Steven Anderson

Steven in November of 2018

### Children

Solomon Anderson, Isaac Anderson, John Anderson, Miriam Anderson, Becky Anderson, Anna Anderson, Stephen Anderson, Boaz Anderson, Jachin Anderson, Chloe Anderson, Peter Anderson, Eva Anderson, Oliver Anderson

Steven Lee Anderson is the husband of Zsuzsanna Anderson. He is the father of Solomon, Isaac, John, Miriam, Becky, Anna, Stephen, Boaz, Chloe, Peter, Eva, and Oliver Anderson, and the late Jachin Anderson.

## Ancestry

Steven has been a member of Ancestry.com, and has traced part of his family back to England in the 1400s. In his line, every family prior to the previous two generations had 10-12 children, with spacing about two years apart. He also learned that he has a lot of ancestors on his father's side who were from Idaho. He also has several generations of ancestors from Switzerland. A tourist attraction in Switzerland, the Knutti-Haus, was named after ancestors of his.

## Early Life

Steven attended seven different Christian schools as a child, and was homeschooled for one year.

## Family

### Early Relationship

While on a mission trip in Europe in the fall of 1999, Steven met Zsuzsanna in Munich, Germany while he was handing out tracts. He invited her to attend his Baptist church, which she did not. The two interacted via letters in emails for ten months, and he sent her a Bible that Christmas.

He repeatedly invited her to visit his family's home in California, which she finally accepted in the summer of 2000. She arrived in San Fransisco on July 28, 2000. The whole drive back to his parents house he preached to her. The next day he continued preaching while they visited Six Flags.

The following Sunday, the two attended his church. After talks with Steven and a woman from the church and Bible reading, Zsuzsanna became a Christian. Later that day, she told him, and by the end of the week they were engaged. They originally planned to get married the following January, but decided to get married right away instead.

### Marriage

On Sunday, August 13, 2000, Steven and Zsuzsanna drove to Reno, Nevada, where they got married at the Chapel of the Bells. They did not tell his family about this, and thus spent their wedding night in separate bedrooms. They intended to wait and tell their families after she finished her semester of school, but Steven's mother received a piece of mail addressed to Zsuzsanna regarding their marriage license. Steven then called and asked Zsuzsanna not to attend school that fall but to move back right away. She agreed, and was back in California by September 2000.

### Fatherhood

Steven currently has twelve children: Solomon (09/2001), Isaac (02/2003), John (12/2004), Miriam (02/2007), Rebecca Helen (10/2008), Anna Marie (12/2010), Stephen Gilliatt (07/2012), Boaz Barnabas (05/2014), Chloe Pearl (05/2016), Peter Laszlo (01/2018), Eva Rose (09/2019), and Oliver Philip (05/2022). Boaz was also originally a twin, and Steven's son Jachin Thomas was miscarried.

## Controversy

Steven Anderson is notably known from series of controversy by himself.

### Confrontation with United States Border Patrol agents

In 2009, Anderson made national news following a confrontation with United States Border Patrol agents at an interior checkpoint on Interstate 8, about 70 miles east of Yuma, Arizona. A police dog gave an alert after sniffing Anderson's car, and Anderson refused to move his car or roll down his windows, triggering a 90-minute standoff and the calling of Arizona Department of Public Safety officers to the scene. The confrontation ended when authorities broke Anderson's car windows and forced him to the ground. Anderson asserts that authorities beat him and shocked him repeatedly with a taser while he was lying prone on the ground.

After the confrontation occurred, Anderson uploaded emotional video detailing his detention and abuse at the hands of Border Patrol agents and state Department of Public Safety officers. I have the right to travel in this country without being stopped and searched and grilled and interrogated, Anderson said.

Unlike the latter controversy, this controversy is lesser well known.

### Prayed for the Death of Barack Obama

In 2009, Anderson received national attention after gave a sermon in which he prayed for the death of Barack Obama in 2009.

A day after Anderson delivered his "Why I Hate Barack Obama" sermon, one of his parishioners, Chris Broughton, carried an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and a pistol to the Phoenix Convention Center, where President Obama was speaking. Broughton explained that he was not motivated by the sermon but by a long-standing dislike for the president, although he agreed with Anderson.

### November 2015 Paris Attack

On the next day after November 2015 Paris Attack ended, Anderson uploaded (now deleted) a sermon video on YouTube titled “The Sinful Nation of France.” Anderson proclaimed that the attacks were a terrible tragedy “carried out by Muslims, who are followers of the murderous, reprobate false prophet Mohammed, who’s a pedophile.” Anderson later criticizing and blaming the victims for going to rock concerts (Eagles of Death Metal)and being French. “When you go to a concert of death metal, somebody might get killed! You know, you’re worshiping death, and then, all of a sudden, people start dying!… Well, you love death so much, you bought the ticket, you love worshiping Satan! Well, let’s have some of Satan’s religion come in and shoot you!". Shouted Anderson. Anderson also said the victim deserved to die.

It is should be noted that Eagles of Death Metal name is parody of death metal band. Eagles of Death Metal actually not death metal band and only play rock.

### 2016 Orlando Nightclub Shooting

Following the incident, Anderson uploaded (now deleted) 4 minute mini sermon video on Youtube praising there’s 50 less pedophiles in this world. This sermon draw negative criticism. For this reason, Anderson often nicknamed by media as anti-gay preacher.

In 2019 on the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting, Anderson was invited to "Make America Straight Again" conference. The conference was held alongside with protest at outside. At one time Anderson came approached protest, then telling people who came to protest the conference, "Get AIDS and die."

### Jamaica 2018

In early 2018, news of his trip to Jamaica caused outrage from Jamaican citizens. On January 4, 2018, a petition was started outlining why he should not be allowed to preach in Jamaica. This was picked up by local news sources, which Steven commented on on his personal Facebook page. He also posted a video on YouTube (channel: sanderson1611) about the incident. When the creator of the petition, Jay John, commented on the video, Anderson replied by wishing he "got AIDS" and called him a "faggot".

### Ban from Other Countries

Due to series of controversy made by Anderson, many countries has barred him from entering. As of January 2021, he has banned by 34 countries with most recent being New Zealand.

List of countries that have banned Anderson:

\*note: the Schengen Area is comprised of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

*profile photo reference*

## References

1. ↑ http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2007/12/family-ancestry\_4472.html
2. ↑ http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2008/01/family-ancestry-part-2\_13.html
3. ↑ http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2008/04/it-that-time-of-year-again.html
4. ↑ http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2008/08/our-8th-wedding-anniversary\_13.html
5. ↑ http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2008/08/our-8th-wedding-anniversary\_13.html
6. ↑ http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2008/10/birth-announcement.html
7. ↑ https://imgur.com/a/vtkVkaW
8. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/aretheyallyours/posts/pfbid0G7obQPktXiBNte2mJ9mvMiC9DPaKgA8P5WRNLGgDrtxF1EdaSgDBwuyDfs7bp8dhl
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 http://archive.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/04/17/20090417borderbeating0417-ON.html
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9zyLRaX7jQ
11. ↑ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/meet-the-pastor-who-told\_b\_6275954
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48252527
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/arizona-protesters-rally-obama-hating-pastor/story?id=8510835#
14. ↑ http://archive.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/09/06/20090906rally0907.html
15. ↑ https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2015/11/16/christian-pastor-criticizes-paris-terror-attack-victims-for-attending-death-metal-concert/
16. ↑ http://www.arabnews.com/node/1522901/world
17. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/who-are-eagles-death-metal-paris-bataclan-save-a-prayer/
18. ↑ https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2016/06/12/christian-pastor-celebrates-nightclub-massacre-theres-50-less-pedophiles-in-this-world/
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/tempe-pastor-anderson-orlando-pride-month-get-aids-and-die-11314044
20. ↑ https://twitter.com/orlandosentinel/status/1140043890646536196
21. ↑ https://www.change.org/p/government-of-jamaica-stop-american-hate-preacher-from-entering-jamaica/nftexp/ex43/v3/54274469?recruiter=54274469&utm\_source=share\_petition&utm\_medium=facebook&utm\_campaign=psf\_combo\_share\_initial.undefined&utm\_term=224005&utm\_content=ex43%3Av3
22. ↑ http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20180107/christs-sake-dont-ban-me-controversial-preacher-coming-gospel-not-gays
23. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1871877126476437&set=p.1871877126476437&type=3&theater
24. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBXKSiYPxds
25. ↑ https://imgur.com/a/QdsCehf
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 http://sanderson1611.blogspot.com/2019/05/official-letter-from-netherlands-on.html Note : this post was posted several days before Ireland ban Steven Anderson to enter Ireland.
27. ↑ https://imgur.com/a/GU8grlb
28. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20190723204607/https://www.premier.org.uk/News/World/Australia-becomes-33rd-country-to-ban-entry-to-pastor-who-said-gay-people-should-die
29. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37349683
30. ↑ https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/711455/Gay-hating-preacher-called-Orlando-victims-paedophiles-banned-coming-UK
31. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37418875
32. ↑ https://malawi24.com/2016/10/26/govt-blocks-anti-gay-pastor-from-coming-to-malawi/
33. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DerTHIrIDlg&t=148s
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2019/05/death-to-gays-preacher-steven-anderson-banned-from-netherlands/
35. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/29/jamaica-bans-anti-gay-arizona-pastor-from-visiting-country
36. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20190723204607/https://www.premier.org.uk/News/World/Australia-becomes-33rd-country-to-ban-entry-to-pastor-who-said-gay-people-should-die
37. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFHopdqnTfQ
38. ↑ https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1910/S00078/extremist-preacher-barred-from-entering-new-zealand.htm