A pastor in North Carolina is under fire after saying rape suspects are not guilty if the victim was wearing shorts.
Rev. Bobby Leonard’s sermon at Bible Baptist Tabernacle in Monroe, N.C. was recorded last August but went viral last week.
During the sermon, Leonard blamed a rape victim’s attire for the assault and said he would acquit a rapist if the victim was wearing shorts at the time of the assault.
“If you dress like that and you get raped, and I’m on the jury, he’s going to go free,” Leonard said. Later, he adds, “I’m right, you know, because a man’s a man.”
Ben Rudy, a former member of the church protested Leonard’s comments in front of the church during Wednesday services. He told a local outlet that it “broke my heart that he would say something like that.”
“We don’t let people stand around in Union County in the pulpits and say something like this. That is wrong,” Jason King, a Monroe resident said at the protest. “You can’t stand there and teach the word of god and claim that you believe it’s ok for people to go around raping people for what they wear.”
Christian Investigative Journalist Julie Roys who shared Leonard’s comments also slammed the pastor.
“I just couldn’t believe that any pastor would actually think these things, let alone say them out loud in a sermon,” Roys said. “There have been so many victims of messages like this. And they’ve seen the danger that it can have in the community. And so I wanted to put it out there to say, ‘hey, this is not you know, 50 years ago, this is now. Pastors are saying this now, and it needs to be confronted.”
Following the backlash Leonard released a statement apologizing for his remarks.
“I want to express my deep regret for the statements made from the pulpit. I am only beginning to understand the hurt and offense caused, and I take full responsibility for my words,” he said.
He continued: “As a pastor, I failed to uphold the biblical values of love and compassion. I apologize for the pain caused and commit to learning from making this foolish and sinful statement. Bible Baptist Tabernacle and I unequivocally stand on the biblical position that rape under any circumstances is a heinous crime to be punished severely and is never excusable.”
The church has refused to comment but a sign in front of the building reads, “I am sorry for any hurt. I was wrong ― Pastor Leonard.”
