Ben Carson used to be a "superstar" to many ministers and black Christians, but when he started campaigning for the presidency, they felt like a new person had emerged.
David Bullock, a minister at Greater St. Matthew Church in Detroit said the statements made by Carson during the presidential debate have been shocking him. "He seems like a completely different Ben Carson," Bullock told News Max.
The Seventh-day Adventist has long been struggling to connect with the black church community, sources said. Even though black ministers supported his autobiography "Gifted Hands" and even staged re-enactments of his journey towards success, they have become apprehensive about his stance with regards to guns, Muslims, and current President Barack Obama.
Reverend Delman Coates, a pastor in Clinton, Maryland, said Carson inspired his Christian faith. He even used the Republican presidential candidate as an example in many of his own sermons. However, Carson's surprising political views have "tainted some of that reputation," he said.
"I would not call him an African-American leader," said Coates, who was dismayed by Carson's statement of barring a Muslim seeking the U.S. presidency. "There's a difference between being an African-American voice and being a voice of African-Americans."
But Armstrong Williams, one of Carson's top advisors, said the black faith community hasn't entirely given up on Carson.
"There are things that Dr. Carson has said in the past—equating Obamacare to slavery has not gone over well in that community," he conceded. But now, "he's learned how to better communicate, better to speak the language and say it in a way that is not offensive."
He said black churchgoers are still willing to listen to Carson because of their shared history. "They're willing to give him a second chance and a third time."
Bishop Ron Thomas, a black pastor at Reconciliation Apostolic Ministries in Las Vegas, Nevada, is one such person. He said he would be voting for Carson because he is fearful "that our country is really losing touch with God."
