Posted Feb 15, 2020 by Michael L. Brown

How should Christian conservatives respond to President Trump’s statement that he would have no problem voting for a gay president? Should this be a dealbreaker in terms of our 2020 vote?

Earlier this week, Rush Limbaugh created a media firestorm when he said that America is “still not ready to elect a gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage president.” And my article titled, “I Will Say What the Political Leaders Cannot Say About Pete Buttigieg,” seems to have struck a chord with many readers.

As for President Trump, during a Fox radio interview with Geraldo Rivera, he said that, “It” – meaning, homosexuality – “doesn’t seem to be hurting Pete Buttigieg.” As for whether Americans would vote for him, Trump said, “I think there would be some that wouldn’t – and I wouldn’t be among that group to be honest with you.”

So, to repeat: Should this be a dealbreaker for Christian conservatives?

Trump has the baggage from his past. He has the baggage of his often uncalled-for, cruel, even dishonest speech. Should this be the straw that breaks the camel’s back?

Obviously, every individual must make an individual decision. But I would submit two points for consideration before a decision is made.

First, this is exactly how I would expect Trump to answer.

Remember that during the primaries he said that Bruce “Caitlyn” Jenner would be welcome to use the women’s bathroom at Trump Tower. That has been his personal view all along.

He also proudly held up a gay pride flag of LGBT supporters of Trump during a campaign rally in October, 2016. He was glad to have their backing.

That’s why his answer doesn’t surprise me in the least. I don’t agree with it (just as I don’t agree with many of his other statements). But it’s nothing new.

Second, Trump’s policies have consistently pushed back against LGBT activism and for Christian conservative rights.

That’s why last year, the HRC (the world’s largest gay activist organization) labeled Trump the “worst president on LGBTQ issues ever.”

The HRC even accused the Trump administration of “targeting gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people” every day.

In their “Timeline of Hate,” the HRC begins with this claim: “Since the moment Donald Trump and Mike Pence walked into the White House, they have attacked the progress we have made toward full equality for the LGBTQ community and undermined the rights of countless Americans.”

To be clear, I stand against LGBT people being “attacked” or “targeted.” But when the HRC uses that language, it often means this: “The Trump administration is pushing back against the radical extremism of queer activism.” For that, I am glad.

The timeline entry for January 20, 2017, reads: “Less than two hours after Trump and his virulently anti-LGBTQ activist Vice President Mike Pence were sworn into office, all mentions of LGBTQ issues were removed from the official White House webpage.”

More significantly, the timeline entry for February 22, 2017 reads: “Under the direction of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education revoked the Obama Administration’s guidance detailing school obligations to transgender students under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.”

And this is just the beginning of 2017, Trump’s first year in office.

Scores of other examples could be listed, along with the impact of the nearly 200 conservative judges who have been appointed by Trump.

That’s why LGBT activists are, with rare exception, diametrically opposed to President Trump and see him as an enemy of their cause.

According to the Transgender Equality website, “Since the day President Trump took office, his administration has waged a nonstop onslaught against the rights of LGBTQ people.”

The site even refers to Trump’s administration as “The Discrimination Administration.”

And there is a lengthy page on the gay-activist, GLAAD website devoted to Trump, listing dates and details. It notes that, on January 16, 2020, “A directive by the Trump Administration across multiple government agencies was issued to strengthen access to federal dollars for religious-based organizations -- even if the organization is anti-LGBTQ or has an anti-LGBTQ record.”

This is what Trump and his administration are doing, which is why Christian conservatives are pleased and LGBT activists are grieved. (Again, I have no joy in seeing those who identify as LGBT feel attacked. And I do not want them hurt. I simply believe that many of their goals are detrimental to the overall wellbeing of our society, which is why I oppose them.)

Back on November 1, 2016, I wrote, “On October 30, at a rally in Colorado, Donald Trump proudly held up a rainbow-colored, gay flag on which was written ‘LGBT’s for Trump.’”

I continued (in a similar vein as in this present article), “As Christian conservatives, what are we to make of this? Is it yet another proof that we must compromise our morals to vote for him? And will he betray us once elected?

“Interestingly, major gay websites like Advocate.com were not impressed with his gesture, declaring, ‘It's an empty gesture from the Republican nominee, who opposes marriage equality and has a proudly homophobic running mate.’”

Well, history has repeated itself with the same tune and the same lyrics. Trump has not betrayed us, and LGBT activists know that well.

In short, on a personal level, Trump has no issue with LGBTs and would potentially vote for a gay president.

On an administrative level, he is consistently pushing back against their activism and standing up for our religious freedoms and rights.

That’s one reason my vote for him in 2016 was justified. And that’s why I believe my 2020 vote for him will be justified as well.

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Comments

OT posted a comment · Mar 02, 2020
Oreopagus writes -Oreopagus posted a comment · Feb 18, 2020 Pete Buttigieg exposes the Christian right's moral contortions https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/04/17/pete-buttigieg-exposes-christian-right-moral-contortions/7sip0pO8wzV3GplXr3batO/story.html Oreopagus are you saying that The Christian right condones sin, and the practice of it! by supporting Trump! Pete Buttigieg is gone out of the race ! The out and proud Practicing Episcopalian is gone, back to Indiana! your copy and paste of opinion page of the boston globe that lady is no moral authority comparing shell fish and sodomy ...seriously ! new covenant - old covenant : /
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Mr.BrownDeletet... posted a comment · Feb 26, 2020
If it was up to Jesus on who He would choose to vote for whether it would be Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or Green Party I don't think He would vote for anyone. He wouldn't involve Himself of something that overall is infested to its very core with sin, I don't believe that He would have any involvement with such establishments. He wouldn't necessarily dislocate himself from such individuals involved within such establishments because we see He didn't do such a thing in the Bible. Not much is mentioned in the Bible when it comes to politics or Government(s) with the exception of a limited amount of information mentioned. Nothing tells us in the Bible to get involved with as much as SO MANY who profess to call themselves Christians today do. Then again isn't it quite normal in how SO MANY today who profess to be Christian are so prone to worship and praise flesh/blood so much today more than they do God Himself. You ask someone if their a Christian today, you can tell who they worship because the majority of the conversation is more geared towards their pastor and their church rather than God. They will start to talk about their church and if you don't attend a church they will invite you to theirs. "Go out into all the world and preach the gospel and invite people to YOUR church!" The sentence I just wrote is quite the norm today though, referring to God's church, His bride as mine and ours and yours and referring to it as a building rather than His followers. How easily SO MANY today are misled by SO MANY religious leaders these days, but then again the exact same thing occurred when Jesus walked the earth too. False doctrines and teachings were the norm with those who referred themselves to be a religious leader(s). No wonder Jesus referred to the broad way and many taking such a pathway and the narrow way to where not many would travel along such a road. As for politics and government, Jesus would not have had anything to do with it besides to minister to those who were sick and tired of living a life of sin and who were searching and involved in Politics/government. He wouldn't have even voted, He was just passing through like all the other well known saints of faith we read about in the Bible. The kingdom down here on earth was not His kingdom to rule or get so involved with, no, He lived each day with His eyes and heart focused entirely on a different Kingdom, a Kingdom that was not of this world. As if it should come as a shock or a surprise of a President in America saying they would vote for a gay President, really?! You think your voting for Jesus or someone who looks and sounds like your pastor???? Sad how SO MANY Christians today are so used to worshiping and looking more for flesh/blood to feed them rather than the Spirit of God who lives and dwells on the inside of them, so sad. Having a relationship with Jesus Christ today is more like having a relationship with my pastor, my President and Jesus Christ, amazing! When it's all said and done these days sin is a lot more appealing than Jesus. "AH! You can't judge!" said satan and his children. Touch not my sin!!
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Oreopagus posted a comment · Feb 18, 2020
neptune wrote: "Some people think that if Trump gets reelected, he may start to ignore his Christian base, since he won't "need" us anymore." Keep in mind that Trump's "Christian base" is a subset of Christians overall. Trump's "Christian base" is comprised mainly of WRWEs: White Right-Wing Evangelicals.
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Oreopagus posted a comment · Feb 18, 2020
Pete Buttigieg exposes the Christian right's moral contortions https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/04/17/pete-buttigieg-exposes-christian-right-moral-contortions/7sip0pO8wzV3GplXr3batO/story.html
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neptune posted a comment · Feb 17, 2020
Some people think that if Trump gets reelected, he may start to ignore his Christian base, since he won't "need" us anymore. I hope not, but it's something to think about. Regardless, we need to do a lot of praying about the upcoming elections.
Swkh310 posted a comment · Feb 16, 2020
Absolute nonsense. The folks who claim to be “Christian” voters would never vote any democrat — straight or gay.