Texas Pastor Sparks Outrage: Declares Democrats Can’t be Christians, Doubles Down on Controversial Claim”

Landon Schott, senior lead pastor of Mercy Culture Church in Texas, has ignited a firestorm of controversy after declaring that Americans who vote for Democrats cannot be considered Christians. In a series of Instagram videos, Schott doubled down on his claim, stating that the Democratic Party’s support for abortion, homosexuality, and transgenderism is at odds with Christian values. He went on to suggest that Democrats are “flippantly murdering children” and “celebrating” it, and that anyone who aligns with the party is “not on the Lord’s side.”

“I’ve been asked over and over ‘Pastor Landon are you saying you’re not a Christian if you vote for a Democrat?’ LET ME BE VERY CLEAR… THAT IS CORRECT!! YOU ARE NOT A BIBLE BELIEVING, JESUS FOLLOWING CHRISTIAN IF YOU SUPPORT THE GODLESS ROMANS 1 EVIL OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY! … Please, stop pretending you’re a follow[er] of Jesus. You’re simply a Luke-warm ‘pretend Christian!!!’”

Schott’s comments have sparked widespread outrage, with many critics accusing him of politicizing Christianity and ignoring the complexities of social issues. Despite claiming he is not a Republican, Schott’s rhetoric has been seen as endorsing the Republican Party and perpetuating a divisive narrative that equates Christianity with conservative politics. His church, Mercy Culture Church, has thousands of followers across seven campuses and online, raising concerns about the influence of his words.

“It blows my mind how people that think they are following Jesus can be aligned with worldly celebrities, wicked world leaders, demonically led politicians that defy God, that defy God’s word, that don’t want the Bible in school, that don’t want anything to do with God in society, but you think that you’re a Christian? You think that you’re a follower of Jesus?” Schott asked on Tuesday.

Schott’s comments have also been criticized for being overly simplistic and dismissive of nuanced debates around issues like poverty and social justice. He has been accused of cherry-picking issues to suit his political agenda, while ignoring the biblical imperative to care for the marginalized and oppressed. As the controversy continues to unfold, Schott’s words have sparked a broader conversation about the intersection of faith and politics, and the dangers of using Christianity as a tool for political manipulation.

“It’s the same thing that gay Christians do. You try to put an identity before your Christianity. A gay Christian? There’s no such thing. There’s no category. I’m a black Christian? I’m sorry, there’s no such category. There’s no such category as a white Christian,” he added.

“I pastor a very multicultural church. Maybe one of the most diverse churches in DFW. And they’re there for one reason. It’s not because I’m a white pastor or we have African American worship leaders. It’s not because we even try to be diverse. It’s because we built a church around the presence of God. Likeminded people who love God’s word and love his spirit.”

Schott is far from the first pastor to make similar claims that Christians can’t vote for Democrats.