Los Angeles Times: Pastor Roger Jimenez touched off a firestorm of controversy after he posted a YouTube video of his sermon in which he praised the June 11 massacre of 49 people and called the victims pedophiles and predators.
“I think Orlando, Fla., is a little safer tonight,” he told his congregation, equating members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community to sexual predators. “The tragedy is more of them didn’t die…. I’m kind of upset he didn’t finish the job!”
Jimenez also said if it were up to him, gays and lesbians would be lined up against a wall so a firing squad could “blow their brains out.”
The video, which has since been removed, triggered backlash against the church and pastor from religious leaders and the LGBT community.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson condemned Jimenez’s statements and a group of 700 area pastors known as the Sacramento City Pastors Fellowship issued a statement to denounce the pastor’s comments.
