A Christian news channel broadcasting on YouTube has been banned from the video-sharing social site, leading to its founder and anchorman blasting the tech giant's decision to block TruNews.
Pastor Rick Wiles' channel received three strikes from YouTube on Monday that led to the termination of TruNews' account. Wiles called the censors at YouTube as the "new Nazi tech tyrants."
Before imposing the ban last Monday, YouTube warned TruNews twice -- in 2014 and 2017 -- for what it deemed "offensive" broadcasts. Details of the warnings were not revealed but TruNews apparently violated YouTube's community guidelines.
In a scathing statement on its official site, Wiles, the pastor of Florida's Flowing Streams Church, accused YouTube of "fighting God" by banning his channel. He expressed concern that this would be the start of an upheaval against Christians and conservatives, and likened the scenario to the French's treatment of the religious in the 1700s.
Wiles asserted, however, that YouTube's censorship did not surprise him and he has been preparing for it for years since launching his Christian media. He thinks that Facebook and Twitter will be coming after him next.
"The Lord also told me during that fast in January 2010 that it will soon become very dangerous and difficult to travel the world as a Christian pastor or missionary," Wiles stated in a video broadcast on his official site.
Wiles admitted that like many YouTube users, he took advantage of the free service to spread the Word of God. He also pointed out that while YouTube closed down channels that preached the Gospel, several anti-Christian videos still proliferate on the site.
The pastor also said he won't file any legal action against YouTube and recognized that since Google owns the platform, it can impose its own rules. Instead, he would improve and launch a similar platform called Prazor this summer. The app will deliver video-on-demand, Christian programs, podcasts and Christian music.
