What Kind of Presidential Candidate Will Evangelicals Support? Let's Ask Jeffress.

By Robert Wilonsky Fri., Jun. 3 2011 at 2:27 PM

Categories: Politics, Religion

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Our first real introduction to First Baptist Dallas's Robert Jeffress was in the fall of 2008, when the downtown pastor came under fire for referring to Mormon Mitt Romney a member of a "cult." That came up today on FOX News, where Jeffress is a frequent guest and where he was asked today who evangelicals will support in the upcoming presidential election now that Mike Huckabee has said he's definitely not running. Jeffress is decidedly disappointed about that -- not only because Huckabee's written the forward to his forthcoming book, says the pastor, but because they're pals.

So, then, who will evangelicals rally around? Says Jeffress, only yesterday he was on a conference call with "50 of the top evangelical leaders in the country talking about this issue." And there's no consensus among them. All Jeffress cares about, he says, is: "Is this person committed to stemming the tide of ungodliness and evil that is sweeping our country?"

At which point he gets back to Romney, insisting, yet again, that "Mormons are not Christians according to evangelical Christians ... and I thought it was pretty hypocritical of some my fellow Christian leaders who during the Bush administration talked about how important it is to have a Christian in office who suddenly turned around and supported Mitt Romney saying, 'We're electing a commander-in-chief, not a theologian-in-chief." The whole video follows.

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Would Jeffreys hold his nose and vote for Ted Haggard?
Hmph. Jeffress is an undisputed hate-monger whose only "god" is money. I find it very ironic that his biggest cause these days (besides bashing Obama) is fueling the anti-gay sentiments of his congregation. I mean, come on, if being gay is such a deplorable condition, then why isn't it listed in the Ten Commandments that these guys cherish so much? Why don't these charlatans cherry-pick another obscure, Hebrew-era law to harp on, like not eating shrimp and catfish; wearing cotton-poly blends...keeping the Sabbath day holy!?
You do know that Evangelical Christians have the best sex lives right?????? LOL
What about separation of church and state. This guy has now clue about Mormons and the their believes. When was the last time you heard a Mormon bashing on Evangelicals. Probably never. If you ask me the only real Christians in this situation are the Mormons. At least they are the only ones acting like Christians and following what he taught. "Does love your neighbor mean anything" I don't think calling a Mormon the lesser of two evils is very loving.
I believe the Hospitaller in the 2005 movie " The Kingdom of Heaven " said it best. " I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of God. I have seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right action, and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves, and goodness. What God desires is in your head and in your heart."
No government sponsored religious test. I am fully prepared to vote for somebody based on their religious beliefs: specifically the lack thereof.
The United States’ version of the Taliban.
How are we not Christians? Our church is 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints'- Mormon is only a nickname. To say we aren't Christians shows he has no idea what we believe- that is simply not true. And if he refuses to look at our CORE doctrine of Jesus Christ- that would not be following Christ's example in any way would it... Interesting. Yet he points the finger at other hypocrites. Bottom line, this man has no idea what he's talking about!!!
Do you think these guys would disavow their religion, if Jesus came back and said he was a Democrat? Also, if he was Black?
well said, good man. the word evangelical comes from the greek word for good news. The term has, sadly become associated as a political label and one attached to a particularly narrow theology. Except for his theology (or atheology), Harvey is a great example of the caring intelligent man, many of us Christians aspire to be.
Come to think of it, in his "Three's Company" days, he was about as studly as you could get in the seventies, and those chicks down at the Reagle Beagle were probably all over his ascot.
Don't forget Ted Haggard, tweaking out of his eyeballs and talking real funny
Evangelicals thinking that their views are mainstream is like the Tea Party cro-magnons considering themselves the "silent majority," so it's no wonder the two groups overlap so much
Don Knotts pulling enormous amounts of tail is just too weird to even imagine
I look forward to his new sitcom on Fox......Closet Christian Bitches. With Larry Craig who you never see except his face under a toilet stall. Mark Foley for the teen demographic. And Jermaine Jakes from "Parks & Recreation".
Mormons not running for elected office consider themselves apart from mainstream Christianity. I had this same argument with them and their elders. I'm not sure what or why, but they will not put themselves in the camp of mainstream Christianity.
Which raises the question - how great can heaven be if they let Mr. Jeffress in? Imagine having to listen to his schtick - even god would have him shut the fuck up.
Amen Scott, amen.
Why does your church get to make the definition? Mormons profess to believe in Christ and follow him. Why is that not good enough for you?
"evangelical" means to spread the word. Some churches find this to be more important that others. Your observations are spot on, but that word means something and both groups are very much "evangelical" in their mission.
the irony
If you grew up going to church A SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH in these parts you probably saw or pass out these tracts. http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0061/0061_01.asp Or flipping worse got a THIS WAS YOUR LIFE tracts instead of candy at Halloween .
I guess that's our point, Bobby: you are welcome to your fascination with him but he's not remaking downtown, he's remaking his several blocks' worth which are gifts from parishioners; I'd like to know which parishioners if you're that interested in how this project is occurring. The pastor himself is just trying to become another FBC icon like the last dead pompous ass they had for decades. Sorry, we're just not that fascinated with him. We like you, however so we'll indulge you
for the final time, will you asshats the eff sake stop invoking Judaism, when your quoting the Bible or lamely attempting character assassination. MnM is sharing a feeling many of us are feeling, especially since an evangelical assassinated a doctor in Wichita.
ha, you wrote "bloviating". I always enjoy you.
Jesus (literally): you really are Partially Informed Guy, or Partially Formed, I can't decide.
"Evangelical" faith is some sort of buzzword made up by themselves; mainstream Christians think they're some sort of cult, sort of the way many "christians" view Mormonism. I think evangelicals think they're the mainstream of protestant Christianity; that's their myopia. Mormons feel that they need to continue to mainstream themselves in Christianity, that's their myopia.
"Why do we continue to have to read this filth???" Oh, wait, that was from the bundesvolk readers marching over the top-rated "Trannies and Taquerias" still highly-ranked several weeks later. But: seriously, why do you continue to give publicity to this publicity hound? If Fox jumped off a cliff, would you jump off a cliff too? --your Mom, the Methodist
I hope that's true. I want to believe that.
I visited the church downtown to see what all the hubbub was about. I found it odd that a Baptist minister has a security detail, in the front pew! I mean, it's not like we're in Colorado, where they use good, clean, old testament violence to winnow the chaff. Besides, shouldn't he just trust in the Lord to protect him?
The man's remaking downtown in his own image, and he's the pastor of a powerful, historic church. That's why he gets the attention. That, and I'm obsessed with him. The KZEW items are for the pageviews.
1958 is exactly what he wants.
I wonder how many evangelicals would really like the "Christian" oriented government they claim to want. We have an example of it. We can go back to 1958. We were a true Christian nation in 1958. Keep in mind that in Dallas in 1958 there was segregation. In fact Jeffress' denomination still taught that white supremacy was divine design back then. It was a wonderful time if you were a straight white man. You didn't have to compete with blacks, browns, and women for education or work. We were a Christian Nation after all. Forget the racism, ignore, women's rights under the law, would you really want to live like that? From the unbeliever's perspective (mine) there is a sense of irony that the more unChristian we become as a nation the more Christ like we are as a nation.
You're a braver man than I. Wouldn't let that mouth anywhere near my dick.
Yep need more of those "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition" christians in office. They've done a hell of a job so far.
I can't remember the last time I heard a rabbi on teevee ranting like that asshat.
In truth, though, Don Knotts was- even in college before he was remotely famous- known as quite the ladies man.
Oh.......just blow me Robert Jeffress.
I'm kinda getting the feeling he's given undue attention here lately in the name of page views. Of course, it is enjoyable to nutkick him.
The main problem for LDS is that the newer a religion is, the wackier it seems. Same with Scientology. You can't do a background check on the OT prophets. L Ron and Joe Smith aren't so lucky. If I remember correctly, there's also some ridiculous stuff about ancient American tribes, and black people weren't allowed into their heaven until the late 70s.
1st Baptist's construction progress interests me. Anything Jeffress has to say doesn't interest me at all.
Listen to the words of Jesus, he didn't defend dogmatic jerks, he hated them. He told you the story of the Good Samaritan. He told you to love your enemies and to love your neighbor as your self. He literally encouraged you to walk a mile in his shoes. To be slow to judge and try to love everyone. You are wrong. Further, the liturgical setting is NOT where dogma is discussed, but where platitudes are recited again and again. If you had really taken the time to wrestle with these issues, you'd be far less certain. I never disputed that Mormons and Christians each identify themselves as apart from each other, I find it funny how you define a Christian. I for one reject the trinity, though the teachings of Jesus I fully embrace--Funny enough, he makes NO argument for the trinity himself. What really disillusioned me was how many of the professors in seminaries agree with me. What I find totally inauthentic is that the same "preachers" never discuss these serious doubts with their flock. That kept me from going to seminary.
Don't fall into semantic smears. They don't become Gods but perhaps your notion of the Saints would be similar. I sick of hearing Catholics smeared by Evangelicals who are incensed over mere equivocation. Again, no two Christians, Muslims or Jews will ultimately agree on the nature of the Godhead--all will be flawed with anthropomorphic limitations and conceptions. So, all this dogma is therefore meaningless. The only thing that matters, the only thing that we should concern ourselves with, the only thing we can judge is whether we are fair with others, whether we treat them as we wish to be treated.
That may be the way you see church teaching ... but for those that take their faith seriously and the words of Jesus seriously, we have to make these distinctions. It is not abstract bullshit Scott. I think Jeffress is off base, but his distinction between Mormon and Evangelical faith is correct.
The whole point here is that Jeffress IS correct by trying to make the clarification that Evangelicals and Mormons are NOT of the same strain theologically. However, in doing so, Jeffress is unnecessarily trying to paint Rommney as a boogey-man to evangelicals. If evangelicals are so ill-informed that they cannot tell Mormon beliefs from their own, then Jeffress should just stick to educating his own flock and stay off the TV!
I seriously doubt whether any two adherents really have the same understanding of the trinity or many of those other points. In fact, your seminaries know this, they just don't bring these discussions out in the open. Church doesn't discuss this stuff. What they say in Church bears as much resemblance to what they believe as how you answer your children when they ask you how gov't works--only the clergy aren't as honest with you as you will be with your kids. So much of that dogmatic CRAP that you listed is meaningless, UTTERLY MEANINGLESS. All that matters is how you treat your fellow man. Jesus taught us that our neighbor is not limited by tribe, faith or nationality--that is the lesson of the Good Samaritan. All else is immaterial philosophical bullshit--and that insults philosophers.
You put too much faith(sorry for the pun) in the fact that they can read and then comprehend.
Perhaps those morally upright religious men should read the damn U.S. Constitution, wherein it states "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." Article VI, Paragraph 3. NO RELIGIOUS TEST. Is that clear enough for you?
This man does not speak for Christians. He speaks for intolerant dillweeds who would condemn Jesus for being Jewish, eating with sinners and loving the unclean and outcast, doing work on the Sabbath... oh wait, they already got him on that.
One of the main things that makes LDS a heresy to some is that there is a process in which individual men (not women) can become gods themselves. This runs headfirst into the "one God" concept, despite the concept of the Trinity. Other than that, they live clean, love their kids and try to do right. I got no argument with that.
Good thing Jeffress isn't a Jew, eh, Monty? You'd be knocking the gold fillings out of his teeth and making his skin into a lamp shade.
The term 'Christian' has gotten so overloaded by our culture that it is pointless to try & use it unless all parties can agree to a common definition. Since they probably won't agree, I can say that evangelical and even mainline protestant and Catholic groups would agree that Mormons fall outside their camp. They {mormons] do NOTbelieve in the orthodox definition of the Trinity, do not believe in the sole substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, reject our versions of the Old and New Testament as corrupt. The only shared belief or marker is the use of the name Jesus Christ in their title. Their beliefs are NOT the same as mainline "Christian" groups and to lump Mormons in with everyone else is to confuse matters even more.
I think you mean gayer.
My #1 priority is to elect an avowed atheist that will laugh at the bloviating preachers that want to impose their hatred and bigotry on the land.
I wish we could get those 50 evangelical leaders in a room then drop a house on it.
Don't worry guys...I heard Satan is going to be conducting his own Rapture soon, so Jeffress won't be with us much longer.
How do you define Christian? I dated a Mormon girl for a bit and asked the elders why they saw themselves as so distinct from Christianity--which THEY insisted they were. I'm familiar with the book of Mormon. Little in it conflicts with the Baptism message, the Golden Rule or any of that. They certainly believe in evangelistic message, seek to practice good works, and wait for the return of Jesus. I don't necessarily agree with all of those personally, but I try to be fair to each tradition. So, what makes them apostates in your mind? They don't worship Joseph Smith, they believe in the Trinity. I'm not being rhetorical ( I want you to answer, please) and, they would agree with you, so long as they aren't running for office.
I just realized what bugs me so much about Robert Jeffress, besides the fact that that he's a slimy scumbag. in the right light, he looks like Don Knotts' gay little brother.
Jeffress is definitely an embarrassment for those of us who live in Dallas (and call ourselves Christians). But on the particular subject of Romney being a Christian, he is correct. No matter how big they put Jesus' name in their logo, Mormon's aren't Christians. I'm not saying that's good or bad, it's just that they aren't Christians. So if you think it's a #1 priority to elect a Christian, then Jeffress is correct that Romney isn't your guy.
I'm reading an 'Idiot's Guide to Exorcisms' as we speak!
I'm committed to stemming the tide of ungodliness and evil that is sweeping from Rev. Jeffress and his church.
I totally agree that Jeffress is the epitome of evil...other than that, I really can't hear or understand a thing the man says, because I generally hear with my ears and not my nose, and everything that comes out of his mouth smells like shit.
Glad to see Douchey McDouchebag wouldn't recognize ethics if it bit him on his expansive forehead.
Wouldn't stemming the tide of evil in this country require someone to do something about Robert Jeffress?
Its a topsy-turvy universe we live in when the opinions of a guy like that get any attention whatsoever.
Between him, JWP, Skeletor, Dwaine, Perry, the embarassment never stops. He needs to go down to 1500 Marilla Street and deliver a sermon on ethics instead of hogging TV time.
This guy is the pits.