The shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina Wednesday night definitely has "a diabolical inspiration behind it," the Rev. Gerald E. Murray told
Newsmax TV.
"The church is the house of God and the reverend was preaching the word of God and then he is murdered along with eight other people in his church," Murray, who is pastor at Holy Family Catholic Church in New York City, told John Bachman on "Newsmax Now" on
Newsmax TV Thursday.
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"This is a sign of where the world goes when someone rejects God and gives into diabolical evil," he explained. "It's horrendous, unthinkable."
The man who is suspected of
shooting and killing nine people at the Charleston church is 21-year-old Dylann Roof, who reportedly sat in the church service for almost an hour before he began shooting.
"He was hearing the message of love and truth from God and instead he turns a gun on people," the Rev. Murray said.
"It definitely involves hatred in his heart, and that's really what their religion is here to get rid of," he explained.
"Watching this we're reminded why we have the need for religion," he said. "A man is full of many bad impulses and many evil desires that sometimes he commits crimes, and in that case we see, without God, life really does become miserable."
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