‘Why are we deifying the founders of this country, many of whom owned slaves?’
In an attempt to make a point about historical figures and their statues, CNN’s Don Lemon claimed that Jesus Christ was “not perfect.”
“Jesus Christ, if that’s who you believe in, Jesus Christ, admittedly was not perfect when he was here on this earth,” Lemon told his fellow CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.
“So why are we deifying the founders of this country, many of whom owned slaves?” he asked.
Lemon was trying to respond to the argument that historical figures such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington deserve recognition for the good that they did, despite their faults.
But in doing so, he revealed just how little he understands religious Americans and their faith,” noted Christian faith-leaders.
Lemon’s un-biblical and ahistorical argument “makes him and his network the uncontested champions of Fake News,” said Pastor Robert Jeffress, a prominent conservative commentator, in response.
“Don Lemon’s comments are, first of all, heretical,” Jeffress, the pastor of 14,000-member First Baptist Church of Dallas, told Fox News.
“And it contradicts the most basic tenet of the Christian faith and demonstrates how tone-deaf the left is to faith issues,” he added.
Cuomo made a similarly anti-religious comment last week when he chastised Americans for turning to prayer amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
“If you believe in one another and if you do the right thing for yourself and your community, things will get better in this country,” Cuomo said last Friday.
You don’t need help from above,” he continued. “It’s within us.”
Lemon has long maintained a personal grudge against President Donald Trump, who last year referred to the anchor as the “dumbest man on television.”
