Nelson A. Pryor: Guest Columnist
David Lane, founder of the American Renewal group, told the August 10, 2016, Washington Post, p. 6a, that “…the country’s estimated 65 Million evangelicals are just beginning to focus on the candidates and will be looking for Trump’s ‘sincerity on the issues that they care about.’” Lane said this about Donald Trump’s need to bolster his support among social conservatives: “If Donald Trump cannot move evangelical and pro-life Catholic Christians to the polls on November 8, he cannot win.”
Trains pastors
American Renewal operates nationwide, training pastors to organize and encourage political activity by their parishioners.
Most polls show that the majority of evangelicals-who make up about a fifth of the electorate-are favorable toward Trump. The obstacle, as always, is to get the vote out. This is Trump’s base, and unless and until they are excited, evangelicals typically stay home.
Supreme Court
Trump has submitted a list of candidates for the court that he will submit to the U.S. Senate. Subject to their confirmation, his nominees will preserve the traditional heritage of this country. That would mean the Constitution of these united States would serve as our guiding principles.
We need to understand that the “knocking the props out from under our society” has been going on and needs to be stoped!
The President of these united States can not legally nominate and confirm justices alone, but, in fact, he needs the complicity of the U.S. Senate. So, the American Renewal Project was founded.
Liberty University
A longtime supporter of Trump, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr., has urged Christians, in recent weeks, to connect with the American Renewal group. He believed this would mobilize faith-based voters who wanted to impact this generation.
Orlando
Trump just spoke to pastors, under the auspices of the American Renewal Project, in Orlando, as reported by the Christian Broadcasting Network. Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, spoke as well.
Falwell said Trump would speak to the pastors about the importance of repealing a law that restricts churches and other tax-exempt groups from actively engaging in electoral politics. The law, introduced in the 1950’s by the then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, has been selectively enforced.
The law has been referenced, if at all, against those who can be easily intimidated. Falwell says this “club” should be removed. In addition, it has gained importance as a symbol of increasing infringement on religious liberty.
Remove the muzzle
Trump vowed during his Cleveland acceptance speech, to repeal the measure, saying that evangelicals “have so much to contribute to our politics, yet our laws prevent you from speaking your minds from your own pulpits.”
As First Timothy 5:18 says: …you shall not muzzle the ox that treaded out the corn….
He had met earlier in June hundreds of Christian leaders and activists at an applause-filled gathering in New York. During that session, Trump said he would fight restrictions against public employees, such as public school coaches, being allowed to lead sectarian prayers.