The Fate of the Religious Right May Be Foretold in Iowa

Slate ^ | January 31, 2016 | Michelle Goldberg

[2ndDivisionVet]

Evangelical power brokers are losing their influence. Donald Trump is the proof.

Last Wednesday evening, a few hundred Christian conservatives gathered at Noah's Event Venue in suburban Des Moines for a rally with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry. It featured leading figures from both the local and national religious right, there to make the case that the movement must unite behind Cruz. "Ted Cruz is one of us," said Bob Vander Plaats, head of the FAMiLY Leader, Iowa's most influential evangelical organization. "He's trustworthy. He hates dishonest gain." Vander Plaats was both referencing Exodus 18:21 ("But select capable men from all the people--men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain") and taking a dig at Donald Trump.

The fragile truce between Cruz and Trump--and, more importantly, between Trump and the organized Christian right--had abruptly broken down, with religious conservative leaders lining up to stop the avaricious thrice-married billionaire from winning the Iowa caucuses. Leading female anti-abortion activists from organizations including the Susan B. Anthony List and Iowa Right to Life had already released an open letter urging Iowans to support anyone but Trump, writing that they were "disgusted by Mr. Trump's treatment of individuals, women, in particular." Christian talk radio hosts such as Michael Brown were lambasting Trump and lamenting the endorsement he received from Jerry Falwell Jr., one of Trump's few major evangelical backers. Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, had just endorsed Cruz--on Trump nemesis Megyn Kelly's TV show, no less--before flying to Iowa for the Des Moines rally....

[DungeonMaster]

I’ve Had it with the Line “But We’re Not Electing a Pastor-in-Chief”

Me too.

[Theophilus]

If we can't navigate this clear choice we have no discernment. We'll have been proven irrelavant, ichabod!

Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

[DrewsDad]

The Trump Doctrine of non-forgiveness seems to fool a lot of people even here on FR.

Donald Trump on God and Forgiveness

Trump ridicules Carson';s Christian conversion: Give me a break

Trump: Not Sorry for Attack on Carson's Adventist Faith

Trump: Just Remember That Not Too Many Evangelicals Come Out of Cuba

[plewis1250]

So were you fine with Romney?

If a mans religion has no baring on the office...?

[Nervous Tick]

>> I am a Christian. I will vote for Donald Trump. He is a proven winner. Bankruptcy is not theft. Jesus did not condemn the woman at the well.

That’s all well and good.

But that “We’re electing a president! We’re not electing a Pastor!” meme that you Trump supporters LOVE to spew is a false dichotomy, as well as an attitude that might come back to bite your sanctimonious ass, in this world or the one to come. Just sayin’.

“Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

[MortMan]

Being that evangelical power brokers have taken all sides this year, I fail to see any relevance in the author’s opinions.

[kcvl]

Uploaded on Sep 30, 2008

Michelle gives a speech concerning her book, Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism.

[kcvl]

Michelle Goldberg

“I’m not by nature a cheerful person. Like a lot of writers, I’m given to tedious bouts of anxiety, depression, and self-loathing. I am introverted, and feel shattered if I don’t have time alone every day.”

“I am impatient, easily undone by quotidian frustrations. As much as I love to visit faraway places, I’m often reduced to tears by the indignities of air travel. When I’m stuck in a taxi in traffic, I unconsciously shred my cuticles until my fingers bleed.”

[Nervous Tick]

>> “I’m not by nature a cheerful person... bla bla bla, BLA bla bla...”

She could have just said “I’m a liberal” and been done with it. We understand that liberalism includes all the rest of the character flaws. :-)