Pastor Says Black Christians Should 'Withhold Support' From Obama Over Same-Sex Marriage

An influential group of black pastors is urging black Christians to shelve their support of President Barack Obama until he reverses his position favoring same-sex marriage.

The Coalition of African American Pastors last month requested a meeting with Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss how Obama had "broken [their] hearts" when he endorsed same-sex marriage as a civil right. Having received no White House response, the 1,300-member organization is calling on blacks to boycott the president, the Washington Examiner reported.

“By embracing gay marriage, President Obama is leading the country down an immoral path,” coalition president Rev. William Owens said in a statement. “The Black Church has always been the conscience of America, and today we are calling on black pastors and black Christians to withhold support from President Obama until he corrects course.”

“President Obama is the fulfillment of our dream for our sons — and he has broken our hearts by using his power and position to endorse as a civil right something that is simply wrong,” the statement said. “Some things are bigger than the next election.”

During a press conference this week, Owens said his organization is growing increasingly frustrated with Obama, according to the Christian Post.

"We can't compete with the Hollywood folks who are raising the big bucks for the president," he said. "But it was black folks who rallied around him in 2008 and for him to ignore our request with a group of clergy who represents tens of thousands of black Christians of many denominations is an insult."

The group is currently encouraging supporters to sign its 100,000 Signatures for Marriage petition and has called on the African Methodist Episcopal Church to denounce Obama as well.