Posted on 09/23/2015 5:03:44 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Watch for yourself how he answers. The Federalist translates it as “God’s Great, But Let’s Talk About My Amazing Business Deals.” I mean this in all sincerity: As an atheist, I respect Trump for not even trying to BS his supporters with a smoothly rehearsed answer about the extent of his Christian devotion. It’d be the easiest thing in the world for him to call up a socially conservative friend and ask for pointers on how he should respond to questions like this to impress evangelicals, then script a tidy 30-second response.
He doesn’t even need pointers, really; anyone who’s heard politicians talk about their religious beliefs already knows what’s called for in a situation like this. You talk about moments when you’ve struggled and your faith has sustained you, about giving back to others through public service as a way of thanking God for His many blessings, and about needing a strong moral compass when there’s so much evil and temptation in the world.
Trump offers something instead about the wonders of creation, but even that’s filtered through the prism of how awesome his golf course is, which, by the way, he bought for a song, presumably another sign of God’s grace. (“I have no more mortgage on it as I will certify and represent to you.”) Says Charles Cooke, describing the clip, “Donald Trump explains God’s under-discussed role as Overseer of Kickass Property Deals.” That’s funny, but I’m legitimately impressed that Trump seems content to stick with answers like this about faith knowing that they’re not, shall we say, Biblically conversant.
Maybe that’s pure arrogance at work — if he could talk his way into a billion-dollar fortune and presidential frontrunner status, he figures, he can talk his way past the evangelical voting bloc in Iowa — or maybe he thinks it’s more important to protect his image as the non-politician in the race with awkwardly candid responses than to suddenly start delivering too-smooth answers about Christianity. Whatever you think the truth is, the fact remains that he’s not pandering much to believers. He’ll allow that the Bible is the one book ever written that’s better than “The Art of the Deal,” but that’s about it.
Speaking of which, is his new policy on Syrian refugees what we’d call the proper Christian policy? I’m not saying it’s the wrong policy. But I’m pretty sure our Papal guest this week would disagree with Trump on this one:
“This is very simple, the bottom line is we should take in zero,” [Trump campaign manager Corey] Lewandowski said when asked by radio host John Fredericks what a President Trump would do about the refugee crisis.
“And the Untied States, to be clear, has a process for bringing refugees into the country, and an individual must qualify as a refugee to begin that process, is how it works. Individuals caught in a civil war do not necessarily qualify as refugees,” Lewandowski continued…
“While I understand our position in the global economy, and how important the United States is in world public affairs, it is time to look at the people who are in our country first who are struggling — the middle class, the bottom class of people who can’t survive — and give them opportunities,” said Lewandowski. “And this is exactly what the issue is, when it comes to not just bringing in refugees, but illegal immigrants.
Before anyone starts tut-tutting him about that reply, bear in mind that (a) Assad is aggressively trying to depopulate the Sunni areas of Syria, meaning there’ll be many millions more refugees in time and endless pressure on the U.S. to keep accepting them as they come, and (b) many of the “Syrian refugees” now crowding into Europe aren’t Syrian refugees at all. They’re migrants from across the Middle East posing as Syrians to claim asylum. What’s the U.S. protocol for distinguishing the genuine article from people merely posing as Syrians who are trying to escape Assad’s horrors?
My first choice is Cruz, but I am excited about Trump... I wish Trump was a spirit filled Christian, but if he promises to appoint Conservative Judges etc he could be great.
Hey The Pope just said today that the Koran is equal with the Bible, so Trump is more Christian than the Pope.
Look, Trump is most likely not born again. Neither apparently was Lincoln before he became President. I still think Trump looks like the best of the bunch and God will listen to our prayers for his salvation.
I think he’s the best arrow in the quiver to smash the Left and get us on the right track right now with Cruz types to follow (he’s got to have a Cruz type as VP). I think Trump is sincere in his desire to make America great again and sooner or later as a result of our prayers, he will call out to Jesus for help the way Lincoln did.
God bless America.
[Hey The Pope just said today that the Koran is equal with the Bible]
Did he really? Must have missed that. Wonder if anybody has a link. Well, Bible Prophecy continues. Not unexpected.
Trump cannot be easily explained or pigeon-holed. That is why his campaign resonates. There is a general sense of Americanism here, and you get the sense that he is a genuine believer, but cannot be put into any specific denomination context. The more I hear from him the more he reminds me of my maternal grandfather, who always had his Bible, but treated whatever pastor of the Church he attended with skepticism.
Scroll down in the forum.
Has any other presidential candidate in history ever been asked that question?
None dare ask that of the Great 0baMao!
Thanks!
Are you kidding? He is a nut and that is being nice.
Bill Clinton was a fake.
Hillary Clinton is a fake.
Obama is a fake.
McCain, Boehner, McConnell, Jeb Bush -- they are all fakes.
Trump is no fake. If he wanted to be a fake, he'd give a more religious answer than this.
I have great respect for Trump. I'm all in for this guy.
Trump needs to skewer those questioners
They are merely tryng to get a misquote for a story and we are ALL SICK of GOTCHA
He should put questions about his faith to bed but invite the questioner to attend church with him if they are interested in learning about Presbyterian beliefs
Hey The Pope just said today that the Koran is equal with the Bible
That’s the first I’ve heard of that.
Don’t I wish I was as nutty as Trump, and then I would be as rich as him, and then my next 100 generations would inherit $100 Million EACH, just like Trump’s will.
RE: I wish Trump was a spirit filled Christian, but if he promises to appoint Conservative Judges etc he could be great.
They should have asked Trump the question on judges and justices in the debate. It fell to Ted Cruz, who we all know WILL appoint justices who adhere to the constitution and not activist judges like Ginsberg ( or recently Roberts and Kennedy ).
Trump has never spelled out his criteria for the kind of judges that he would appoint other than to say that he would choose the “right” people.
His support of Souter’s decision in the Kelo vs City of New London case troubles me a lot.
RE: Hey The Pope just said today that the Koran is equal with the Bible
Today or when?
The above has only been reported by fringe websites and not the mainstream press. Even conservative websites ( e.g. WorldNetDaily, Drudge ) did not report it.
Which makes the report suspect.
.
>> “so Trump is more Christian than the Pope.” <<
.
So is Lucifer.
.
No, he didn’t really, the site the thread was based on is a hoax site.
Trump is right about Syrian immigrants. We shouldn’t take a single one. Let the Muslim/Arab countries around Syria take them in, or maybe these immigrants can stay at home and fight against whatever enemies they feel are oppressing them.
It’s odd that the bulk of these “refugees” are fighting age males. It seems like instead of staying home and defending their women and children, they are fleeing and leaving those they should be caring for to suffer and/or die.
As to Trump’s faith. He seems like a nominal Christian. That describes probably most people in the country. He only invites criticism when he starts talking about the Bible being his favorite book, it comes off as very disingenuous.
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