Today, in his latest effort to provoke more war in the Middle East, Donald Trump sent the hate-filled, Trump-loving, Fox News contributor Pastor Robert Jeffress to celebrate the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Fox’s own Shepard Smith reported on Jeffress’ history of bigotry.
SMITH: One of the men who gave a prayer before the ceremony in Jerusalem today says he believes all Jews are going to hell. Robert Jeffress is the pastor at First Baptist Church in Dallas. Jeffress' views on other religious groups, and Judaism, as well as the LGBT community are well-documented.
Smith cited a tweet by Mitt Romney, a Mormon, blasting Jeffress’ participation:
Robert Jeffress says “you can’t be saved by being a Jew,“ and “Mormonism is a heresy from the pit of hell.” He’s said the same about Islam. Such a religious bigot should not be giving the prayer that opens the United States Embassy in Jerusalem.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 14, 2018
Smith noted Jeffress’ claim that just because he thinks Christianity is the only true reigion does not make him a bigot. Smith then destroyed Jeffress with his own statements explicitly revealing his bigotry:
SMITH: Jeffress told reporters today, "Historically, Christianity has taught for 2,000 years that salvation is through faith alone in Jesus Christ." He goes on to say to reporters today, "The fact that I, along with millions of evangelical Christians around the world espouse that belief is neither bigoted nor newsworthy," unquote.
Here's Robert Jeffress in his own words. He told NBC News, "Mormonism has never been considered a part of historic Christianity." On Islam, quoting, "Islam is a false religion, and if you sincerely follow the tenets of Islam, then you will end up in hell when you die." On homosexuality, he's accused gays of being, quote, "engaged in the most detestable, unclean, abominable acts you can imagine," and said that the Supreme Court decision on marriage equality is "the greatest, most historic landmark blunder ever in the court's history."
Smith also noted that when asked by reporters why Jeffress had been chosen, a White House spokesperson said that “the pastor has a longstanding relationship with people on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill, and his remarks are one with which the president does not agree.”
I’d love to know which Democrats Jeffress has a “longstanding relationship” with, given his dogged lack of concern for Trump’s very un-Christian behavior. Jeffress even attacked Pope Francis for daring to criticize Trump’s Christianity.
I’m not often in agreement with Mitt Romney but he is 100% right that Jeffress is a religious bigot who has no business opening a U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. I'd take it further and say he has no business conducting any official U.S. business anywhere, any time.
Perhaps in a Freudian slip, the openly gay Smith closed by disclosing that “Richard” Jeffress is a Fox News contributor.
Watch Smith lay some truth on Fox viewers below, from the May 14, 2018 Shepard Smith Reporting via Media Matters.
(Transcript excerpts via Media Matters)
The possible after-effects of this dreadful glitch in America’s journey to the future are too scary to contemplate.