Thousands have signed a petition launched by Christian organization Faithful America, pledging not to vote for Donald Trump and saying they were “horrified” by his recent remarks at the conservative Turning Point Action Believers’ Summit.
In its August 2 petition, Faithful America, a left-leaning group of Christians supporting social justice causes while opposing “Christian nationalism,” says that “the message is clear: Donald Trump—and his twisting of religion—are an existential threat to our democracy.”
The petition references the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot as a “violent Christian-nationalist insurrection.” On that day, thousands of Trump supporters stormed the federal building in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. The riot followed claims by Trump that the election had been stolen because of widespread voter fraud, although no evidence supports his claims. The insurrection resulted in one protester being shot dead, three other deaths and dozens of police officers injured.
Donald Trump gestures as he finishes speaking at the Turning Point Action Believers’ Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, on July 26. At the event, he urged Christians to vote in November’s election.
Donald Trump gestures as he finishes speaking at the Turning Point Action Believers’ Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, on July 26. At the event, he urged Christians to vote in November’s election.
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
As of Thursday morning, the petition, which is titled “I will vote against white Christian nationalism in 2024…and 2028,” has received over 11,200 signatures. The group’s goal is 4,000 more.
In late July, Trump addressed the Believers Summit held in West Palm Beach, Florida, urging Christians to vote in the upcoming election.
“Christians, get out and vote just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what? It will be fixed. It will be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians,” he said.
His comments drew wide criticism, with some recalling his remark on Fox News in December when he said he would be a dictator “on day one” if reelected.
Faithful America’s petition describes Trump’s remarks at the Florida event as “horrifying” and said they “should stop your blood cold.” It pledges that signees will use “the most powerful tool of our democracy—our ballots—to stop the man who would end it all,” a reference to the former president.
Newsweek reached out to Trump’s campaign and Faithful America for comment via email on Thursday.
Faithful America also dug into Project 2025, a nearly 900-page document produced by a right-wing think tank, the Heritage Foundation, that offers a conservative blueprint for the next Republican administration.
But Trump has sought to distance himself from Project 2025, saying he knows nothing about it or who helped draft it. However, in an interview with billionaire Elon Musk earlier this week, he reiterated one of the plan’s policy points: dismantling the Department of Education. Several high-profile figures working behind the scenes at Project 2025 have associations with Trump.
Faithful America petition said Project 2025 is “how he’ll try and end America’s existence as a multiracial, multicultural democracy and turn us into a Christofacist state,” referring to Christian fascism, a far-right political ideology.
“It’s un-American. And it’s also un-Christian. So no, Donald, we Christians WILL vote—in 2024, in 2028, in 2032, and beyond,” the petition concluded in a rebuke to Trump’s remarks at the Believers’ Summit.
Trump has a history of polling well among evangelical and conservative white Christians. The Associated Press reports that about 8 in 10 white evangelicals supported him in 2020.
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Publish date : 2024-08-15 06:07:00
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