Many liberals and leftists thought that it might be better to have President Trump than a President Pence, or Cruz, whose unshakable religious commitment is clear. One of them said, “Well, at least we don’t have the theocrat Pence as President.” They wrongly thought that President Trump, whom they describe as a “crass, amoral, prideful, and dishonest huckster…” is acting more like “a faith-on-their-sleeve true believer.” Consequently, the religious right has been “able to wield an outsized influence on national policy while avoiding the kind of scrutiny that would come if they were working with one of their own in the White House.”
A massive sea change is taking place in American politics. While there were those that thought Mr. Trump would be “less of a culture warrior than a president who is a conservative evangelical,” the religious right has been consolidating power steadily. Mr. Trump is upholding his end of the deal made during his campaign for president (votes for more power).
Lance Wallnau was among those that declared that Mr. Trump was anointed by God, and argued that Mr. Trump’s irreligion is cover for pushing faith-based initiatives. “No one thinks he’s a Christian,” he wrote, “so nobody suspects him of trying to push religion on people.”
Mr. Trump’s end of the bargain began with his nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which could swing the court considerably to the right long term, and push back against the “Great Society and New Deal programs” as well as the LGBTQ equality and the so-called reproductive rights agenda. Religious activists now envision many similar judges on the federal bench rolling back liberal advances over the last 50 years.
Mr. Trump’s cabinet appointments have liberals horrified including Jeff Sessions at the head of the Department of Justice, Betsy DeVos at the head of the Department of Education, Tom Price at the head of Health and Human Services, and Scott Pruitt, running the EPA.
In addition, evangelical leaders are in the White House more often than ever, including the usual suspects like Tony Perkins, but also Cindy Jacobs, who says that God is using the president to “turn the tables” on Satan; discredited TV huckster Jim Bakker, mega-church pastor and Trump advisor, Paula White, and Ralph Drollinger, who runs a White House Bible study and who teaches that the prayers of non-Christians go unheard by God, social welfare programs are un-Christian, and Christians with government jobs are obligated to hire only other Christians.
When it comes to policy, the religious right is in the driver’s seat. For instance, DeVos wants to put money for public schools into school private school coffers. Also, evangelicals asked for and got Mr. Trump to ban transgenders from service in the military. Jeff Session’s Justice Department argued in a civil rights case that law protecting people against discrimination on the basis of sex do not forbid discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Also, Mr. Trump has started to curtail abortion (at least around the edges), and began dismantling legal restrictions that keep church from using charitable donations to support political campaigns. Mr. Trump’s silence during LGBTQ Pride month did not go unnoticed.
While many of the things the Trump administration is doing to religious leaders more power are actually good for America, the religious right will also, one day, advocate and get worship laws requiring everyone to worship on Sunday.
“The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday… Even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected.” The Great Controversy, page 592.
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