To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE


SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

Trump Meets With Christian Leaders: "Without Religious Liberty, You Don't Have Liberty"

Jenna Browder : Aug 12, 2016  CBN News

In an interview with CBN, Donald Trump showed his humble side saying "I’m not perfect." He later joked – a typical non-born again Christian joke — that winning the election might help him "get to Heaven."

(Orlando, FL) — [CBN News] Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is laying out a plan to protect pastors from the IRS. (Screengrab via CBN News)

On Thursday, he addressed hundreds of faith leaders at a Pastors and Pews conference in Orlando, Florida, saying the government has been trying to hinder the influence of Christians in the political system for years.

"Christians have been silenced like a child," Trump told his audience Thursday afternoon. He says it is particularly a problem with the Obama administration.

His speech encompassed the current trials Christians have been facing in recent weeks and over the past few years in the country when it comes to freedom of speech — limitations he says have come mainly from the White House or connected to it.

His solution? Repeal the Johnson Amendment.

The 1954 legislation created by then Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson limits the free speech of pastors, essentially threatening to take away a church's or non-profit's tax-exempt status for endorsing or opposing a political candidate.

"They get absolutely hit with the 501(c)(3), which is the tax exempt status, which is a tremendous hit. It's a shattering hit, and it really keeps them silent," Trump told his audience Thursday afternoon. (Screengrab via CBN News)

"Free speech is being taken away from people who are saying good things, not bad things. And if I can do that, I will have done a great thing for religion as a whole, and it's so important to me," he said.

Trump knows it's a major selling point to get Christians from the pews to the polls.

"The words I said today are so important. I was honored to get the ovation I got, but they understand. I think it will be a tremendous achievement if we can get it done, and I know we can get it done," Trump told CBN News.

"If we can get elected, that's why I say on November 8, everyone has to get out and vote because four years ago evangelicals didn't get out and vote. Christians didn't vote," he said.

The business mogul is trying to change that by attending events like Thursday's Pastors and Pews conference — and by showing a softer, more humble side.

"In your RNC acceptance speech, it was a really endearing moment, you thanked evangelicals for their support but you said, 'I don't necessarily always deserve it.' Why did you say that?" CBN's Jenna Browder asked.

"Well because I think I'm not perfect, and because I think I'm less perfect than some people," he replied. "But I have certain abilities that are good, like, being able to do things, and I think I'll be able to do things that will be really great for the evangelicals and others and they understood that."

But some are willing to look beyond that. In fact, many evangelical Christians believe that Trump has been chosen "for such a time as this."

But Trump shied away from the notion that this is a divine calling.

"Well, you know I've heard that from others, and I've heard it from pastors. I've heard it from others. You know I really don't even want to think about it because it's too big of a burden," he told CBN News.

"But I can say this, that if I can do what I say I can do — and I'm not only talking with the military and building it up and safety and security, 'cause our country is in bad shape in so many ways — I'm talking, we can open up the voices of great people and the pastors and the ministers, and the priests and the rabbis and the people of religion. I think that will be something I will be so proud of," he said.

Divine calling or not, Trump says he's a friend to Christians.

"They believe so much in religious liberty as I do," Trump told the Pastors and Pews audience Thursday. "Without religious liberty, you don't have liberty."

And that's exactly what evangelicals want to hear. But Trump still has his work cut out for him. Most of these pastors who attended the conference are on board, but admit he wasn't their first choice.

"We don't know what we're going to get from Donald Trump, but we do know what we'll get from Hillary Clinton," one pastor said.

While the attending the Pastors and Pews event was a move in the right direction for Trump, only time will tell if it translates in the polls.

*CBN neither supports nor opposes any candidate for public office.

CBN News







SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News

Riveting, Inspirational Account of the Pilot Slated to Fly Flight 11 Out of Boston on 9/11--but Didn't (Video)

Saved from the Ashes of 9/11, He Has Given His Life to Save Others Too: 'Call on Jesus'

What the White House Faith Office Has Done in Just 18 Months

Droves of Subscribers Cancel Netflix After 'Neck Injury' Joke on One-Year Anniversary of Charlie Kirk Assassination

Robert Kennedy, Jr. Delivers ABSOLUTELY HISTORIC Speech at RNC Midterm Convention in Crushing Blow to Democrat Anti-Americanism (VIDEO)

Powerful: Former Air Force Lieutenant Was Sent on Suicide Mission to Ram Flight 93-Its Brave Passengers Made Sure She Never Had To (Video)

25 Years Since 9/11

A Minute By Minute Chronology of Sept. 11, 2001 Terror Attacks

100 Million Americans Have No Memory of 9/11. Here's What's on the Line

On 25th Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks, Many Will Excise the Most Relevant Truth From National Memory: Islamist Ideology Still Motivates Mass Murder

Marco Rubio Hails Ecuador as an 'Aggressive' Partner in the US Counterdrug Push; Receives Country's 2nd Highest Honor

Iran's Islamic Regime is Slowly Crumbling from US Blockade, as Iran's People Begin Attacking Them from Within

Dem Candidate for Senate, James Talarico Just Did a Major About-Face on Trans Athletes: 'Political Game?' (Video)

Whoa! Democrat John Fetterman Spoke at the GOP's Midterm Convention, and Praised a Republican Senator and Trump

President Trump 'Steals the Show' at the Republican Midterm Convention, Announces Huge Payout for Americans If GOP Wins Midterms

Turning Point USA Remembers Their Founder and Leader Charlie Kirk, a Year After His Murder

Christian Grandma Refuses to Back Down after Government Demands She Stop Feeding Community (Video)

GOP Holds Unprecedented Midterm Convention as It Fights to Hold Congress

New Yorkers Gather over 100,000 Signatures to Exclude Mamdani from 9/11 Ceremony

Texas to Teach That Radical Islam Was Behind 9/11 Terror Attack



Search the Articles Archives

Keyword:  
Author:  
Words Posted On:  
Day Month Year



Subscribe to
Breaking Christian News


Follow BCN on Twitter
Are You Praying for Our Government Leaders?
BCN Staff

Steve Shultz
Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner


Aimee Herd
Aimee Herd, Editor


BCN Plus
Are You Praying for President Trump?
 
 

All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.


Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com