Pastor’s Violent Threat Against LGBTQ+ Sends Shockwaves!

A Texas preacher, known for his inflammatory rhetoric, has sparked outrage by openly advocating for the execution of two gay pastors and the leaders of a church that hosted them. Dillon Awes, a preacher based in Watauga, took aim at Pastor Charles Andrew Stanley, the founder of North Point Ministries, a prominent evangelical megachurch. Awes harshly criticized Stanley for allowing two married gay men to speak from his pulpit, going so far as to say that all three men should face the death penalty.

“What a nice guy Andy Stanley is. What a nice guy you are for letting children in your congregation be abused by pedophiles,” Awes proclaimed. His words were filled with venom as he continued, “How nice of all the pastors today that are enabling sexual predators in their church to harm people permanently, to scar them for life, to hurt them spiritually, because you just want to be nice. Well, you know what? Go to Hell, Andy Stanley, and every single pastor like you — go to Hell.”

Christian hate-preacher Dillon Awes is furious that a popular pastor let gay men speak at his conference.

"Now there's f****ts behind the pulpit!… These f****ts should get a bullet in their brain!… They should get the death penalty, not be preaching behind the pulpit." pic.twitter.com/5BXImJuvVi

— Hemant Mehta (@hemantmehta) August 28, 2024

Throughout his sermon, Awes repeatedly used derogatory language, referring to the two men as “sodomites” and employing slurs aimed at their sexual orientation. He made baseless accusations, claiming that the two men sought to corrupt children with their message and labeling them as “pedophiles” without providing any evidence. Awes also asserted that exposing children to LGBTQ+ identities was inherently harmful, despite a lack of supporting facts.

“Now they’re behind the pulpit. Why? Because of nice guys like Andy Stanley that won’t say what needs to be said, which is that these guys should get a bullet in their brain, that they should get the death penalty not be preaching behind the pulpit,” Awes continued in his tirade.

What Awes failed to address in his rant is the well-documented instances of child abuse perpetrated by clergymen who are not LGBTQ+. His focus remained singularly on attacking the LGBTQ+ community while ignoring the broader issue of abuse within religious institutions.

This isn’t the first time Awes has used his platform to incite violence against LGBTQ+ individuals. In a 2022 sermon, he made similarly disturbing statements, calling for queer people to be “lined up against the wall and shot in the back of the head.”

Awes has a history with controversial religious groups. He was once a preacher for Stedfast Baptist Church, a congregation that distanced itself from mainstream Baptist denominations. The church eventually split after its lead pastor was exposed for soliciting prostitutes and engaging in gambling. Following this scandal, Awes became part of the New Independent Fundamental Baptist (New IFB) movement, an organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated as a hate group.

Awes’ latest comments have reignited debates about the role of religious leaders in promoting hate and violence. His words, filled with aggression and devoid of compassion, stand in stark contrast to the message of love and acceptance that many other religious leaders strive to convey. As public discourse around the intersection of faith and LGBTQ+ rights continues, voices like Awes’ serve as a reminder of the divisive and dangerous rhetoric that can emerge from the pulpit.