Pastor Robert Jeffress, quite possibly the world’s most hateful evangelical Christian, was showcased on Fox News Wednesday preaching that God wants Donald Trump to “take out” North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Anchor Bret Baier introduced a “Focus on Faith” segment with the blithe comment, “Throwing a little fire and brimstone into the furor over North Korea.” He added, “An evangelical advisor to President Trump says God has given him the authority to take out North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.”
While Baier spoke, the lower-third banner read: "PERMISSION FROM ON HIGH" and 'EVANGELICAL ADVISER: TRUMP HAS ATTACK AUTHORITY."
Religion correspondent Lauren Green spoke after a clip of Trump’s “fire and fury” threat against North Korea - which she indirectly justified by reiterating Jeffress' message.
GREEN: Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas and a Fox News contributor says Trump not only has God’s blessing but a Biblical mandate to take out the testy tyrant.
Then she played a clip of Jeffress actually saying what we had (twice) already heard about him saying:
JEFFRESS: The Bible gives President Trump the moral authority to use whatever force necessary, including assassination or even war to take out an evil doer like Kim Jong-un. And I think most Christians understand that.
Green even noted the part of the Bible Jeffress was citing, The Book of Romans, Chapter 13. And then she quoted from it: “For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.”
For "balance," Green played a clip of pastor and theologian Phil Hotsenpiller disagreeing. But Hostenpiller’s disagreement suggested that the better thing would have been for someone to have “taken out” Kim Jong-un before now.
HOTSENPILLER: If we use Romans 13, as Dr. Jeffress has done for the context or for the authority to do that, then it’s evil on society or a ruler who is not good. By that logic he should have been taken out a long time ago.
Watch Fox suggest Trump is doing God's work by threatening North Korea below, from the August 9, 2017 Special Report.
Jeffress says Trump has Bibilical Mandate to Remove Kim
Jeffress says Trump has Bibilical Mandate to Remove Kim
A side-thought: sane bullies usually pick on others who can’t or won’t fight back (the runt in the schoolyard, a small island nation, etc.) I’ve begun to wonder whether or not President Trump’s is in full possession of his wits.
I have liberal Baptist friends who unfortunately suffer as targets of the Jeffress syndrome. Democrats are going straight to Hell, Republicans are the true leaders of the faith. They want to crawl under their pews half the time.
Politics is fundamentally corrupt, regardless of party. So when a church aligns itself with a political party, particularly one led by Trump the most corrupt American president in history (I don’t make that claim lightly), you are wedding a faith based upon the individual’s needs over any concern of government (render unto Caesar…), not bearing false witness, treating others with love and compassion, etc. to the antithesis of those beliefs.
I’m no theologian but my interpretation of Romans 13 is completely different than Fox’s. At 1st blush taking verse 4 out of context seems to support Jeffress (NIV translation):
“For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”
In full context, however, the entire chapter, IMHO, is discussing citizenship, not diplomacy (the old render unto Caesar thing) because, for example, verse 6 goes on to discuss the importance of paying taxes. Boy, Republicans should take that one to heart. 🤣
Note Romans 13 establishes its purpose in verses 1 and 2 by saying God has appointed our leader and rebelling against him is rebelling against God. More proof this passage is about citizenship, not relations between nation states.
I also enjoyed the part of this segment where Trump right-wingers bristle at the Pope warning them of the same thing I’m saying: avoid entanglements with right-wing populist political movements. 👍