A Born-Again Donald Trump? Believe It, Evangelical Leader Says

[trotsky]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/us/politics/a-born-again-donald-trump-believe-it-evangelical-leader-says.html

Has Donald J. Trump become a born-again Christian?

That is the suggestion of James C. Dobson, one of America’s leading evangelicals, who said Mr. Trump had recently come “to accept a relationship with Christ” and was now “a baby Christian.”

Dr. Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family and one of the country’s most prominent social conservatives, gave his account at a meeting Mr. Trump had in New York on Tuesday with hundreds of Christian conservatives.

In an interview recorded at the event by a Pennsylvania pastor, the Rev. Michael Anthony, Dr. Dobson said he knew the person who had led Mr. Trump to Christ, though he did not name him.

Makes sense now, I suppose. "Baby Christian" explains his tiny baby fingers.

[CrispyQ]

1. How ironic if Trump is the anti-Christ, & not Obama, huh?

[Zambero]

5. I recall Bill Clinton getting those honors back in the day

Apparently the torch gets passed to each succeeding Democratic president. Does the wingnut right keep a trophy with recipients' named etched? And given established tradition, is Trump "worthy" of this title?

[Zambero]

2. And OJ worked tirelessly to find the real killers

And Trump's defective earpiece prompted him to say he had never heard of David Duke or the white supremacy movement.

Laugh test EPIC FAIL (again).

[trotsky]

3. Are you saying Trump isn't a Christian, then?

Why isn't he?

[Zambero]

8. Who knows?

Somewhere in his collective and shifting word salad repertoire there might actually be a clue. Still, talk is cheap and actions always speak louder. Religion should be a personal matter, but some prefer to wear it on their sleeve as a matter of convenience or self-promotion. Trump's credibility on about anything is absolute zero, so I would tend to place any grandiose religious pronouncements by himself or surrogates in the same general "Yup, sure, uh-huh" category.

[trotsky]

13. Who knows, indeed.

Any judgment on whether someone is or is not a member of a particular religion is going to be problematic, since there is no absolute agreement on what a religion is. Disagreements about interpretations, translations, customs, traditions, etc.

If Trump says he's a Christian, then he is one. To insist he can't be, because he isn't morally perfect, is to engage in a form of bigotry that basically says truly "good" people are Christians, and "bad" people are... something else.

[CanonRay]

9. Trump's God is Trump

What does that make him?

[Angry Dragon]

36. Have you seen his membership card??

[Chasstev365]

4. Come on, his family life clearly shows he's another "family values Christian."

[trotsky]

6. So if you have an affair or get divorced, you can't be a Christian? n/t

[Chasstev365]

7. Not at all, but I believe Deeds are a hell of a lot more important than words.

Everyone running for office claims to be Christian, but do they live according to the gospel?

[trotsky]

10. So only good people are Christians?

If you commit any kind of "sin," you're no longer a Christian?

What exactly does it mean to "live according to the gospel?" Should you sell everything you own, as Jesus commanded?

[Chasstev365]

14. In your view, does Donald Trump live according to the gospel?

"Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do un to me?" That's his campaign message, right?

[trotsky]

16. "The gospel" is a collection of contradictory and (in many parts) questionable stories.

To "live according to it" would be literally impossible, so every Christian seems to pick the parts they like, call it the gospel, and then judge others who also claim to be Christians on how well they follow it.

Can you explain how what you're doing here is NOT what I just described?

[Chasstev365]

18. You're just hair splitting now and not interested in dicussing anything

I'm swimming away from your bait. Have a swell day!

[trotsky]

20. Do you disagree with anything I said?

Or is it getting just a little too close for comfort? I'm just wondering how any human being can declare themselves an arbiter of exactly what living "according to the gospel" means. You are evidently an authority, so I was curious how that worked. Oh well. Bye.

[rug]

22. Didn't take any time at all to read him.

[Act_of_Reparation]

23. A meaningless question.

No right-headed, educated man or woman of the 21st century would live according to moral standards set in the 1st century.

[rug]

25. That's a nihilist statement.

[trotsky]

26. Just goes to show how few Christians really think about their beliefs and the consequences.

Across the political spectrum, really. When forced to take a good look, they run away to avoid the cognitive dissonance.

[Zambero]

11. Imperfection would not seem to be a disqualifier

Hypocrisy, race-baiting, advocating the murder of entire families, ridiculing and defrauding others, shameless self-promotion, and serial lying might raise some suspicions however.

[trotsky]

15. And some Christians argue that homosexuals can't be Christians.

Are they right? How do you know? How do you know you're right and they're wrong?

[Zambero]

33. Too may questions, too little discussion

You "win". Bye.

[trotsky]

34. Too little discussion indeed.

You made blanket declarations and refused to back them up, then ran away when challenged.

[JoePhilly]

27. Trump is America's most Christian!!!

And he knows the best Christians who ever Christianed!

Jesus would endorse Trump if he were to return.

In fact, Jesus will probably come back and campaign for Trump, THAT'S how hugely Christian the Donald is!!!

[safeinOhio]

12. Would make a great headline

Donald Trump: Born Yesterday

[forgotmylogin]

17. Trump worships one thing

...or multiple things. Little pieces of paper with dead Presidents on them (and eventually Harriet Tubman?)

[TygrBright]

24. Nope, you were right the first time. One thing.

Trump worships Trump, period.

If he's decided he's the Second Coming, it all makes sense...

wearily,
Bright

[TlalocW]

21. It's a desperate move to shore up shaky support amongst evangelicals - recall 2012

In 2012, the evangelicals were all saying that the republicans couldn't have a Mormon as the nominee because Mormons aren't true Christians. Once Mitt snagged the nomination, however, they couldn't walk back those comments fast enough and declare him a true brother-in-Christ.

TlalocW

[madamesilverspurs]

28. One snake oil salesman

validating another, in order to keep the world safe for snake oil salesmen.

[Dawson Leery]

29. Christian, no. Born again, certainly.

As born agains are full of themselves and power hungry.

[trotsky]

30. So Christians are always good, so therefore anyone who's bad isn't a Christian? n/t

[enid602]

31. conversion

Won't the stRumpet have to convert as well to make this official? Will Don be attending a creepy father daughter dinner with Ivanka?

[backscatter712]

32. That's the trouble with Christianity. They'll let any asshole sign up.

So now Donald Trump's a Christian. Makes a mockery of the entire faith.

[Lordquinton]

35. Amazing how religion is a deeply personal thing,

until someone you don't like claims to be a member of yours, then there are a million litmus tests to go through.