White House Dinner for Christian Conservatives
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, September 28, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
If you have referred to President Trump as “King Cyrus,” this may encourage you. On August 27th he hosted a White House dinner for Christian conservative activists and declared “the attacks on communities of faith are over” under his watch and vowed to help “uplift our nation in prayer, defend the sanctity of life, and forever proudly remain one nation under God.”
Dinner guests included Vice President and Mrs. Pence, the First Lady, Pastor Paula White, Alveda King, Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell, Darrell Scott, Robert Jeffress, Ralph Reed, Tony Perkins, Lester Warner, Dr. and Mrs. James Dobson, who were celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary, two Cabinet Secretaries and an Ambassador.
After extending prayers and condolences to the Jacksonville shooting victims and Senator McCain’s family, President Trump’s report of his administration’s accomplishments was often interrupted with applause.For example: Mr. Trump was the first president to stand in the Rose Garden to address the March for Life. He brought the Faith and Opportunity Initiative into the White House; and proposed regulations to stop subsidizing abortion through Title 10. His administration acted to stop the Johnson Amendment’s interference with religious liberty and defended the conscience clause for health professionals, educators, students, preachers and faith groups.
The Administration has spoken against religious persecution around the world. Administrative action caused an American pastor and other hostages to be released and brought home from Korea, while the fight for Pastor Brunson’s release in Turkey has continued.
African-, Hispanic-, and Asian-American unemployment recently achieved their lowest rates ever recorded in U.S. history. Women’s unemployment is the lowest it’s been in 65 years. Youth unemployment reached the lowest rate in nearly 50 years and unemployment for Americans without a high school diploma reached its lowest rate ever.
Advanced prison reform gives former inmates a second chance and they’re getting jobs after their release. The president said, “Every day we’re standing for religious believers because we know that faith and family, not government and bureaucracy, are the center of American life and we know freedom is a gift from our Creator.” A John Adams prayer is carved into the fireplace of the State Dining Room where the dinner was held. In closing remarks, President Trump commented again, “Together, we will uplift our nation in prayer, defend the sanctity of life, and forever proudly remain one nation under God.”
At that dinner, President and Mrs. Trump were presented an inscribed Bible signed by over a hundred Christians. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent