Tim Tebow to be star speaker at church of controversial 'gay-hating and anti-Semitic pastor'

By Nina Golgowski

Published: | Updated:

NFL star Tim Tebow is joining forces with Texas’ famed anti-gay, anti-Semitic pastor for a speaking engagement that's guaranteed to heat the controversial Baptist church's pulpit to a new level.

The outspoken Christian quarterback is slated to speak before the First Baptist Dallas Church on April 28 where their reverend's preaching is known for its abomination of gays and outside religions.

In 2011 First Baptist’s Rev Robert Jeffress stated that '70 percent of the gay population' have AIDS while reciting an alleged quote by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force made in 2008.

New speaker: Quarterback Tim Tebow is scheduled to speak at the controversial Dallas First Baptist church whose pastor preaches messages of hate against gays and other religions

New speaker: Quarterback Tim Tebow is scheduled to speak at the controversial Dallas First Baptist church whose pastor preaches messages of hate against gays and other religions

In an outspoken interview in 2011 he also stated that Islam, Judaism and Mormonism are religions derived 'from the pit of Hell.'

Tebow, also known for his public worship on and off the field, in contrast has stayed quiet on issues of gay marriage in the past choosing to use discretion instead while discussing conservative values.

But his planned message before the church's 11,000-members for two services that Sunday morning is still unclear.

He most recently spoke at Arizona's Impact Church in Scottsdale on February 3 and last Easter spoke at the Celebration Church in Georgetown, Texas before 30,000 while encouraging religious followers to be outspoken about their faith.

That's one agreement the two will undeniably have in common.

'There are a disproportionate amount of assaults against children by homosexuals than by heterosexuals, you can’t deny that,' Rev Jeffress said in July of 2012.

Message: Rev. Robert Jeffress, the Baptist pastor of the 11,000-member church, most recently said he hasn't stopped preaching that homosexual sex is sinful, but no longer singles it out for special condemnation

Message: Rev. Robert Jeffress, the Baptist pastor of the 11,000-member church, most recently said he hasn't stopped preaching that homosexual sex is sinful, but no longer singles it out for special condemnation

'And the reason is very clear: homosexuality is perverse, it represents a degradation of a person’s mind and if a person will sink that low and there are no restraints from God’s law, then there is no telling to whatever sins he will commit as well.'

'There are a disproportionate amount of assaults against children by homosexuals than by heterosexuals, you can’t deny that'

                - Rev Robert Jeffress

In another church service in November he warned churchgoers that President Barack Obama's re-election into the White House was 'paving the way for the future reign of the Antichrist.'

At the time of the presidential campaign he also branded Mormonism a cult before switching his political support in favor of Mitt Romney, a devote Mormon, after his first choice in Texas' Rick Perry crumbled.

Responding to Jeffress' statements concerning Judaism to MailOnline, First Dallas called them 'patently false.'

'Dr. Jeffress is committed to preaching the bold biblical truth of God’s Word. He has regularly stated the mainstream Evangelical Christian belief that Christ is the only way a person can escape Hell and that God's provision of salvation is necessary for everyone, as found in John 14:6,' they said in an email.

Word of Tebow's engagement with the church comes just weeks after Rev Jeffress said he is changing the way he talks about homosexuality from the pulpit.

He's not going to stop preaching that homosexual sex is sinful, he said, but will no longer single it out for special condemnation.

Personal beliefs: Tebow is known for his public worship but has stayed quiet on issues of gay marriage and conservative values in the past

Personal beliefs: Tebow is known for his public worship but has stayed quiet on issues of gay marriage and conservative values in the past

'It would be the height of hypocrisy to condemn homosexuality and not adultery or unbiblical divorce,' he said, explaining that the Bible allows divorce only in cases of adultery or desertion. He also includes premarital sex on that list.

The evangelical Christian said he is open to the possibility that sexual orientation has a genetic basis that cannot be cured or prayed away.

'I think we were too quick to dismiss the possibility of a genetic predisposition,' Jeffress said.

But that hasn't altered his belief the Bible teaches that acting on homosexual desire is sinful, and he feels it is his responsibility to talk about it with his congregation.

'We cannot pick and choose what parts of God's word we are called to share,' he said. 'God gave it to us, not to hurt people, but to help people.'

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