Greg Locke, a far-right pastor who also happens to be a Trump supporter, is attempting to deny a horrifyingly ableist comment he made about wheelchair users.
Accessible Parking at Churches
Locke said: “You know one of the largest expenses we have in [church] buildings? The amount of handicap parking and handicap accessibility that we have in our churches. Now, I’m gonna make you mad for a minute and I don’t really care. Why is it you pull up to a church that says they operate in faith and you have fifty handicapped parking spots?”
A Lack of Faith
The pastor continued: “We just expect that people are going to leave church the same way they came to church. We ought to start having some signs out there that don’t have, you know, handicap accessibility… people in a wheelchair. We ought to start having signs of a wheelchair lying down and someone just walking up. I think you just don’t have any faith is what I think!”
The Public Outcry
People understandably took Locke’s comments to mean that wheelchair users are disabled because of a lack of faith in God. They felt the pastor was saying that if they simply believed more, they’d somehow no longer be disabled. Naturally, there was a public outcry.
Believing in Miracles
Locke took to social media to deny the accusations. He wrote: “It’s an unbelievable shame and disgrace, the things that have been said to me simply because I said that people with handicapped conditions can be healed and the church in America should believe in and expect miracles.”
Locke’s “Biblical Faith”
The pastor went on to say that comments calling out his ableism were “evil” and defended his remarks as “biblical faith,” naturally igniting more uproar. “Wow! The evil comments and messages from people steaming mad that I have biblical faith are utterly ridiculous,” he said.
A History of Controversy
This wasn’t the first time Locke caused controversy. In 2021, he told his followers to never get the COVID-19 vaccine and banned facemasks in his church. He also claimed that the only people who didn’t think the 2020 election was stolen were “crack-smoking” and “demon-possessed.”
The Internet’s Response
News of Locke’s remarks and his denial of them was shared across the internet and people flocked to comment sections to give their views. One person said: “Hate is evil and extremism leads to pain and suffering. He may follow some sort of fake religion – but not Jesus.”
The Bible and False Prophets
Another commenter wrote: “The Bible warned against false prophets, yet somehow so many Christians have fallen for the cult of Trump. Maybe they should consider reading their Bibles instead of just thumping them.”
A False MAGA Religion
Plenty of people said Locke is an embarrassment to Christianity. “Pastors like this individual are an embarrassment to all devout believers who refuse to tarnish faith in God with a false MAGA religion,” one commenter wrote.
Deliriously Stupid and Irresponsible
Others said that everything MAGA Republicans say is just as ridiculous: “Funny how everything you read from a MAGA is deliriously stupid and irresponsible. I think that’s the biggest statement about them.”
No Medical Intervention
Some people were a little harsher with their words. “We’ll remember that if you ever contract a terminal disease and can’t heal yourself with just your faith and no medical intervention,” one commenter said.
Perception of Reality
Another person wrote: “The fact that he has, what, 100+ people in his congregation who all have apparently thought, ‘Yes, I believe what Greg is saying and it doesn’t conflict with my perception of reality at all’ is absolutely frightening.”
A Greg-to-Gregg Conversation
Others discussed Texas Governor Gregg Abbott: “Super-conservative Gregg Abbot is confined to a wheelchair after a spinal injury a couple of decades ago. I think the two of them should have a Greg-to-Gregg conversation about this.”
The Christian Fallback Position
Another commenter said: “This is always the Christian fallback position. If prayer didn’t work, it’s because you didn’t pray hard enough, didn’t believe strongly enough, aren’t Christian enough. It is always your fault, never the fault of Christianity or God.”
A Personal Story
Some people shared personal stories: “My grandma was in a wheelchair my whole life. She had more faith than anyone I’ve ever known. According to [Locke], she ought to have been doing cartwheels all the way to the grocery store.”
A Firm Believer in God
Others said that pastors like Locke are the reason behind Christianity’s decline: “He’s a prime example of why so many people have turned their backs on church and religion. I’m a firm believer in God but don’t need a pastor, priest, or bishop to lead me into some righteous path when most of them are lost themselves.”
A Whole New Level of Crazy
One commenter said Locke has become more and more insane over the years. They wrote: “This guy is so unhinged. He’s always been horribly hateful but now that he’s fully into the ‘deliverance’ and ‘faith healing’ nonsense he’s on a whole new level of crazy.”
Proof of Faith Healing
Plenty of people said they’d happily believe in faith healing if they were provided with proof. One such individual said: “The day that God makes a quadriplegic or a double amputee walk on stage during one of these faith healing sessions, maybe I’ll consider the possibility.”
“This Is Why Nobody Takes Christianity Seriously”: Pastor Enters Cage of Lions to Prove God Is Protecting Him
Plenty of religious leaders claim to have some form of “divine protection” but not many of them are brave enough to attempt to prove it. One pastor, though, did possess that courage – or stupidity – and he locked himself in a cage of lions to make his point.
“Christianity in America Is Just a Money Making Scheme”: Pope Slams American Catholics for Turning Faith into a Cash Cow and Ideological Circus
Pope Francis has criticized certain conservative factions within the US Catholic Church, stating that they’ve replaced genuine faith with rigid ideology. He emphasized that a proper interpretation of Roman Catholic doctrine permits adaptation and change as time goes on.
“Jesus Was a Socialist”: Christianity in Crisis as Conservatives Finally Realize Jesus Was Woke
Russell Moore, once a prominent figure within the Southern Baptist Convention, has expressed profound concerns regarding the current trajectory of Christianity within the United States.
“Jesus Was a Socialist”: Christianity in Crisis as Conservatives Finally Realize Jesus Was Woke
Empty Pews, Changing Views: 18 Reasons Why Modern Congregations Are Thinning Out
Sit tight, friends! Have you noticed that your usual church-going squad is thinning out? Even the little old ladies with their prayer books seem to have made themselves scarce. But what’s causing this great church exodus? Let’s pull back the curtain and examine why some people are swapping the sermon for a Sunday sleep-in with our intriguing list of 18 reasons.
Empty Pews, Changing Views: 18 Reasons Why Modern Congregations Are Thinning Out
21 Things Forbidden by the Bible (But You Might Already Be Doing Them!)
As we navigate the present day, it’s fascinating to discover age-old Biblical rules that might feel out of place today. From clean-shaven debates to the great pork dilemma, let’s dive into these intriguing prohibitions. Hold onto your hats because some of these are real eyebrow-raisers!
21 Things Forbidden by the Bible (But You Might Already Be Doing Them!)