Texas church under fire after chants of viral anti-Biden phrase caught on video: 'Gut-wrenching'
Oklahoma pastor Jeremy Coleman said, 'It was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Texas church is coming under fire over video showing people inside the place of worship chanting the viral anti-Biden phrase, "Let’s Go Brandon."
"A euphemism for, you know, less than well wishes for the president of the United States and it has become a kind of a radical conservative rallying cry," Oklahoma pastor Jeremy Coleman said of the video showing people within the nondenominational Cornerstone Church in San Antonio chanting the phrase.
"It was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking," Coleman added, according to News4SA.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A NASCAR fan holds a "Lets Go Brandon" sign during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy's Frozen Custard 335 at Texas Motor Speedway on Oct. 16, 2021m in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
ANTI-BIDEN RALLYING CRY 'LETS GO BRANDON' CAUSES MAINSTREAM MEDIA MELTDOWN
The video of the people chanting has more than 2 million views on Twitter. Church officials said the chant did not occur during services.
"This past week, Cornerstone Church facilities were used by an outside organization. Cornerstone Church is not associated with this organization and does not endorse their views," the church said in a statement to News4SA.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The church held a "ReAwaken America" conference from Nov. 11-13, where allies of former President Trump, such as Michael Flynn and My Pillow CEO Michael Lindell, spoke, Newsweek reported.
Coleman was repeatedly tagged on TikTok over the video. He addressed the issue on his own TikTok account, describing the scene as a "White nationalist cult rally."
"Churches are meant to be places of unconditional love for your neighbor," Coleman said in a video on the social media platform. "I don't think that that kind of behavior, no matter where you fall on the political spectrum, has any place inside the church."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HOW 'LET'S GO BRANDON!' BECAME A NATIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA SENSATION
Others have also condemned the video, and Coleman argued churches that welcome political organizations should be taxed.
"When you were supplying those things, what you're doing is you're endorsing a political party or endorsing political candidates," Coleman said. "You are now a political action committee. You're no longer a church."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This is not a church service. It’s a political rally. It’s also a prime example of why more people are turned off by and leaving organized religion," Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, added on Twitter.
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The phrase "Let’s go Brandon" went viral last month following an NBC interview with NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Brandon Brown. Fans of NASCAR were chanting "F--- Joe Biden" during the interview, and in an apparent attempt to steer the interview away from politics, reporter Kelli Stavast said they were chanting "Let’s Go Brandon" in support of Brown.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Biden delivers an update on the COVID-19 response and vaccination program, in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The interview spread on social media, and "Let’s go Brandon" became synonymous with criticism of Biden.