Trump worshipper and hate filled evangelical pastor Robert Jeffress was criticized (even on Fox News) when he took part in the controversial opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. So where better to get some sweet redemption than Jesus’ favorite morning chat show, Fox & Friends, where Jeffress was assured that despite Mitt Romney’s nasty tweet, Jeffress is not a hater!
Fox Christian adulterer and general all-around hypocrite Pete Hegseth set up the propaganda: “On the eve of the historic opening of the Jerusalem embassy, a familiar face on this network was attacked for his religious views.” Those views include the belief that Catholicism is a “cult-like pagan religion,” that Islam promotes pedophilia, abortion caused 9/11, Jews are going to hell, gay marriage is a sign of the end-times, and that Mormons are cult members who are destined for the Lake of Fire. Those views were not mentioned by Hegseth.
Hegseth continued the victimhood theme when he reported that Jeffress was attacked by former governor and presidential candidate and current Utah Senate candidate Mitt Romney who cited, in a tweet, Jeffress’ rather, uh, biased views of other religions as the basis for why Jeffress should not be giving a prayer at the embassy opening.
Hegseth asked, “Is that fair or are people of all faiths allowed to have religious disagreements?”
Hegseth introduced his panel who, along with Jeffress, included Fox’s official Catholic validator Fr. Jonathan Morris; Dr. Qanta Ahmed, an anti-Islam Muslim; and George Blumenthal, “actor and Jewish scholar.”
Hegseth asked Jeffress to respond to the accusation that he isn’t “tolerant of other religions.”
Jeffress began by claiming that his bigoted comments were “taken out of context.” He defended his view that belief in Jesus is the only way to salvation by likening himself to a firefighter directing occupants of a burning building to the only safe exit. “Would you accuse that fireman of being bigoted because he insisted there’s only one way to safety? Of course not, you would thank him and you would follow him,” Jeffress sneered.
“And when we Christians say there is one way to Heaven, through faith in Jesus Christ," Jeffress continued, "we’re simply echoing what the founder of our faith, Jesus, said when he said, ‘I’m the way, the truth and the light. No man comes to the Father but by me.’” (So screw you, everybody else!)
His voice rising, Jeffress said that people are free to believe otherwise but they’re not free to call him and his fellow Christians bigots. (Uh, yeah, they are.)
Then he all but endorsed Romney’s opponent in the upcoming Senate race by announcing that he had called Jeffress to apologize on behalf of the entire state for Romney’s “intemperate” comments.
Jeffress once accused Obama of “paving the way” for the anti-Christ. Now, he engaged in some more serious reality denial as he added that while we can disagree we shouldn’t engage in “character assassination.”
Hegseth responded that Jeffress had just described religious freedom.
Predictably, guest Ahmed took Jeffress’ side. She expressed “respect for his Christian values” which, she called “consistent” with Christian belief and not bigoted.
Hegseth added that there are some bad Muslims who wouldn’t defend Jeffress and that provided Ahmed the opportunity to discuss the bigotry of radical Islam – a favorite Fox News meme.
Blumenthal touted the growth of religious tolerance in the decades since he was called a “Christ-killer” and urinated on in his youth. “So what Pastor jeffress may have said in the past, out of context regardless, the fact of the matter is we have moved very far over the last couple of decades,” Blumenthal added.
As he defended the hate-filled Jeffress, Morris inadvertently described him: “Let me begin by saying bigotry comes from a place of hatred. That's what bigotry is, it's hatred for another.” Morris further redeemed Jeffress, saying, “I know that there is no hatred” in Jeffress’ heart.
Jeffress even worked in some Trump homage. He opined that religious liberty has improved “in large part due to our wonderful president, Donald J. Trump, who has made religious liberty at the forefront of his agenda.”
At the end of the segment, Morris brought us back to the purpose of the segment which seemed to be a dump on Romney. The boyish padre cautioned that we shouldn’t “use Twitter to make sweeping statements and I think Mitt Romney, who I really appreciate as a person, probably learned that as well.”
Defending Jeffress' well-documented bigotry (clearly not taken out of context), these so-called religious figures demonstrated their allegiance not to a divinity, but to the agenda of intolerance and conformity at Fox News! Praise Rupert Murdoch?!
Watch the phony piety below, from the May 20, 2018 Fox & Friends. Underneath is a video (via Right Wing Watch) showing Jeffress saying exactly what Mitt Romney accused him of saying. "Out of context?" You be the judge.
Are you ABSOLUTELY SURE about those “one way cattle class tickets” or are you just shoveling us a lot of “bull”?
:^)
NOTE TO JEFFRESS
The Bible says this about YOU!
1 1 John 4:1
2. Matthew 7:15
3. 2 Corithians 11:13-15
4. Romans 16:18
How much money did Trumpy give to your church, you self-serving hypocrite?