Who Are the Evangelicals Supporting Donald Trump?

Christian Post ^ | 09/01/2015 | BY RAY NOTHSTINE

[SeekAndFind]

New polling shows Donald Trump continuing to surge among the Republican field. His strong showing among Evangelicals is a surprise to some and annoyance to others. As a matter of fact, he currently leads among conservative Christians.

"I love the Evangelicals," said Trump, but there are doubters.

A scathing op-ed in The New York Times on Trump and his Christian support concluded with this assessment: "I don't see someone interested in serving God, I see someone interested in being God."

If the disconnect between Republican Party leaders and much of the base is evident, it may exist among Evangelical leaders and the average Evangelical voter too. Immediately following the televised Republican debate in Cleveland, Trump shot up among Evangelicals in Iowa, which is the first opportunity for candidates to get a head start in their delegate count.

World Magazine published a survey in what they called the favorite choice of "Evangelical insiders." Trump trails badly among these "insiders," with Marco Rubio as a favorite and Ted Cruz and Carly Fiorina said to be "surging." Perhaps a surprise to some, Trump is tied at 2.3 percent with Hillary Clinton as the top choice of those surveyed.

"Many of the candidates running for the Republican nomination are impressive, but Marco Rubio reminds me more of Jack Kennedy every day," said Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary, CP's executive editor and a survey participant. "Whatever charisma is, he's got it."

While a "non-starter" for Evangelical insiders, just like many Washington insiders, Trump has legions outside the fold.

An op-ed published at the Christian Post explains some of the support. Larry Tomczak, undecided on whether to vote for Trump, attended an Ohio meeting with Trump and a groups of pastors. He offered ten reasons why he thinks the billionaire is out in front.

Franklin Graham offered what many believe is Trump's ultimate appeal — his outsider status, and ability to articulate general contempt for Washington.

"He's shaking up the Republican Party and the political process overall. And it needs shaking up," declared Graham.

The Daily Beast published a piece in August titled, "Why Evangelicals Worship Trump." The piece chronicles some of Trump's quieter support of Evangelical ministries, including Samaritan's Purse, and Billy Graham affiliated ministries. Trump spoke to raucous applause at Liberty University in 2012, and reportedly took time visiting campus leaders and students, instead of merely jetting in and out on his plane after his talk.

"I think long before anyone thought he would seriously run for president, he was making outreaches to Evangelicals and Catholics who are involved in the political process," exclaims Johnnie Moore, a former media relations manager and campus pastor at Liberty University and CP Senior Contributing Editor.

Jerry Falwell, Jr. went so far as to call Trump "one of the greatest visionaries of our time."

Trump has made similar outreach to Evangelical leaders such as Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and Ralph Reed.

"Trump is the result of a Republican leadership here in Washington D.C. that is playing footsies with Barack Obama instead of fisticuffs," says Perkins. "People are tired of that."

The Christian Post reported on Trump's upcoming September meeting with Paula White, a well-known prosperity Gospel preacher, and other Christian leaders at the Trump Towers in New York City. Perhaps, then, Trump's Evangelical supporters are of the "health and wealth gospel" variety. They are, after all, the least likely to be turned off by brazen displays of wealth. In another CP op-ed, Carmen Fowler LaBerge, president of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, argued that Trump's Evangelical followers are likely the type who have embraced a bastardized version of the Gospel that has more to do with positive thinking and American capitalism than the teachings of Jesus.

"Trump's "Evangelical" supporters are the Christmas-church-going, Protestant work-ethic, Manifest Destiny believing, can-do capitalists. They are in every denomination and none. They think of themselves as Christians but they see no real need to have every aspect of their lives aligned with an arcane morality. Trump is tapping into the spirit and power of positive thinking that pervades the teachings of modern cultural evangelists like Oprah Winfrey and Joel Osteen," she wrote.

Jeremiah Johnson, an author who planted Heart of the Father Ministry in Florida, prophesied that Trump shall be God's "trumpet to the American people."

"Trump does not fear man nor will he allow deception and lies to go unnoticed," wrote Johnson of his prophetic claim. "I am going to use him to expose darkness and perversion in America like never before, but you must understand that he is like a bull in a china closet."

Still, many Evangelicals are mystified about the support for a man who seems to have attended church little in recent times and referred to communion as the "little wine" and the "little cracker." Trump has said he is Presbyterian and a member of Marble Collegiate Church. But Marble Collegiate Church is not Presbyterian and said Friday that Trump is not among its members. Trump even said he's not sure "if he's ever asked God for forgiveness."

But perhaps his missteps are overshadowed by his authenticity, the establishment backlash and what is perceived by many as failure in Washington. As Peggy Noonan argues in the Wall Street Journal, Trump's appeal extends far beyond the Republican Party base or politics.

"Now look: when Trump talks about how he doesn't really ask God for forgiveness except for when he partakes in communion," wrote David Brody of the Brody File, "that obviously is not the Evangelical textbook answer. But at least they appreciate his honesty and with politicians nowadays that is a valued commodity."

Regardless of Trump's intentions, it is clear, despite his awkward language and what some would see as off-putting language about faith, he sees Evangelicals as a natural constituency for his support and as part of a larger movement of the electorate away from what many say is the ultimate power broker — Washington D.C.

[Abby4116]

His sister was not a pro-choice judge. She, along with Alito and the 3rd judge on that court, ruled that the NJ law was unconsitutional. SCOTUS had ruled on an identical law from Nebraska the month before.

[SeekAndFind]

Ramesh Ponnuru of National Review states thusly :

" Maryanne Trump Barry came up in my book The Party of Death for writing one of those heated judicial decisions in favor of giving constitutional protection to partial-birth abortion. She called a New Jersey law against it a “desperate attempt” to undermine Roe v. Wade. It was, she wrote, “based on semantic machinations, irrational line-drawing, and an obvious attempt to inflame public opinion instead of logic or medical evidence.” It made no difference where the fetus was when it “expired.”

[Abby4116]

"The other panelists were Judge Leonard I. Garth and Judge Samuel A. Alito, who wrote a separate but concurring opinion. Judge Alito said he favored finding the New Jersey law unconstitutional, stressing that any limits on abortion must have an exception for the preservation of the health of the mother."

And Ramesh's wife works for Jeb's campaign.

There was a whole thread about this on 8/27.

[Hawthorn]

I see now that Trump’s pro-choice judge sister is 78. Obviously too old for a SCOTUS nomination.

Still, we gotta hope that she isn’t a “trusted adviser” once he becomes POTUS!

[Hawthorn]

>> Any of these things (and more) could change Trump’s position on this (and any other) issue. <<

Trump can do no wrong. Get over it.

[MayflowerMadam]

Q: Who are the evangelicals supporting Trump?
A: Everyone in our house right now and many of our church friends.

I voted for Romney and he’s deeply entrenched in a cult. I’m more comfortable with a Presbyterian.

[Faith Presses On]

“A scathing op-ed in The New York Times on Trump and his Christian support...” That op-ed was by Frank Bruni. He also wrote: “Let me get this straight. If I want the admiration and blessings of the most flamboyant, judgmental Christians in America, I should marry three times, do a queasy-making amount of sexual boasting, verbally degrade women, talk trash about pretty much everyone else while I'm at it, encourage gamblers to hemorrhage their savings in casinos bearing my name and crow incessantly about how much money I've amassed? “He personifies greed, embodies pride, radiates lust. Wrath is covered by his anti-immigrant, anti-”losers” rants, and if we interpret gluttony to include big buildings and not just Big Macs, he's a glutton through and through. That leaves envy and sloth. I'm betting that he harbors plenty of the former, though I'll concede that he exhibits none of the latter.” Of course this is an unbeliever taking it upon himself to judge the Church, when he doesn't have the mind of Christ. He's certainly not interested in advising Christians in order to benefit the cause of Christ. And when people pick candidates, it's not so much that they're voting or supporting the candidate, but that they're voting for or supporting themselves. Bible-believing Christians vote Republican, including for Bush, McCain and Romney, in support of our beliefs, which they claim they will work to uphold. It is troubling, though, that Trump is someone who says he has never seen a reason to ask God's forgiveness for anything. The fact that he is in the place he appears to be right now to defend Christian values in America seems possibly like a judgment from God.

[Faith Presses On]

Fixed the paragraphs:

“A scathing op-ed in The New York Times on Trump and his Christian support...”

That op-ed was by Frank Bruni. He also wrote:

“Let me get this straight. If I want the admiration and blessings of the most
flamboyant, judgmental Christians in America, I should marry three times, do a
queasy-making amount of sexual boasting, verbally degrade women, talk trash about pretty much everyone else while I’m at it, encourage gamblers to hemorrhage their savings in casinos bearing my name and crow incessantly about how much money I’ve amassed?

“He personifies greed, embodies pride, radiates lust. Wrath is covered by his
anti-immigrant, anti-”losers” rants, and if we interpret gluttony to include big
buildings and not just Big Macs, he’s a glutton through and through. That leaves envy and sloth. I’m betting that he harbors plenty of the former, though I’ll concede that he exhibits none of the latter.”

Of course this is an unbeliever taking it upon himself to judge the Church, when he doesn’t have the mind of Christ. He’s certainly not interested in advising Christians in order to benefit the cause of Christ.

And when people pick candidates, it’s not so much that they’re voting or supporting the candidate, but that they’re voting for or supporting themselves. Bible-believing Christians vote Republican, including for Bush, McCain and Romney, in support of our beliefs, which they claim they will work to uphold.

It is troubling, though, that Trump is someone who says he has never seen a reason to ask God’s forgiveness for anything.

The fact that he is in the place he appears to be right now to defend Christian values in America seems possibly like a judgment from God.

[newberger]

I’m more comfortable with a Presbyterian.

Right! A Presbyterian who admits he doesn't ask God for forgiveness.

[MayflowerMadam]

“Right! A Presbyterian who admits he doesn’t ask God for forgiveness.”

It’s not the President’s job to ask God for forgiveness. If the Founding Fathers believed that, they’d have instituted a state church. It IS the President’s job to assure that the Constitution is adhered to strictly. If that happens, the Christians “win”.