A Louisiana preacher's virulent anti-gay sermon went viral for the inclusion of a phrase that, quite honestly, deserves to be on display inside the Museum of Modern Art.
Evangelical Christian pastor Tony Spell—who got himself arrested last year for repeatedly refusing to comply with pandemic restrictions—gave an impassioned speech in which he called for "manly preachers."
Spell ranted:
"There's enough f*g, queer, skinny-jeaned, homo-effeminate, sissy preachers out there with makeup and mascara on their eyes for the camera."
"Isn't it about time you get some sweat on your forehead? Isn't it about time you get some dirt under your nails and get some grease on your hands?"
"Isn't it about time you get some blood on your sword? Cursed be the man that keepeth his sword from blood."
"We need heroes in this hour! "
"Heroes have callused knees."
Yes, you read that right.
"Heroes might get terminated from their jobs. Heroes might not get invited to the family reunion."
The "heroes have callused knees" statement immediately drew attention.
Spell's reputation flared up last year when he said "true Christians don't mind dying" in a pandemic as he ignored restrictions to have an Easter Mass with over 1,000 attendees.
One of his parishioners would go on to die from the disease.
A blog under Spell's name, last updated around 2016, implied homosexuality was one of the reasons for the great flood in the Book Of Genesis.
He also compared marriage equality to polygamy and said "same-sex marriage gives the benefit of sexual pleasure and marital rights, while separating themselves from the responsibility of reproduction," implying straight people needed to reproduce in order for them to be worthy of sexual pleasure or legal rights under the law.
Of all the knowledge Spell hopes to pass on to his congregation, clearly the definition of "irony" is not included.
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