Dallas pastor says Islam is ‘a religion that promotes paedophilia’

It’s hard to know where to start in expressing dismay with the Rev. Robert Jeffress – for being uninformed, un-Christian or un-American. The pastor of Dallas’ First Baptist Church managed to squeeze all three into a recent rant against Islam.

On Aug. 22, First Baptist’s Sunday evening service featured the annual “Ask The Pastor” event. One of the written questions that Jeffress took that night asked about comparisons between Muslim jihad and the Christian Crusades.

Jeffress acknowledged terrible misdeeds by Christians, although he said many have been “overblown.” He went on to say that Christian atrocities were always contrary to the teaching of the New Testament. “But Muslims, when they commit violence, they are acting in accordance with what the Quran teaches,” he said.

He was just getting started. He went on to talk about Islam’s oppression of women and how it is “a violent religion.”

“And here is the deep, dark, dirty secret of Islam: It is a religion that promotes pedophilia – sex with children. This so-called prophet Muhammad raped a 9-year-old girl – had sex with her,” he said. “Around the world today, you have Muslim men having sex with 4-year-old girls, taking them as their brides, because they believe the prophet Muhammad did.”

Finally, his finger jabbing the air, he proclaimed: “I believe, as Christians and conservatives, it’s time to take off the gloves and stand up and tell the truth about this evil, evil religion.”

Dallas Morning News, 4 September 2010