Trump Is Going To Church: GOP Presidential Frontrunner Courting Conservative Christians, Evangelicals
Donald Trump is going to church.
The GOP presidential frontrunner — and prohibitive nominee for the 2016 Elections — is exercising his faith. While candidate Trump touts confidence in winning the race for the White House to “Make America Great Again,” many question his religious faith.
According to a Fox News report, the real estate magnate is moving to the next phase of his campaign by meeting with Conservative Christians and Evangelicals.
Over the weekend, Donald Trump met with religious leaders to shore up his religious base among Republican voters. Like many other voting entities, the faith community is a large part of the GOP bloc that can tip the scales for or against a presidential candidate.
Trump held a press conference in Norcross, Georgia ahead of a scheduled rally. There, he addressed an assembly of evangelicals and Black church clergy.
Rev. Dr. Darrell Scott, a minister from Cleveland, Ohio weighed in more on Trump’s candidacy and fitness for the presidency and less of his faith. It wasn’t the first time Scott met with Donald Trump. Last month, the spiritual leader met in a similar setting to discuss his viability as America’s next leader.
“I don’t know what type of legislator he would be. But I know one thing, he is a hell of a chief executive. He’s a heck of a guy.”
What Trump may lack in outward vestiges of religion, he makes up for it in what he brings to the table as a Washington outsider. Bishop George Bloomer, from Durham, North Carolina, agrees. He says his “connection” to Trump is less on religion and more on a spirit-filled relationship. And from his implied endorsement, he has bought into Trump’s mantra of bringing jobs back to the country from overseas.
“Scripture about fire, purifying and consuming. What determines if it is consuming is what you put in it. It’s time for us to have somebody to bring jobs to this nation and look out for the Christians.”
Critics and political pundits have said that America is not ready for a President Trump for several reasons: his sharp rhetoric against Hispanics and illegal immigration; his perceived harshness against women; his reputation for being non-apologetic.
Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Dallas in Texas spoke with reporters on his opinion about Trump’s push for the White House. Jeffress says that there is evidence that some Evangelical leaders accuse Christians of deviating from doctrine by supporting Donald Trump. The pastor says he thinks it’s “much too harsh of a judgment.”
Of note: Jeffress is still undecided about endorsing Trump. However, there is at least one thing he is certain about: the former Celebrity Apprentice TV personality will not “be leading Bible studies in the Oval Office.”
Trump is riding on the belief that he is best suited to lead the American people. His meteoric rise to the top of the presidential voting polls — and maintaining a love affair among potential voters — is a testament to his viability.
Arguably, Donald Trump is not the most polished speaker — and won’t win any awards as an awe-inspiring orator. He also has a nasty penchant for speaking off script, race-baitng (via Palm Beach Post) and not walking back his comments. However, as Trump is an outsider who proudly brags about not being a politician, perhaps, America thinks it’s time for a paradigm shift.
Maybe the seasoned shot-caller from Capitol Hill with a law degree and Ivy League pedigree is not what Americans need. And, certainly, he won’t be judged by his faith alone.
Perhaps, what this country needs is a billionaire businessman who just wants to build a wall, bring back jobs, rewrite the tax code, take tax breaks away from hedge fund managers, and build the strongest military the world has ever known. President Donald Trump? Maybe, just maybe.
[Featured image by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images]
