Infuriating. Not to mention suspect, given the WaPo reference. Still…the pettiness is infuriating.

July 22, 2024

Trump miracle widens Christian divide

By Susan D. Harris

Imagine being painted as so divisive that some self-professed Christians won't even say your name on Sunday morning.

That's what happened in some churches in America this last Sunday as pastors tiptoed to the pulpit to give a neutral "prayer for the country" before continuing with their planned programs.

If this is a new way of separating politics from religion, church leaders are terribly misguided.

To recap, we had an unprecedented public assassination attempt at a political rally. A former U.S. president was injured and almost murdered in front of thousands — but for the grace of God.

[snip]

The Sunday after the assassination attempt, in more churches than you'd suspect, and regardless of denomination, pastors erred on the side of donations. After all, money is tight, and they don’t want anyone’s wallet to snap closed just because they mentioned the name "Trump" with kindness or sympathy attached to it.

In the church I visited with a friend, the pastor urged people to "pray for the country." In the sermon that followed, he spoke of Moses's "goodness and meekness," saying the Old Testament's greatest prophet "didn't need a 'Make Israel Great Again' hat because he wasn't "marketing his personality." Much of the congregation laughed at the expense of a man who nearly gave his life for his country the day before. There were no prayers offered up for President Trump, the firefighter who valiantly died protecting his family, or the other two poor souls injured at the event.

[snip]

The Washington Post reported, "Some evangelical leaders made pointed allusions to 'enemies' and 'tests' of the faithful without specifically mentioning Trump or the attack."

Shame on those who chose to censor prayers for their own gain!

[snip]

Last year, a deacon in my (former) church gave a dramatic sermon informing the congregation that former president Trump had declared himself our "savior." There was a slight gasp from the crowd. The deacon went on to teach that there was only one savior, Jesus Christ, and the group fervently agreed with hallelujahs and amens.

I met privately with the deacon the following Sunday, asking him why he had said something that wasn't true. In fact, I showed him an article detailing Trump’s Christmas remarks at First Baptist of Dallas in 2021. There Trump had said, "Our country needs a savior right now. And our country has a savior. And it's not me. It's somebody much higher up than me. Much higher."

The deacon refused to relent, insisting that he was right yet unwilling to quote a source. Never mind that if Trump had literally declared himself a "savior," it would have caused a theological earthquake worldwide.

Keep in mind that to this day, that congregation still believes that Trump is a delusional nutjob who attempted to usurp the role of Jesus Christ.

[snip]

I only wish I lived within driving distance of one of those fearless megachurches, because out here in the blue haze, it feels as though the Christians are getting ready to feed one another to the lions.

full article here: https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/07/trump_miracle_widens_christian_divide.html