A Christian church located in Alabama has found itself at the heart of a controversy due to a phrase displayed on a prominent sign. Critics argued that the message was excessively offensive to certain community members, while others supported the pastor’s assertion that it conveyed a biblical message.

Carters Grove Baptist Church displayed a contentious message on its sign. (Credit: YouTube)
What started on social media ignited a significant uproar within an Alabama community. A Reddit user commented on the welcome sign message presented by Carters Grove Baptist Church in Hazel Green. The sign read, “Pride month sounds about right.” Beneath this phrase was a verse from Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction.”

The user who initiated the original Reddit post pointed out that this could distress members of the LGBTQ+ community, especially those who are too fearful to come out. One user remarked, “Consider it from another angle. At least you know what to expect from that congregation, allowing you to make an informed decision based on the advertisement they display on the marquee. I struggled to remain in the denomination I was raised in for similar reasons, but none of the churches I attended were as overt about their position.”

Conversely, others did not perceive any issue with the sign. “It gives me the impression that the community is uniting and that people are acknowledging various perspectives from everyone else, and I feel that the church is being very supportive of the pride and LGBTQ+ community,” one individual stated.

Pastor Jim Weaver of Carters Grove Baptist Church was reached out to by Fox 54. He remained steadfast in his decision to display the message on the sign. Weaver expressed his desire to dissuade individuals from engaging in “an unhealthy lifestyle” as defined by the Bible. “I believe, from a scriptural standpoint, that endorsing a lifestyle deemed sinful by the Bible will lead to the downfall of a nation. It is not bigotry; it is genuinely loving to inform a person that certain aspects of their life are not right,” Pastor Weaver elaborated.

Pastor Weaver originally displayed the sign in June as a reaction to Pride month. Weaver asserted that he does not support a month-long celebration of what the church describes as an ‘unscriptural lifestyle.’ David Cleland, who served on the board of directors for Rocket City Pride at that time, also expressed his opinion. ‘I can certainly understand both perspectives,’ he remarked. ‘Initially, my interpretation was that they were actually in favor of pride.’

This was not the only church sign that provoked discontent within a Southern community. A gay couple in Montgomery, Alabama, was passing by the Wares Ferry Road Baptist Church when they observed a sign that read, ‘GOD DETESTS PRIDE.’ The couple was so disturbed that they decided to stop their vehicle.