2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris of California. | Gage Skidmore
Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear is urging pastors in the denomination to refrain from calling Vice President Kamala Harris “Jezebel” due to the racist connotations of the moniker. He is calling on them to honor and pray for her as an elected leader instead.
Greear’s guidance comes in the wake of SBC’s pastors, including SBC Executive Committee member Steve Swofford, referring to the vice president by the term.
“I realize that some pastors are likely unaware of the history of certain racial stereotypes in calling or comparing our Vice President to Jezebel, but that doesn’t make such statements any less unwise,” Greear, who pastors the multi-campus Summit Church in North Carolina, wrote in a Twitter thread Tuesday.
Two days, to be exact.
On Jan. 22, Tom Buck, pastor of First Baptist Church of Lindale, Texas, equated Kamala Harris with the biblical Jezebel.
“I can’t imagine any truly God-fearing Israelite who would’ve wanted their daughters to view Jezebel as an inspirational role model because she was a woman in power,” Buck tweeted.
He has since doubled down in the face of criticism, tweeting “I 100% stand by it,” and insisting, “Should Jezebel, who governed in godless ways, have been a role model simply because she was a woman in power? If not, why should Kamala, who’s governed in godless ways, be a role model just because she’s a woman in power?”
Texas Pastors Are Reportedly Calling Kamala Harris Jezebel
Baptist News spotlighted an alleged trend of Texas pastors referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as Jezebel.
The outlet claimed that Steve Swofford, pastor of First Baptist Church of Rockwall, was the first to refer to Harris using the term. What if something happens to [Joe Biden] and Jezebel has to take over? Jezebel Harris, isn t that her name? he reportedly said in his January 3 sermon at First Baptist of Rockwall.
The pastor said that the Biden-Harris administration would not align with his congregation s values and urged its members to continue holding convictions of being pure and honest and having convictions for Christ.