The pastor thought Trump was 'evil.' So he quit his conservative church

[Demovictory9]

It was going to be a hard day. Keith Mannes prayed he was doing right. He got into his car and drove past harvested cornfields and "Keep America Great!" signs. He parked, walked a few steps and opened the door to his church.

A pastor for decades, he stood before a few dozen congregants. He knew them all, their histories, struggles and joys. That is the way of things here. He told them he loved them and asked for forgiveness. But he couldn't go on as before. Most church members supported President Trump, he said, and Mannes could no longer hide his repulsion for the man he considered incompatible with Christianity.

“I am to follow the call of my heart to speak into the world as small as my voice may be,” said the 59-year-old lifelong Republican. It was a voice, he said, that was too controversial, too divisive, for this small house of God. He gave his two weeks' notice and quit East Saugatuck Church.

In this conservative region of western Michigan, a GOP stronghold where pastors and party have long united as one, Mannes' decision rippled through this city of 33,000 in a battleground state ahead of a bitter presidential election.

https://news.yahoo.com/pastor-thought-trump-evil-quit-200305517.html

[malaise]

1. Good for him

Rec

[DFW]

2. A Republican with a conscience

So rare, they make national headlines when discovered. That says enough about the rest of them.

[My Pet Orangutan]

3. "There goes early retirement. My pension. My friends," said Mannes,

who had spent nearly 30 years pastoring churches across Michigan and Florida. "Is it worth it?"

[smirkymonkey]

4. I wish him well and I hope he finds a new happiness some place else with a supportive

community and maybe a go-fund me for his retirement. He deserves to have peace for acting with integrity and obeying his conscience. I wouldn't want him to suffer for the brave action he has taken.

[judesedit]

6. When one door closes, another opens. Welcome to the fold, Pastor

[lagomorph777]

12. I wonder whether any of his flock listened to him.

[patricia92243]

5. "more worried about the social gospel than the real gospel." They have to be

kidding! Republicans the prefect picture of "social gospel."

That they would vote for a three time married adulterer rather than a Christian man who lives his religion shows them for what they are. Repulsive!

[Sherman A1]

7. Good for him

That took some guts on his part.

[yaesu]

8. as far as the fascists taking over Christian religions goes they have poisoned that well forever. nt

[Tommymac]

10. Christofascists for sure. nt

[bucolic_frolic]

9. It's vital to be able to look yourself in the mirror every day

[Bondor]

11. Missed opportunity to serve

I wish he had spent some time trying to convert the heathens. If they do not like their preacher's brand of morality, let them kick him out. Green stamp for letting people know he thought they were following an evil leader. Brown stamp for his not trying to do anything about it!

[Biophilic]

13. Actually if you read the article he did try to teach them what he thought and why he thought it.

[woodsprite]

14. I have a friend (minister in a Methodist church in central PA) that did the exact same thing.

He said he'd figure he'd resign his position before they decided not to get rid of him. He did that early on several months after the 2016 election.

[dalton99a]

15. Trump and his cult are evil.