A far-right Christian nationalist pastor is again facing backlash after claiming that white parents should teach their children that Black strangers are more dangerous than white strangers.
Joel Webbon, senior pastor of Covenant Bible Church in Austin, TX, made the controversial comments during Monday’s (September 8) episode of a podcast produced by Right Response Ministries, a website he founded that advocates for Christian nationalism.
“If you’re a Christian white parent who loves the Lord and loves your children, you need to have ‘The Talk,’” Webbon said. “‘The Talk’ that we’re referencing is the talk that takes your children, according to their maturity, at the proper time, the appropriate time, and says, there are certain parts of town that you cannot go. And there are certain people that you cannot be around.”
Webbon went on to suggest that Black strangers pose a greater danger than white ones.
“If you go into a crowd of strangers, and they’re white strangers, there’s some danger. If they’re Black strangers, there is 30 times more danger. Them’s the facts,” he said.
Webbon clarified that his remarks weren’t directed at Black churchgoers he knew personally, but at strangers encountered in public.
“It is actually a failure of your parental duty … if you lie to them and you say all people and all races of people in our country are the same,” Webbon added.
The pastor was slammed for his remarks on social media, with many users noting that they were contradictory to Christian teachings.
“From the book of Racist 3:16,” Jemele Hill responded.
“The fact this man is shepherding a congregation is scary. THIS IS NOT FOLLOWING JESUS,” another social media user wrote.
This isn’t the first time Webbon faced backlash for his remarks about race. In 2023, Webbon said he would prefer a white doctor over a Black one, claiming that Black doctors were less qualified. He has also suggested that women should not have the right to vote.
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