“They hate God”: Cape Town’s anti-gay pastor at it again

It appears that Cape Town hate pastor Oscar Bougardt cannot stop himself from continuing to attack the LGBTQ community, despite the threat of jail.

In May, the preacher was again found guilty of making comments that are “discriminatory or incite hatred or harm on the grounds of sexual orientation.” This was in connection with his violating a 2014 court order in which he agreed to stop making anti-LGBTQ hate statements.

The judge ordered Bougardt to draft an apology for his comments (a month later, it remains unclear if he has done so). The judge further sentenced the pastor to prison for a period of thirty days, suspended for five years on condition that he does not again violate the court order.

On Monday, however, Bougardt posted a photograph on his Facebook page of someone holding up a poster that reads: “Every time you see a Rainbow, God is having gay sex! Just kidding. There is no God.”

Bougardt wrote alongside the image: “Blasphemy personified, as Christian in South Africa we not allowed to say anything about this blasphemous posters, if we do we will be locked up. Wake up Christians children of God we need to stand up stand out and preach the truth. Sick. I want you to share so that the world can see what they think of God”.

The outraged pastor gave no context for the image, where it came from and who created it. It is not clear if the image is from South Africa or elsewhere or when and where the photo was taken.

And while Bougardt is certainly entitled to be offended and take whatever action he deems appropriate against the individual who held up the poster, he instead went on to condemn LGBTQ people as sick, unchristian and God-hating on the basis of the image.

“We not allowed to say anything about their sick lifestyle but this is what they post,” said Bougardt. He added. “Share and asked your friends to share. They hate God.”

One individual commented: “I hate these GOD haters,” to which Bougard replied: “Indeed they are.” While the LGBT community was not specifically mentioned, it is quite clear who “they” are. This is further affirmed by another of Bougardt’s comments on the image, in which he writes: “Read Romans 1 God has given them over to their own reprobates minds.” (Romans 1:26-27 is often cited as a Biblical condemnation of homosexuality.)

Since at least 2011, Bougardt has conducted a vile campaign against the LGBTQ community, accusing gay people of being child molesters and sinful perverts. In September 24, 2015, for example, he wrote: “We need Isis to come to countries who are homosexual friendly. Isis. Please come rid South Africa of homosexual curse.” In January this year, Bougardt claimed that Cape Town’s drought is God’s “divine judgement” because it “is the capital sodomite city of the world…”

Attempts to contact Bougardt via Facebook and his mobile phone for comment were unsuccessful.