Ralph Ovadal is the pastor of Pilgrims Covenant Church in Monroe, Wisconsin[1] and is known for controversial views and opposition to modern Bible translations, the Roman Catholic Church, homosexuality, and abortion.[2]

Ovadal has called the pope the "antichrist"[3] and asserts that the Catholic Church has masterminded a plot "to turn Protestant America into a Roman Catholic country" by "aiding and abetting the criminal invasion of America from Mexico".[4]

Ovadal has endorsed The Pink Swastika, a book that asserts that homosexuals "conceived, organized and controlled" the Nazi Party.[3] The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremist groups in the United States, has listed Pilgrims Covenant Church as an anti-LGBT hate group.[5]

According to Ovadal's church, Ovadal was arrested "approximately 120 times" between November 1988 and May 1992 for physically blocking entrances to abortion clinics, mostly on charges of disorderly conduct and trespass.[6]

Ovadal was an avowed opponent of a nude beach called Mazo Beach near Mazomanie which in 2012 was one of the top five most popular nude beaches in the US;[7][8] the beach was closed in 2016.[9] Ovadal began his protests against nudity in the parking lot of the beach in 2000, and on May 28, 2001, Ovadal led a group of protestors who called for a woman in the beach's parking lot to repent, and called her "'harlot", and" whore" and "Jezebel". After the woman filed a complaint, Ovadal was charged with disorderly conduct and subsequently convicted, a $1,000 fine being levied against him.[1][10][7]

References

  1. 1 2 "DNR Says Willow Trees Cut Down at Mazomanie Nude Beach". The Daily Tribune. March 28, 2007. p. 12. Retrieved January 15, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ↑ Shereen Siewert, Wisconsin hate group violence surge feared: High-profile cases are being used by hate groups to recruit new members, Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team (August 13, 2015).
  3. 1 2 Southern Poverty Law Center. Intelligence Report: Hard-Line Gay-Basher Seeks a Kinder Look.Intelligence Report, May 29, 2009.
  4. ↑ Michael L. Budde, The Borders of Baptism: Identities, Allegiances, and the Church. Wipf and Stock: 2011, ISBN 9781610971355 p. 85.
  5. ↑ Southern Poverty Law Center. Active Anti-LGBT Groups. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  6. ↑ Is Our Pastor a Criminal?: Statement by the Elders of Pilgrims Covenant Church, Pilgrims Covenant Church. Archived March 4, 2016
  7. 1 2 Muckian, Michael (9 August 2012). "Nature in the buff". Wisconsin Gazette. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016.
  8. ↑ Associated Press (April 17, 2012). "DNR cracks down on sex at nude beach". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 9, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Press Release: State to close Mazomanie Beach public access effective immediately". Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Wisconsin pastor fined for taunting woman during nudity protest". Peninsula Clarion. June 7, 2002. Archived from the original on January 26, 2005.
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