Kirk Franklin slams Christian community for unquestioningly supporting Donald Trump's 'problematic' lifestyle
Kirk Franklin didn't hold back in his recent comments about the Christian community.
In a recent interview on Cam Newton's Funky Friday podcast, Kirk Franklin, 54, didn't hold back when he harshly criticized the Christian community for uncritically supporting prominent figures like former President Donald Trump, who is currently seeking reelection.
Kirk Franklin said:
“Sometimes, when someone identifies or says they're a Christian or represents their faith, everyone in the Christian community wants to jump on board. You see the same thing in the white Christian community. If Donald Trump says he's a Christian, all the evangelicals will vote for him, even though there are many issues with his life and lifestyle that go against Christian ideals.”
Kirk Franklin was apparently referring to Donald Trump's controversial record, which includes his alleged affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels and his denial, his conviction for falsifying business records, and being accused of sexual assault, among other actions that could be seen as contrary to Christian values.
Franklin criticized the tendency of religious communities to embrace celebrities without holding them accountable, saying of rapper Kanye West:
“We are so craving as Christians. We are so craving attention that we'll attach ourselves to anyone who gives us the slightest hint that they're with us, (but) we don't live our lives with them. We just revel in their celebrity status. I've seen it firsthand so many times with Kanye. He's so talented and such an incredible person. So many times the faith community got so excited about hanging on to him that no one asked the hard questions. No one talked about accountability, no one talked about the community around this person. We've become stray Black people and we've lost sight of the bigger picture, we've lost sight of the Great Commission.”
Kirk Franklin criticizes the Christian community for obsessing over celebrities like Kanye West and Donald Trump instead of holding them accountable or asking them hard questions, saying Christians are so starved for attention that they'll cling to anyone who suggests they're amazing… pic.twitter.com/ajVc5wKHpe
— Art of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) August 10, 2024
On social media, Franklin's comments have sparked mixed reactions.
One X user tweeted:
“He's not lying, and I have no intention of voting for him in November, but it's astonishing that Christians would abandon their religious beliefs for flawed people who claim to share the same faith. It just goes to show how cult-like behavior tends to thrive by telling people what they want to hear.”
Another commenter criticized Franklin's remarks:
“He needs to be stopped. Who is going to hold Biden and his administration accountable? It works both ways.”
See more reactions below:
During the interview, Franklin also addressed the misconception that simply attending church equates to true Christian faith.
“Going to church doesn't make you a Christian. Being in a garage doesn't make you a car. Going to church doesn't make everything fine. We have to realize that the focus of our attention should be God, not the pastor, not the pulpit, not the pews. He's the star, the MVP, the VIPs, and we're his fans and we're there to cheer him on.”
“Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian…” – Kirk Franklinpic.twitter.com/b3qy5qcC63
— GistReel.Com (@GistReel) August 12, 2024
Furthermore, Franklin argues that these concepts have been weaponized in discussions of marriage and other aspects of Western Christianity, stating:
“I think marriage has been weaponized in Western Christianity. To not have a man or not have children is a prerequisite for identity, that something about you is broken. Do you see how dysfunctional these messages are and how we have super-spiritualized them?”
Franklin also noted that many people marry under societal pressure and face harsh criticism when their marriages fail.
Do you agree with Kirk Franklin? Share your thoughts below!
