Following a sermon where he advised his congregation to purposefully get COVID-19 last month, a pastor from Michigan is now facing a backlash as a video of the sermon goes viral on social media.
In the video, Lighthouse Baptist Church senior pastor, Bart Spencer is seen telling his church followers to contract the viral disease that caused the worldwide health crisis to "get it over with."
In a report by The Hill, it was noted that the sermon took place back in November 14 and was only uploaded on Facebook, late last week.
Moreover, reports stated that Spencer was coughing amid his sermon and waved it off by saying that COVID-19 is not a big deal. He also reportedly said that COVID-19 is all good since he knows a number of people who got the disease but none of them have died until the present.
A part of the sermon was posted in "Holland Happenings," a Facebook page that discusses events in Holland, Michigan. The video was posted by a former member of the church, Miguel Medina.
Many people were shocked about the video and it caused flak on social media. Several people have commented on the post and stated that the pastor's statements were irresponsible.
In a statement to The Holland Sentinel, Medina said that he initially had no intention of posting the video but he was dumbfounded and could not even believe what he heard and witnessed.
Meanwhile, the sermon, which was previously available on the website of the church, has already been taken down since it became viral and drew ire online.
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While the pastor claims that those he knew who contacted COVID-19 did not succumb to the disease, Michigan's coronavirus death toll has reported that at least 2.5 percent of those who contracted the disease died.
Based on the latest information gathered by the CDC or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the estimated fatality rate for coronavirus is as low as 0.003 percent for the ages ranging from 0-19 while it is as high as 5.4 percent for those 70 and older.
Spencer shared on Friday that he stands by his statements despite backlash coming from the local residents, Fox reported.
He also explained that he would never tell them to go get sick, and he also mentioned that you will not know how you are going to get it.
Spencer also shared that people do die and he is not denying that. He also mentioned that it seems almost 'Caption Obvious' to say that.
He stated that it is a horrible situation and his heart goes out to those individuals, however for those people that are going to destroy their life, for what if and for an uncertainty, it just didn't make sense and logical for him.
The senior pastor also added that while the church has held more virtual events because of the current global health crisis and adopted social distancing guidelines, the parish does not require masks and still holds in-person services.
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