In his August newsletter, Dr. James Dobson wrote a first-hand account of his meeting in Manhattan with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in June.
“There were 1,000 Christian leaders at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel that day, where most of us stayed,” he wrote. “Our purpose was not to endorse Mr. Trump, but to have a candid ‘conversation’ with him. We wanted to ask the candidate specific questions about his personal views and policies, and to ascertain how he will govern, if given the opportunity.”
Dobson wrote the day “began early” at the Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue with “about 40 well-known Christian leaders” meeting with Trump in his 25th floor conference room. Among that group, about 25 were asked to serve on his Evangelical Executive Advisory Board.
“The initial meeting at the Trump Tower opened with him speaking briefly, followed by introductory remarks from Jerry Falwell, Jr., and a prayer by Franklin Graham,” he wrote. “I was then given the opportunity to pose the first question, as follows:
“Mr. Trump, I’m sure you know that the Pilgrims came to our shores in 1620, seeking freedom to worship as their consciences dictated. Their passion for Jesus Christ became ingrained in the American soul, and greatly influenced our Founding Fathers as they formed a new government in the 18th century. These men wrote and passed the historic U.S. Constitution, and added to it a Bill of Rights shortly thereafter. It consisted of 10 Amendments guaranteeing specific liberties for the American people. There has never been anything like it in the history of the world. The first of the 10 Amendments secured religious liberties for all citizens and provided the foundation for the other nine.
“In recent years, however, there has been a growing assault on these rights, notably religious liberty. Our Supreme Court has struck down Bible reading in schools and even prohibited prayer to an unidentified God. Then, they banned the posting of the Ten Commandments on bulletin boards. From there, the limitation on religious liberties has become even more egregious.
“Most recently, President Obama and Hillary Clinton have been referring to ‘freedom of worship,’ rather than ‘freedom of religion.’ Do you understand their motive? They are suggesting that Americans are free to worship in their churches and synagogues, but not in the public square.
“Sir, if you are elected president, how will you protect our religious liberties? Will we have to fight another revolutionary war to secure those rights to worship, think and speak?”
Dobson continued with Trump’s answer, as well as the media firestorm that erupted later in the day. Click here to read the entire dispatch.
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