Pastor sparks controversy with rhetoric about Dems, Christianity

[Jilly_in_VA]

By most measures, Greg Locke was already a controversial Christian pastor. The Washington Post recently published a profile on him, his church in Tennessee, and his millions of online followers.

As the Post put it, Locke’s critics make the case that he’s “spreading a dangerous message of hate that is taking root in some conservative churches.” The same report noted that his ministry has also divided his community outside Nashville, especially after Locke held a book-burning event where he and followers threw copies of the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series and Disney merchandise into a giant bonfire.

Locke was also on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection, a day after speaking at a pro-Trump rally where he reportedly delivered “one of the clearest and most violent prayers of the day.” The Post added that the pastor has also blessed the members of the right-wing Proud Boys from his pulpit, and relied on its members to provide “security.”

It was against this backdrop that Newsweek took note of an especially memorable sermon Locke delivered earlier this week, which might make him even more controversial.

Ahead of a Monday anti-abortion rally in front of the Supreme Court in Washington D.C., right-wing Pastor Greg Locke told his Tennessee congregation “you ain’t seen an insurrection yet” ... The Global Vision Bible Church pastor made the provocative statement during a sermon in Mt. Juliet, near Nashville, on Sunday. During the sermon, the pro-Trump pastor railed against Democrats who he said could not be Christians if they supported abortion rights.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/pastor-sparks-controversy-rhetoric-dems-christianity-rcna29442
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Temove his tax exemption NOW!

[Wounded Bear]

1. Tax the churches! nt

[Docreed2003]

2. This guy is nuts and he's dangerous

It's appalling and astounding to me that this nutter has the following that he does.

[twodogsbarking]

3. Blah blah blah.

[VarryOn]

4. This guy is putting himself in a dangerous place as a pastor...

Biblically speaking. To whom much us given (leadership in a church), much is required. He is defiling his congregation with such hateful, unbiblical preaching. And more importantly, he's leading many astray.

Politcal preachers are some of the most disgusting people there are. They tend to love the world more than they should, and they like the power they perceive the derive be being able to "deliver their flock" to politicians in exhange for prestige. The IRS needs to intervene.

I go to church every week because my faith is important to me. I need that couple hours a week to reflect. But, that time needs to be saturated in focusing us on the love of God and how is gracious, patient, forgiving and kind.

Anyway, this guy give church-going people and bad name, and I hate it.

[Jilly_in_VA]

6. +1

Him, and also for me that awhole Archbishop Kirill in Russia, because I'm Orthodox Christian. I was chrismated in an Old Believer church (long story) which is Russian in origin but not Russian Orthodox. We are kind of in a bad place right now because our priest has died and we have no idea when or even if we'll get a new one so people are just going wherever. I will not touch the ROCOR church here because the priest was ugly to me. The best alternative is the Ukrainian Orthodox but they are 60 miles away....

[VarryOn]

7. Oh, yeah, I'd forgotten about Archbishop Kirill...

As leader of the ROCOR, he's absolutely using his role and biblical authority to back to a dictator's war the imprimatur of God's approval.

I'm sorry to hear about your congregation. Having just gone through a search for a new pastor after our previous one became burned out, it's not fun. Yet, it's so very importatant to find a new leader. And you have to be so careful.

I know church and faith in Christianity is not important to everyone, and unfortunately, the Church has failed in so many ways over the centuries. But, thankfully, TRUE Chistrianity is not incompatible our political beliefs. I've always believed Jesus would have been a Democrat.

[Lovie777]

5. Yeah because . ..

the purity party certainly have a lock in Christianity . . . ... their GAWD told them.

[lpbk2713]

8. Give em hail Brother Bubba!

The people that threw that stuff in the fire probably already paid
for it so it doesn't matter a hell of a lot what they do with it.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. I just hope none of them were first editions.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Pastor sounds like he was the inspiration for a dementor.

[Initech]

11. Should have guessed it was Locke. Yeah fuck that guy.

[MagickMuffin]

12. Pastor Greg Locke told his Tennessee congregation "you ain't seen an insurrection yet"

Hello FBI / DOJ are you taking notice?


Time to charge him with inciting an insurrection. This cannot continue without some form of consequences for this rhetoric.

[DavidDvorkin]

13. If only we had some sort of law that could be used against such people

For the sake of argument, let's call it, oh, I don't know, the Johnson Amendment. And just for argument's sake, let's say it was the duty of the IRS to enforce that law.

Wouldn't that be nice? Too bad none of that exists.

[Archae]

14. In less than 5 years, Locke will go down in flames.

In a sex and/or money scandal.

It's the usual pattern with these "Holier-Than-Thou" demagogues.