More drivel from this so-called pastor making the rounds on Facebook, along with the requisite puffery ("This.").
Worth reading with red pen in hand, perhaps as a useful example in an introductory course on argument (as in, how NOT to) and fallacious reasoning. For example, a cursory read reveals sweeping generalizations, false dichotomies, binary thinking, and the fallacy of the excluded middle. I'm sure someone with more experience in logic could do a better job than I in analyzing this screed.
I'd respect this man's argument more readily if he'd named a name, or better yet, written a personal letter to specific white evangelicals he has in mind rather than to "White Evangelicals" writ large, and appealed to them each in turn.
This approach would be more consistent with the Scriptural principle having to do with church accountability, as described here in Matthew 18:
If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
There's a process at work here that involves speaking privately to someone who has transgressed before moving to next levels. The idea of a fellow believer being part of one's family ("brethren") suggests respect for the dignity inherent in the transgressor.
Following the process described, the offended "brother" (in this case, Pavlovitz) would speak privately with the offender (in this case, presumably, someone he has heard or seen has "trespassed, which implies a violation of some kind of personal asset, perhaps an intangible asset, like trust).
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Pavlovitz might find that the offending brother won't listen to the correction proffered. At that point, Pavlovitz would find one or two other believers to take with him to the offender.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church
After all these steps have been thoughtfully and prayerfully followed and the offender still plans on voting for Trump,
but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
No, Pastor John, not a Republican, a publican.
Then and only then is Pavlovitz permitted post his public blog.
That's the procedure set up in the Bible for people of faith to address the Trump voter in their midst. Of course, all of this would imply that John Pavlovitz actually reads and lives by the Scriptures, which is probably too much to expect from someone who seems more interested in fawning praise and book royalties than he is in pastoring.
