Campaign Finance Ethics North Carolina Religion

Who Would Jesus Donate To?

Mark Harris, a Republican running for a Senate seat in North Carolina, has allegedly received funds from collection plates at local churches.

The question has arisen in light of a new video showing Rev. Bill Saylor of the Blackwelder Park Baptist Church urging attendees to donate money to Harris, either as a pastor or a Senate candidate.

“Now, I want you to do this also —we’re going to take an offering, all right? We’re going to take an offering for Dr. Harris, for his coming and preaching, also for whatever you want to do otherwise for supporting him in this campaign,” Saylor said.

Harris says that some churches “haven’t given [him] anything” which appears to be an admission that some churches also have.

What I would like to know is how funds that parishioners dumped into collection plates were allocated. Did each member of the church attach a note to their donation detailing whether or not they wanted their money to be used for Harris’s campaign? Did the church decide what their intentions were on its own? Did some members of the church pressure others into making a donation for his campaign?

I’ll be thoroughly disappointed but not surprised if Blackwelder Park Baptist Church isn’t punished for this.