BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A Boise pastor has gone viral on TikTok for his views on pride month and the LGBTQ community.
One of the videos, which has received almost 75,000 views, questions a portion of a sermon he wrote to counter pride month.
"I don't care if you're bi, I don't care if you're tri. I don't care if you're quasi. I don't care what you are, okay, stop emailing, stop texting and asking if you can come to the church because the answer is no," Joe Jones, pastor of Shield of Faith Baptist Church, says in a video posted to the church's YouTube page.
Jones told CBS2 on Friday that he's openly against welcoming anyone from the LGBTQ community into his congregation, which has about 50 people. He also screens people before allowing them to join the small church, located near Cole Road and Northview.
"If Jesus was in charge of this nation. If he was the king and our leaders reported directly to him, we would not have a pride month," Jones said. "There would be no sodomites, he would have them removed from the land."
Donald Williamson, director of Boise Pride, says he wishes he was shocked after seeing the sermon on YouTube.
"Disheartening, to say the least, infuriating and just sad," Williamson told CBS2. "This is just pure hate speech, and it's dangerous."
Jones doesn't directly tell his congregation to harm people in the queer community, but Williamson fears it could happen anyway.
"You're asking for something to happen," he says. "He's throwing gas on the wood and he's just waiting for someone to toss in the match and that's dangerous."
Jones doubled down when asked by CBS2 whether he stands firm on sending the message that no one from the LGBTQ community is welcome at his church.
"I wish the government would bring back the Buggery laws of the 16, 1700s and implement the law of the Bible," Jones said.
The Buggery Act of 1553 made homosexuality punishable by death in England.
Jones tells CBS2 he does not want anyone from his congregation to harm anyone.
"That's unlawful in this country. We don't condone [hate crimes]. You wouldn't be able to attend this church if you were out doing stuff like that," Jones told CBS2.
This all happening as Boise police are investigating 35 Pride flags that were damaged and stolen this week.
Pride celebrations are going on in the area through the end of the month.
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