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    • I am a conservative evangelical pastor who votes for Kamala Harris.
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    I am a conservative evangelical pastor who votes for Kamala Harris.

    Sakege Posted on

    It is a common belief in many circles that evangelical Christians (not to mention evangelical pastors like me) should vote Republican. The Republican Party is thought to be the party most closely aligned with our morals, our values, and our commitment to biblical principles. I held this belief for the better part of 40 years. I saw Democrats supporting, encouraging and elevating gay rights and same-sex marriage agendas and defending and promoting abortion rights. president bill clintona democrat, he was accused of perjury following an adulterous affair he had while he was in office. None of the above aligned with my Christian values.

    The Republican Party is thought to be the party most closely aligned with our morals, our values, and our commitment to biblical principles. I held this belief for the better part of 40 years.

    I supported Texas’ constitutional ban on same-sex marriage that was passed in 2005. I accompanied Governor Rick Perry on a tour of the state as he preached the message “Are Gay Rights and Civil Rights Parallel?” My answer is that they are not.. When it comes to abortion, Republicans have always been strong defenders of life. It was one of the pillars that the Republican Party included in its official party platform. That’s why it made sense to me to vote Republican.

    So why am I, the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Arlington, Texas, for 41 years, voting for Democrat, Vice President Kamala Harris, for president? As I wrote on Wednesday in XI vote for character and competence and for the candidate who “has the ability and bandwidth to demonstrate respect and high regard” for all made in the image of God. Republican Donald Trump does not have the character, competence or ability of Harris.

    To be clear, my opinions on the topics mentioned above have not wavered. I still believe in the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman and am as passionate as ever about protecting life in the womb. Democrats have not changed their position on those two issues either. But the Republicans have changed. I don’t even recognize the Republican Party anymore. This year, for example, the Republican Party platform abandoned his long-standing call to ban abortion nationwide and removed the language which says that marriage is “between a man and a woman, and is the basis of a free society.”

    The party I knew and loved would never have chosen the adulterous, childish, habitually lying, criminally convicted Donald Trump as its candidate. Evangelical leaders rightly criticized Clinton for his sex scandal with Monica Lewinsky and then for lying about it. It is surprising to see these same leaders ignore Trump’s numerous sexual scandals and ignore that he was found responsible in court for sexually abusing a woman.

    It is disgusting to see people who claim to read and believe in the same Bible. Not only do they refuse to denounce Trump but they support his candidacy.

    For better or worse, I am a man who votes my convictions. Traditionally I have voted for social issues and I have put everything else in God’s hands. Since I am now a political party marginalized from the two main 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 defends my social convictions. Because it doesn’t either. So I have to vote according to the character of the candidates. Enter Harris.

    As a pastor for over four decades, I have had to hire for a variety of positions. Not just other ministers, but also chartered accountants, counselors, communications specialists, contractors, engineers, lawyers and even custodians. If Harris’ resume landed on my desk and I could interview her without knowing anything about her political views, I would hire her in a heartbeat. Because? Because on paper he represents a person of good character and someone who can be trusted. Unlike the adulterer, Trump twice divorcedShe is married to her first and only husband, and She accepted the role of mother with grace. to their children. A product of humble beginnings.she did something for herself. She He was introduced to the church as a child and has remained in the church as an adult. She presents herself as a woman of integrity and leads with love. By this I mean that he has a kind and welcoming spirit.

    Oh, and you can pass a background check.

    As we look to elect a leader for the next four years, I believe it is vitally important that we elect someone worth following. A May 2020 investigation by ABC News found “at least 54 criminal cases in which Trump is invoked in direct relation to violent actsthreats of violence or accusations of assault.” Those responsible for these acts were predominantly white men and their victims belonged to multiple minority groups. In that May 2020 report, ABC News said it “could not find a single criminal case filed in federal or state court where an act of violence or threat was committed in the name of President Barack Obama or President George W. Bush. ”.

    But those 54 cases are nothing compared to what came a few months later. On January 6, 2021, when Trump spoke at the Ellipse and initiated what he insultingly calls a “day of love” at the United States Capitol. But we all saw January 6 for what it was: a day of chaos, violence and upheaval. No one can reasonably believe that a President Harris would (explicitly or implicitly) incite her supporters to commit violence.

    Despite everything we know about Trump—his numerous adulterous affairs, his multiple felony convictions, his race-baiting, his violent rhetoric, his repeated lies, his failure to resemble Christ or his church in any way—there are people who warn evangelicals against abandoning the “party of their faith” for a Democrat. There is a scripture in Matthew chapter seven that says that a tree that does not bear good fruit should be cut down and thrown into the fire. This is how I think evangelicals should treat today’s Republican Party.

    I intend to tell other evangelicals to vote however they want. But I’m thinking about my vote the same way I would think about a hiring decision. And under no circumstances would I hire Donald Trump.

    Sakege
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