April 22, 2025
The outspoken physiologist weighs in on the pastor’s controversial sermon.
Dr. Umar Johnson has robust opinions about Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell, founding father of Atlanta’s 2819 Church. Final week, the pastor confronted backlash when a clip of his sermon surfaced on social media, during which he advised churchgoers they might keep away from police brutality by submitting to authority.
@abellewis2025 Pastor Philip Mitchell is preaching! Cease it! Sufficient mentioned. @TinaSnow @Youngsters of God Studios ♬ authentic sound – abellewis2025
“Cease blaming white cops for the killing of black children,” Mitchell advised his congregation throughout his April 13 sermon. “As a substitute, train your black youngsters to be obedient in direction of authority.”
Dr. Umar, a vocal critic of the Black Church in recent times, didn’t take kindly to the pastor’s phrases, which some social media customers known as tone-deaf. In response to a examine launched by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Black individuals expertise police misconduct at six instances the speed of their white counterparts. The outspoken psychologist posted a clip of Mitchell’s controversial sermon and captioned it with a clap-back.
“50,000 lashes,” the self-proclaimed Prince of Panafricanism quipped, referring to the symbolic “lashes” that he offers to individuals whose actions he disapproves of.
“These are the sorts of pastors they introduced in to talk to the slaves,” the caption learn.
Amid the backlash on social media, Mitchell has since apologized for his assertion.
“Whereas not my intention, I acknowledge I brought about hurt and for that I apologize,” the assertion learn.
“Indisputably, I perceive the framing I used about Black youngsters and their relationship with police was and is dangerous. I do know that Black individuals have been killed by the police when being each compliant and non-compliant. I sought as an instance this pressure from my very own lived expertise,“ the church chief wrote, referencing the a part of his sermon the place he shared a private story, claiming he was capable of de-escalate a doubtlessly harmful encounter with a police officer by selecting to submit.
The self-proclaimed King Kong of Consciousness doesn’t appear to have accepted Mitchell’s apology. Dr. Johnson’s cyber “lashes” got here two days after Mitchell issued his assertion.
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