Texas televangelist who falsely linked pandemic to premarital sex dies of COVID-19

• In March, 'End Times' pastor Irvin Baxter said COVID-19 is a 'wake-up call' from God on the sin of fornication. Baxter died of complications from COVID-19 less than 8 months later.

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that a Pentecostal televangelist who falsely linked the pandemic to sinful premarital sex — the preacher himself has died of COVID-19.

Rev. Irvin Baxter Jr. founded Endtime Ministries in Texas, and preached that coronavirus was God's warning about the "sin of fornication."

[NARRATOR: IT IS NOT.]

Baxter, who was 75, died on November 3 from COVID-19 related complications, his Plano-based ministry announced.

[VIDEO of Irvin Baxter on the Jim Bakker show, from Right Wing Watch]

Excerpt from Dallas Morning News:

In a March appearance on The Jim Bakker Show, Baxter spoke against premarital sex before describing the coronavirus pandemic as a "wake-up call" from God.

"I hope this research is not correct, but I got it straight from the encyclopedia," he said. "It says that 5% of new brides in America now are virgins. That means 95% have already committed fornication."

Baxter continued, saying that "no fornicator, no adulterer, nor effeminate, nor abuser of themselves with mankind, nor extortioner, nor drunkard — none of these shall inherit the kingdom of God."

"If we think we can just ignore God and live a sinful lifestyle, well, we cannot do it," he added. "I believe in what you're saying, that God may be using this as a wake-up call. … This coronavirus may be a privilege because I'll tell you right now, there's a much bigger judgment coming. It's in the Bible."

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