A sign near a Dallas highway proclaiming that “America is a Christian nation” was removed by the billboard company after it had drawn criticism, including from the city’s mayor.
The advertisement along Dallas North Tollway had promoted a service on Christian patriotism set for Sunday at First Baptist Church of Dallas.
But on the day after Mayor Mike Rawlings was cited in a column in the Dallas Morning News as calling the billboard “divisive,” Outfront Media revoked its approval, according to First Baptist senior pastor Robert Jeffress.
Outfront denied there was any link between the mayor’s remarks and the revocation.
Outfront Media told the Dallas Morning News that it pulled its approval after a flood of complaints about the “divisive” message.
Mr. Jeffress told Fox News that “we respect the right of the billboard company not to propagate a message they aren’t comfortable with.”
But he said the Dallas mayor “does not have the right to weigh in on this, to disparage our church and to directly or indirectly influence the billboard company.”
He cited last week’s gay-wedding case and accused Mr. Rawlings of being “hostile” to First Baptist Dallas, similar to how Colorado authorities had shown hostility to the religion of a Christian baker.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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