Posted on 01/03/2016 11:38:24 AM PST by conservativejoy
Donald Trump was on Face the Nation, and had an epic tantrum. Right now he's so scared of losing to Ted Cruz, he's having to lash out in ridiculous ways. It's interesting seeing what Trump looks like when he's behind, he knows he's behind, and he's wetting-his-pants scared of being the big, fat loser.
Here's the key transcript:
DICKERSON: When you say about Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 100%, "Not too many evangelicals come out of Cuba," what does that mean?
TRUMP: Well, it just means that Cuba generally speaking is a Catholic country. And you don't equate evangelicals with Cuba. I don't. I mean, I think of evangelicals, and i have, I guess I am. You know, I'm Presbyterian. I'm Protestant. But I don't see it coming out of Cuba.
DICKERSON: But you're not questioning whether - I mean, as far as you know, he could be more devout than you are.
TRUMP: It's possible. Certainly it's possible. I'm not questioning it. And I say it in a somewhat smiling manner. But there's a little truth to it.
What strikes me first about this is that Trump feels the need to attack Ted Cruz's Christianity as fake. Trump wants you to think that Cruz is a secret Catholic, only pretending to be a Baptist (SBC) in order to get votes in Iowa.
Does anyone actually believe this? If you've ever heard Ted Cruz speak in your life, you know that he's been going to and paying attention in church. His style of speaking is the tell. He gets in your face, he lectures you. He wants you to get right with government. He could sprinkle his speeches with "Can I get an amen?" and it would sound natural. You can't look into his heart and know what he truly believes, but it's obvious he's been going to church and paying attention to his pastors.
But next, it's obvious Trump is pretty out of touch with what's going on in Presbyterianism in America. He's so hot to try to tar Cruz as a secret Catholic, but when given the chance, he's not taking a stand in the great conflict right now in American Presbyterianism. Let me explain.
The biggest Presbyterian Church in our country is the Presbyterian Church (USA). PCUSA currently has about 1.7 million members. That's been dropping for decades, but it started dropping faster in 2012, after the 2011 ratification of Amendment 10-A to the Book of Order, which would allow ordination of non-chaste homosexuals.
The large drop represents entire local churches abandoning PCUSA in favor of the Presbyterian Church in America. PCA takes a much more traditional view on most social issues, and has grown to have about 350,000 members. PCA and PCUSA have had to go to court over the ownership of church buildings and property, of the local congregations who flipped from PCUSA to PCA.
For Trump to speak of himself being Presbyterian, without mentioning which kind of Presbyterian he is, tells me one thing: Trump likely attends church at a PCUSA congregation, which would mean he stuck with the group that permits abortion (it is deemed morally acceptable), homosexual priests, homosexual 'blessings' as pseudo-marriages, and free divorce.
Donald Trump is throwing stones, but the evidence suggests he's got a glass house on this issue. Not a smart tactic, and a mark of scared desperation on his part.
So does that mean they’re not Evangelicals? Does that mean Trump (who has recently discovered his Presbyterianism, although he attended a Catholic mass on Christmas and requested that cameras not be present) is suddenly the authority on who is an Evangelical?
Haha. Yeah sure.
I think you meant vicious :)
I’m a Cruz supporter and I see nothing near insults or anything derogatory thrown at him by trump.
he’s trying to win. Cruz is trying to win.
I’ll vote for either in the generals but Ted in the primaries :)
Just ask president Huckabee how important the Iowa vote is. You win there and it all the way to the White House. Trump might even want to not win Iowa!
I didnât write the article. I donât agree with the hyperbole of the headline, but Trump did trot out another lame attack on Cruzâs religion. Why would he do that?
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Pretty obvious after Cruz cast aspirations on Trump’s “finger on the button.”
Trump is freaking CORRECT!!!
>> simply ignore the substance of the article <<
Hey! That’s what we do around here!
>>What specific churches are those...If you know.?
The Reformed Church is the Marble Collegiate Church, a congregation in the Reformed Church of America. Not as conservative as the PCA, but much better than the PCUSA.
Did Huckleberry or Sweater Vest have many millions in the bank and volunteers in every state to sustain their momentum post-Iowa? Because Ted Cruz does.
He probably wouldn't have, except that Cruz brought up his religion late last week so maybe Trump thought it was fair game at that point.
I truly don't understand why denomination/religion has to be a huge factor. The Founding Fathers didn't, or they would have established a state church. It's the Constitution that needs to be saved at this moment. If we can rescue religious freedom (for Christians) now, then the other saving will be able to happen.
I didnât write the article. I donât agree with the hyperbole of the headline, but Trump did trot out another lame attack on Cruzâs religion. Why would he do that?
......................................................Amazing How you Cruz supporters nit pick every single word Trump says, but not a teeny weeny thing is said about Cruz slamming Trump by his comment questioning Trump’s “judgement” regarding nuclear weapons. Get Real and GROW UP!
Red State is no fan of Trump since he dodged their bullshit debate forum a few months ago. Then told the bullshit club for growth to take a hike on their extortion threat.
He probably is distinguishing born-again Christians from other "christian" denominations. If that is the case, then you are correct.
Really? A new low for Red State and conservativejoy, sad.
What strikes me first about this is that Trump feels the need to attack Ted Cruz’s Christianity as fake. Trump wants you to think that Cruz is a secret Catholic, only pretending to be a Baptist (SBC) in order to get votes in Iowa.
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I do NOT see Trump attacking Cruz’s “CHRISTIANITY” as fake. The last time I checked, Catholics ARE Christians. Wasn’t Peter the rock upon which Christ built his church?
I do however, question Cruz’s father’s true “religion.”
This has cost Trump life #500 of his 9 lives.
What a crock...
Trump has always expected to lose Iowa.
And even if he expected to win it, he would hardly be wetting his pants over the polls there, because he knows that in the overall scheme of Republican Primaries the Iowa Caucuses are almost insignificant.
He is probably like me. I’m a lifelong Presbyterian, however not attending nor supporting any church at the moment. I spent the summer visiting great cathedrals.
So far, I haven’t witnessed anything in Cruz’s behavior evidencing he isn’t a born again believer acting through faith in Christ.
Like all of us, even if he does sin, that doesn’t mean he isn’t Christian.
Conversely, the association of Christianity or Evangelicalism with a cultural influence from Cuba does manifest a lack of spiritual insight on the behalf of Trump. IMHO, even if Trump were Christian and out of fellowship with God, his comments indicate Trump doesn’t understand spiritual rebirth, and most likely only perceives differences in denominations as comparative theology, no different than comparing Wicca, Buddhism, or Humanism.
Cruz is given even more support by Trump’s opinion, in that Cruz overcame a cultural influence of Catholicism in favor of being born again and manifests behavior consistent with a truly spiritual walk with God through faith in Christ.
From a worldly perspective, Trump is more likely to influence an unbelieving America, but IMHO, Cruz is much more qualified to provide proper leadership to the USA in the next 8 years.
No don’t be deliberately dense. What Trump is saying.is that the Cruz family is evangelical come lately.
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