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This isn't fair
Posted on: September 5, 2017 at 16:34:26 CT
Silas MU
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A descendant of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee says he stepped down as pastor of a North Carolina church after negative reactions to his comments supporting racial justice during an MTV awards show "made it clear that I was no longer welcome there."
The general's distant nephew, the Rev. Robert W. Lee IV, issued a statement Monday saying he resigned from Bethany United Church of Christ near Winston-Salem after the congregation decided to put his tenure to a vote.
On Tuesday, Lee told WRAL News, "The toll this has taken on my family and my own health has been striking. What's sad is that many are making my pastorate an issue of attention when attention should be fully centered on the continued struggle for justice for persons of color in this country. I know I will be fine, and my prayer is that Bethany UCC will be as well. But I know deep down that the real presence of justice in this world lies with our continued willingness to move forward. I covet your prayers in these next stages of my ministry."
Lee said some church members were uncomfortable with his remarks praising the Black Lives Matter movement during the Aug. 27 MTV Video Music Awards. He was introducing the mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during demonstrations over a Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Lee also used the televised remarks to lament that his ancestor has become a symbol of racism.
"We have made my ancestor an idol of white supremacy, racism and hate," he said. "As a pastor, it is my moral duty to speak out against racism, America's original sin."
The general's distant nephew, the Rev. Robert W. Lee IV, issued a statement Monday saying he resigned from Bethany United Church of Christ near Winston-Salem after the congregation decided to put his tenure to a vote.
On Tuesday, Lee told WRAL News, "The toll this has taken on my family and my own health has been striking. What's sad is that many are making my pastorate an issue of attention when attention should be fully centered on the continued struggle for justice for persons of color in this country. I know I will be fine, and my prayer is that Bethany UCC will be as well. But I know deep down that the real presence of justice in this world lies with our continued willingness to move forward. I covet your prayers in these next stages of my ministry."
Lee said some church members were uncomfortable with his remarks praising the Black Lives Matter movement during the Aug. 27 MTV Video Music Awards. He was introducing the mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during demonstrations over a Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Lee also used the televised remarks to lament that his ancestor has become a symbol of racism.
"We have made my ancestor an idol of white supremacy, racism and hate," he said. "As a pastor, it is my moral duty to speak out against racism, America's original sin."
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This isn't fair - Silas MU - 9/5 16:34:26