*** WARNING: Embedded video contains extremely offensive and strong language. Discretion advised***
For one Memphis pastor, no curse word is off limits.
Pastor Thaddeus Matthews, who leads Naked Truth Liberation and Empowerment Ministries, told The Christian Post he doesn’t “give a d***” what Christian critics think of the bad language he uses from the pulpit.
He said he sees “no reason to try to justify” his expletive-filled messages because he’s “a fisher of men” who goes to people “on their level.”
“You have to get past the cussing to get the message,” he explained. “The cussing has drawn the attention of millions around the country.”
Matthews went on to explain that, in his mind, there’s a difference between “cussing” and “cursing.” Today’s cuss words — like “s***,” “motherf*****,” and “d***” — were not used in biblical times, so he sees no reason to censor his vocabulary when he preaches.
The controversial pastor has been employing such vulgar language for three years. Before he entered the ministry, Matthews was a controversial yet successful radio broadcaster.
“I’m a controversial figure in Memphis,” he said. “I’ve been broadcasting for nearly 40 years. So even prior to the ministry starting — we’re going into our third year now — I’ve been a controversial person.”
Starting in October, Matthews is hitting the road for what he has titled, “The Bulls*** From the Pulpit Tour.” He plans to use the series of appearances to push back on the “bulls***” keeping people from participating in church.
“There’s so much bulls*** that’s going on in the church in the traditional mindset,” he claimed. “And the reason that people are leaving a view of believing in God is because they are believing in preachers, they are believing in churches, and preachers have set themselves on pedestals and they are forgetting about the people.”
He argued churches and preachers are no longer giving people “a message of hope.”
Apparently, his “message of hope” includes a stunning amount of cursing:
***WARNING: This clip contains EXTREMELY offensive language***
Matthews said he hopes his preaching makes people “uncomfortable” because Christian society has “turned God into our own social ideas, our own political ideas and we have gotten away from his awesomeness.”
“He says in his Word that there would be a new thing and this is that new thing,” the pastor claimed.
Matthews said about 50 people show up to his weekly Sunday services while between 8,000 and 9,000 people watch his messages online.