Poll shows Republicans think Trump is a "man of faith," more than other Republicans

[Halbhh]

many on the religious right don't believe he has contempt for then

Right -- Trump is supremely skilled at created an appearance, as I recall from way back in the 1990s and early 2000s seeing him a lot on TV in NYC -- he's about appearances and pretty skilled at that salesmanship.

But as some might recall hearing a few years back the reports (more than just once *):

President Donald Trump reportedly mocks his Christian supporters in private, while repeatedly praising them in public.

Trump reportedly mocks his Christian supporters in private

'I always assumed he was an atheist’ claims Barbara Res, former executive at the Trump Organisation

www.the-independent.com

I doubt he'll let this slip out again though unless he loses again, as he probably will, and then he might eventually. Ah...actually...look just below, he did it more than just one time back then:
----
* -- here's another such report:

Trump called Iowa evangelicals ‘so-called Christians’ and ‘pieces of [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]’, book says​

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/23/trump-iowa-evangelicals-pieces-of-[bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]-book-says

“When Cruz’s allies began using the ‘Two Corinthians’ line to attack him in the final days before the Iowa caucuses, Trump told one Iowa Republican official, ‘You know, these so-called Christians hanging around with Ted are some real pieces of [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse].’”

 

[seeking.IAM]

Trump being outside of the establishment of the right and left means he is less likely to cave to the pressures within the system to keep religion at arms length. Thus he has to please his coalition being more friendly to them.

Perhaps, it is better said, "was less likely." It would seem that, if elected to a second term, he will be terminal as a second term president and will no longer need a religious coalition's support for a future election. Perhaps only then will people see how religious he really is if it no longer serves a purpose for him.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Right -- Trump is supremely skilled at created an appearance, as I recall from way back in the 1990s and early 2000s seeing him a lot on TV in NYC -- he's about appearances and pretty skilled at that salesmanship.

But as some might recall hearing a few years back the reports (more than just once *):

President Donald Trump reportedly mocks his Christian supporters in private, while repeatedly praising them in public.

Trump reportedly mocks his Christian supporters in private

'I always assumed he was an atheist’ claims Barbara Res, former executive at the Trump Organisation

www.the-independent.com

I doubt he'll let this slip out again though unless he loses again, as he probably will, and then he might eventually. Ah...actually...look just below:
----
* -- here's another such report:

Trump called Iowa evangelicals ‘so-called Christians’ and ‘pieces of [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]’, book says​

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/23/trump-iowa-evangelicals-pieces-of-[bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]-book-says

And you think pointing that out will matter? Who do you consider more dangerous, Romney or Trump?

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Perhaps, it is better said, "was less likely." It would seem that, if elected to a second term, he will be terminal as a second term president and will no longer need a religious coalition's support for a future election. Perhaps only then will people see how religious he really is if it no longer serves a purpose for him.

Indeed we'll see. You may be right. I tend to think he will be co opted by the establishment, especially as the USA prepares for war and its gonna need more boys to go kill Muslims and Russians.

I hope Trump doesn't listen to the establishment and reduces America's role globally and doesn't seek to expand or maintain the American imperial project. He did a decent job of that in his first term.

 

[iluvatar5150]

How would Romney have actually delivered what Trump did?

By appointing conservative judges, which, again, was all that Trump did. The only thing needed to accomplish that was to have a Republican in the White House.

Do you think Romney would've appointed judges who were more favorable to Roe?

He's establishment and the establishment right does not like the religious right mainly because it conflicts with their liberal preferences.

Mitt Romney is a lifelong Mormon who's been very open about his devout faith. Many other Republican politicians (e.g. Ted Cruz, Mike Johnson, Sarah Huckabee) have been open about their beliefs as well. What about them and their preferences are "liberal"?

As for why he is liked vs the establishment. It's probably because Trump is more relatable and many on the religious right don't believe he has contempt for then like the Establisment right and left in DC do.

I don't doubt for a second that the impression is based on vibes like you've described. What I'm trying to understand is how the vibes are based on anything other than nonsense. Why would a staunch conservative, who's been an active churchgoer for the bulk of their life, hold the religious right in more contempt than a guy who made a good junk of his living off of promoting vices?

 

[dzheremi]

And you think pointing that out will matter? Who do you consider more dangerous, Romney or Trump?

Which one is the head of a dangerous personality cult, again? I forget.

 

[Halbhh]

And you think pointing that out will matter? Who do you consider more dangerous, Romney or Trump?

Romney is retiring from the Senate. Actually, long ago, he was Governor of Massachusetts for a while when we lived there by the way (we were there 2 years), so I first knew of him as the state Governor and the first impression I got (still valid) is that he's pretty reasonable. Romney probably (based on how it seemed to me in Massachusetts) would have most likely have made an OK president at least in terms of creating peaceful atmosphere. I'd prefer that over someone that likes to create personal attacks on often random people at whim, as Trump often even just ripped some random public person even sometimes on very superficial things even, like body type. I don't put my faith in a president to save us. But a president can be less harmful, like Eisenhower, where he is more diplomatic and doesn't do verbal jousting.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Which one is the head of a dangerous personality cult, again? I forget.

So you consider Trump more dangerous as an establishment Conservative who wanfs to maintain the current trajectory of the USA?

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Romney is retiring from the Senate. Actually, long ago, he was Governor of Massachusetts for a while when we lived there by the way (we were there 2 years), so I first knew of him as the state Governor and the first impression I got (still valid) is that he's pretty reasonable. Romney probably (based on how it seemed to me in Massachusetts) would have most likely have made an OK president at least in terms of creating peaceful atmosphere. I'd prefer that over someone that likes to create personal attacks on often random people at whim, as Trump often even just ripped some random public person even sometimes on very superficial things even, like body type. I don't put my faith in a president to save us. But a president can be less harmful, like Eisenhower, where he is more diplomatic and doesn't do verbal jousting.

So Trump would be a threat to you and your interests? More so than Romney? Are you left leaning/secularist?

 

[GreatLakes4Ever]

And you think pointing that out will matter? Who do you consider more dangerous, Romney or Trump?

Donald Trump because he dines with someone that wants me executed. Trump Dinner Guest Says 'Perfidious Jews' Should Be Executed

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Donald Trump because he dines with someone that wants me executed. Trump Dinner Guest Says 'Perfidious Jews' Should Be Executed

So Trump wants to kill Jews in your opinion?

 

[GreatLakes4Ever]

So Trump wants to kill Jews in your opinion?

Trump is at the very least willing to sit down and dine with someone who wants to kill Jews along with other non-Christians. Any rational person would turn down the invitation.

 

[Halbhh]

So Trump would be a threat to you and your interests? More so than Romney? Are you left leaning/secularist?

Trump isn't really a threat to me, as I'm older and in Christ and even if I died in some national strife Trump created, then it's simply that "To live is Christ, to die is gain." So, nothing in this world can truly hurt me in any ultimate way. But...Trump is a threat to many of my neighbors, and to younger people also who have a long time to live here in this nation generally. So, to obey "love your neighbor as yourself" I have to do my ordinary part to warn about dangers, as millions are doing. I don't put my faith in 'left' or 'right' worldly political stuff.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Because unlike establishment politicians who can safely ignore the religious right (Mitt Romney was never going to be as succesful as Trump was in getting rid of Roe) Trump needs the religious right as a base of support.

Trump being outside of the establishment of the right and left means he is less likely to cave to the pressures within the system to keep religion at arms length. Thus he has to please his coalition being more friendly to them.

Are we talking the same Trump who just recently pivoted and softened his public position on abortion?

And said this of six week abortion bans?
Asked whether Mr. DeSantis went too far by signing a six-week abortion ban, Mr. Trump replied: “I think what he did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake.”

“What’s going to happen is you’re going to come up with a number of weeks or months,” Mr. Trump said. “You’re going to come up with a number that’s going to make people happy.”

He made a promise that as president he would “sit down with both sides” and negotiate a deal on abortion that would result in “peace on that issue for the first time in 52 years.”

That sounds a lot like someone being willing to cave to social pressure does it not?

Perhaps saying that the GOP "needs the religious right" may be slightly misleading. What they need is the religious right to be at odds with the positions of the DNC on social issues so that it gives them an easy way to differentiate themselves.

If 60% of most religious cohorts of people in the country didn't care a whole lot about LGBT issues and Abortion one way or the other, do you think any of these non-establishment GOP politicians would even be talking about those issues?

Do you honestly believe Rinos and Neocons want to enact policy based on religious principles?

Can you quantify those terms? The word "RINO" gets tossed around a lot, but in the way I see most people using it, it doesn't have much substance.

It's become something a catchall to describe
"Any Republican who disagrees with Trump on anything"
or
"Any Republican who doesn't sufficiently agitate the left"

 

[FireDragon76]

How would Romney have actually delivered what Trump did? He's establishment and the establishment right does not like the religious right mainly because it conflicts with their liberal preferences.

Romney generally has been aligned with conservative Evangelicals, even if he doesn't share all aspects of their religious convictions.

Trump and MAGA, on the other hand, have hijacked and warped that movement into his own personality cult.

As for why he is liked vs the establishment. It's probably because Trump is more relatable and many on the religious right don't believe he has contempt for then like the Establisment right and left in DC do.

Trump isn't reliable at all. Trump is only loyal to Trump.

 

[dzheremi]

So you consider Trump more dangerous as an establishment Conservative who wanfs to maintain the current trajectory of the USA?

Trump wasn't "an establishment conservative" until a large chunk of the GOP lost their dang minds and decided to pivot towards whatever nonsense came out of his mouth, so I can't even answer the question as asked. I do believe that if I were a Republican, I'd probably be pretty ticked off that Trump is what passes for a conservative to some people, but that's neither here nor there, since I'm not one.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Because unlike establishment politicians who can safely ignore the religious right (Mitt Romney was never going to be as succesful as Trump was in getting rid of Roe) Trump needs the religious right as a base of support.

Trump being outside of the establishment of the right and left means he is less likely to cave to the pressures within the system to keep religion at arms length. Thus he has to please his coalition being more friendly to them.

The notion that Trump isn't an establishment politician at this point is nonsense. Not only is he a former president with a major party, but he basically has the GOP dancing at his fingers: killing bills in Congress, forcing the head of the party out, etc.

Do you honestly believe Rinos and Neocons want to enact policy based on religious principles?

I hope that no one would.

 

[QvQ]

Americans generally can make a fair guess at a person's religious affiliation.
It is the "talk."
Trump is Protestant. It is obvious.
Biden is Catholic, also obvious
Just from the way they view the world.
For Example, the current Pope has three agenda items of importance to him 1) immigration 2) climate change 3) transgender.
Biden has the same view as the Pope.
Whereas Trump has a different agenda, being a Protestant, wealth creation (capitalism) law and order, stability of existing systems are important.

Both Trump and Biden are men of "faith." And that is a lower case "faith" as a world view rather than a definition of character or saintliness.

 

[Halbhh]

I hope that no one would.

Trying to enact "Love your neighbor as yourself" as governmental policy....that would indeed be interesting to see.

But I get it that you are instead thinking of religious bigotry and hate, which might be stated like: "Mistreat your neighbors, judge them arrogantly, and jail them for only being themselves and harming no one" etc. -- as the 'religious' theocracy stuff you'd be concerned about I'd guess.