As Donald Trump’s candidacy has risen in popularity among voters, an anti-Christian rhetoric appears to also be on the rise.
Although conservatives are used to seeing this type of stuff from the left, several pro-Trump news outlets have taken what appears to be a bias against candidates of faith. Matt Drudge ran the following headlines, the most recent Cruz headline being from March 12 of this year.
It’s not uncommon for Christians of all types to lay hands on one another in prayer. But to Drudge, this is quite a newsworthy occurrence. Incidentally, Drudge has yet to cover any of the similar activities Donald Trump has participated in, blessings in tongues included. Michelle Malkin at Conservative Review points out Drudge’s blatant double standard when it comes to the faith of presidential candidates:
The most recent smear comes from an entry at The Gateway Pundit which reports words allegedly said by a pastor whom Cruz appeared with at a conference in Iowa back in November.
GATEWAY PUNDIT – In November Senator Ted Cruz appeared at the National Religious Liberties Conference in Iowa, where he courted the support of the conference’s organizer, Colorado-based pastor and radio host Kevin Swanson.
Cruz was introduced on the stage by Pastor Kevin Swanson – after he called for the execution of gays at the conference.
Kevin Swanson: Yes, Romans Chapter 1 verse 32 the Apostle Paul does says that homosexuals are worthy of death. His words not mine! And I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! And I am not ashamed of the truth of the word of God. And I am willing to go to jail…
…Now my friends let me introduce to you the next candidate for the office of President of the United States, folks please make welcome Senator Ted Cruz.
That seems a bit extreme. No?
According to Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit, Ted Cruz was introduced onto the state in Iowa “after he called for the execution of gays at the conference.”
Here is a video of that pastor’s remarks:
Did this pastor “call for the execution of gays?” No. He simply read passages in scripture condemning homosexuals. Leviticus 20:13 says “they shall surely be put to death” while Romans 1:32 says homosexuals are worthy or “deserving of death.”
Hoft makes the assertion that the act of reading these two parts of scripture equate to calling for someone’s execution. After pastor Kevin Swanson reads the passages, he exclaims that he is “not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am not ashamed of the truth of the word of God and I am willing to go to jail for standing on the truth of the word of God.”
At a time when Christian bakers and florists are being fined and threatened with jail time for refusing to provide services for homosexual wedding ceremonies, Swanson’s remarks are not controversial and should not be treated as such. Though some might rightly object to the manner in which he delivered his message, peaceful Christians have a right to stand by their beliefs without going to jail.
Believing homosexuals are “worthy of death” is not a crime, not to mention the fact that the phrase “worthy of death” has a number of different interpretation among various Christian denominations and circles. What must be pointed out is that Christians do not call for homosexuals to be put to death. Any Christian, or citizen for that matter, calling for someone to be put to death would face charges for inciting violence.
The only religion and governing body, however, that does call for such things is the religion and nation of Islam.
