Trump to Christian Right Conference: 'We Are Under Siege,' 'God's Glorious Wisdom Will Shine'
Speaking to a room full of social conservatives Thursday, President Donald Trump declared that God's truth will prevail against the "hatred" and "prejudice" that the "entrenched interest" has toward religion and faith in the United States.
Trump gave a keynote address at the Faith & Freedom Coalition annual "Road to Majority" conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. in which he proclaimed that the values of religious conservatives are "under siege" in the United States.
"We will always support our evangelical community and defend your right and the right of all Americans to follow and to live by the teachings of their faith. As you know, we are under siege," Trump said. "You understand that, but we will come out bigger, better and stronger than ever."
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Trump warned the crowd that the "entrenched interest" and "failed bitter voices" in Washington will do everything in their power to try and foil "this righteous cause" and to try and "stop all of you."
"They will lie. They will obstruct. They will spread their hatred and their prejudice but we will not back down from doing what is right," Trump assured. "Because, as the Bible tells us, we know that the truth will prevail, that God's glorious wisdom will shine through and that the good and decent people of this country will get the change they voted for and they so richly deserve."
"Nothing worth doing ever came easy but we know how to fight better than anybody and we never ever will give up," Trump continued. "We are winners and we are going to fight and win and have an unbelievable future ... and it's going to be together."
Trump detailed many of the campaign promises that he has been able to fill thus far in the beginning months of his presidency.
After mentioning how he withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate change agreement, reinstated the Mexico City Policy, appointed Justice Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court and listed other accomplishments, Trump spoke about the executive order on religious freedom that he signed last month.
The order instructs the Internal Revenue Service to not target churches, pastors and religious organizations for prosecution under the Johnson Amendment for simply engaging in political speech. Additionally, it instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to consider ways to accommodate religious freedom concerns to Obamacare's contraception mandate. The order also calls on the Justice Department to issue guidance interpreting religious liberty protections under law.
"I just want to congratulate everybody in this room because that was a big deal and it was a very important thing for me to do for you and we are not finished yet," Trump said about the order. "Believe me, we are not finished yet."
"As long as I am president, no one is going to stop you from practicing your faith and preaching what is in your heart," Trump added. "We have taken a very, very strong position and you picked a winner."
In addition to ensuring that pastors and churches have the right to speak freely, Trump added that schools should embrace faith so that "children to know the blessings of God."
"Schools should not be a place that drives out faith and religion but that should welcome faith and religion with wide open, beautiful arms," Trump asserted. "Faith inspires us to be better, to be stronger, to be more caring and giving and more determined to act in selfless and courageous defense of what is good and what is right."
Trump declared that "it's time to put a stop to the attacks on religion" and vowed to "end the discrimination against people of faith."
"In America, we don't worship government. We worship God," he said. "Our religious liberty is enshrined in the very first amendment in the Bill of Rights. The American founders invoked our Creator four times in the Declaration of Independence. Don't worry, we are not going to let them change it."
After speaking about the increasing threat of Islamic radical terror, Trump proclaimed that his administration is "determined to work with you to protect religious liberty" for everyone.
"Together, we can crush the horrors of terrorism," he stated. "We can usher in a new era of faith, family and freedom because we understand that a nation is more than just geography. A nation is the sum of its citizens, their hopes, their dreams, their values and prayers."
"As long as we have pride in our beliefs, courage in our convictions and faith in our God, then we will not fail," Trump concluded. "As long as our country remains true to its values, loyal to its citizens and devoted to its Creator, then our best days again because we will make America great again."
