ELCA Bishop Protesting Trump

Whether you like Donald Trump or not, the statements and planned actions of Timothy Marcus Smith, Bishop of North Carolina Synod, ELCA are disgraceful. He is rallying people and going to a planned speaking engagement to protest against Donald Trump. It will be at Lenoir-Rhyne University, an ELCA school that has invited Mr. Trump to speak. 

Here is a part of what the bishop said last Friday:

"My position: This candidate, in my opinion not only as a private citizen but as a bishop in this Church, is a farce, an embarrassment, and a danger to nearly everything I hold dear. That he this late in the game is still leading one of our major political parties with his rhetoric fueled by fear and anger is diametrically opposed to any reckoning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I can imagine. Even leading 'Evangelicals' have said as much.

My plan: Assuming he indeed shows up, I plan to be there, clerical collar and bishop's cross on, to protest NOT the fact that he's there but his platform that would deny refugees access, that would invoke violence at every turn, and that would stir up bigotry and hatred. I could go on, but you get the point. I would be deeply honored to be the one escorted out or even punched out as the heckler that Trump so condescendingly points out at each rally. But I won't try to drive out hate with more hate and anger. I will stand there, pray, sing, march, chant, wave signs, whatever I need to do and with whatever consequence to say, 'This is not who we are, America. This is not who we are, North Carolina. This is not who we are, Church.' And I hope the reporters and the cameras are there, and I hope they might care what I/we have to say in the name of Jesus." (see here or the screenshots below)

ELCA bishop Timothy Marcus Smith has asked for others to join him and from the looks of the comments he is getting on Facebook, there will be a bunch of ELCA pastors and members doing just that. The bishop's Facebook post has garnered nearly 900 "likes." 

The bishop's statement is another example of the typical rhetoric of the ELCA and liberals --to brand anyone who disagrees with them on certain policies a "hater" or "racist." They have done so to Bible-believing Lutherans for at least the last 6 years. And is trying to silence someone and disrupt someone's speech really a Godly action? 

The ELCA is controlled by radical liberals who support their political causes while twisting Scripture to make it sound like they are on Christ's side. Name me one ELCA bishop that has gone to Washington D.C. to March for Life? Or how about an ELCA bishop protesting politicians who advocate killing of unborn children? That is a cause worth standing up for! But there are none.

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Update: Bishop Smith is now saying "After consultation with many, many people, I am for sure not going into the auditorium..." but he and those with him will be getting "as close to PE Monroe (the auditorium where Trump will speak) as the police and Secret Service will let us get." (see here)