Botswana deports homophobic Pastor Steven Anderson

Pastor Steven Anderson of the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Phoenix is not having an easy time with his evangelism in Africa. The Botswana government has confirmed that he will be deported (if that hasn’t happened already) from the country.

The pastor planned to head to Africa this month to convert more people to his extreme cause – but his plans were hindered by travel bans issued by South Africa and the United Kingdom.

He did eventually make it to Botswana this week, but he was held by immigration officials amid concerns about hate preaching.

The country’s government yesterday confirmed he will be deported, tweeting: “Pastor #StevenAnderson, a #USA citizen has been declared a Prohibited Immigrant and as such is being deported from #Botswana”.

Anderson had previously insisted Botswana, which already criminalises homosexuality and jails gay people for up to seven years, was a “way more receptive place” for his message. However, the country’s government reaffirmed its opposition to violence and extremism.

Ranting about his previous ban from South Africa, he fumed: “It’s too bad that South Africa fell through because they banned me personally. But at the end of the day, it’s no skin off my back. I wasn’t really that excited about visiting their so-called beautiful country which is the rape capital of the world. It’s one of the most dangerous, wicked places in the entire world. I was actually going there for their sakes. I was trying to bring the gospel to the lost.”