Kirk Franklin has strongly criticized Christians for their unwavering support of former President Donald Trump despite his problematic lifestyle.

According to The Jasmine Brand, the gospel artist appeared on a recent episode of Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, where he condemned the Christian community for endorsing the Republican presidential nominee despite his controversial statements before and after rising to political prominence.

“Sometimes when somebody acknowledges or says that they are Christian or represent their faith, everybody in the Christian community wants to jump on it. You also see that even in the white Christian community. If Donald Trump says that he’s a Christian, then all the evangelicals vote for him even though there are so many things about his life and lifestyle that are problematic to the Christian ideal,” Franklin, 54, said. 

Trump has garnered steadfast backing from Christians, particularly among white far-right evangelicals. Since entering the political sphere, the 78-year-old has made disturbing remarks about women, Black and Latino Americans and disabled individuals, among others. He has also faced multiple lawsuits, including those involving adult film star Stormy Daniels, and has been convicted of fraud and falsifying business records, per The Associated Press. Despite these issues, Christians, including some Black believers, still intend to vote for him in the upcoming November presidential election.

In addition to his criticism of Christian support for Trump, Franklin has also addressed the Western Christianity’s flawed views on marriage, pointing out how these perspectives are used to marginalize single Black and childless women within the Black community, according to Vibe.

“I believe that marriage has been weaponized in Western Christianity,” he shared. “It’s very much that ‘You living in sin, you need to get married,’ without realizing that marriage doesn’t fix sin,” Franklin said, referencing his marriage. “[Tammy Collins] and I have had to walk through deep waters of a lot of the bad beginnings of religious dogma. That’s why it is very important for people to understand the fullness of faith and to not allow the culture of Christianity to dictate what God wants for them.”

He continued, “Don’t be no 30-35 year old single Black woman and go to the family reunion,” he said. “All the older women are gonna do nothing but they gonna look at you and wonder and question you and challenge you. ‘Why you not married?'”

Franklin also discussed the distinctions between marriage and singleness, as mentioned in the Bible.

“How we superspiritualize these messages: ‘He that findeth a wife, findeth a good thing.’ But Paul also said, ‘I wish some of you were like me. I wish some of you could be single because some of you could be even more useful in the kingdom if you were single.’ Now marriage is a good thing. Paul said, ‘But marriage is a necessary distraction,'” the Texas native said.

The “Melodies from Heaven” artist also revealed that some of his friends were told they could not be active in the church unless they were married.

“‘We’re not going to let you work with the youth ministry if you single, you can’t do this if you single,'” Franklin recounted. “And so what people do, they quickly get married thinking that they’re fulfilling God’s will for their lives, but they are fulfilling man’s dogma. You can be single and be used by God. You can be single and have purpose. Being married is not a prerequisite for God’s hand on your life. It is not, but we’ve weaponized it.”

Clips of the interview have circulated on X, formerly Twitter, with users sharing their thoughts on Franklin’s viewpoints on Christianity.

“This is deep. They will crucify you when the marriage didn’t work. Mehn,” one user said.

“He’s speaking facts. Marriage is a gift from God. Singleness is also a gift from God. You can be used by God in both cases. To say otherwise is dangerous,” another wrote.

“He’s right. It’s not just in Christianity either. Our entire society attaches individual value to relationship identity,” a third user said.

Watch full interview below.

ChristianityDonald trumpKirk Franklin