Remember how, not too long ago, we were talking here about Donald Trump’s desperate attempt to shore up his support among evangelical voters as Congress started moving toward impeachment? Well, it apparently didn’t work so well. Yesterday, the influential evangelical magazine Christianity Today, which was started by Billy Graham back in 1956, published a scathing editorial calling for Donald Trump to be removed from office.
“Whether Mr. Trump should be removed from office by the Senate or by popular vote next election—that is a matter of prudential judgment,” Mark Galli, the editor in chief of Christianity Today, wrote in the op-ed. “That he should be removed, we believe, is not a matter of partisan loyalties, but loyalty to the Creator of the Ten Commandments.” Yesterday on CNN, Galli added, “We believe the impeachment hearings have made it absolutely clear, in a way the Mueller investigation did not, that President Trump has abused his authority for personal gain and betrayed his constitutional oath. The impeachment hearings have illuminated the president’s moral deficiencies for all to see.” Here, for those of you who have yet to receive your copy of Christianity Today in the mail, is an brief excerpt.
Trump and his followers, as you might imagine, have started pushing back, calling Christianity Today a liberal magazine that doesn’t really speak for the evangelical community. At the same time, though, the hashtag #ChristiansAgainstTrump is beginning to trend, and the granddaughter of Billy Graham was just on television calling the editorial courageous. “My grandfather always said courage is contagious,” she said. “My hope is that an article like this will be a first step for people to actually stand up.” The question is, how many people are willing to follow Galli’s example, knowing that it could mean career suicide… Galli, for instance, has already said that he would be stepping down as the editor in chief of Christianity Today. Are others in the evangelical world who are willing make similar sacrifices?
Oh, and here’s Donald Trump’s reply, in which he says that he’ll never read “CT,” which he refers to as “ET” for some reason, ever again… which, even by his standards, is hilariously stupid. [I’m picturing him instinctively reaching for a copy of Christianity Today at the White House, only to remember that, as much as he loves keeping up-to-date on all his favorite evangelical publications, he’d vowed never to read it again. I can picture him, with tears in his eyes, calling Melania to his side to join him in prayer, asking God for the strength not to open the issue and lose himself in the pure joy of evangelical theology.]
As for why Trump responded so fiercely to this editorial, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman offers the following… “POTUS has long been gripped by fear of cracks in his evangelical support,” she says. Well, here’s hoping this first big crack leads to others.
36 Comments
“What about EOS?”
“We’ll always have Paris”
It’s a Graham family feud!
Unfortunately not many Christians read
I hate Christianity Today so much that I’m never going to read my comic book of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” again!
Trump’s response to Christianity Today’s harsh moral critique is transactional: I’m giving you a good deal, so shut up about my corruption!
Has nobody explained to the president that his vice-president would take his place if he were impeached? Do his supporters need that explained to them too?
Let’s not forget. The other big “Today” publication also came out against Donald Trump.
On the other side of the coin:
Christian pastor: I’d support Trump ‘even if he ran a dogfighting ring on Mother Teresa’s grave while having multiple affairs’
https://deadstate.org/christian-pastor-id-support-trump-even-if-he-ran-a-dogfighting-ring-on-mother-teresas-grave-while-having-multiple-affairs/
One of many crucial points in that editorial that Republicans simply cannot or will not grasp was the bit about “Unfortunately, the words that we applied to Mr. Clinton 20 years ago apply almost perfectly to our current president.”
If they held trump to the same standards as they held Clinton, he’d be gone.
How convenient that it took them this long to admit what was obvious to everyone else; It was a deal with the Devil from day one. They’re going to be reminded that the Devil never fully discloses the price up front nor delivers his end of the bargain, being the Devil ‘n all.
Christianity Today’s editor responds to the public response to the editorial: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/december-web-only/trump-evangelicals-editorial-christianity-today-president.html
“Galli’s editorial focused on the impeachment, but it was clear the issues are deeper and broader. Reasonable people can differ when it comes to the flagrantly partisan impeachment process. But this is not merely about impeachment, or even merely about President Trump. He is not the sickness. He is a symptom of a sickness that began before him, which is the hyper-politicization of the American church. This is a danger for all of us, wherever we fall on the political spectrum. Jesus said we should give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. With profound love and respect, we ask our brothers and sisters in Christ to consider whether they have given to Caesar what belongs only to God: their unconditional loyalty.”
My prediction:
The Senate will not convict
If he wins the election, he will be emboldened and will operate without limits. Will he nuke a hurricane? I guess we will find out!
If he loses the election, he will resign in the lame-duck term so that Pence can pardon him of all of his crimes.
that last debate has me pretty convinced that Trump. will win re-election. It’s really all about the economy. If the economy appears good enough (despite its clear structural flaws right now) he’ll win. People do not embrace change without adequate dissatisfaction with currnt reality. As unbearable as Trump is, the impact for the average American, who doesn’t care much about politics and isn’t keen on partisanship, has been a lot less than we lead them to believe. They may nit vote for Trump but they won’t bend over backward to vote either.
I’m preparing for him to win. Even if a Dem wins they will inherit the coming economic downturn. A trillion-dollar deficit isn’t going to just go away so we can fix health care and pull off a green new deal. We, as a species and a country, are well and truly fucked.
Merry Christmas. Buy a bunch of shit. Eat and drink too much. Why not?
JH, Agent Oranges didn’t even have that 5400 seat arena in Battle Creek packed last week. And most of the clips I saw the crowd was subdued and like WTF are you talking about dishwashers and toilets? He’s a dead man walking. I think there’s a strong possibility McConnell will pull the plug in him. But he certainly isn’t going to give any indication of that, until it happens.
Lynne, he can’t be pardoned for likely State level charges. That’s another big wrinkle.
I’m also starting to think Trump will be reelected. Talking with an older republican friend of mine confirmed my worst fears. Most reasonable Republicans don’t like him or think he’s a good person or leader in any way. But as my friend Tom told me, “my 401k and investments have never been better than they are now. Never.”
Dems are also gearing up to run another loser. Another Hillary conservative in the form of Biden or Mayor Pete. The new Reuters poll has Bernie scoring highest on a matchup with Trump. Beating him by +4. Just like last time. Sorry anti-Berners. He’s our best bet.
Trump getting re-elected.
That’s hilarious.
Bob you are cherry picking polls to suit your narrative. Why bother doing that? I don’t like Biden but we need to be honest that at this point none of the Dem candidates inspire a lot of enthusiasm for any but a small sector. However, Trump is not all that popular so we have a chance.
“General Election: Trump vs. Biden
****RCP Average 12/4 – 12/17 — — 48.5 44.0 Biden +4.5***
Emerson 12/15 – 12/17 1222 RV 2.7 52 48 Biden +4
CNN 12/12 – 12/15 888 RV 4.0 49 44 Biden +5
USA Today/Suffolk 12/10 – 12/14 1000 RV 3.0 41 44 Trump +3
IBD/TIPP 12/5 – 12/14 849 RV 3.5 50 45 Biden +5
FOX News 12/8 – 12/11 1000 RV 3.0 48 41 Biden +7
Quinnipiac 12/4 – 12/9 1553 RV 2.5 51 42 Biden +9
________________________________________
×
General Election: Trump vs. Sanders
Polling Data
****RCP Average 12/4 – 12/17 — — 47.8 45.2 Sanders +2.6****
Emerson 12/15 – 12/17 1222 RV 2.7 52 48 Sanders +4
CNN 12/12 – 12/15 888 RV 4.0 49 45 Sanders +4
USA Today/Suffolk 12/10 – 12/14 1000 RV 3.0 39 44 Trump +5
IBD/TIPP 12/5 – 12/14 849 RV 3.5 47 48 Trump +1
FOX News 12/8 – 12/11 1000 RV 3.0 49 43 Sanders +6
Quinnipiac 12/4 – 12/9 1553 RV 2.5 51 43 Sanders +8
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_sanders-6250.html
Trump getting re-elected.
That’s ridiculous!
Happy Holidays everybody!
I said the Reuters poll, Jean. You’re such a sanctimonious ass.
Hey Satan– Happy holidays back at you. Thanks for checking in. This must be a busy time of year for you. The kids and I have some holiday viewing cued up that I think you will appreciate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27RtJp-rhHk
Bob– yes one poll. But a person with integrity would use the average of all vetted polls. There are multiple sites that provide them. You cherry-picked, as I said. I’m not sanctimonious, I just don’t like you. Your a horrible person PLUS you make really shitty arguments when you bother to make any point at all. Honestly, not even HW jumps to the ad hominem as fast as you. Most of your posts are just vapid. Vapid people always think everyone else is sanctimonious or uppity…
I feel sad for Bob.
After his big showing last election and all these years to push his cause and in spite of strong support from the Squad, Bernie is still only getting around %20 support.
It must be demoralizing. I know it’s hard for me to see Biden strong lead.
There’s still time.
However Bob you might try a nicer approach.
I could still go Yang Gang. I like gay marriage but Pete already has a husband.
https://www.newsweek.com/andrew-yang-fourth-most-favored-candidate-buttigieg-poll-1478990
Yang/ buttigieg
Buttigieg/yang
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Check out “The Glory of Christmas” from NorthRidge Church. It is being streamed today only.
https://northridgechurch.com/experience-services-events/watch-live/
Thank you, Jean. And yes, this is a busy time of year for me, for a number of reasons. For one thing, it’s a time when many people experience most vividly the struggle between their free-will expression and their fears of being punished for disobedience.
How did you and your family enjoy “Hail Satan?”
You can moan about the continuation of white males at the forefront of every election, and you’d be right, but even the mainstream media is talking about it this week. The only shot Dems have is Biden or Bernie. Biden is too big a risk. He’s a gaffe machine and right or wrong, the Hunter Biden stuff is too much for the American public to get their brains around. They will Swift boat him. Bernie is the guy. Sorry. Booker and Harris couldn’t get it done and they never will.
Berniebros2020
SATAN– Hail Satan and all of Penny Lane’s films are always a balm for what ails contemporary society and a reminder that it has always been so.
Bob– you act like it will be hard for me to vote for another old white dude. It’s not like I haven’t done it before. I just won’t see it as progress. Just another old white man’s revolution– all talk; no solutions. OK Boomer.
So Pelosi, Kerry and Romney also have children who…work for Ukrainian energy companies. Neat!
Wrong again HW: https://www.politifact.com/facebook-fact-checks/statements/2019/oct/10/facebook-posts/pelosi-romney-and-kerry-dont-have-sons-working-com/
Protip HW: When peddling conspiracy theories, you are better served when they are convoluted and generalized as they are harder to debunk. When they are short and specific, it’s too easy to look them up and show how much bullshit lies at the foundation of your belief system and political narrative.
NRG said theirselves they would be making their products in Ukraine.
Viscoil is managed by a Russian in Moscow. Something is up no doubt.
https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=200930910003-12222900
So easy to smash whatever you say.
Is Viscoil suspended by the CA Secretary of State or not? Your article uses the euphemism they were shuttered.
It doesn’t even say they ‘were’ shuttered. The poor old company just shuttered all by it’s lonesome.
Paul Pelosi company Natural Blue Resources charged with fraud.
https://www.sec.gov/alj/aljdec/2015/id863cff.pdf