Evangelical Robert Jeffress Says Kneeling NFL Players Lucky They’re Not ‘Shot in The Head’

User:Crash Underride [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
User:Crash Underride [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Pastor Robert Jeffress is a member of President Trump’s evangelical advisory council.

Robert Jeffress, a Southern Baptist pastor known for his conservative views, made a comment during a television interview that those NFL players who kneel when the American national anthem is played should be giving thanks to God[/tweetit] that they weren’t shot in the head. Pastor Jeffress leads Dallas' First Baptist Church. The ostensible man of God made these comments during a televised debate over the protests made by athletics. It is to be mentioned that the pastor is also a member of the evangelical advisory council, an informal group instituted by President Donald J. Trump.

Evangelical Pastor Says Kneeling NFL Players Lucky They’re Not ‘Shot in The Head’[/tweetthis]

Pastor Jeffress is no stranger to media soundbites. He hosts Pathway to Victory, a radio program broadcast daily. He is also a regular presence in television, hosting a show by same name. Both of them are distributed all over the United States.

The Trump adviser cum pastor shared his opinions on the athletes who kneel during the United States national anthem during a televised debate. He said that he completely disapproves of what these players are doing. The pastor claimed that the players should thank the almighty that they live in the U.S., a country where they not only can earn millions of dollars but also free of worries like being subjected to a bullet directed towards their head like if they are residents of North Korea.

These comments made by Jeffress came soon after President Trump strongly condemned the NFL players for selecting to kneel when the U.S. national anthem is being played. Trump even suggested that players who kneel during the anthem should be fired. The comments made by the president had the opposite effect. An increasing number of players now kneel during a number of games held at different locations all over the country. A few teams, like the Pittsburgh Steelers (except one player). Seattle Seahawks, and Tennessee Titans, have elected not to enter the field when the anthem is played as their way of protest.

Pastor Jeffress clearly indicated on television that he consented with the president's condemnation of the protesting NFL players. He said that many Americans agree with Trump when it comes to matters like this. Jeffress claimed that Trump cannot be termed a racist. For the president, it does not concern race, but about respect for the country.

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