After a recent Newsweek article referenced a 2011 video of Pastor Robert Jeffress smearing Catholicism, Jeffress ran to Fox & Friends to play up his conservative victimhood and get a dose of Republican Rehab. That’s what Friends are for on Fox!
Fox News is always willing to provide a pulpit for Jeffress, a paid contributor, who is always willing to put Jesus’ stamp of approval on right-wing talking points and Donald Trump. Jeffress’ virulently anti-gay and anti-Muslim beliefs aren’t a problem for Fox. And his past anti-Catholic statements? On Fox & Friends, nothing to see here, move along…
Cohost Ainsley Earhardt began: “He is the pastor of one of the largest congregations in our country, but the left is rehashing an old accusation against Pastor Robert Jeffress, going as far as calling him anti-Catholic.” Video of a recent White House press conference was shown, during which a reporter asked Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders about a Trump tweet which described Pastor Jeffress as “a wonderful man.” The reporter then asked why Trump would praise Jeffress who is “so viciously anti-Catholic.” Sanders replied that she wasn’t aware of this charge and praised Jeffress’ fellowship with pro-life Catholics.
Steve Doocy, a Catholic, introduced Jeffress and, of course, pimped Jeffress’ new book, “A Place Called Heaven.” Doocy said that he watched the press conference and couldn’t figure out what the reporter was talking about. He asked Jeffress to explain the charges of anti-Catholicism. As if Doocy bore no responsibility to independently find out.
Jeffress immediately launched into a very un-Christian ad hominem attack. He said, “This all started” when he was defending Trump, on FBN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, “against these unwarranted attacks by that wacko congresswoman.” (Oh, no, the sainted pastor spreading false witness against Rep. Frederica Wilson?) Jeffress gushed about how, after the show, a “gracious” Trump tweeted words of support. (In his interview with Dobbs, the godly Jeffress continued to bear false witness in further attacking Rep. Wilson: “She’s the one who is exploiting the widow’s pain for her own partisan gain.”)
Advancing Fox’s patented persecuted Christian meme, Jeffress accused “the left” of “pouncing” on him. He didn’t provide any specifics of this so-called attack. However, it seems to have been some tweets from two journalists who pointed out that Jeffress had described Catholicism as “a cult-like, pagan religion.”
A shocked Doocy, who didn’t reference the nature of the criticism, asked, “How does that make you anti-Catholic?”
Jeffress complained that the left “recycled some old quotes from years ago that were either completely manufactured at the time or ripped out of context.” He professed to “love my Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ” who march with him at anti-abortion rallies. And, as proof of his love for Catholics, Jeffress said that – wait for it – he invited Catholic Sean Hannity to his megachurch and allowed Hannity to speak. Jeffress added that he believes that Catholics will go to heaven because of their faith in Christ. (According to Jeffress, the heavenly door will be closed to Mormons, Jews, and Muslims)
Jeffress claimed that the attacks “are nothing more than an attempt to discredit the president by discrediting his most vocal and visible evangelical supporter and these attacks are not going to diminish my support for him by one iota.” He finished with an homage to Trump’s awesomeness which, he asserted, is why “Democrats are in full panic mode.” Trump’s popularity, according to the latest Fox poll, is at an all-time low; yet Jeffress claimed, “The tide is turning towards Trump.”
What you didn’t hear on Fox & Friends: In 2011, Pastor Jeffress said this: “Much of what you see in the Catholic Church today doesn’t come from God’s Word, it comes from that cult-like, pagan religion. Now you say, ‘Pastor, how can you say such a thing? That is such an indictment of the Catholic Church. After all the Catholic Church talks about God and the Bible and Jesus and the blood of Christ and salvation. Isn’t that the genius of Satan…?” (Complete discussion here).
Not “manufactured” or “ripped out of context.” But Jeffress loves Trump so it’s all good on Fox & Friends…
Watch video from the Thursday, October 26, 2017 Fox & Friends. Also below is Jeffress’ commentary on the Catholic Church.