A state Senator in Arkansas has claimed that a Pride event on a Sunday should be cancelled – because it is “offensive” to Christians.

The 12th annual Conway Pride Festival was held yesterday in the small Arkansas town, on Sunday June 7.

However, the Pride was on the receiving end of a 900-word vitriolic Facebook post from Republican Senator Jason Rapert, who claimed it is “offensive” to celebrate love on a Sunday.

He wrote on Facebook: “How many parades do you know of that are scheduled to take place on a Sunday? Have you ever wondered why they chose a Sunday to conduct a parade? I believe it is because they understand that the lifestyle they are glorifying on our streets is considered sin by every Bible-believing Christian and they use their parade on a day reserved to worship God and reverence the Lord to mock Christians.

“I object to Mayor Townsell and the Conway City Council continuing to allow people, many of whom do not even live in our community, to parade down our streets on a Sunday and accuse Christians of being ‘bigots’ because they believe the Bible teaches that homosexuality is sin.

“This is truly one of the most offensive public displays against Christians you will find anywhere in our state and especially offensive because they have specifically chosen Sunday to try and intimidate people who believe in the Word of God.”

He also rounded on the city for enacting an anti-discrimination law, because “no discrimination was occurring in Conway”.

“The mayor and city council of Conway need to be reminded that they serve the majority of Conway citizens, not some radical homosexual activist group like the Human Rights Campaign that calls Christians bigots”, the bigot ranted.

He continued: “Some will get mad at me for speaking the truth. I believe that those who call the truth ‘hate’ are simply those who hate the ‘truth’.

“You and I both have the right to voice our opinions and our beliefs. I hope that the silent majority in Conway will soon find their voice and speak out against the foolishness Mayor Townsell and the Conway City Council unleashed in our city with their complicit actions against the senses and beliefs of the vast majority of our citizens.”

“This parade against Christian values may indeed happen again for the 12th time on a Sunday in Conway, but I object to it ever again being held on the Sabbath Day again.

“It is one thing to proclaim you are a homosexual and demand attention to yourself, but it is quite another for homosexual activists to cross the line and accuse Christians of being “bigots” and that their belief that homosexuality is sin is ‘hate speech’.”