investigators with the Southern Poverty Law Center they're wondering if this
Norcross based stronghold church is really a hate group. Channel 2's Tony
Thomas has a preview of our investigation. Tony. Jovita the
preacher of the church that meets here in this as strip ball points to the book
of Leviticus an early book in the Old Testament as the foundation of his
beliefs. Now that has at least one group is calling what he preaches here hate
speech while other groups even those who don't agree with his stance say he
has every right to speak it. This is just about right and wrong. He's free to say
whatever he wants about them so long as he's not inciting people to violence. I
believe the Word of God is black and white. David Burzins opened the
stronghold Baptist Church last June. The church meets in a Norcross strip mall. On
this Wednesday night his congregation small but because he posts on YouTube
his sermons have hit more than 24,000 views since he opened the metro Atlanta
church. I didn't write the book but I'm gonna preach the book. His topics cover
everything from home birthing to politics education to homosexuality. They
need to be eradicated from the land. That was on Gay Pride weekend as thousands
marched through Atlanta. Homosexuals are not allowed in this church and never
will be. I do believe that they're predators. I sat down with Pastor Burzins
to discuss his views and the fact some like the Southern Poverty Law Center
look at his words as hate speech. It's a title Burzins doesn't run from. People
want to label us a hate group because we hate things that they don't think we
should hate. But others we spoke with like the American Civil Liberties Union
say you can like it or not but you cannot censor it. Do you believe this
speech is or should be protected? From the speech that I have seen from this
individual absolutely.
The Southern Poverty Law Center continues to look at this church and
others. Now also we'll at 6 look ahead at what other beliefs this minister says he
rocks his foundation on and the views he says many of you won't like. That's
coming up on Channel 2 Action News at 6. Live in Norcross, Tony Thomas.