Posted on 02/08/2020 6:25:46 AM PST by Kaslin
For 68 years the National Prayer Breakfast has been a political oasis, a chance for Republicans, Democrats, national and world leaders to assemble and pray for each other and the nation.
Not this year.
One could tell where things were headed when President Trump arrived later than most other presidents and held up two newspapers with the headline "Acquitted," a reference to the vote by the GOP majority in the Senate the day before, which refused to convict him of articles of impeachment written by the Democratic majority in the House.
The president then shook hands with only half of those at the head table, apparently because House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was sitting on the other side of the podium. It was Trump who refused to shake Pelosi's hand at the State of the Union address last Monday night and it was Pelosi who tore up her copy of his speech for all to see.
The co-chairs of the 2020 breakfast, Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.), spoke of their deep personal relationship and their ability to bridge differences because of it.
Arthur Brooks, the former head of the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that researches government, politics, economics, and social welfare, and also a Harvard professor and columnist for The Washington Post, spoke of reconciliation and loving one's enemies.
When it was President Trump's turn to speak, he said. "Arthur, I don't know if I agree with you" and then went on a tear proving he didn't. He criticized those who claim to pray for him and misuse their faith for political ends. He implied that "those in this room" (more than 3,000 attended) all support him and those who don't are not genuine Christians.
Here's the thing about reconciliation. It has a power that is the antithesis of political power, which in reality is no power at all. If the person who believes he, or she, has been wronged by another reaches out and offers forgiveness, it can have the effect of disarming the other person and lowering the political and personal temperature.
Since Jesus is at the center of this annual event, the president should consider what He said on the subject of loving one's enemies: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? (Matthew 5:43-48).
Lest someone think this is only a Christian ideal, consider Proverbs 25:21-22: "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head. And the Lord will reward you."
In his remarks, Brooks said if people can't sincerely practice forgiveness and reconciliation, they should "fake it." His point was that reconciliation has a power all its own, even if one initially is not sincere about it.
Perhaps it is time to suspend this annual event, or to hold it without this president attending if he can't accept the nonpartisan theme that has been its tradition for nearly seven decades. He clearly missed a grand opportunity. It would have cost him nothing to shake Speaker Pelosi's hand and in doing so he might have heaped coals of fire upon her head if she did not respond in kind.
a prayer breakfast with nancy pelosi.
my ass!
More handwringing by the never-Trumper Cal Thomas.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always found the idea of a “National Prayer Breakfast” to be kind of silly and pointless in a nation where the establishment of a government religion is explicitly forbidden.
Any prayer breakfast that has Nancy “Baby Killer” Pelosi leading in prayer is political, so Cal Thomas is just picking on the President. He is still longing for the days of the Bush clan.
From the very beginning, DJT has gone above and beyond attempting to govern across the aisle for the betterment of America. Only to get spat upon. I’m only surprised he has been cordial for as long as he has.
Cal, the Bible says to forgive your brother each time he repents.
There is only a “letting go” for those who do not repent. You don’t have to allow the offense to color your heart, but true repentance requires both parties to be actively involved.
It works that way with God, too. God won’t forgive us unless we first repent and accept His Son as our Savior.
Sorry Cal - I disagree. The event is a pretentious sham. President Trump has been egregiously wronged - by several in attendance. He has every right to call them out for their hypocrisy.
Turning the other cheek does not mean accepting all the abuse your enemy is willing to heap on you forever.
Loving your enemies does not mean allowing them to continue to destroy peoples' lives with their sins.
Cal doesn’t seem to understand Democrats are reprobates.
Romans 1
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Poor old Cal. He doesn’t get it
Right at the end of his remarks, DJT said: I know I’m supposed to as a Christian be forgiving of my enemies. And I’m trying real hard, but it is difficult. When someone is trying to impeach you, it is difficult to be cordial with them.
Anyone who is critical of the president for being unforgiving needs to try and imagine how they would feel if someone was trying to destroy them, day after day month after month, ad nauseam.
It was Pelosi who failed to announce the President in the traditional and proper manor at the start...
Trump reacted with the precise appropriate remark.
“Trump: I Don’t Like ‘People Who Say I Pray for You When They Know That That’s Not So’”
From my view it’s like Jesus turning over the temple. This is the national prayer breakfast. It should be a place where they thank god for the many blessings we enjoy in this country. Instead the democrats have turned it into a place to genuflect before the majesty of their benevolence.
Trump overturned the tables of those political moneychangers and I for one count that as fully appropriate. Looks to me like President Trump is smiteth them with the jawbone of a jackass.
Nonpartisan, or a means of giving the veneer of decency to lying, thieving hypocrites who otherwise actively work to destroy prayer and faith in this country?
Sorry Cal, if you didn’t learn anything from the Bush presidency, don’t blame Trump.
Leftist’s don’t know God. They simply toss out His name for simple minded people to buy off on.
Trump as abrasive as he can be at times, is closer to living a Godly life than they will ever be.
Think of the money changers outside the temple. Did Jesus go glad hand them, all smiles?
Cal is too stupid to realize that this event is a political one and has little to do with prayer or Jesus. Trump just revealed it and him as farces.
Cal, you should invite the three stooges to dinner.
A lovely evening with Nasty, Adam and Jer.
See how you like it.
Suppose those three were trying to take your job away, Cal.
Would you be so sanguine?
Fortunately, Cal’s career is on the right side of the Bell Curve.
Trump has been under attack from the minute he rode down that escalator. He is supposed to just let everyone off the hook and not even say anything? And he is the bad guy somehow for not being a passive victim?
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