Beto O’Rourke recently made a visit to the Potter’s House, the megachurch church led by Pastor T.D. Jakes.
via: Blavity
Conservatives are not happy with Texas Bishop T.D. Jakes for inviting Beto O’Rourke to his church, Raw Story reports. Jakes — who mentored President Donald Trump’s spiritual adviser, Paula White — and his 8,000-member congregation reportedly welcomed O’Rourke with open arms, which caused an uproar among Trump supporters.
ChurchLeaders, a religious news organization, was the first to let the public know about O’Rouke’s visit with Jakes, as the Texas press didn’t widely cover the visit. The news caught conservatives’ attention and catapulted O’Rouke’s tweet about the stopover to viral status.
“It was an honor to be welcomed into The Potter’s House by Bishop T.D. Jakes. Thank you for having me at this morning’s service in Dallas,” he shared, along with images of him with the bishop and other churchgoers.
It was an honor to be welcomed into The Potter’s House by Bishop T.D. Jakes. Thank you for having me at this morning’s service in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/DlM8sz40tQ
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 23, 2022
But why did the tweet get conservatives in a tizzy? Well, the beliefs of Jakes’ followers do not exactly match with the former presidential hopeful’s party ideologies. O’Rouke is a more left-leaning politician, while Jakes’ fans and supporters are on the opposite side of the sociopolitical spectrum.
“Both of you need Jesus. Sadly, you didn’t meet Him in that ‘church’ yesterday,” one user wrote to O’Rouke.
Both of you need Jesus.
Sadly, you didn't meet Him in that "church" yesterday.— Rebecca Loyd (@NSanctification) October 25, 2022
“Wow, you really will pander to anyone,” added another.
Wow, you really will pander to anyone.
— TimmerMcGraw, CFI ??? (@TimmerMcGraw) October 23, 2022
A particularly bothered user called Jakes a “false teacher.”
In fairness, TD Jakes is no preacher of the Gospel. Beto didn't go to a church. He visited a false teacher. Both of them are frauds. They deserve each other.
— Kevin Zufall (@KevinLeeZufall) October 25, 2022
Christian musician and ex-GOP Congressional candidate Sean Feucht weighed in on the situation too.
“I will never understand these churches giving a political platform to woke politicians who love abortion and hate religious liberty,” he wrote.
I will never understand these churches giving a political platform to woke politicians who love abortion and hate religious liberty. https://t.co/AaiR65M6hc
— Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) October 24, 2022
And another tweeted about O’Rourke’s comments on tax exemptions placed on churches, asking, “You taking his tax exempt status away?”
In case you missed it, in 2019, O’Rourke argued that anti-LGBTQIA+ churches should lose their tax exemption status, The Dallas Morning News reports. Conservatives were enraged, and they came for him about it.
Neither O’Rourke nor Jakes have addressed the controversy.
