The owner of the land occupied by Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento, California has asked the church to move out of its property following the comments made by the church's pastor praising the Orlando mass shooting.
Harsch Investment Properties, owner of the Northgate Business Park, has decided not to renew the lease contract of the church and has asked it to vacate the property before the expiration of its lease in March next year.
"We communicated our views to Verity Baptist Church, and while their lease does not expire until 3/31/17, we have asked them to consider moving out of our business park, and we would immediately cancel their lease without any penalty to them," said the property management company in a statement posted on its website.
The decision came after Pastor Roger Jimenez made comments that praised the killing of 49 people by a lone gunman, who later committed suicide, inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12.
Jimenez said the victims "deserved what they got," according to KXTV. He also told his congregation that they should not grieve over the tragedy.
"Are you sad that 50 paedophiles were killed today?" asked Jimenez. "Um no. I think that's great. I think that helps society. I think Orlando, Florida, is a little safer tonight. The tragedy is that more of them didn't die. The tragedy is I'm kind of upset he didn't finish the job – because these people are predators. They are abusers."
Jimenez even said that the government should kill homosexuals.
"I wish the government would round them all up, put them up against a firing wall, put the firing squad in front of them and blow their brains out," he said.
His statements drew strong condemnation as they were contrary to what many churches are doing to help the families of the victims.
Jimenez later said in an interview with KXTV that he does not regret what he said in his sermon.
"The Bible does teach that homosexuality deserves the death penalty. Leviticus 20:13 says that if a man lie with mankind like he does with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination and will surely be put to death. Romans 1 says that they which commit such things are worthy of death," Jimenez said.
According to Harsch, "We have many places of worship and other religious organisations in the properties we manage. Like all our tenants, their occupancy rights are protected in their leases, but we will not tolerate tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives."
