list' this year, so in addition, for ever
donation we receive Planting Peace will send a lump of coal to Pastor
Anderson in a festive package tied with a bow that will be delivered
on Christmas Eve.”
As of Sunday, Planting Peace's campaign
had surpassed its initial goal of $10,000 and was close to doubling
it.