POLITICS & FAITH
L-R
- Bill Lee - Laura Loomer - Zohran Mamdani - Mayes Middleton - Ben Moss - Lisa Murkowski - Chris Murphy - Kristi Noem - John O'Connor - Jim Olsen - Dan Patrick - Nancy Pelosi - Mike Pence - Janet Porter - Vivek Ramaswamy - Jamie Raskin - Kim Reynolds - Jim Risch - Chip Roy -
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==bill lee======
Tennessee names first English-language Bible translation in U.S. as official state book
The first English-language translation of the Bible in the United States will become an “official state book” in Tennessee on July 1. Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed a bill on Tuesday that names the Aitken Bible and nine other texts as official state books in the Tennessee Blue Book (an official manual on the state government). This is the first time Tennessee has formally recognized any official state books. The Bible translation was published by Philadelphia printer Robert Aitken in 1782 and received an official endorsement from Congress. The American Revolution, which began in 1776, halted trade with Great Britain and cut off the supply of Bibles, which prompted Aitken to publish an English-language Bible in the country, according to the legislation.
(Catholic News Agency 4/18/24) READ MORE>>>>>
The first English-language translation of the Bible in the United States will become an “official state book” in Tennessee on July 1. Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed a bill on Tuesday that names the Aitken Bible and nine other texts as official state books in the Tennessee Blue Book (an official manual on the state government). This is the first time Tennessee has formally recognized any official state books. The Bible translation was published by Philadelphia printer Robert Aitken in 1782 and received an official endorsement from Congress. The American Revolution, which began in 1776, halted trade with Great Britain and cut off the supply of Bibles, which prompted Aitken to publish an English-language Bible in the country, according to the legislation.
(Catholic News Agency 4/18/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==laura loomer======
Trump supporters hail US strikes in Nigeria as ‘amazing Christmas present’
Key The US’s Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State targets in Nigeria have been met with praise by Donald Trump supporters who for months had been agitating for the president to respond forcefully to the killings of Christians in the country. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians through the justified mass killing of Islamic terrorists,” the far-right political activist Laura Loomer posted on X. “You’ve got to love it! Death to all Islamic terrorists! Thank you.”Loomer said she had been informed by the US defense department – which the Trump administration calls the war department – that the American cruise missile strikes carried out with the Nigerian government’s cooperation had been “a direct response to [IS] jihadi terrorists killing Christians in Nigeria”. (The Guardian; 12.26.25) READMORE>>>>>
Key The US’s Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State targets in Nigeria have been met with praise by Donald Trump supporters who for months had been agitating for the president to respond forcefully to the killings of Christians in the country. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians through the justified mass killing of Islamic terrorists,” the far-right political activist Laura Loomer posted on X. “You’ve got to love it! Death to all Islamic terrorists! Thank you.”Loomer said she had been informed by the US defense department – which the Trump administration calls the war department – that the American cruise missile strikes carried out with the Nigerian government’s cooperation had been “a direct response to [IS] jihadi terrorists killing Christians in Nigeria”. (The Guardian; 12.26.25) READMORE>>>>>
==zohran mamdani=====
Mark Meckler Says It's 'Revolting' For Zohran Mamdani To Discuss His Muslim Faith
Mark Meckler is a Christian nationalist political activist and right-wing commentator, the sort who brags about being "a radical, right-wing, Tea Party, Bible-thumping, gun-toting conservative" and praises President Donald Trump for supposedly having rescued the word "retard" from the woke thought police. Meckler, who is co-founder and president of the Convention of States Foundation, a conservative organization that seeks to get state legislatures to call for an Article V convention to propose constitutional amendments that will dramatically limit the power of the federal government, is also a vocal opponent of Islam. As such, it was no surprise to hear hm complain about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani citing his Muslim faith during remarks he delivered at a recent interfaith prayer breakfast. (Right Wing Watch; 2.9.26) READMORE>>>>>
Mark Meckler is a Christian nationalist political activist and right-wing commentator, the sort who brags about being "a radical, right-wing, Tea Party, Bible-thumping, gun-toting conservative" and praises President Donald Trump for supposedly having rescued the word "retard" from the woke thought police. Meckler, who is co-founder and president of the Convention of States Foundation, a conservative organization that seeks to get state legislatures to call for an Article V convention to propose constitutional amendments that will dramatically limit the power of the federal government, is also a vocal opponent of Islam. As such, it was no surprise to hear hm complain about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani citing his Muslim faith during remarks he delivered at a recent interfaith prayer breakfast. (Right Wing Watch; 2.9.26) READMORE>>>>>
==mayes middleton======
Texas activist David Barton wants to end separation of church and state. He has the ear of the new U.S. House speaker.
Barton has also railed against the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits tax-exempt groups, including churches, from direct political advocacy. And he is frequently called on to support laws that would infuse more Christianity into public life — including in public schools. In May, he and his son, Timothy Barton, testified in favor of a bill — which later failed — that would have required all Texas public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. During the hearing, Barton’s work was praised as “great” by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels. His theories were echoed by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, who said that church-state separation is “not a real doctrine.” And the bill's sponsor, Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, extolled Barton and his son as "esteemed witnesses." (Robert Downen/Texas Tribune 11/3/23)
Read More>>>>>
Barton has also railed against the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits tax-exempt groups, including churches, from direct political advocacy. And he is frequently called on to support laws that would infuse more Christianity into public life — including in public schools. In May, he and his son, Timothy Barton, testified in favor of a bill — which later failed — that would have required all Texas public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. During the hearing, Barton’s work was praised as “great” by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels. His theories were echoed by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, who said that church-state separation is “not a real doctrine.” And the bill's sponsor, Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, extolled Barton and his son as "esteemed witnesses." (Robert Downen/Texas Tribune 11/3/23)
Read More>>>>>
==ben moss======
==lisa murkowski======
Churches are breaking the law and endorsing in elections, experts say. The IRS looks the other way.
Among the violations the newsrooms identified: In January, an Alaska pastor told his congregation that he was voting for a GOP candidate who is aiming to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, saying the challenger was the “only candidate for Senate that can flat-out preach.” During a May 15 sermon, a pastor in Rocklin, California, asked voters to get behind “a Christian conservative candidate” challenging Gov. Gavin Newsom. And in July, a New Mexico pastor called Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham “beyond evil” and “demonic” for supporting abortion access. He urged congregants to “vote her behind right out of office” and challenged the media to call him out for violating the Johnson Amendment.
(Jeremy Schwartz/Texas Tribune 10/30/22) READ MORE>>>>>
Among the violations the newsrooms identified: In January, an Alaska pastor told his congregation that he was voting for a GOP candidate who is aiming to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, saying the challenger was the “only candidate for Senate that can flat-out preach.” During a May 15 sermon, a pastor in Rocklin, California, asked voters to get behind “a Christian conservative candidate” challenging Gov. Gavin Newsom. And in July, a New Mexico pastor called Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham “beyond evil” and “demonic” for supporting abortion access. He urged congregants to “vote her behind right out of office” and challenged the media to call him out for violating the Johnson Amendment.
(Jeremy Schwartz/Texas Tribune 10/30/22) READ MORE>>>>>
==chris murphy======
Murphy Grills Unqualified Trump Nominee On His White Nationalist Views
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security, questioned Jeremy Carl, nominee to be the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations, about his white identitarian worldview and writings. Murphy demanded that Carl explain his longheld beliefs that white Americans face more discrimination than any other racial group in the United States, and called for his Senate colleagues to reject his nomination. If confirmed, Carl will lead a State Department unit of over 100 diplomats and shape the United States’ engagement with multilateral organizations, including UNICEF and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Murphy denounced Trump’s nomination of a white nationalist to a top post at the State Department: “I think it's just heartbreaking that you have been nominated for this position and that you've reached a panel before the United States Senate… One of the things you have said is that anti-white discrimination is the most pervasive and politically salient form of racism today. So do you continue to believe that anti-white discrimination is more salient than the discrimination faced today by Blacks, Latinos, Muslims, or other American groups?”
(Sen Chris Murph 2.12.26) READMORE>>>>>
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security, questioned Jeremy Carl, nominee to be the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations, about his white identitarian worldview and writings. Murphy demanded that Carl explain his longheld beliefs that white Americans face more discrimination than any other racial group in the United States, and called for his Senate colleagues to reject his nomination. If confirmed, Carl will lead a State Department unit of over 100 diplomats and shape the United States’ engagement with multilateral organizations, including UNICEF and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Murphy denounced Trump’s nomination of a white nationalist to a top post at the State Department: “I think it's just heartbreaking that you have been nominated for this position and that you've reached a panel before the United States Senate… One of the things you have said is that anti-white discrimination is the most pervasive and politically salient form of racism today. So do you continue to believe that anti-white discrimination is more salient than the discrimination faced today by Blacks, Latinos, Muslims, or other American groups?”
(Sen Chris Murph 2.12.26) READMORE>>>>>
==kristi noem======
Kristi Noem (Born November 30, 1971 inWatertown, SD) Noem's relationship with Christianity is a defining element of her public identity and political career. As the current Secretary of Homeland Security and former Governor of South Dakota, she frequently attributes her leadership decisions to her faith. Noem is a lifelong member of the Foursquare Family Worship Center in Watertown, SD. This Pentecostal denomination was founded by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. She has served as a children's pastor and continues to teach Sunday school at her home church. Her grandparents helped found the congregation, and she credits her faith with helping her family survive after her father's accidental death when she was 22.
The Silence of Kristi Noem’s Church
“My relationship with the Lord is my foundation in all things. As a result, the values I hold according to biblical principles impact my decisions: we are called to love, but we’re also instructed to stand for truth. I’m hopeful my leadership reflects that.” That’s what Kristi Noem told South Dakota Public Radio in 2018 as she ran for governor. She added in her interview that she was active in the Foursquare Family Worship Center in her hometown of Watertown, her grandparents helped start the church, and she and her husband “were children’s pastors there and we still teach kids church on Sunday mornings.” The Foursquare Church is a Pentecostal denomination that grew out of the movement started in 1923 by controversial, media-savvy evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. According to the U.S. Religion Census in 2020, the denomination today has more than 1,600 congregations with more than 360,000 members. Even if most people don’t know Noem’s decades-long membership, she’s perhaps the most high-profile member today
(Public Witness; 1.29.26) READMORE>>>>>
“My relationship with the Lord is my foundation in all things. As a result, the values I hold according to biblical principles impact my decisions: we are called to love, but we’re also instructed to stand for truth. I’m hopeful my leadership reflects that.” That’s what Kristi Noem told South Dakota Public Radio in 2018 as she ran for governor. She added in her interview that she was active in the Foursquare Family Worship Center in her hometown of Watertown, her grandparents helped start the church, and she and her husband “were children’s pastors there and we still teach kids church on Sunday mornings.” The Foursquare Church is a Pentecostal denomination that grew out of the movement started in 1923 by controversial, media-savvy evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. According to the U.S. Religion Census in 2020, the denomination today has more than 1,600 congregations with more than 360,000 members. Even if most people don’t know Noem’s decades-long membership, she’s perhaps the most high-profile member today
(Public Witness; 1.29.26) READMORE>>>>>
MAGA evangelicals’ 'religious freedom' claims are falling apart
Roughly two and one-half weeks after the fatal January 7 shooting of motorist Renee Nicole Good by a U.S. Immigration and Enforcement (ICE) agent, yet another Minneapolis resident was fatally shot during a protest in the city: 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti, who worked in an internal care unit in a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House adviser Stephen Miller are claiming that Pretti was shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents in self-defense, noting that he was carrying a concealed weapon. But critics of President Donald Trump's ICE raids in Minneapolis are countering Pretti never pointed the gun at Border Patrol agents and that he was shot after being forced onto the ground and disarmed.
. (MSN; 1.26.26) READMORE>>>>>
Roughly two and one-half weeks after the fatal January 7 shooting of motorist Renee Nicole Good by a U.S. Immigration and Enforcement (ICE) agent, yet another Minneapolis resident was fatally shot during a protest in the city: 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti, who worked in an internal care unit in a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House adviser Stephen Miller are claiming that Pretti was shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents in self-defense, noting that he was carrying a concealed weapon. But critics of President Donald Trump's ICE raids in Minneapolis are countering Pretti never pointed the gun at Border Patrol agents and that he was shot after being forced onto the ground and disarmed.
. (MSN; 1.26.26) READMORE>>>>>
==john o'connor======
Televangelist Kenneth Copeland’s Victory Channel held a special broadcast of its weekly “Flashpoint” program Thursday night on the campus of Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma, where the Christian nationalist host and speakers railed against the outcome of the 2020 presidential election and spread the Big Lie that it had been stolen from former President Donald Trump.
Host Gene Bailey opened by acknowledging the various elected officials who were in attendance, such as Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor, multiple state senators and representatives, as well as various members of law enforcement and local elected leaders. Following the introductions, Bailey led the audience in praying that these leaders “cannot escape” God: “No matter what they do, they’re gonna run right into you.” -Right Wing Watch
Host Gene Bailey opened by acknowledging the various elected officials who were in attendance, such as Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor, multiple state senators and representatives, as well as various members of law enforcement and local elected leaders. Following the introductions, Bailey led the audience in praying that these leaders “cannot escape” God: “No matter what they do, they’re gonna run right into you.” -Right Wing Watch
==jim olsen======
OKLAHOMA BILL WOULD VIOLATE BASIC FREEDOMS, REWRITE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
In the waning days of 2023, a banner year for Christian nationalism, Oklahoma State Representative Jim Olsen introduced a bill that would force every public school to display his version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Olsen, a Sunday school teacher and graduate of the Free Gospel Bible Institute, apparently believes himself expert enough to rewrite his Holy Bible; his bill doesn’t simply tell schools to put up the Ten Commandments, but actually stipulates which version of the Ten Commandments is to be displayed.
(Andrew Seidel/Religion Dispatches) READ MORE>>>>>
In the waning days of 2023, a banner year for Christian nationalism, Oklahoma State Representative Jim Olsen introduced a bill that would force every public school to display his version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Olsen, a Sunday school teacher and graduate of the Free Gospel Bible Institute, apparently believes himself expert enough to rewrite his Holy Bible; his bill doesn’t simply tell schools to put up the Ten Commandments, but actually stipulates which version of the Ten Commandments is to be displayed.
(Andrew Seidel/Religion Dispatches) READ MORE>>>>>
Feb 23, 2023: Rolling Stone: The Christian Nationalist Machine Turning Hate Into Law
Founded in Aug. 2020, NACL is tied to top Christian spiritual and political leaders. The group’s advisory board includes onetime presidential candidate Mike Huckabee — the former governor of Arkansas and father of the new governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders — Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, and Mat Staver, president of Liberty Counsel. (Liberty Counsel is a frequent litigant before the Supreme Court; the head of its ministry, Rolling Stone exposed, bragged of praying with SCOTUS justices.)
Founded in Aug. 2020, NACL is tied to top Christian spiritual and political leaders. The group’s advisory board includes onetime presidential candidate Mike Huckabee — the former governor of Arkansas and father of the new governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders — Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, and Mat Staver, president of Liberty Counsel. (Liberty Counsel is a frequent litigant before the Supreme Court; the head of its ministry, Rolling Stone exposed, bragged of praying with SCOTUS justices.)
==dan patrick======
Gentile Giants: Trump energizes conservative Christians with new religious policies
Trump created a Religious Liberty Commission. It includes several conservative Christian clerics and commentators, some of whom have supported Trump politically. Its chair, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, supports prayer and Ten Commandments postings in public schools. The commission’s announcement came at a White House prayer event at which Trump said of the concept of church-state separation, “Let’s forget about that for one time.” (Parkersburg News & Sentinel 8/8/25) READMORE>>>>>
Trump created a Religious Liberty Commission. It includes several conservative Christian clerics and commentators, some of whom have supported Trump politically. Its chair, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, supports prayer and Ten Commandments postings in public schools. The commission’s announcement came at a White House prayer event at which Trump said of the concept of church-state separation, “Let’s forget about that for one time.” (Parkersburg News & Sentinel 8/8/25) READMORE>>>>>
Over 12K Sign Christian Petition Condemning 'False Prophet' Mike Johnson
In response to Mike Johnson recently becoming the new House speaker, over 12,000 people have signed a Christian petition condemning the congressman as a "false prophet" among other Republican Party members. Faithful America, an online Christian group that supports social justice causes, released their second-annual "False Prophets Don't Speak for Me" campaign featuring a list of top Christian-nationalist leaders in both church and politics along with a petition on Tuesday. The list, which in addition to Johnson, identifies former President Donald Trump, pastor Mark Burns, self-proclaimed prophet affiliated with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) Julie Green, Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, conservative activist and radio talk show host Charlie Kirk, pastor Jackson Lahmeyer, Texas' Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Archbishop Carlo Viganò, self-proclaimed prophet affiliated with NAR Lance Wallnau, and co-founder of Moms for Liberty and school board chair in Sarasota, Florida, Bridget Ziegler as "false prophets."
(Natalie Venegas/Newsweek 11/4/23) Read More>>>>>
In response to Mike Johnson recently becoming the new House speaker, over 12,000 people have signed a Christian petition condemning the congressman as a "false prophet" among other Republican Party members. Faithful America, an online Christian group that supports social justice causes, released their second-annual "False Prophets Don't Speak for Me" campaign featuring a list of top Christian-nationalist leaders in both church and politics along with a petition on Tuesday. The list, which in addition to Johnson, identifies former President Donald Trump, pastor Mark Burns, self-proclaimed prophet affiliated with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) Julie Green, Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, conservative activist and radio talk show host Charlie Kirk, pastor Jackson Lahmeyer, Texas' Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Archbishop Carlo Viganò, self-proclaimed prophet affiliated with NAR Lance Wallnau, and co-founder of Moms for Liberty and school board chair in Sarasota, Florida, Bridget Ziegler as "false prophets."
(Natalie Venegas/Newsweek 11/4/23) Read More>>>>>
Texas activist David Barton wants to end separation of church and state. He has the ear of the new U.S. House speaker.
Other prominent Texas Republicans have similarly echoed Barton's views, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has called the United States “a Christian nation” and said “there is no separation of church and state. It was not in the Constitution.” “We were a nation founded upon not the words of our founders, but the words of God because he wrote the Constitution,” Patrick said last year.
(Robert Downen/Texas Tribune 11/3/23) Read More>>>>>
Other prominent Texas Republicans have similarly echoed Barton's views, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has called the United States “a Christian nation” and said “there is no separation of church and state. It was not in the Constitution.” “We were a nation founded upon not the words of our founders, but the words of God because he wrote the Constitution,” Patrick said last year.
(Robert Downen/Texas Tribune 11/3/23) Read More>>>>>
==nancy pelosi======
Evangelicals are 'betraying their humanity' by supporting Trump: conservative
Former President Donald Trump's support among Christians is by no means universal in the United States, where he has plenty of opponents who identify as Catholic or Mainline Protestant. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) and the Rev. Al Sharpton are Protestant ministers and scathing Trump critics; President Joe Biden and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) are practicing Catholics who have nothing good to say about the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner. Yet Trump remains popular among a particular group within Christianity: far-right white evangelicals. If he wins the Republican presidential nomination next year, he will do it with a lot of help from that demographic.
(Alex Henderson/ Raw Story 11/24/23) Read More>>>>>
Former President Donald Trump's support among Christians is by no means universal in the United States, where he has plenty of opponents who identify as Catholic or Mainline Protestant. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) and the Rev. Al Sharpton are Protestant ministers and scathing Trump critics; President Joe Biden and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) are practicing Catholics who have nothing good to say about the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner. Yet Trump remains popular among a particular group within Christianity: far-right white evangelicals. If he wins the Republican presidential nomination next year, he will do it with a lot of help from that demographic.
(Alex Henderson/ Raw Story 11/24/23) Read More>>>>>
==mike pence======
July 13, 2023: NPR: Republican presidential candidates vie for the influential evangelical Christian vote
MIKE PENCE: I couldn't be more proud to be part of the administration that appointed three of the justices that sent Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history where it belongs. But I take issue with the former president and with others who have suggested that the Supreme Court only return that question to the states.
MASTERS: Pence will be among those attending The Family Leader summit in Des Moines. Bob Vander Plaats heads up this evangelical Christian group and is an influential kingmaker in Republican politics here. Vander Plaats endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz ahead of his caucus win over Trump in 2016.
MIKE PENCE: I couldn't be more proud to be part of the administration that appointed three of the justices that sent Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history where it belongs. But I take issue with the former president and with others who have suggested that the Supreme Court only return that question to the states.
MASTERS: Pence will be among those attending The Family Leader summit in Des Moines. Bob Vander Plaats heads up this evangelical Christian group and is an influential kingmaker in Republican politics here. Vander Plaats endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz ahead of his caucus win over Trump in 2016.
SO WHAT DID PENCE SAY?Here’s the full quote from Pence’s speech that has people talking:
“Let’s run the race marked out for us. Let’s fix our eyes on Old Glory and all she represents. Let’s fix our eyes on this land of heroes and let their courage inspire. And let’s fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith and freedom and never forget that where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom — and that means freedom always wins.”
THAT SEEMS VAGUELY FAMILIARThat may be because Pence references two different Bible verses in his remarks.
One is 2 Corinthians 3:17, which according to the New International Version translation reads, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
The other is Hebrews 12:1-2, the version of which he quoted most closely resembling the translation in the Berean Study Bible, with some notable changes.
That passage reads:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
WHAT DID HE CHANGE?First, Pence substituted “Old Glory” for “Jesus.” He took a similar approach in the next line, inserting an additional line: “Let’s fix our eyes on this land of heroes and let their courage inspire,” before returning to the biblical text.
He also described Jesus (or Old Glory, as the case may be) as “the author and perfecter of our faith and freedom,” adding the words “and freedom,” which do not appear in the Hebrews passage.
The inserted lines appeared to be references to the context Pence chose for his speech: The vice president delivered his address from Fort McHenry, where an 1814 battle inspired the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and he was speaking on the third night of the RNC, when the theme was “Land of Heroes.”
-Emily McFarlan Miller and Jack Jenkins; Christian headlines; Citing Scripture, Pence Switches out Jesus for the American Flag in Convention Speech 8.28.20
“Let’s run the race marked out for us. Let’s fix our eyes on Old Glory and all she represents. Let’s fix our eyes on this land of heroes and let their courage inspire. And let’s fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith and freedom and never forget that where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom — and that means freedom always wins.”
THAT SEEMS VAGUELY FAMILIARThat may be because Pence references two different Bible verses in his remarks.
One is 2 Corinthians 3:17, which according to the New International Version translation reads, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
The other is Hebrews 12:1-2, the version of which he quoted most closely resembling the translation in the Berean Study Bible, with some notable changes.
That passage reads:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
WHAT DID HE CHANGE?First, Pence substituted “Old Glory” for “Jesus.” He took a similar approach in the next line, inserting an additional line: “Let’s fix our eyes on this land of heroes and let their courage inspire,” before returning to the biblical text.
He also described Jesus (or Old Glory, as the case may be) as “the author and perfecter of our faith and freedom,” adding the words “and freedom,” which do not appear in the Hebrews passage.
The inserted lines appeared to be references to the context Pence chose for his speech: The vice president delivered his address from Fort McHenry, where an 1814 battle inspired the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and he was speaking on the third night of the RNC, when the theme was “Land of Heroes.”
-Emily McFarlan Miller and Jack Jenkins; Christian headlines; Citing Scripture, Pence Switches out Jesus for the American Flag in Convention Speech 8.28.20
Mike Pence
“Let’s run the race marked out for us. Let’s fix our eyes on Old Glory and all she represents. Let’s fix our eyes on this land of heroes and let their courage inspire. And let’s fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith and freedom and never forget that where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom — and that means freedom always wins.”
--Mike Pence; Republican National Convention; 8.26.20
--Mike Pence; Republican National Convention; 8.26.20
==janet porter======
Janet L. Folger Porter (born October 13, 1962) is an American anti-abortion activist and author. Porter founded the conservative Christian ministry Faith2Action in 2003 and the Facebook-like social website ReaganBook (defunct by August 2014). Porter is most known for promoting the anti-abortion movement and anti-LGBT activism. In 2018, the Southern Poverty Law Center designated Faith2Action as a hate group for its anti-LGBT stance.Janet Porter believes homosexuality is a choice. She stated gay marriage caused Noah’s floods and was significant in developing a 1990s gay conversion campaign. The Guardian wrote, "The 1998 campaign claimed "former homosexuals" could convert to heterosexuality after attending 'ex-gay ministries.' Porter called it Truth in Love.' Recognizing the harm such programs can cause, gay conversion therapy was made illegal in many states, including parts of Florida and Ohio." In 2017, she served as a spokesperson for Roy Moore in his campaign for the United States Senate special election in Alabama, 2017, drawing media attention for repeatedly refusing to answer direct questions about the candidate's publicly stated beliefs. From 1997 to 2002, she was the National Director of the Center for Reclaiming America and an Ohio Right to Life legislative director. Porter has also worked on campaigns supporting George W. Bush for president and Mike Huckabee for president.
Rick Joyner, a dominionist leader and hard-right political activist, is urging his followers to support the congressional candidacy of anti-abortion activist Janet Porter, who is running in a crowded Republican primary in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District. The primary election is tomorrow, May 3.
Porter is best known for her campaigns to criminalize abortion, but as Right Wing Watch has reported, she is also a longtime opponent of LGBTQ equality and a promoter of extreme conspiracy theories about liberals’ supposed plans to “criminalize Christianity” and lock up conservatives in concentration camps -Right Wing Watch
Porter is best known for her campaigns to criminalize abortion, but as Right Wing Watch has reported, she is also a longtime opponent of LGBTQ equality and a promoter of extreme conspiracy theories about liberals’ supposed plans to “criminalize Christianity” and lock up conservatives in concentration camps -Right Wing Watch
After Passing Laws Banning Abortion, Christian Nationalists Turn Same Strategies to Outlawing LGBTQ Content in Schools
On a Colorado Christian organization’s online show, a noted anti-abortion activist spoke at length about a new legal strategy to chill LGBTQ-related speech in schools across the country. “What if we gave parents the right to enforce the anti-grooming, the obscenity, the pornography legislation that’s currently on the books in most states, probably even Colorado?” asked Janet Folger Porter, founder of Faith2Action, on a June 19 episode of the Teller County-based Truth & Liberty Coalition’s online livecast. Porter has a history of far-right, anti-LGBTQ activism going back decades. While she is best known for pioneering anti-abortion “heartbeat bills,” during the 1990s she helped lead a national advertising campaign which spent more than $400,000 promoting gay conversion therapy. Previously, Porter has argued that homosexuality directly caused the Biblical flood.
(Colorado Times Recorder 7/1/24) Read More>>>>
On a Colorado Christian organization’s online show, a noted anti-abortion activist spoke at length about a new legal strategy to chill LGBTQ-related speech in schools across the country. “What if we gave parents the right to enforce the anti-grooming, the obscenity, the pornography legislation that’s currently on the books in most states, probably even Colorado?” asked Janet Folger Porter, founder of Faith2Action, on a June 19 episode of the Teller County-based Truth & Liberty Coalition’s online livecast. Porter has a history of far-right, anti-LGBTQ activism going back decades. While she is best known for pioneering anti-abortion “heartbeat bills,” during the 1990s she helped lead a national advertising campaign which spent more than $400,000 promoting gay conversion therapy. Previously, Porter has argued that homosexuality directly caused the Biblical flood.
(Colorado Times Recorder 7/1/24) Read More>>>>
==sidney powell======
Fox News settlement raises stakes for Christian media influencers
Here’s a look at five Christians who publicly attacked Coomer but later admitted they had no evidence for doing so. Sidney Powell: Metaxas echoed claims first aired by attorney Sidney Powell on Fox News Nov. 8, 2020. Powell told a Christian Television Network host that she is a Christian and a woman of prayer.
“God hates deceit, and truth is the armor of God,” she said, “so I’ve always felt like as long as I stand for truth and all I want is truth, then I’m definitely wearing the armor of God.” Powell, who is also being sued by Dominion, claimed that Coomer programmed Dominion machines to use algorithms that switched millions of votes from Trump to Biden. Like Metaxas, she testified under oath that she never sought to verify her wild claims. The following exchange was typical of her testimony: ATTORNEY: OKAY. WHAT IS IT SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU CONTEND ERIC COOMER DID THAT INFLUENCED THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION?
POWELL:I DON’T HAVE A LOT OF SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT MR. COOMER PERSONALLY DID.
In her deposition she blamed a previously little-known Colorado political activist and conspiracy theorist named Joe Oltmann. (Steve Rabey; Metro Voice 3/27/23) Read More>>>>
Here’s a look at five Christians who publicly attacked Coomer but later admitted they had no evidence for doing so. Sidney Powell: Metaxas echoed claims first aired by attorney Sidney Powell on Fox News Nov. 8, 2020. Powell told a Christian Television Network host that she is a Christian and a woman of prayer.
“God hates deceit, and truth is the armor of God,” she said, “so I’ve always felt like as long as I stand for truth and all I want is truth, then I’m definitely wearing the armor of God.” Powell, who is also being sued by Dominion, claimed that Coomer programmed Dominion machines to use algorithms that switched millions of votes from Trump to Biden. Like Metaxas, she testified under oath that she never sought to verify her wild claims. The following exchange was typical of her testimony: ATTORNEY: OKAY. WHAT IS IT SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU CONTEND ERIC COOMER DID THAT INFLUENCED THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION?
POWELL:I DON’T HAVE A LOT OF SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT MR. COOMER PERSONALLY DID.
In her deposition she blamed a previously little-known Colorado political activist and conspiracy theorist named Joe Oltmann. (Steve Rabey; Metro Voice 3/27/23) Read More>>>>
==vivek ramaswamy======
We need to hear from the presidential candidates about poverty
Three Republican candidates who are trailing in the polls — Vivek Ramaswamy, Asa Hutchinson and Ryan Binkley — have made videos on poverty. Ramaswamy says in his video he would pursue free-market strategies to make the necessities of life more affordable. Hutchinson stresses neighbor-to-neighbor help coupled with existing compassionate government programs, notably school lunches and SNAP food assistance. Binkley believes in education, volunteer efforts in local communities and self-help — not the federal government. None of them mention the current surge in hunger and poverty. (David Beckman/ Religion News 11/24/23)
Read More>>>>>
Three Republican candidates who are trailing in the polls — Vivek Ramaswamy, Asa Hutchinson and Ryan Binkley — have made videos on poverty. Ramaswamy says in his video he would pursue free-market strategies to make the necessities of life more affordable. Hutchinson stresses neighbor-to-neighbor help coupled with existing compassionate government programs, notably school lunches and SNAP food assistance. Binkley believes in education, volunteer efforts in local communities and self-help — not the federal government. None of them mention the current surge in hunger and poverty. (David Beckman/ Religion News 11/24/23)
Read More>>>>>
Republican candidates kiss the Christian nationalist ring
GOP presidential candidates' appearance at a “Thanksgiving family forum” hosted by a Christian conservative group signals the far-right’s power — and more specifically, Christian nationalists’ power — over today’s Republican Party. Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis agreed to appear at the Family Leader's roundtable discussion Friday in Iowa. Donald Trump was invited but did not attend. The reason for the front-runner's absence is unclear, though one possible motivation could be that Family Leader President Bob Vander Plaats has said it's time for someone to replace Trump as the party's de facto leader.
(Ja Han Jones/MSNBC 11/20/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
GOP presidential candidates' appearance at a “Thanksgiving family forum” hosted by a Christian conservative group signals the far-right’s power — and more specifically, Christian nationalists’ power — over today’s Republican Party. Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis agreed to appear at the Family Leader's roundtable discussion Friday in Iowa. Donald Trump was invited but did not attend. The reason for the front-runner's absence is unclear, though one possible motivation could be that Family Leader President Bob Vander Plaats has said it's time for someone to replace Trump as the party's de facto leader.
(Ja Han Jones/MSNBC 11/20/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Top GOP candidates converge in Iowa for evangelical Christian forum that Trump skipped
Three Republican presidential candidates gathered Friday at a proverbial Thanksgiving dinner in Iowa for a “family discussion” that falls in the middle of an increasingly contentious primary.
Shoulder-to-shoulder, rather than separated by podiums on a debate stage, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley engaged in a discussion on issues important to Iowa evangelicals at the Christian conservative Family Leader’s Thanksgiving forum.
(Alayna Treene, Veronica Stracqualursi, Kit Maher/CNN 11/17/23)
Read More>>>>>
Three Republican presidential candidates gathered Friday at a proverbial Thanksgiving dinner in Iowa for a “family discussion” that falls in the middle of an increasingly contentious primary.
Shoulder-to-shoulder, rather than separated by podiums on a debate stage, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley engaged in a discussion on issues important to Iowa evangelicals at the Christian conservative Family Leader’s Thanksgiving forum.
(Alayna Treene, Veronica Stracqualursi, Kit Maher/CNN 11/17/23)
Read More>>>>>
Vivek Ramaswamy
“So can I be a president who promotes Christianity across this country? I can’t for a number of reasons. I’m not Christian. I don’t think that’s actually what we should want the US president exactly doing either,” --Vivek Ramaswamy 11/17/23
“So can I be a president who promotes Christianity across this country? I can’t for a number of reasons. I’m not Christian. I don’t think that’s actually what we should want the US president exactly doing either,” --Vivek Ramaswamy 11/17/23
==jamie raskin======
Democrats urge Trump administration to keep banning churches from endorsing politicians
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and 12 other Democrats sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging him not to pursue a proposed legal agreement that would allow some churches to endorse political candidates.
The letter, which was sent to Bessent on Thursday (Nov. 20), focused on an ongoing legal case concerning a provision to the United States tax code that bars nonprofits from being involved in political campaigns. Last year, the National Religious Broadcasters and a pair of Texas churches filed a lawsuit challenging the statute, known as the Johnson Amendment, arguing that the Internal Revenue Service ignores political activity of some charities and threatens to punish others. The Trump administration proposed a settlement in July that would allow pastors to endorse from the pulpit. Endorsing from the pulpit during a worship service, lawyers for the IRS argued, is not intervening or participating in an election.
(Religion News 11/20/25) READMORE>>>>
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and 12 other Democrats sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging him not to pursue a proposed legal agreement that would allow some churches to endorse political candidates.
The letter, which was sent to Bessent on Thursday (Nov. 20), focused on an ongoing legal case concerning a provision to the United States tax code that bars nonprofits from being involved in political campaigns. Last year, the National Religious Broadcasters and a pair of Texas churches filed a lawsuit challenging the statute, known as the Johnson Amendment, arguing that the Internal Revenue Service ignores political activity of some charities and threatens to punish others. The Trump administration proposed a settlement in July that would allow pastors to endorse from the pulpit. Endorsing from the pulpit during a worship service, lawyers for the IRS argued, is not intervening or participating in an election.
(Religion News 11/20/25) READMORE>>>>
==kim reynolds======
Kimberly Kay Reynolds (born August 4, 1959) is an American politician serving as the 43rd governor of Iowa since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Reynolds served as the 46th lieutenant governor of Iowa from 2011 to 2017. Reynolds served four terms as Clarke County treasurer beginning in 1994 and then served in the Iowa Senate from 2009 to 2011. She became governor in May 2017 when Governor Terry Branstad stepped down to become the United States ambassador to China. She won a full term as governor in 2018, and was reelected in 2022.
July 13, 2023: NPR: Republican presidential candidates vie for the influential evangelical Christian vote
MASTERS: Trump won't be at the summit this year, and it wouldn't have been that warm of a welcome if he was. This week Trump attacked Iowa's Governor Kim Reynolds for remaining neutral in the race. And while Vander Plaats praises Trump's first term in office, he says it's time for a new nominee.
MASTERS: Trump won't be at the summit this year, and it wouldn't have been that warm of a welcome if he was. This week Trump attacked Iowa's Governor Kim Reynolds for remaining neutral in the race. And while Vander Plaats praises Trump's first term in office, he says it's time for a new nominee.
==jim risch======
Senators craft legislation to prioritize protecting Christians globally
A group of U.S. senators say Christians are under attack throughout the world, and religious freedom needs to be reprioritized in the U.S. and abroad. Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, a Republican who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution that reasserts America’s role as a global leader for religious liberty. Specifically, the resolution seeks to reaffirm that the U.S. continue to “promote, protect, and expand inalienable and internationally recognized right to freedom of religion.” It further encourages U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “use all available tools and resources to discourage foreign governments from continuing patterns of violations.”
(Hastings Tribune; 1.16.26) READMORE>>>>>
A group of U.S. senators say Christians are under attack throughout the world, and religious freedom needs to be reprioritized in the U.S. and abroad. Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, a Republican who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution that reasserts America’s role as a global leader for religious liberty. Specifically, the resolution seeks to reaffirm that the U.S. continue to “promote, protect, and expand inalienable and internationally recognized right to freedom of religion.” It further encourages U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “use all available tools and resources to discourage foreign governments from continuing patterns of violations.”
(Hastings Tribune; 1.16.26) READMORE>>>>>
==chip roy======
Pastors at a protest? That's the scene at anti-Trump rallies across the US.
Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy said Oct. 20 that those who turned out for the "No Kings protests" can't deal with the fact that the president and his administration are religious. "The truth is the Marxist, the radicals, and the Islamists the Democratic Party promoted this weekend, they cannot handle the truth. The truth is that there is a king and that king is Jesus. And the president has been willing to say it, his administration has been willing to say it," Roy said. (USA Today 10/26/25) READMORE>>>>
Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy said Oct. 20 that those who turned out for the "No Kings protests" can't deal with the fact that the president and his administration are religious. "The truth is the Marxist, the radicals, and the Islamists the Democratic Party promoted this weekend, they cannot handle the truth. The truth is that there is a king and that king is Jesus. And the president has been willing to say it, his administration has been willing to say it," Roy said. (USA Today 10/26/25) READMORE>>>>
