Say Something Real
Berating Others, In Jesus’ Name, Won’t Get You to Heaven
By Michelle Bryant
Michelle Bryant
Dr. Karri Turner, wife of Pastor Jamal Bryant, of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, GA, has been at the center of a fierce debate. Her dress of choice for a recent high profile gala has ignited a firestorm in both religious and social circles. What should have been a celebration of achievement and community quickly turned into a referendum on modesty, respectability, and the policing of Black women’s bodies. At the center of the controversy is not just a garment, but a centuries-old pattern of judgment, shaming, and erroneous moral outrage.
The controversy escalated dramatically when Bishop Patrick Wooden, in a sermon that has since gone viral, stated that the way Turner was “presented” publicly made her “appear” like “a $2 whore”. His comments, meant to signal disapproval, landed as a verbal assault, steeped in misogyny and religious self-righteousness. Make no mistake, his choice of language was telling. When we call a woman a whore, we are not simply expressing condemnation; she is being stripped of her dignity, humanity, and agency. It is an act of violence disguised as correction.
Sadly, Wooden’s words are part of a broader trend. Increasingly, some religious leaders have cloaked themselves in the garb of pedagogy, but wield their power not in service of holiness, but in defense of tradition, control, and sometimes, outright harm. The pulpit should be a place for healing and guidance, not a platform for aggression and belligerence.
It is impossible to separate this incident from the long history of Black women being demonized and over-sexualized, dating back to slavery. Society has always been quick to police how Black women dress, speak, and express themselves. When a Black woman is labeled a “whore,” it invokes stereotypes that have been weaponized against us for generations. These labels do not simply critique a dress; they reinforce the dangerous idea that Black women are inherently less respectable, less worthy of protection, and more deserving of public scorn.
The backlash against Bryant’s wife’s dress is about much more than fabric or fashion. It is a test of the values we claim to hold as communities of faith and as a society. However, many, like Wooden, appear to believe that berating others, in Jesus’ name, will get them to heaven. It won’t.
Critique should always be rooted in love, acceptance, and a genuine desire for growth, rather than in humiliation or exclusion. Bishop Wooden’s comments were not just reckless; they were antithetical to the very spirit of Christianity, which calls for grace, empathy, and humility.
When it comes to expectations for members of the faith community, the way in which we talk about others is just as important as the clothes we wear. Language has power, not just to correct, but to wound. If the goal is truly to uplift, we must abandon the rhetoric of shame and denunciation. This moment calls on Christians and faith leaders to reflect on the type of people they claim to be: one that uplifts, empowers, and protect their women, or one that perpetuates cycles of harm under the guise of righteousness.