Repent Amarillo: Extremist Christian Group Says Deadly Houston Flooding Is Punishment For City’s Gay Mayor

An extremist Christian group is stirring controversy by claiming that the deadly floods to strike Houston are God’s judgment for the city electing a lesbian mayor.

The organization, Repent Amarillo, posted a Facebook message also blaming the women’s health organization Planned Parenthood.

“Houston is suffering the WRATH OF GOD for electing a LESBIAN MAYOR. Repent Amarillo organized a boycott of Houston back in 2010 and warned of the danger of electing a perverted homosexual as mayor and opening the largest abortion clinic in America. HEY HOUSTON! Are you LISTENING TO GOD NOW!? Does God have your attention? Are you to vote that pervert Anise Parker back in office again? Are you going to continue allowing Planned Parenthood to DROWN HOUSTON IN BLOOD? Repent and turn from your wickedness.Seek God and His mercy while it may yet be found.”

This week a storm system swept through the Southwest, dumping several inches of rain and leading to flooding across the region. At least 35 people died, including 15 in Texas with many still missing.

“It’s just very heartbreaking, that we have this loss of life,” said Kristi Wyatt, city spokeswoman in San Marcos, Texas — one of the hardest hit areas. “Some of those people were in a home together, celebrating the holidays, and they were swept away in the stormwater…. It’s just a terrible situation.”

Houston was hit particularly hard with water washing out roads and forcing people to rush to safety. Officials estimated that more than 2,000 cars were abandoned by drivers overcome by the quickly rising flood waters.

Houston’s mayor, Annise Danette Parker, is one of the first openly gay mayors of a major American city.

The group, which has just under 2,000 Facebook followers, appears to be taking a page out of the Westboro Baptist Church’s playbook, posting inflammatory messages and calling out homosexuals.

Though small, the group’s message has been circulating on the internet. A screenshot of the church’s Facebook message was posted to the link-sharing site Reddit, where it gained hundreds of user upvotes and drew a strong reaction.

Many users called out the hypocrisy of the message.

“And the rest of the flood area? Is Oklahoma supposed to be God’s collateral damage?” one commenter wrote. “Also, does that mean that whenever it’s a nice day in California that God loves whatever it is we’re all doing down here in the Golden State?”

The group Repent Amarillo drew less of a reaction on Facebook. The post blaming Houston flooding on the city’s gay mayor received just two comments.

[Image via Getty Images/Eric Kayne]