POLITICS & FAITH
- Greg Abbott - John Adams - Rick Allen - Michele Bachmann - Bob Ballinger - Jim Banks - Amy Comey Barrett - Joe Biden - Andy Biggs - Lauren Boebert - Scott Bottoms - Donna Campbell - Ben Carson - Chris Christie - Gene Cox - Jason Crow - Ted Cruz - Mike Dunleavy - Jenna Ellis - Randy Feenstra - Matt Gaetz - Heidi Gahnal - Rudy Giuliani - Al Gore - Marjorie Taylor Greene - Nikki Haley - Kamala Harris - Josh Hawley - Kevin Hern - James Ho - Brandon Johnson - Mike Johnson - Jim Jordan - Phil King - Bill Lee - Mayes Middleton - Ben Moss - Lisa Murkowski - John O'Connor -
==greg Abbott=================
Gregory Wayne Abbott (born November 13, 1957) is an American politician, attorney, and jurist serving as the 48th governor of Texas since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 50th attorney general of Texas from 2002 to 2015 and as a member of the Texas Supreme Court from 1996 to 2001. n March 2005, Abbott delivered oral argument before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of Texas, defending a Ten Commandments monument on grounds of the Texas State Capitol. Thousands of similar monuments were donated to cities and towns across the nation by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, who were inspired by the Cecil B. DeMille film The Ten Commandments (1956) in following years. In his deposition, Abbott said, "The Ten Commandments are a historically recognized system of law." The Supreme Court held in a 5–4 decision that the Texas display did not violate the First Amendment's Establishment Clause and was constitutional. After Abbott's oral arguments in Van Orden v. Perry, Justice John Paul Stevens commented upon Abbott's performance while in a wheelchair, "I want to thank you [...] for demonstrating that it's not necessary to stand at the lectern in order to do a fine job."
Zorek Richards
December 16, 2022:
After the 2018, Santa Fe High School shooting, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that he would consult across Texas in an attempt to prevent gun violence in schools. He had a series of round-table discussions followed at the state capitol. In a speech to a NRA convention in Dallas almost two weeks later, Abbott said, "The problem is not guns, it’s hearts without God".
So, if that is the problem..what is the answer? It would be making efforts to turn hearts toward God, would it not? Or is it blaming the Christian church for not reaching those hearts? And how does an elected official deal with that when separation of church and state is a paramount issue throughout America's history?
A few days later Abbott published a Youtube video saying the shooter broke "two gun laws the day he committed the multiple murders"..... It is a felony to possess a gun on school property" and "what he did on campus is capital murder. That's a crime that would have subjected him to the death penalty in Texas." So, if that is the answer..what is the problem? Are shooters concerned about committing a crime? Obviously not. The State of Texas has executed 578 people since 1982. Seems to me that if you combine both responses from Governor Abbott that the shootings resulted because they had a godless heart and ignorance of capital penalties.
Before God reaches hearts, men are subject only to or restrained by secular rules and laws of society. Don't kill people with guns. Governments can only really control the penalty phase of any legal breach of justice...though lawyers can often breach that and do quite often.
Reaching hearts is actually the most sure way. But you can't make reaching hearts a law with consequences no matter how hard you try to legislate it. And since the second amendment is applied in the way it is today which gives any gun enthusiast an orgasm there aren't much options...or maybe none at all
-Zorek Richards 12.16.22
After the 2018, Santa Fe High School shooting, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that he would consult across Texas in an attempt to prevent gun violence in schools. He had a series of round-table discussions followed at the state capitol. In a speech to a NRA convention in Dallas almost two weeks later, Abbott said, "The problem is not guns, it’s hearts without God".
So, if that is the problem..what is the answer? It would be making efforts to turn hearts toward God, would it not? Or is it blaming the Christian church for not reaching those hearts? And how does an elected official deal with that when separation of church and state is a paramount issue throughout America's history?
A few days later Abbott published a Youtube video saying the shooter broke "two gun laws the day he committed the multiple murders"..... It is a felony to possess a gun on school property" and "what he did on campus is capital murder. That's a crime that would have subjected him to the death penalty in Texas." So, if that is the answer..what is the problem? Are shooters concerned about committing a crime? Obviously not. The State of Texas has executed 578 people since 1982. Seems to me that if you combine both responses from Governor Abbott that the shootings resulted because they had a godless heart and ignorance of capital penalties.
Before God reaches hearts, men are subject only to or restrained by secular rules and laws of society. Don't kill people with guns. Governments can only really control the penalty phase of any legal breach of justice...though lawyers can often breach that and do quite often.
Reaching hearts is actually the most sure way. But you can't make reaching hearts a law with consequences no matter how hard you try to legislate it. And since the second amendment is applied in the way it is today which gives any gun enthusiast an orgasm there aren't much options...or maybe none at all
-Zorek Richards 12.16.22
--john adams-----------------
John Adams
Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law-book and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged, in conscience, to temperance and frugality and industry; to justice and kindness and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence, towards Almighty God. In this commonwealth, no man would impair his health by gluttony, drunkenness, or lust; no man would sacrifice his most precious time to cards or any other trifling and mean amusement; no man would steal, or lie, or in any way defraud his neighbor, but would live in peace and good will with all men; no man would blaspheme his Maker or profane his worship; but a rational and manly, a sincere and unaffected piety and devotion would reign in all hearts. What a Utopia; what a Paradise would this region be!...............We have no government armed with Power capable of contending with human Passions unbridled by morality and Religion. Avarice, Ambition and Revenge or Galantry, would break the strongest Cords of our Constitution as a Whale goes through a Net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” --John Adams
--rick allen----------------------
Richard Wayne Allen (born November 7, 1951) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Georgia's 12th congressional district since 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party. During a closed-door Republican meeting about an amendment that prohibited discrimination against LGBT workers, Allen read a Bible verse that says of homosexuals, "they which commit such things are worthy of death."He told the assembled Republicans that they were "going to Hell" if they voted for the amendment. After the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, Allen offered prayers to the families of the victims but did not apologize or retract his past comments. Rep. Allen intentionally spread inaccurate claims about voter fraud and the 2020 presidential election results. He was supportive of the Texas amicus brief, an effort meant to overturn the results of the presidential election across multiple states. A day before the insurrection on the United States Capitol building, Rep. Allen told his Twitter followers that he was “Fighting to make sure every legal vote is counted,” even though there was no indication that every legal vote had not been counted. Rep. Allen did not vote in support of the bipartisan commission proposal to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection. Rep. Allen made it clear that he had no interest in supporting our democracy.
Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) said during an appearance on Centerpoint “God wants us to make America great again” and encouraged viewers to “vote for candidates that represent biblical values.” According to Allen, God is personally invested in the U.S and Trump’s success, saying, “God wants us to make America great again, for crying out loud. Who would be against that?” [TBN, Centerpoint, 3/22/23]
Rick Allen
Mark, please know that I have prayed for President Trump, his family, for you and the entire Administration. Our Nation is at war, it is a Spiritual War at the highest level. This is not a war that can be fought conventionally, this is God's battle and He has used President Trump in a powerful way to expose the deceit, lies and hypocrisy of the enemy[...][...]What I heard during my prayers is the Trump family and the Administration need to be surrounded by those great Pastors and Evangelicals who have and continue to love and support them. President Trump need to be ministered to, he needs the love that only Jesus Christ offers! This is his opportunity to confess that he can no longer fight this battle alone, he must give it to Christ and Gid almighty will show him the way to victory. I will continue to pray for all of you, please let me know how I can help?? --Text from Rick Allen to Mark Meadows after the 2020 election
--michele bachmann----------
Churches are breaking the law and endorsing in elections, experts say. The IRS looks the other way.
In January 2009, a federal court dismissed an audit into alleged financial improprieties at a Minnesota church whose pastor had supported the congressional campaign of former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Republican from Minnesota. The court found that the IRS had not been following its own rules for a decade because it was tasked with notifying churches of their legal rights before any pending audits and was required to have an appropriately high-level official sign off on them. But a 1998 agency reorganization had eliminated the position, leaving lower IRS employees to initiate church investigations. Following the ruling, the IRS suspended its investigations into church political activity for five years, according to a 2015 Government Accountability Office report. (Jeremy Schwartz/Texas Tribune 10/30/22)
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In January 2009, a federal court dismissed an audit into alleged financial improprieties at a Minnesota church whose pastor had supported the congressional campaign of former U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Republican from Minnesota. The court found that the IRS had not been following its own rules for a decade because it was tasked with notifying churches of their legal rights before any pending audits and was required to have an appropriately high-level official sign off on them. But a 1998 agency reorganization had eliminated the position, leaving lower IRS employees to initiate church investigations. Following the ruling, the IRS suspended its investigations into church political activity for five years, according to a 2015 Government Accountability Office report. (Jeremy Schwartz/Texas Tribune 10/30/22)
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--bob ballinger---------------
October 16, 2023: Arkansas Times: Former state Sen. Ballinger peddles Christian nationalism from AR to AK
His 2022 defeat in the Republican primary means he can no longer force his Christian nationalist ideas on Arkansas, but former state Sen. Bob Ballinger of Ozark is taking his agenda on the road.
Ballinger signed on as a staffer for Rep. Sarah Vance, a conservative from Homer, Alaska, who was elected to represent her district in Juneau in 2019
His 2022 defeat in the Republican primary means he can no longer force his Christian nationalist ideas on Arkansas, but former state Sen. Bob Ballinger of Ozark is taking his agenda on the road.
Ballinger signed on as a staffer for Rep. Sarah Vance, a conservative from Homer, Alaska, who was elected to represent her district in Juneau in 2019
jim banks
October 28, 2023:
Jim Banks, Focus on the Family’s man in the U.S. House, opposed ‘liberal’ GOP speaker candidate Tom Emmer
Three weeks after Matt Gaetz and other House Republicans supported by “pro-family” groups voted to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Jim Banks, Focus on the Family’s man in the U.S. House, joined other pro-Trump conservatives to oppose Tom Emmer, the third speaker candidate to fail in uniting divided GOP members.
Banks formerly worked at Focus alongside James Dobson and has the endorsement of the Focus-aligned Family Research Council Action as well as the pro-family groups Eagle Forum, Concerned Women For America Legislative Action Committee, and American Family Association Action. (Steve Rabey/Baptist News Global)
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Three weeks after Matt Gaetz and other House Republicans supported by “pro-family” groups voted to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Jim Banks, Focus on the Family’s man in the U.S. House, joined other pro-Trump conservatives to oppose Tom Emmer, the third speaker candidate to fail in uniting divided GOP members.
Banks formerly worked at Focus alongside James Dobson and has the endorsement of the Focus-aligned Family Research Council Action as well as the pro-family groups Eagle Forum, Concerned Women For America Legislative Action Committee, and American Family Association Action. (Steve Rabey/Baptist News Global)
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“I can’t go along with putting one of the most moderate members of the entire Republican conference in the speaker’s chair,” Banks said. “That betrays the conservative values that I came here to fight for.” -Rep Jim Banks on opposing Tom Emmer as House Leader
amy coney barrett
Amy Coney Barrett
“One thing that, you know, we used to say a lot — and I do think it’s true — is that being at a Catholic school is broadening. It broadens the number of topics that are permissible and the areas of inquiry rather than narrowing them. Because there’s nothing off the table....Aquinas and the natural law tradition is part of just the regular jurisprudence. However, I think it feels more natural to talk about it, perhaps — or maybe Aquinas feels less intimidating — if you are talking about from the Catholic intellectual tradition. And so, I think that really opens up the possibility of being able to talk about it........People don’t have to be afraid of the exchange of ideas.........We’re used to, in universities, having academic freedom and having all viewpoints on the table; and I think at a Catholic school you can feel particularly comfortable about bringing your religious or moral points of view to the table (and) that’s okay in the classroom.......That aspect of it really opens up more lines of inquiry than narrows or shuts them down because it invites, very explicitly, another perspective to the table.......Never make a decision based exclusively on money. I think money is a factor; you have to put food on the table to have yourself, if you have children, to be able to provide for your children. So, I don’t want to be here saying that money isn’t relevant, of course, but it’s one factor. It is a mistake to ever make a decision that’s driven only by money. So when you’re thinking about these decisions and career choices — and you have your pro-con columns and you find yourself saying that the only advantage to this job is that it has more money on the table, that’s probably not a good reason to take it. And conversely, if you have a pro-con column and the only con to another job was that you’d be making less money, that’s not a reason not to take it...............And so, it’s something that I’ve shared with students along the way."
-Amy Coney Barrett; Remarks to law students at The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law in Washington Sept. 21, 2023
-Amy Coney Barrett; Remarks to law students at The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law in Washington Sept. 21, 2023
==joe biden=====
Many Say It’s important Leaders Stand Up For Religious PeopleBoth Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, who are challenging one another in this year’s presidential race, both identify as Christians. Harris’ mother was Hindu and her father a Christian. She grew up attending services at a Black Baptist church. Trump, who does not attend a church, has drawn much of his support from faith voters who are politically conservative. President Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, attends Mass every Sunday. He is just the second Catholic to be elected to the presidency after John F. Kennedy in 1960.
(Religion Unplugged 8/28/24) READ MORE>>>>>
(Religion Unplugged 8/28/24) READ MORE>>>>>
We need to hear from the presidential candidates about poverty
The Biden-Harris website is focused on the strong economy, protecting democracy in our country and around the world and the ways President Biden is addressing other issues of concern to many Americans — not opportunity for low-income people. The campaign for the likely Republican candidate, former President Trump, has posted 47 issue-specific policy videos on its website, but none directly addresses the post-COVID-19 crisis of hunger and poverty. (David Beckman/ Religion News 11/24/23)
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The Biden-Harris website is focused on the strong economy, protecting democracy in our country and around the world and the ways President Biden is addressing other issues of concern to many Americans — not opportunity for low-income people. The campaign for the likely Republican candidate, former President Trump, has posted 47 issue-specific policy videos on its website, but none directly addresses the post-COVID-19 crisis of hunger and poverty. (David Beckman/ Religion News 11/24/23)
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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)
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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)
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John D Ferrer
To everyone saying that Joe Biden’s “loan forgiveness” proposal is “Christ-like” and the federal government is reflecting the Gospel by modeling forgiveness and grace, I hear you guys. Grace, forgiveness, freedom from bondage – that’s all part of salvation. Jesus did forgive our debts. He calls us to forgive our debtors. Scripture scolds people for charging certain kinds of interest, and for being greedy debt-collectors. And Scripture warns against getting into debt. There’s a lot in Scripture about debts, interest rates, and loans. And the Gospel is often described, rightfully I think, in terms of “debt” and “forgiveness.” ..........First, when a debt is owed, there are two parties who have a right to “forgive” that debt – the person financing that loan and God Himself. Now, the gov’t isn’t God. Biden isn’t Jesus, and we’re not a theocracy merging church and state either. So, while Federal authorities might sometimes be PLAYING god, they aren’t God. In that way, redistributed debt is a false analogy to the Gospel.
Second, that leaves one rightful party who can forgive the debt – the financer. In this case, that would be tax-payers. Now, there’s a good chance that this Biden proposal falls apart precisely because Biden lacks the authority to do this, in part because he’s working (with the gov’t) as the broker/steward of our tax-dollars, and he’s not financing the loans the way the American people are broadly. Biden and his entire administration aren’t qualified to “forgive” those loans since it was never their money. The gov’t works for us – the American people. We employ the federal gov’t. They are our servants. We’re not their servants. We have no king – but Christ alone (sola Christus). As such, the federal gov’t is disqualified on two counts: they aren’t God and they aren’t even bankrolling the loans – they’re just brokering the loans. As such, they aren’t qualified to forgive loans, strictly speaking. In this way, redistributed debt is a false analogy to the Gospel. --John D Ferrer; Intelligent Christian Faith; DEBT FORGIVENESS AND THE GOSPEL 8.27.22
Second, that leaves one rightful party who can forgive the debt – the financer. In this case, that would be tax-payers. Now, there’s a good chance that this Biden proposal falls apart precisely because Biden lacks the authority to do this, in part because he’s working (with the gov’t) as the broker/steward of our tax-dollars, and he’s not financing the loans the way the American people are broadly. Biden and his entire administration aren’t qualified to “forgive” those loans since it was never their money. The gov’t works for us – the American people. We employ the federal gov’t. They are our servants. We’re not their servants. We have no king – but Christ alone (sola Christus). As such, the federal gov’t is disqualified on two counts: they aren’t God and they aren’t even bankrolling the loans – they’re just brokering the loans. As such, they aren’t qualified to forgive loans, strictly speaking. In this way, redistributed debt is a false analogy to the Gospel. --John D Ferrer; Intelligent Christian Faith; DEBT FORGIVENESS AND THE GOSPEL 8.27.22
--andy biggs----------------------
Right-Wing Christian Groups Back CO Congressman Buck and Others Who Ousted House Speaker
“Pro-family” groups support seven of the eight far-right Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives who made history Oct. 3 by voting to remove Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy in a 216-210 vote. Both Matt Gaetz of Florida, who led the charge against McCarthy, and Andy Biggs of Arizona have received the Family Research Council’s True Blue Award for their “perfect voting records” on issues including abortion and LGBTQ rights that make up the political agenda of FRC, which was founded and is aligned with Focus on the Family. (Steve Rabey/Colorado Times Recorder 10/6/23)
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“Pro-family” groups support seven of the eight far-right Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives who made history Oct. 3 by voting to remove Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy in a 216-210 vote. Both Matt Gaetz of Florida, who led the charge against McCarthy, and Andy Biggs of Arizona have received the Family Research Council’s True Blue Award for their “perfect voting records” on issues including abortion and LGBTQ rights that make up the political agenda of FRC, which was founded and is aligned with Focus on the Family. (Steve Rabey/Colorado Times Recorder 10/6/23)
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--lauren boebert-------------------
Lauren Opal Boebert (Roberts; born December 19, 1986) is an American politician, businesswoman, and gun rights activist serving as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 3rd congressional district since 2021. From 2013 to 2022, she owned Shooters Grill, a restaurant in Rifle, Colorado, where staff members were encouraged to carry firearms openly. A member of the Republican Party, Boebert is known for her gun rights advocacy. In the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado she unexpectedly defeated incumbent Scott Tipton in the primary election and went on to win the general election over Democratic nominee Diane Mitsch Bush, a former state representative. In Congress, Boebert has associated herself with the conservative Republican Study Committee, the right-wing Freedom Caucus, of which she became the communications chair in January 2022, and the pro-gun Second Amendment Caucus. She won reelection in 2022 by a narrow margin of 546 votes against former Aspen City Council member Adam Frisch. Boebert's views are broadly considered far-right. She is an ally and supporter of former president Donald Trump and supports Trump's claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him and voted to overturn its results during the Electoral College vote count. She has promoted the QAnon conspiracy theory, has "celebrated attacks on the free press", and some academic and journalistic sources have investigated her ties to far-right extremism. She opposes transitioning to green energy, COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates, abortion, sex education, gender-affirming surgery for minors, and same-sex marriage. She advocates an isolationist foreign policy, but supports closer ties with Israel for religious reasons. A self-described born-again Christian, Boebert has said that she is "tired of this separation of church and state junk" and argued for greater church power and influence in government decision-making.
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Sept 14, 2023: Denver Post: Lauren Boebert is part of a dangerous religious movement that threatens democracy, experts say
“It’s time for us to position ourselves and rise up and take our place in Christ and influence this nation as we were called to do,” Boebert told a Woodland Park crowd in September |
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Rep. Lauren Boebert Jokes That Jesus Was Killed Because 'He Didn't Have Enough' AR-15s
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert is facing pushback from some in the Christian community for joking that Jesus could have avoided death if he had “enough” AR-15s. Boebert, a Republican representative from Colorado, made the remarks Saturday during the 2022 Family Camp Meeting at Charis Christian Center, a non-denominational church in Colorado Springs, Colo. Boebert delivered a Bible-infused speech, telling the crowd, “I can’t really stand politics, but I love the Lord.” Her talk was well-received by attendees, although her joke about AR-15s received only a few laughs. “On Twitter, a lot of the little Twitter trolls, they like to say, ‘Oh, Jesus didn’t need an AR-15. How many AR-15s do you think Jesus would have had?’ Well, he didn’t have enough to keep his government from killing him,” she said, smiling. (Michael Foust/Christian Headlines 6/16/22)
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U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert is facing pushback from some in the Christian community for joking that Jesus could have avoided death if he had “enough” AR-15s. Boebert, a Republican representative from Colorado, made the remarks Saturday during the 2022 Family Camp Meeting at Charis Christian Center, a non-denominational church in Colorado Springs, Colo. Boebert delivered a Bible-infused speech, telling the crowd, “I can’t really stand politics, but I love the Lord.” Her talk was well-received by attendees, although her joke about AR-15s received only a few laughs. “On Twitter, a lot of the little Twitter trolls, they like to say, ‘Oh, Jesus didn’t need an AR-15. How many AR-15s do you think Jesus would have had?’ Well, he didn’t have enough to keep his government from killing him,” she said, smiling. (Michael Foust/Christian Headlines 6/16/22)
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--scott bottoms---------------------
Colorado Pastor Turned Legislator Has Promoted Christian Nationalism From The Pulpit For Years
“The church is not more powerful in Colorado than Satan is. I mean, think about what I’m saying. If that was different, wouldn’t we be able to do something about this?” That was what state Rep. Scott Bottoms (R-Colorado Springs) said during a sermon early last year, before he was elected to Colorado’s legislature. The source of his anger: Colorado Democrats’ policy wins, including multiple protections for abortion rights and a 2019 bill codifying comprehensive sex education – both things that fundamentalist Christians like Bottoms tend to vehemently oppose.
(James O'Rourke/Colorado Times Recorder 12/19/23)
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“The church is not more powerful in Colorado than Satan is. I mean, think about what I’m saying. If that was different, wouldn’t we be able to do something about this?” That was what state Rep. Scott Bottoms (R-Colorado Springs) said during a sermon early last year, before he was elected to Colorado’s legislature. The source of his anger: Colorado Democrats’ policy wins, including multiple protections for abortion rights and a 2019 bill codifying comprehensive sex education – both things that fundamentalist Christians like Bottoms tend to vehemently oppose.
(James O'Rourke/Colorado Times Recorder 12/19/23)
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Seducing the Bride of Christ
The Church at Briargate is led by pastor and Colorado Rep. Scott Bottoms (R-Colo Springs), whose history of colorful comments about demons, transgender people, and the leadership of the Colorado Republican party has been well documented. (Heidi Beetle/Colorado Times Recorder 10/12/23)
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The Church at Briargate is led by pastor and Colorado Rep. Scott Bottoms (R-Colo Springs), whose history of colorful comments about demons, transgender people, and the leadership of the Colorado Republican party has been well documented. (Heidi Beetle/Colorado Times Recorder 10/12/23)
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--donna campbell----------------
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)
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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)
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ben carson
June 2, 2023: Media Matters: American theocracy: Trinity Broadcasting Network’s nightly news program is spreading Christian nationalism
- Centerpoint guest and Former Trump Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson argued for more federally sanctioned prayer and claimed that Christianity is a key component of America's identity because of the message “in God we trust” on U.S. currency. According to Carson, “When you think about the fact that our pledge of allegiance says we're one nation under God. All of our coins, all of our bills say, “In God we trust,” so it should be an essential part of our identity and who we are and how we act.” [TBN, Centerpoint, 1/30/23]
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chris christie
Chris Christie ties his shift on gay marriage to Vatican ruling on same-sex blessings
Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, once an opponent of same-sex marriage, said Thursday his views on the matter have shifted, citing the Vatican’s recent document on same-sex blessings as evidence that “even the Church is changing.” “And so you know for me, it’s still, it was a process I had to go through to change the way I’ve been raised both from a family perspective and what my mother and father taught me and felt and also from a religious perspective and … what my Church taught me to believe,” Christie said at a town hall event in Epping, New Hampshire. (Joe Bukuras/Catholic News Agency 12/29/23)
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Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, once an opponent of same-sex marriage, said Thursday his views on the matter have shifted, citing the Vatican’s recent document on same-sex blessings as evidence that “even the Church is changing.” “And so you know for me, it’s still, it was a process I had to go through to change the way I’ve been raised both from a family perspective and what my mother and father taught me and felt and also from a religious perspective and … what my Church taught me to believe,” Christie said at a town hall event in Epping, New Hampshire. (Joe Bukuras/Catholic News Agency 12/29/23)
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--Gene Cox-------------------------
Churches are breaking the law and endorsing in elections, experts say. The IRS looks the other way.
Questions about the political involvement of tax-exempt organizations were swirling when Congress ordered an investigation in April 1952 to determine if some foundations were using their money “for un-American and subversive activities.” Leading the probe was Rep. Gene Cox, a Georgia Democrat who had accused the Guggenheim and Rockefeller foundations, among others, of helping alleged Communists or Communist fronts. Cox died during the investigation, and the final report cleared the foundations of wrongdoing.
(Jeremy Schwartz/Texas Tribune 10/30/22)
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Questions about the political involvement of tax-exempt organizations were swirling when Congress ordered an investigation in April 1952 to determine if some foundations were using their money “for un-American and subversive activities.” Leading the probe was Rep. Gene Cox, a Georgia Democrat who had accused the Guggenheim and Rockefeller foundations, among others, of helping alleged Communists or Communist fronts. Cox died during the investigation, and the final report cleared the foundations of wrongdoing.
(Jeremy Schwartz/Texas Tribune 10/30/22)
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--jason crow-------------------
How Christian Nationalism Spread In The US Military
The Jan. 6 riots involved the military community in a number of ways.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo)., a former U.S. Army Ranger, found his former training instinctual as he worked with law enforcement to safeguard the U.S. Capitol that day, saying later that he relied on “the same mentality that I did when I was at war thousands of miles away.” While Crow’s actions were later singled out and earned praise from former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., he was just one of scores of veterans among Capitol Hill police officers, staffers and members of Congress who relied on their training that day. While the make-up of Congress is disproportionately former military, so was that of the crowd involved in criminal behavior that day.
(Joseph Hammond/Religion Unplugged 10/24/23)
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The Jan. 6 riots involved the military community in a number of ways.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo)., a former U.S. Army Ranger, found his former training instinctual as he worked with law enforcement to safeguard the U.S. Capitol that day, saying later that he relied on “the same mentality that I did when I was at war thousands of miles away.” While Crow’s actions were later singled out and earned praise from former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., he was just one of scores of veterans among Capitol Hill police officers, staffers and members of Congress who relied on their training that day. While the make-up of Congress is disproportionately former military, so was that of the crowd involved in criminal behavior that day.
(Joseph Hammond/Religion Unplugged 10/24/23)
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ted cruz
Ted Cruz urges 'milquetoast' pastors to resist 'spiritual component' of Left: 'They've killed God'
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, urged Christian pastors to push back against the "spiritual component" of the modern Left, which he claimed is rooted in Marxist thought and fundamentally opposed to God. During a Monday interview with BlazeTV host James Poulos, Cruz said America "desperately needs" revival but claimed many pastors are too afraid to take a stand on crucial issues. (Jon Brown/ Christian Post 11/28/23)
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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, urged Christian pastors to push back against the "spiritual component" of the modern Left, which he claimed is rooted in Marxist thought and fundamentally opposed to God. During a Monday interview with BlazeTV host James Poulos, Cruz said America "desperately needs" revival but claimed many pastors are too afraid to take a stand on crucial issues. (Jon Brown/ Christian Post 11/28/23)
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ED NOTE: This is from a review on Amazon on a book Cruz wrote (Unwoke: How to Defeat Cultural Marxism):
A most difficult book to read. Almost never do I feel inclined to post a book review on a public site, yet I am compelled to do so here. Practically everything Cruz expresses outrage over are previously debunked, decades old tropes. The book possesses only two facets. One is classic jingoistic, conservative outrage, and the other is an almost clickbait trolling of the mal-educated Texans who have regrettably kept him in office, and for those he hopes will one day put him in the White House. Practically everything he writes in this dreadful tome could be better understood if he prefaced each of his accusations with his unsaid, "I'm not a racist, but..." That other reviewers have expressed admiration for the author and his piece of fiction only tells me that Cruz is not alone in his faux outrage.
A most difficult book to read. Almost never do I feel inclined to post a book review on a public site, yet I am compelled to do so here. Practically everything Cruz expresses outrage over are previously debunked, decades old tropes. The book possesses only two facets. One is classic jingoistic, conservative outrage, and the other is an almost clickbait trolling of the mal-educated Texans who have regrettably kept him in office, and for those he hopes will one day put him in the White House. Practically everything he writes in this dreadful tome could be better understood if he prefaced each of his accusations with his unsaid, "I'm not a racist, but..." That other reviewers have expressed admiration for the author and his piece of fiction only tells me that Cruz is not alone in his faux outrage.
Texas activist David Barton wants to end separation of church and state. He has the ear of the new U.S. House speaker.
Despite that, Barton has remained a fixture in conservative Christian circles and Republican Party politics. He served as vice chair of the Republican Party of Texas from 1997 to 2006 and, in 2004, was tapped for clergy outreach by President George W. Bush’s reelection campaign. In 2010, his fellow Texan and prominent conservative personality Glenn Beck praised him as “the most important man in America right now.” Barton was an early and important endorser of Sen. Ted Cruz’s unexpected first win in 2012. And in 2016, Barton ran one of multiple super PACs that were crucial to Cruz’s reelection. “Having David Barton running the super PAC gives it a lot of validity for evangelicals and pastors,” Mike Gonzalez, the South Carolina evangelical chair for the Cruz for President campaign, told the Daily Beast at the time.
(Robert Downen/Texas Tribune 11/3/23)
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Despite that, Barton has remained a fixture in conservative Christian circles and Republican Party politics. He served as vice chair of the Republican Party of Texas from 1997 to 2006 and, in 2004, was tapped for clergy outreach by President George W. Bush’s reelection campaign. In 2010, his fellow Texan and prominent conservative personality Glenn Beck praised him as “the most important man in America right now.” Barton was an early and important endorser of Sen. Ted Cruz’s unexpected first win in 2012. And in 2016, Barton ran one of multiple super PACs that were crucial to Cruz’s reelection. “Having David Barton running the super PAC gives it a lot of validity for evangelicals and pastors,” Mike Gonzalez, the South Carolina evangelical chair for the Cruz for President campaign, told the Daily Beast at the time.
(Robert Downen/Texas Tribune 11/3/23)
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Ron DeSantis
Mike Dunleavy
In a Facebook post Thursday, Alaska's Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy expressed gratitude to the Board of Education "for acting to protect the opportunity for girls to participate in high school sports in a division that is safe, fair, and competitive." After highlighting how "the board received well over 1,300 public comments," Dunleavy lauded board members for "taking the time to get this regulation right." --Christian Post; Alaska to become 24th state to ban males from women's sports 9/6/23
jenna ellis
Jenna Ellis
"My opposition is to the ideology of Christian nationalism. Many people think, 'I'm a Christian and I also believe in sovereign nations instead of globalism, so I'm a Christian nationalist. But that's dangerously misunderstanding the anti-liberty ideology main Christian nationalist proponents advocate. They openly, but purposefully, vaguely advocate undermining the Constitution and rule of law, replacing it with a theocracy, including blasphemy laws, and criminalizing other religions and their practice. Our country was founded on a Judeo-Christian worldview which recognizes the right of religious freedom. The state cannot, and should not, compel an individual to certain beliefs nor restrain free exercise of religion. This necessarily includes all belief systems, even atheism and the right to believe there is no God.
"The question is, who has the right to govern my conscience? World history has shown an enduring conflict between the state and the church. Our founders created a system whereby the state cannot infringe on an individual's right to freely exercise religion or compel religious practice, and also enforcing that right in civil law when an individual seeks to violate another individual's rights.
"As a Christian, I hate the statue that was placed in the Iowa Capitol. But I also recognize that in a well-ordered society, the state can and must punish individuals like [former congressional candidate who vandalized the Satanic Temple display] Michael Cassidy or BLM (Black Lives Matter) rioters, who destroy property of others—whether statues, storefronts, or other property. No person is justified in destruction of others' property to advance their ideology. Our nation is founded on liberty and justice for all. The Christian Nationalist crowd is the new BLM. Both cheer tearing down statues and destroying property they don't like in the name of their cause. Both are wrong," --Jenna Ellis 10.17.23
"The question is, who has the right to govern my conscience? World history has shown an enduring conflict between the state and the church. Our founders created a system whereby the state cannot infringe on an individual's right to freely exercise religion or compel religious practice, and also enforcing that right in civil law when an individual seeks to violate another individual's rights.
"As a Christian, I hate the statue that was placed in the Iowa Capitol. But I also recognize that in a well-ordered society, the state can and must punish individuals like [former congressional candidate who vandalized the Satanic Temple display] Michael Cassidy or BLM (Black Lives Matter) rioters, who destroy property of others—whether statues, storefronts, or other property. No person is justified in destruction of others' property to advance their ideology. Our nation is founded on liberty and justice for all. The Christian Nationalist crowd is the new BLM. Both cheer tearing down statues and destroying property they don't like in the name of their cause. Both are wrong," --Jenna Ellis 10.17.23
Jenna Ellis Rages Against Christian Nationalism
Former Donald Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis told Newsweek she is concerned many people do not see the dangers of Christian nationalism after some conservatives praised the vandalism of a Satanic Temple display inside the Iowa Capitol building. Ellis, who has pleaded guilty to one charge in the Georgia election subversion case, added: "We should be advocating for a well-ordered society that protects religious freedom and liberty for all."
Christian nationalism refers to a broad belief that the U.S. should fuse Christianity with the core of the nation's character. According to a 2022 Pew Center study, an estimated 24 percent had an unfavorable view of Christian nationalism and 54 percent had not heard of the term. (Anders Anglesey/Newsweek 12/17/23)
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Former Donald Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis told Newsweek she is concerned many people do not see the dangers of Christian nationalism after some conservatives praised the vandalism of a Satanic Temple display inside the Iowa Capitol building. Ellis, who has pleaded guilty to one charge in the Georgia election subversion case, added: "We should be advocating for a well-ordered society that protects religious freedom and liberty for all."
Christian nationalism refers to a broad belief that the U.S. should fuse Christianity with the core of the nation's character. According to a 2022 Pew Center study, an estimated 24 percent had an unfavorable view of Christian nationalism and 54 percent had not heard of the term. (Anders Anglesey/Newsweek 12/17/23)
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Another ‘Christian attorney’ pleads guilty to spreading Trump’s Big Lie
One of the most prominent attorneys of conservative evangelicalism became the fourth person to plead guilty in a Georgia courtroom to wrongly aiding former President Donald Trump in his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Jenna Ellis has been at the forefront of Religious Right causes, working with some of the biggest names in that world of religiously motivated political action, including Jerry Falwell Jr., Charlie Kirk, James Dobson, John MacArthur, Thomas More Society, Alliance Defending Freedom and Trump himself.
(Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 10/25/23)
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One of the most prominent attorneys of conservative evangelicalism became the fourth person to plead guilty in a Georgia courtroom to wrongly aiding former President Donald Trump in his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Jenna Ellis has been at the forefront of Religious Right causes, working with some of the biggest names in that world of religiously motivated political action, including Jerry Falwell Jr., Charlie Kirk, James Dobson, John MacArthur, Thomas More Society, Alliance Defending Freedom and Trump himself.
(Mark Wingfield/Baptist News Global 10/25/23)
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Jenna Ellis
“As an attorney who is also a Christian, I take my responsibilities as a lawyer very seriously. If I knew then what I know now, I would have declined to represent Donald Trump in these postelection challenges. I look back on this experience with deep remorse. For those failures of mine, your honor, I’ve taken responsibility already before the Colorado bar, who censured me, and I now take responsibility before this court and apologize to the people of Georgia.” --Jenna Ellis 10.24.23
“I’m going on record now: If they try to cancel Christianity, if they try to force me to apologize or recant my Faith, I will not bend, I will not waver, I will not break. On Christ the solid Rock I stand. And I’m proud to be an American.” --Jenna Ellis; 2020
randy feenstra
Caucus candidates talk faith at Dordt
SIOUX CENTER—Religion and politics are usually the third-rail discussion topics but that was the agenda last Saturday at Dordt University. Five weeks before the Iowa caucuses, a quartet of presidential candidates visited Sioux Center to speak on spirituality and other subjects. Billed as “Faith and Family with the Feenstras,” the was hosted by Rep. Randy Feenstra at his alma mater. (Elija Helton/Northwest Iowa 12/15/23)
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SIOUX CENTER—Religion and politics are usually the third-rail discussion topics but that was the agenda last Saturday at Dordt University. Five weeks before the Iowa caucuses, a quartet of presidential candidates visited Sioux Center to speak on spirituality and other subjects. Billed as “Faith and Family with the Feenstras,” the was hosted by Rep. Randy Feenstra at his alma mater. (Elija Helton/Northwest Iowa 12/15/23)
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matt gaetz
Right-Wing Christian Groups Back CO Congressman Buck and Others Who Ousted House Speaker
“Pro-family” groups support seven of the eight far-right Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives who made history Oct. 3 by voting to remove Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy in a 216-210 vote. Both Matt Gaetz of Florida, who led the charge against McCarthy, and Andy Biggs of Arizona have received the Family Research Council’s True Blue Award for their “perfect voting records” on issues including abortion and LGBTQ rights that make up the political agenda of FRC, which was founded and is aligned with Focus on the Family. (Steve Rabey/Colorado Times Recorder 10/6/23)
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“Pro-family” groups support seven of the eight far-right Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives who made history Oct. 3 by voting to remove Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy in a 216-210 vote. Both Matt Gaetz of Florida, who led the charge against McCarthy, and Andy Biggs of Arizona have received the Family Research Council’s True Blue Award for their “perfect voting records” on issues including abortion and LGBTQ rights that make up the political agenda of FRC, which was founded and is aligned with Focus on the Family. (Steve Rabey/Colorado Times Recorder 10/6/23)
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Heather Cox Richardson
The rejection of democracy in favor of Christian authoritarianism at the highest levels of our government is an astonishing outcome of the attempt to prevent another Great Depression by creating a government that worked for ordinary Americans rather than a few wealthy men.
But here we are.
After Johnson’s election as speaker, extremist Republican Matt Gaetz of Florida spelled out what it meant for the party…and for the country: “MAGA is ascendant,” Gaetz told former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, “and if you don’t think that moving from Kevin McCarthy to MAGA Mike Johnson shows the ascendance of this movement, and where the power of the Republican Party truly lies, then you’re not paying attention.” --Heather Cox Richardson; Milwaukee Independent
But here we are.
After Johnson’s election as speaker, extremist Republican Matt Gaetz of Florida spelled out what it meant for the party…and for the country: “MAGA is ascendant,” Gaetz told former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, “and if you don’t think that moving from Kevin McCarthy to MAGA Mike Johnson shows the ascendance of this movement, and where the power of the Republican Party truly lies, then you’re not paying attention.” --Heather Cox Richardson; Milwaukee Independent
heidi ganalh
 Heidi Ganahl
“My daughter is a Young Life leader and leads a Wyld Life group, and there are some amazing organizations like the Wyld Life groups at some middle schools. The kids just love each other and they are so close. They support each other...........I know Young Life has some controversial views. They just love on the kids at that level. I think you’ve got to find places where young people, kids, can kind of fit into the slots and have conservative values put in front of them. You’ve got to be intentional about it, though.”
--Heidi Ganahl; Colorado Times Recorder; Welcome to the Logh Cabin; 8.2.23 |
The Log Cabin Republicans are the Republican organization dedicated to representing LGBTQ conservatives, and Young Life is the Christian youth program that was featured in a 2020 Denver Post exposé that highlighted how the group bars members of the LGBTQ community from becoming leaders or working at camps, even after they’ve spent years volunteering.
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rudy giuliani
December 16, 2023
 Zorek Richards
After losing his case against the Georgia election workers, Rudy Giuliani said he doesn’t care if he lost all his money because money is the root of all evil and he is proud that he stood on principle and his dad and Jesus Christ are proud of him. It's "love of money is the root of all evil" not just money. I've never heard anyone say Jesus is proud of themselves. He made his choices...He is not hardly even a shell of what he was in 2001. It would be great if one of them would have a "come to Jesus" moment...and just confess everything but years and years of voluntary brainwashing has done a lot of damage to their psyche. Being deceived can happen to the best of us...being self-deceived is a road seldom reversed.
Money and Success don't change people. They merely amplify what is already there. A 2007 Pew Research poll indicated that people did not seen Giuliani as "highly religious." Joy Reid (MSNBC) pointed to Giuliani owing over $500,000 in unpaid taxes, the IRS putting a lien on his property in Palm Beach, having a New York apartment on the market for $6 million and his consulting firm defaulting on a debt for a phone bill. Von Dubose, an attorney for the election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss – how they were going to collect the money from Giuliani. “We’ve already put the pieces in motion for that. We are intending to collect every nickel of it,” Dubose said. "We’ll see how much we ultimately find and how much we ultimately recover. But we are putting the pieces together right now.” |
Money and Success don't change people. They merely amplify what is already there. |
al gore
“I’m so troubled, always, when I see people who are sure that they know exactly what God’s plan for the world is, what political party God belongs to, what God’s ideology is, and what God’s position on particular cases and controversies might be.” --Al Gore, VP, statement to civil liberties and religious leaders July 14, 1994
marjorie Taylor Greene
Texas activist David Barton wants to end separation of church and state. He has the ear of the new U.S. House speaker.
Johnson’s election to House Speaker shows how normalized such beliefs have become, said Amanda Tyler, the executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for a strong wall between government and religion. She noted that some Republicans — including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, have embraced the title of Christian nationalist in recent years. Tyler said that Johnson’s views are particularly concerning because of his background as both a Southern Baptist and as a constitutional lawyer. Baptists, she noted, have a long history of advocacy for strong church-state separations because of the persecution they faced during the country’s founding — a stance that she said Johnson has betrayed throughout his legal and political career “He has worked actively for these principles that further Christian nationalism,” Tyler said. “I am also a Baptist, and to see someone who is a Baptist really reject foundational concepts of religious freedom for all — concepts which are really core to what it means to be a Baptist — is also very disheartening.” (Robert Downen/Texas Tribune 11/3/23)
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Johnson’s election to House Speaker shows how normalized such beliefs have become, said Amanda Tyler, the executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for a strong wall between government and religion. She noted that some Republicans — including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, have embraced the title of Christian nationalist in recent years. Tyler said that Johnson’s views are particularly concerning because of his background as both a Southern Baptist and as a constitutional lawyer. Baptists, she noted, have a long history of advocacy for strong church-state separations because of the persecution they faced during the country’s founding — a stance that she said Johnson has betrayed throughout his legal and political career “He has worked actively for these principles that further Christian nationalism,” Tyler said. “I am also a Baptist, and to see someone who is a Baptist really reject foundational concepts of religious freedom for all — concepts which are really core to what it means to be a Baptist — is also very disheartening.” (Robert Downen/Texas Tribune 11/3/23)
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Marjorie Taylor Greene to right-wing Catholic site: How come "God hasn't destroyed" America?
On the eve of testifying in a lawsuit that seeks to prevent her from running for re-election, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the legendary or notorious Georgia Republican, granted an hourlong interview in her home to an unlikely outlet: the far-right Catholic news organization Church Militant, which for years has positioned itself as one of the noisiest and most outlandish partisans in the Roman Catholic Church's ongoing fight with itself. Greene is an evangelical Protestant, not a Catholic, but Church Militant is making the most of this opportunity, and has featured segments of the interview all week, starting with its opening video on Monday, entitled "Marjorie for Pope." In the interview, Greene rehashed old beefs, described herself as a victim of Jan. 6, said the United States is so sinful she doesn't understand "why God hasn't destroyed us" and — most exciting for Church Militant — suggested that Satan is controlling the Catholic Church. (Kathryn Joyce: Salon 4/27/22)
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On the eve of testifying in a lawsuit that seeks to prevent her from running for re-election, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the legendary or notorious Georgia Republican, granted an hourlong interview in her home to an unlikely outlet: the far-right Catholic news organization Church Militant, which for years has positioned itself as one of the noisiest and most outlandish partisans in the Roman Catholic Church's ongoing fight with itself. Greene is an evangelical Protestant, not a Catholic, but Church Militant is making the most of this opportunity, and has featured segments of the interview all week, starting with its opening video on Monday, entitled "Marjorie for Pope." In the interview, Greene rehashed old beefs, described herself as a victim of Jan. 6, said the United States is so sinful she doesn't understand "why God hasn't destroyed us" and — most exciting for Church Militant — suggested that Satan is controlling the Catholic Church. (Kathryn Joyce: Salon 4/27/22)
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nikki haley
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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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“Nikki Haley is no moderate – she’s an anti-abortion MAGA extremist who wants to rip away women’s freedoms just like she did when she was South Carolina governor.” -Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa 11/17/23
Oct 25, 2023: Times of Israel: Support for Israel becomes top issue for Iowa evangelicals key to first GOP caucuses
“We’ve got a true war between good and evil, and we have to have a leader that has the moral clarity to know the difference,” said Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, in an interview between Iowa stops this month.
“We’ve got a true war between good and evil, and we have to have a leader that has the moral clarity to know the difference,” said Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, in an interview between Iowa stops this month.
==kamala harris======
Many Say It’s important Leaders Stand Up For Religious PeopleBoth Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, who are challenging one another in this year’s presidential race, both identify as Christians. Harris’ mother was Hindu and her father a Christian. She grew up attending services at a Black Baptist church. Trump, who does not attend a church, has drawn much of his support from faith voters who are politically conservative. President Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, attends Mass every Sunday. He is just the second Catholic to be elected to the presidency after John F. Kennedy in 1960.
(Religion Unplugged 8/28/24) READ MORE>>>>>
(Religion Unplugged 8/28/24) READ MORE>>>>>
Kamala Harris’s interfaith identity could help her win the election
When Donald Trump told a gathering of conservative Christians that they “won’t have to vote anymore” if he is elected, he wasn’t only drawing from an authoritarian playbook—he was also participating in a long-standing US political strategy of treating Christians as if we were the only “religious voters.” The Republican Party’s faith outreach over the past five decades has focused almost exclusively on White evangelical voters, who habitually vote in such strong numbers that they make up a far greater share of the electorate than they do the population. The United States’ demographics are changing, however, and the number of Christians is rapidly declining, while the share of people from other religious traditions and no religious tradition continues to grow. If the Democratic Party is wise, it will recognize this new reality and work diligently to build a truly interreligious coalition. What’s more, in Kamala Harris, they now have a candidate capable of doing just that—with integrity and authenticity.
In the former president’s widely condemned remarks about Vice President Harris’s mixed racial heritage, he ironically touched on the very background that makes her so well suited to build interreligious partnerships; this is a story she’s lived her entire life. What Trump intended as an insult tacitly named what can help Harris give visible, tangible expression to America’s religious diversity. The daughter of a Hindu and a Christian, she was raised in the Black church, but her mother also taught her reverence for Hindu temples. Later, she married Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, creating an interfaith home for her new family and two stepchildren. Her life story reflects the lived experience of millions of Americans. Almost 40 percent of people who have married since 2010 married someone from a different religious tradition. The joys and challenges experienced in each of those homes is America in microcosm: in communities all over the country, families are learning how to weave their faith traditions together to create love and abundant life. And that’s a very good thing, because confronting the intractable problems that plague us will require sustained work across political and religious differences."
(Christian Century 8/15/24) Read More>>>>>
When Donald Trump told a gathering of conservative Christians that they “won’t have to vote anymore” if he is elected, he wasn’t only drawing from an authoritarian playbook—he was also participating in a long-standing US political strategy of treating Christians as if we were the only “religious voters.” The Republican Party’s faith outreach over the past five decades has focused almost exclusively on White evangelical voters, who habitually vote in such strong numbers that they make up a far greater share of the electorate than they do the population. The United States’ demographics are changing, however, and the number of Christians is rapidly declining, while the share of people from other religious traditions and no religious tradition continues to grow. If the Democratic Party is wise, it will recognize this new reality and work diligently to build a truly interreligious coalition. What’s more, in Kamala Harris, they now have a candidate capable of doing just that—with integrity and authenticity.
In the former president’s widely condemned remarks about Vice President Harris’s mixed racial heritage, he ironically touched on the very background that makes her so well suited to build interreligious partnerships; this is a story she’s lived her entire life. What Trump intended as an insult tacitly named what can help Harris give visible, tangible expression to America’s religious diversity. The daughter of a Hindu and a Christian, she was raised in the Black church, but her mother also taught her reverence for Hindu temples. Later, she married Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, creating an interfaith home for her new family and two stepchildren. Her life story reflects the lived experience of millions of Americans. Almost 40 percent of people who have married since 2010 married someone from a different religious tradition. The joys and challenges experienced in each of those homes is America in microcosm: in communities all over the country, families are learning how to weave their faith traditions together to create love and abundant life. And that’s a very good thing, because confronting the intractable problems that plague us will require sustained work across political and religious differences."
(Christian Century 8/15/24) Read More>>>>>
==josh hawley======
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July 7, 2023: Church Leaders: Josh Hawley Tweets Fake Quote About US Founding, Sparking Allegations of Christian Nationalism
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley is fielding allegations of Christian nationalism this week after he tweeted out a quote falsely attributed to a Founding Father claiming the U.S. was founded “on the Gospel of Jesus Christ” and later tweeted out a thread of other quotes along similar lines.
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley is fielding allegations of Christian nationalism this week after he tweeted out a quote falsely attributed to a Founding Father claiming the U.S. was founded “on the Gospel of Jesus Christ” and later tweeted out a thread of other quotes along similar lines.
==kevin hern======
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
==james ho================
The Christian right’s wish list for Trump is worse than you think
James Ho, Duncan’s colleague on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, is alarming not only as a prospective Supreme Court justice, but also as a model jurist for the Christian right. A former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Ho has defended his former boss against a seemingly unending raft of ethics scandals. He also has called abortion “the immoral, tragic, and violent taking of innocent human life,” and has accused abortion-rights supporters of advocating eugenics. More recently, Ho, as a member of a three-judge panel that upheld restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone, wrote in a bizarre dissent that “Unborn babies are a source of profound joy for those who view them. Expectant parents eagerly share ultrasound photos with loved ones. Friends and family cheer at the sight of an unborn child. Doctors delight in working with their unborn patients — and experience an aesthetic injury when they are aborted.”
(Sarah Posner/MSNBC 9/21/23)
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James Ho, Duncan’s colleague on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, is alarming not only as a prospective Supreme Court justice, but also as a model jurist for the Christian right. A former clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Ho has defended his former boss against a seemingly unending raft of ethics scandals. He also has called abortion “the immoral, tragic, and violent taking of innocent human life,” and has accused abortion-rights supporters of advocating eugenics. More recently, Ho, as a member of a three-judge panel that upheld restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone, wrote in a bizarre dissent that “Unborn babies are a source of profound joy for those who view them. Expectant parents eagerly share ultrasound photos with loved ones. Friends and family cheer at the sight of an unborn child. Doctors delight in working with their unborn patients — and experience an aesthetic injury when they are aborted.”
(Sarah Posner/MSNBC 9/21/23)
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Brandon Johnson
Matt Mcmanus
".....everyone hopes God is on Brandon Johnson’s side — and a statement of hope about the environment. And that wraps this meeting of the ecology reading group of the Institute for Christian Socialism — a name the political Right would locate somewhere between oxymoron and heresy.
The Institute for Christian Socialism (ICS), founded in the late 2010s by scholars and activists, is one of a growing number of left Christian organizations to emerge or be revived over the past decade, from radical Black churches to LGBTQ-affirming congregations. Stridently opposed to the right-wing approach to the Gospels, Christian leftists and socialists profess a radical faith centered on our duties to the least among us. Conventional wisdom suggests all forms of socialism share a bedrock commitment to atheistic materialism, following Marx’s infamous description of religion as the “opiate of the masses.” Less remembered is that, in context, Marx suggests religion is something like medicinal: it’s “the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.” Many socialists agree with Marx’s dialectical take here, that one of religion’s major draws is how it makes sense of an unjust world. But to Christian socialists, religion isn’t merely consolation; it’s a profound call to action and good works. The roots of Christian socialism are in scripture itself. While conservative Christians view humanity as radically fallen — thus requiring the steady hand of tradition and authority to curb evil — Christian socialists turn that theology into an injunction against the corrupting influence of political and economic power. For Christian socialists, the equality of souls under God obligates us to care for the marginalized and vulnerable while guarding against domination. When Jesus declared that it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven, or insisted that God stands with the “wretched of the earth” — the title of Frantz Fanon’s anti-colonial masterpiece — he laid the groundwork for Christian socialism. --Matt Mcmanus; In These Times; Christian Socialists Are Reclaiming Faith from the Right 9.18.23
The Institute for Christian Socialism (ICS), founded in the late 2010s by scholars and activists, is one of a growing number of left Christian organizations to emerge or be revived over the past decade, from radical Black churches to LGBTQ-affirming congregations. Stridently opposed to the right-wing approach to the Gospels, Christian leftists and socialists profess a radical faith centered on our duties to the least among us. Conventional wisdom suggests all forms of socialism share a bedrock commitment to atheistic materialism, following Marx’s infamous description of religion as the “opiate of the masses.” Less remembered is that, in context, Marx suggests religion is something like medicinal: it’s “the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.” Many socialists agree with Marx’s dialectical take here, that one of religion’s major draws is how it makes sense of an unjust world. But to Christian socialists, religion isn’t merely consolation; it’s a profound call to action and good works. The roots of Christian socialism are in scripture itself. While conservative Christians view humanity as radically fallen — thus requiring the steady hand of tradition and authority to curb evil — Christian socialists turn that theology into an injunction against the corrupting influence of political and economic power. For Christian socialists, the equality of souls under God obligates us to care for the marginalized and vulnerable while guarding against domination. When Jesus declared that it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven, or insisted that God stands with the “wretched of the earth” — the title of Frantz Fanon’s anti-colonial masterpiece — he laid the groundwork for Christian socialism. --Matt Mcmanus; In These Times; Christian Socialists Are Reclaiming Faith from the Right 9.18.23
mike johnson
jim jordan
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)
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phil king
Phillip Stephen King (born February 29, 1956) is an American attorney from Weatherford, Texas, who has been a Republican member of the Texas State Senate since 2023. He previously served in Texas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2023. House District 61 encompasses Parker and Wise counties located west of Fort Worth. In 2022, he was a candidate for the District 10 seat in the Texas Senate, which he won unopposed in the general election, due to the democratic opponent dropping out of the race in April 2022.
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)
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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>>>>>
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New Texas Bill Would Require Schools to Display 10 Commandments in Every Classroom A new Texas bill, if enacted, would require public primary and secondary schools in Texas to show a poster-sized display of the 10 Commandments “in a conspicuous place in each classroom.” Senate Bill 1515, sponsored by Texas state Sen. Phil King (R), includes a requirement regarding the exact size of the posters and the inclusion of the words “Thou shall” at the start of each commandment. (Milton Quintanilla/Christian Headlines 4/5/23) Read More>>>>> |
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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>>>>>
==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>>>>>
--Michelle Lujan Grisham----
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)
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--ben moss------------------------
Mark Creech
“In Washington, our national motto, ‘In God We Trust,’ appears opposite the President of the United States Senate, who is also the Vice President of the United States. The same phrase in very large letters appears in the marble, and backdrops the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. I know that I speak for all of the churches who support the Christian Action League when I say we are thrilled Rep. (Ben) Moss has filed a bill to have ‘In God We Trust” placed before our state’s Senate and House...........Absolutely necessary to the survival of this nation is this forceful and explicit statement that the hope and strength of our great state and nation is not in our own intellect, ingenuities or even inclusiveness. Our strength and our hope, as a people, is primarily determined by our trust in the God of the Bible.” --Christian Action League Executive Director Rev Mark Creech 3.3.23
--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)
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--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
