If you want to see the stark policy between Left and Right, look no further than this issue.
The Left has been moving further and further away from traditional religious belief — at times showing open hostility while embracing the non-religious — while the Right, especially under Trump, has been explicitly defending global religious belief of every stripe.
For all the disparaging comments made about his religious pedigree and conduct, President Trump is the first POTUS to have addressed the topic of Religious Freedom before the United Nations.
Pence presents his own remarks first, and then Trump follows with his own.
Trump’s segment begins at around the five-minute mark.
After his introductions, he opens with the Johnson Amendment which was ‘obliterated’, and he explained why: ‘so that now we can listen to the people that we want to listen to, religious leaders without recrimination against them’, and, after a few more nicities, he launched into the meat of his address.
“The United States is founded on the principle that our rights do not come from government, they come from God. This immortal truth is proclaimed in our Declaration of Independence and enshrined in the First Amendment to our Constitution’s Bill of Rights.
Our Founders understood that no right was more fundamental to a peaceful, prosperous and virtuous society than the right to follow one’s religious convictions. Regrettably, the religious freedom enjoyed by US citizens is rare in the world. Approximately 80% of the world’s population lives in countries where religious liberty is threatened, restricted, or even banned. And when I heard that number I said please go back and check it, because it can’t possibly be correct. And sadly, it was. 80%.
As we speak, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Yezidis, and many other people of faith are being jailed, sanctioned, tortured and even murdered, often at the hands of their own government, simply for expressing their deeply-held religious beliefs. So hard to believe.
Today with one clear voice, the United States of America calls on the nations of the world to end religious persecution: To stop the crimes against people of faith, release prisoners of conscience, repeal laws restricting freedom of religion and belief, protect the vulnerable, the defenceless and teh oppressed. America stands with believers in every country who ask only for the freedom to live according to the faith that is within their own hearts.
As President, protecting religious freedom is one of my highest priorities, and always had been.
That was just his opening. It got even better as it went on.
Trump referenced the International Religious Freedom Alliance — “an alliance of like-minded nations devoted to confronting religious persecution all around the world.”
After mentioning that eleven Christians every day are killed simply for professing faith in Christ, he continued.
“With us today is pastor Andrew Brunson, who was imprisoned in Turkey for a long period of time. Last year my administration was thrilled to bring him back home … I called the President and said he’s an innocent man. They’d been trying to get Andrew out for a long time — previous administration — I don’t think they tried too hard, unfortunately.”
Political hacks like Al Sharpton can’t begin to imagine why Christians continue to support Donald Trump as President, because Trump doesn’t march lockstep with Democrat policy.
Between Trump’s bold stand like this one on true Religious freedom, not just at home, but around the world, as well as his pro-life stance, it really should come as a surprise to precisely nobody.
What about 2020? Could a moral person pull a lever for Trump with their integrity intact? Would Jesus himself vote for Trump? We’re glad you asked. There’s a brand new book that covers precisely that question:
“Would Jesus Vote For Trump?” by Doug Giles and Brandon Vallorani.
Would Jesus ever choose someone, with a less than stellar past, to be a leader? Would Jesus be cool with how Trump blasts CNN, The Left, and his feckless ‘compadres’ on The Right? What about Health Care? Would the Great Physician give Trump’s opposition to ObamaCare the ‘two thumbs up?’ Find out in this BEST-SELLER!
