A Response To Pastor Pearsons

ByAugustus Corbett

Charisma Magazine featured an article written by Pastor George Pearsons of Eagle Mountain Church in Fort Worth, Texas. I respect Pastor Pearsons and his in-laws, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, immensely. I am one of their ministry partners.

In the article, Pastor Pearsons says he supports Donald Trump despite having serious issues with Mr. Trump. He supported Mr. Trump, he explained, after Bro. Copeland gave him a preaching assignment where Bro. Copeland said:

“George, you need to compare the platforms of the two political parties. Look at what the two parties have stated about a particular issue. Compare the two platforms to God’s Word. Then, determine which platform best aligns with how the kingdom of God operates.”

Brother Copeland further said to Pastor Pearsons:

“George, make it clear that a platform is something you stand on. The planks represent the individual issues. To vote for that platform is to attach yourself to it. And, you will be a partaker of the judgment of that platform. For instance, you could vote for a person for some other reason, but if they support abortion, you have just become an accomplice.”

Pastor Pearsons obediently compared both party platforms to the Word of God. The Republican Party’s commitment to traditional marriage and pro-life issues deeply impressed Pastor Pearsons. Conversely, the Democrats’ support for homosexuality and the pro-choice agendas appalled him. Abortion, he said, was the deciding issue. Apparently, Pastor Pearsons is a single issue voter.

After reading Pastor Pearson’s article, I compared both party platforms to the Word of God a second time. I had already compared them to the Word of God earlier in the year and, unlike Pastor Pearsons, I was not motivated to support Mr. Trump nor embrace the Republican Party platform. My second comparison still didn’t motivate me to support Mr. Trump nor the Republican Party platform. As an African American man, it doesn’t surprise me that Pastor Pearsons and I differ on Mr. Trump and the Republican Party. Below I explain why.

First, the grandiose platform of a political party is no better than its leader. Without great, effective and principled leadership, the platform will go nowhere. Mr. Trump’s background doesn’t exemplify great, effective and principled leadership. His background shows him to be a racist, bombastic, foul-mouth, casino owner, and two-time divorcee who lacks the moral character, temperament, experience, thoughtfulness and integrity to solve the very complex domestic and foreign issues facing our nation.

Second, many of Mr. Trump’s supporters argue that his wealth is proof of his leadership abilities. I disagree strongly. The ability to become wealthy doesn’t necessarily equate to being an effective president. If so, Mafia bosses, drug cartel leaders, Adolf Hitler, Howard Hughes and Joe Kennedy could be our president. Conversely, some of our finest presidents were not very wealthy men including Lincoln.

Third, I don’t believe Mr. Trump is a genuine conservative nor committed Christian. Again, his background bedevils these claims.

Fourth, although the commitment to the homosexual and pro-choice agendas of the Democrats is appalling, their strong commitment to racial, economic and social justice is impressive. As an African American man, husband and father, a commitment to racial, economic and social justice is critical for my family and me. God is concerned about righteousness and justice equally. Read Psalm 89:14. Hence, the complete divestment of any commitment to racial, economic and social justice from the Republican party platform and ethos doesn’t draw my support.

Fifth, like Pastor Pearsons and Bro Copeland, I applaud the support for traditional marriage and pro-life issues in the Republican Party platform. I abhor abortion. It’s murder and traditional marriage is consistent with the Bible. But this current Republican Party is not the party of Lincoln. Racism and radical right-wing extremism have hijacked it. This racism and extremism have been on full display with the maltreatment of the first African-American president, birtherism, enactment of racist voter suppression laws, silence on police brutality and in other ways.

Sixth, Mr. Trump espouses racist rhetoric that appeals to angry white men. KKK and white nationalists find his rhetoric appealing. When I hear the “Make America Great Again” slogan, I hear racist code for “Make America White Again!” Besides, when has America ever been great for its black and brown citizens. Why not let’s make America great for all. I cannot support a racist candidate or a racist opportunist who exploits white backlash politics to win an election. That’s taking America back to a very dangerous time and era for African Americans.

Seventh, as a Kingdom citizen, I am in search of a political party or candidate who embraces all of the Kingdom of God. I cannot support candidates and political parties that condemn gay marriage and abortions but are silent on police brutality and white supremacy. As a Kingdom citizen, I look for a commitment from a political party to justice alongside righteousness.

In conclusion, and for the reasons I offered above, neither candidate nor party will get my vote and support although Hillary seems less dangerous than Mr. Trump. Instead, I pray for the day when a third party embraces the best ideas and values from both party platforms and offer candidates I can fully support. Today is not that day.

1 Comment

Gary

October 4, 2016 at 8:43 pm

First….. Ok so you got your information from personal experience by being at the places at the time Mr. Trump showed racist & bombastic attitude, and you heard with your own ears him cussing? And you are going to judge him on his past unlike Jesus would for divorce? And you have hung around Mr. Trump to know his true moral character? BTW have you ever even watched his children to see what kind of moral character they all 3 have? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree there. Your opinion sounds like it came from a closed minded CNN listener who already made up his mind on false statements of the man. And who are you to say who is Christian and not? Ever been saved yourself? Ever see anyone be saved? Do they immediately become a devout Christian or do they grow in the Lord? You really think Hillary is better. Have you read any books about her that tell about temper tantrums where she has thrown things at Secret Service agents? BTW do you think the POTUS just make a decision w/o first calling others Congress into the conversation to see what is the best way to deal with the very complex domestic and foreign issues facing our nation? I’d say only Obama would just do ANYTHING HE WANTED w/o asking and Hillary is following his every move. Second….You have a right to disagree strongly about the wealth of a Presidential candidate but look at the wealth our last POTUS acquired while in office. Shouldn’t minimum wage be the pay level of our POTUS? I’m afraid Lincoln would be lost in today’s times, we aren’t living in the past, and we are living today, the present. Mr. Trump has run and led many businesses and has had a very good success rate. So you can strongly disagree while I can strongly say you are wrong as Cain was to of given up his birth rights for some food. BTW Mafia bosses, drug cartel leaders, Adolf Hitler, Howard Hughes and Joe Kennedy are mostly dead, in prison, or they work for Hillary/Obama so then they probably couldn’t or wouldn’t run for POTUS, would they? 3rd……There you go back to the past of Mr. Trump and most of the things you just heard from the false media reports. We aren’t living in the past. Do you have a past? Maybe you were born sin free and maybe already born again? Wow, I’m glad you aren’t my Pastor. 4th…..Democrats are strong commitment to racial, economic and social justice is impressive? Where have you been? They started slavery and voted strongly over the years against black rights. Don’t you know any wise grandfathers in your ministry you can ask about the past Democrats beliefs? Yes DO read Psalm 89:14. And remember it applies to everyone not just Donald Trump. It applies to you too so before you go off accusing Mr. Trump on hearsay, remember what Righteousness and justice is. It’s surely not your Righteousness and justice. 5th………….Your current POTUS is the biggest racist that ever seated the position. We never had a fraction of the problems we have had while Obama has had the seat. Trump never started the birtherism and Hillary too was playing that card when she ran against Obama. You are more of a racist for even bringing it up. You probably believe in BLM too. I can tell you what the problem is/was. The Democrats created lazy ass people by giving them free money/food (Welfare. Generation after generation) and rights to work on a scale of percentage in the work place. I have worked with black people and still do. I know some that work and strive at what they do and I know some lazy ones. When I worked construction in the past the blacks would lean on the equipment and shoot the breeze rather than do the job they were hired for. So the contractor would get rid of them. The union would send another black to replace them and they’d be more lazy than the black before them. SO it came down to communication between the blacks on how to get paid and do nothing. They planned it that way. Why? Oh I guess us white people owe them a living for what our ancestor did to them while in slavery. If that’s not prejudice then what IS??? You need to look at it from a cops eyes too. Not a white cops eyes, ANY cops eyes. They go on statistics. Statistically black do more crime than whites or any other race. Blacks kill each other more than any other source that kill them. Who you going to trust when your life is on the line? Playing the racist crap is the biggest anti- Psalm 89:14 that there is. No Party is the Party of Lincoln and probably never again will be. Only the uneducated thugs believe its ok to go out and kill innocent people like BLM. 6th….. Here we go again. ALL lies. No proof just the CNN BS that has all the ignorant blacks calling Trump a racist and the KKK is Hillary’s friends, not Trump. Google it. Look up photos of Hillary and the KKK and she is in the photo with the leader. Hey google Trump and you will find no photos, just made up stuff like you have manufactured by the Democrats to try winning votes. Why don’t you talk to Dr. Ben Carson about it? Make America Great Again. Look up each word definition. You talk very racist the way you assume what the meanings of words mean. That’s the paranoia in you because you grew up around unfairness probably where some whites treated you unfairly. Get over it. I, my wife, my siblings and white friends have also been treated unfairly by blacks but I’m not going to go out and form WLM and go on a killing spree. I got over it. I realized it’s the upbringing of wrong ideas placed in their heads about others. Blaming the world for their troubles. It’s not a dangerous time and era for African Americans; it’s a dangerous time and era for Americans. Black should fear black more than cops. You want to fix it then start a ministry at the source. Chicago would be a very good place to start…7th……,.OK so you aren’t going to support Hillary you are saying because you are not going to find your perfect candidate and WE THE PEOPLE can make new laws that Trump will follow and agree to when he is POTUS…Hillary seems less dangerous than Mr. Trump? Where have you been? Hillary has the FBI in her pocket, has in public record right now that congress is taking away Security Clearance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_hO8aaq9X8 and if you have any memory of the past then you know the Clintons stole items from the white house when Bill was kicked out. She has numerous people dropping dead coincidently when they are scheduled to testify against her. So Mr. Corbett are you trying to convince others to take your view just because you think you are right? I think George and Kenneth have the wisdom here and you are talking out of a racist mind being black. It works both ways. I know not all black people hate me and I have friends and co-workers that I get along with on a daily basis. If you even read what others think and feel then Jesus will bring Psalm 89:14 to you & to me.

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A Response To Pastor Pearsons

1 Comment

Gary