Posted on 01/26/2016 8:08:59 AM PST by Red Steel
Donald Trump's outreach to Christians is bearing fruit, if results of the NBC News/Survey Monkey weekly online tracking poll out Tuesday are any indication.
Among white evangelical Republican voters nationally, Trump earned the support of 37 percent, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, whose father is a pastor and has played a key role in recruiting faith leaders to support his son, is at 20 percent. In the same survey conducted the previous week, Cruz registered 9 percentage points higher. Below the top two contenders, Ben Carson earned 11 percent among evangelicals, and Marco Rubio took 10 percent.
The Manhattan business mogul, who is Presbyterian, made headlines throughout the course of the past week for his various interactions with fellow Christians, including a stop at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, last Monday. Delivering the weekly convocation address, Trump caused a stir when he made reference to a book in the Bible a "Two Corinthians," rather than the usual nomenclature, "Second Corinthians." (Trump later claimed that it was written that way in his notes, and besides, his mother was Scottish and would have said it that way.)
Trump also attended a Presbyterian service in Muscatine, Iowa, on Sunday, at which the pastor made reference to the ongoing immigration crisis, a central plank in the Republican's campaign, and humility, in general. "I don't know if that was aimed at me, Trump said later.
The poll's overall week-to-week standings show little shift with Trump leading the field at 39 percent, Cruz at 17 percent and Rubio at 10 percent. No other candidate received double-digit support.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton's advantage remained in double digits, at 51 percent to Bernie Sanders' 37 percent.
The poll was conducted online from Jan. 18 to 24, surveying a national sample of 9,690 adults, including 8,215 who indicated that they are registered to vote. The poll included 2,327 Republicans and 2,780 Democrats with margins of error of 2.8 percentage points and 2.2 percentage points, respectively.
I agree. Look what we got in Bill Clinton when people decided character wasn’t as important as the economy.
>>I’m NOT talking about a Jimmy Swaggert kind of public sobbing confession but simply an admission he misspoke and does indeed seek God’s forgiveness in his life. That’s all.
But everyone in the Cruz camp seems to want some public admission of sin that, no matter how you do it, comes off as less than genuine. This is true for the big Swaggart cry fest to the Jimmy Carter “I have lusted in my heart”. The bottom line is that it is not something for us to hear. I hate false piety more than a genuine atheist because at least the genuine atheist (as opposed to the God-hating anti-theist) is honest.
If the Cruz “camp” is actually doing that then that’s wrong headed, too. I just think Trump should clarify his past statement about never asking God for forgiveness. That comes off - at least to me - as sinful pride and I’ve had my fill of amoral leaders.
>>I just think Trump should clarify his past statement about never asking God for forgiveness.
If he did that, would you believe him? The Cruz supporters would claim that he is pandering to the evangelicals. Trump is to the Cruz fans as GWB was to the Liberals: if he sweated a cure for cancer, all they’d do is complain about all the pharmaceutical jobs that would be lost.
>>>I just think Trump should clarify his past statement about never asking God for forgiveness.<<<
>If he did that, would you believe him? The Cruz supporters would claim that he is pandering to the evangelicals. Trump is to the Cruz fans as GWB was to the Liberals: if he sweated a cure for cancer, all they’d do is complain about all the pharmaceutical jobs that would be lost.>
It couldn’t hurt. What it would do at the least is show a semblance of humility. That’s probably my biggest unease about Trump - that he is a boastful, proud, egotist who fancies himself able to save America because he wills it. A true leader - one I can respect - has no such delusions but knows Almighty God is who ultimately will heal and bless our nation.
“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” II Chronicles 7:14
“But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” Matt. 23:11,12
trump believes
-He thinks affirmative action is okay.
-He would fund Planned Parenthood except for abortion.
-He supports a progressive income tax. He does not favor a flat tax.
-He doesn’t believe you should be able to fire someone just for being gay.
-He doesn’t want to cut Social Security or Medicare.
-He’s in favor of a ban on assault weapons.
-He invited Bill and Hillary Clinton to his wedding.
-He doesn’t “fully” believe in supply-side economics.
-He wants to “lead from behind” on Ukraine. Trump believes that Germany should take the lead on Ukraine.
-He hates the Iran deal, but he wouldn’t abrogate it after taking office.
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