We, the undersigned, urge the immediate removal of Pastor Bobby Leonard from his position at Bible Baptist Tabernacle in Monroe, NC due to his disturbing and unacceptable comments that women who wear shorts deserve to be raped.

The comments were made August 2023 during a sermon but a video only recently surfaced last month. Below are several statements made by the pastor:

• ”I sat there in my car and I thought, ‘I want to see if that’s right’. And I counted. Try that. You find more women go into those places with shorts than you will with pants and dresses put together.”
• “If you dress like that and you get raped and I’m on the jury, he’s going to go free. You don’t like, do you? I’m right though. I can’t help feeling like I’m right because, you know, because a man’s a man.”

If this isn’t worrisome enough, the pastor prefaced these statements with “This is the kind of preaching we need.”

Such a statement not only promotes a culture of victim-blaming but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes about sexual assault. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), 1 in 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime - such comments can further discourage victims from reporting these crimes due to fear of judgement or blame.

His comments are not only offensive and misogynistic, but they also endorse violence and criminal behavior, which goes against the teachings of the Bible and the principles of Christianity. As a pastor, he should be promoting love, respect, and compassion for all individuals, regardless of their clothing choices.

In response to the backlash, Pastor Bobby Leonard has released two apology statements, one on the church sign and the second typed in the form of a letter. However, we reject these apologies as they do not seem genuine and do not address the gravity of his words. We demand a public apology from Pastor Leonard, delivered on air, in which he takes full responsibility for his harmful comments and outlines specific actions he will take to address the violent and criminal acts that he condoned.

Furthermore, we call for a thorough investigation within the church to ensure that there are no other individuals holding similar harmful beliefs. Where there is one bad apple, there may be more within the tree, and it is crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of all members of the congregation.

We urge the church leadership and relevant authorities to take swift and decisive action in response to this issue. It is imperative that Pastor Bobby Leonard is held accountable for his words and that steps are taken to prevent such harmful rhetoric from being perpetuated within the church community.

We ask for your support in signing this petition to demand the removal of Pastor Bobby Leonard and to ensure that the church takes appropriate measures to address this issue.

Source material:
-https://www.bbtmonroe.com/official-statement
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpbHJD37sMQ
-https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/community-members-hold-protest-after-pastors-comments-about-sexual-assault-victims/EWW65AW6NZDJZNUCUXSKAS2M5E/

PHOTO CREDIT: https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/community-members-hold-protest-after-pastors-comments-about-sexual-assault-victims/EWW65AW6NZDJZNUCUXSKAS2M5E/