-- After a local pastor's sermon included what some perceived as an appeal to his congregation to pray for the Bama Theatre to burn down before the venue's screening of a Norwegian film, the pastor today clarified his comments as "facetious."

New Beginning Church of Northport senior pastor

Randy Fuller

,

to the screening of the film

when it was originally scheduled in June, posted a sermon podcast on his church's website on July 8 referencing the upcoming screening of the coming-of-age film. [See transcribed excerpt below.]

In the sermon to his congregation captured in the podcast, Fuller recalled a story in which a pornography store opened on the same block as a church, and when the church asked owners to close it and they wouldn't, church members prayed to God that it would burn down. Months later, Fuller said, the store was struck by lightning and burned down.

After adding that context, Fuller referenced the

screening, saying, "So you can get together in groups of two or three or four and say, 'God, if they won't turn that thing around, burn the city block down. Burn it to the ground.'"

Some members of local arts groups who support the screening caught wind of the sermon and posted this morning a link to it on their accounts on Facebook and Twitter. It has since been removed from the church's website.

In an interview, Fuller said he was being facetious and that his overarching message was about turning things around in the U.S.

"I was making a facetious statement and anybody that takes away from that message that I was propagating burning down anything or taking a physical, destructive stance in any way simply is grasping at straws," he said in a phone interview. "I've said all that I'm going to say about the movie. The people have spoken."

The screening was briefly banned after initial opposition to the film was voiced last month. The unrated, independent film, which contains mature content, was pulled from the Bama Art House summer series lineup after complaints from local pastors and questions from Tuscaloosa

Mayor Walt Maddox

.

Then the

to cancel, and the viewing is set for July 17. The screening will be sponsored by

, as originally scheduled, with additional support from

.

Left Hand owner

Erin "Soapy" Jones

took issue with Fuller's comments Sunday. She said she has listened online to the New Beginning sermons since the conflict erupted.

"I respect that Pastor Fuller is passionate about this issue and the well-being of the city of Tuscaloosa in general. I, too, love the city I've called home for almost two decades," Jones said. "I'm disappointed that the conversation is touched with the talk of violence at all, much less celebration in the event that something tragic happens at any point in the future.

"Veiled threats won't keep me away from the theater that night, or any other night. I encourage rational and clear-headed thought on this subject and all others that affect our citizenry as a whole."

Fuller says he is through talking publicly about the film now that he and others have made themselves clear in the matter. "I made my stance and my comment," he said in the interview. "The citizens of Tuscaloosa and the Arts Council and city hall have made their statement, and that's the end of it for me."

He said he did not intend to make the film a larger issue than it needed to be, but rather simply wanted to let his voice be heard about entertainment he felt was inappropriate for Tuscaloosa residents.

"It was never my intention to alienate people or to assume a self-righteous stance," Fuller said. "I was only intending to try to stop the advancement of what I consider to be inappropriate entertainment material for our community."

Fuller added, "America as a nation, Tuscaloosa as a community and we as individuals will reap the consequences of our actions. History and the evening news bears witness of this truth."

Fuller said his church has no plans to picket the screening.

Below is a transcribed excerpt from Fuller's recorded sermon, titled "Turning Things Around."

The film contains mature content but is unrated. The Arts Council stresses it will be treated as an R-rated movie at the theater box office. Children younger than 17 will require an accompanying parent or adult guardian.

"Turn Me On, Dammit," directed by

Jannicke Systad Jacobsen

(and based on a Norwegian book called "Turn Me On, Goddammit!"), is a tale about a 15-year-old Norwegian girl suffering local ridicule after expressing a desire to explore her sexuality. A trailer and descriptions of the film depict the character masturbating, engaging in phone sex and exploring in other ways.

The Arts Council is a division of the

. It receives approximately $27,000 annually from the city government.

The Arts Council is in the process of restoring the former Allen Jemison building on the corner of 7th Street and Greensboro Avenue on the same block as the Bama Theatre in downtown Tuscaloosa and transforming it into the cultural arts center.

The city secured a $1.5 million HUD grant to bring the building up to code, but the city is also attempting to raise approximately $1.2 million to finish construction on the first floor to create the space.

Previous articles on this topic:

The Tuscaloosa Arts Council reversed its decision to cancel the screening of the film.

The Norwegian filmmaker responded to the news that her film would not screen in Tuscaloosa, and Arts Council supporters are voicing concerns.