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I’m a conservative evangelical pastor who voted for Kamala Harris
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I’m a conservative evangelical pastor who voted for Kamala Harris

A widely accepted belief in many circles evangelical Christians Evangelical pastors like me should vote Republican, let alone. The GOP is the party closest to our morals, values, and commitment to biblical principles. I’ve held this belief for the better part of 40 years. I have seen Democrats endorse, promote, and promote gay rights agendas and same-sex marriage, and defend and advance abortion rights. President Bill Clintonwas a Democrat indicted for perjury do not follow an adulterous relationship He was there while he was on duty. None of the above aligns with my Christian values.

The GOP is the party closest to our morals, values, and commitment to biblical principles. I’ve held this belief for the better part of 40 years.

I supported Texas’ constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in 2005. He joined Governor Rick Perry on a tour of the state to discuss “Are Gay Rights and Civil Rights Parallel?” I preached your message. My answer is they are not. On abortion, Republicans have always been strong pro-life advocates. It was one of the pillars the GOP included in its official party platform. So it made sense to me to vote Republican.

So why have I, the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Arlington, Texas, been voting for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for president for 41 years? As I wrote in X on WednesdayI vote for the candidate who has character and competence and “the capacity and breadth to show respect and high regard” for all created in the image of God. Republican Donald Trump does not have Harris’ character, competence or capacity.

To be clear, my views on the issues mentioned above have not changed. I still believe in the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, and I am as passionate as ever about preserving life in the womb. Democrats also did not change their stance on these two issues. But Republicans have changed. I don’t even know the Republican Party anymore. This year, for example, the GOP’s platform abandoned its long-standing call for a national abortion ban And we removed the language It says that marriage “is between a man and a woman and is the basis of a free society.”

The party I know and love would never have chosen the adulterous, childish, habitual liar and convicted criminal Donald Trump as its candidate. Evangelical leaders rightly called out Clinton for her sex scandal with Monica Lewinsky and then lying about it. It is surprising to see these same leaders ignore Trump’s many sex scandals and ignore that he was found liable in court for sexually assaulting a woman.

It’s sickening to see people reading the same Bible and saying they believe it. Not only do I refuse to condemn Trump, I support his candidacy.

For better or for worse, I’m a man Who votes on my beliefs?. I traditionally vote on social issues and leave everything else in God’s hands. Now that I am a political party pariah on two important social issues that I have always used to guide my voting decisions, I am forced to change my voting criteria. I cannot vote for a party that supports my social beliefs. Because there is neither. That’s why I have to vote based on the character of the candidates. Enter Harris.

As a pastor for over forty years, I have had to recruit for a variety of positions. There are not only other ministers, but also financial advisors, consultants, communications experts, contractors, engineers, lawyers and even custodians. If Harris’ resume was on my desk and I could interview her without knowing anything about her political views, I would hire her in a heartbeat. From where? Because on paper, he represents someone with good character and who can be trusted. Different adulterous, twice divorced Trumpmarried to her first and only husband and She embraced her role as a mother with grace to their children. The product of humble beginningsHe made something of himself. HE was introduced to church as a child And stayed in church as an adult. She presents herself as an honest woman and leads with love. I mean, he has a kind and welcoming spirit.

Oh, and it can also pass a background check.

As we look to choose a leader for the next four years, I think it is vital that we choose someone worth following. An investigation conducted by ABC News in May 2020 identified “at least 54 criminal cases” Where Trump was cited in direct connection with violent actsthreats of violence or allegations of assault. Those responsible for these acts were predominantly white men, and their victims came from many minority groups. ABC News said in its May 2020 report that it “could not find a single criminal case filed in federal or state court in which an act of violence or threat was committed on behalf of President Barack Obama or President George W. Bush.”

But these 54 cases are nothing compared to what happened a few months later. On January 6, 2021, when Trump spoke at the Ellipse and ushered in what he disparagingly called “the day of love” at the U.S. Capitol. But we all saw January 6 for what it was: a day of chaos, violence and riots. No one can reasonably believe that President Harris would (explicitly or implicitly) incite her supporters to violence.

Despite everything we know about Trump — his numerous adulterous affairs, his numerous felony convictions, his race-baiting, his violent rhetoric, his repeated lies, his indifference to Jesus or his church — there are people who warn evangelicals not to give up on this religion. For a Democrat, it is “the party of his own faith.” In the seventh chapter of the book of Matthew, there is a text that says that a tree that does not produce good fruit should be cut down and thrown into the fire. This is how I think evangelicals should treat today’s Republican Party.

I make it a point to tell other evangelicals to vote however they want. But I think about my vote the same way I think about the hiring decision. And under no circumstances will I hire Donald Trump.