Is the Supreme Court the password in the evangelists relationship with Trump?

Mohammed Al-Minshawi-Washington

Just three years ago, 81% of evangelical voters voted in favor of then-Republican candidate Donald Trump, and today the relationship between the two sides is undergoing a new test on the threshold of the 2020 presidential presidencies, and the Supreme Court is likely to be the password to fix this fractured relationship.

The rifting ties are due to an unprecedented debate and debate taking place in evangelical circles about its support for President Trump, in light of the reactions to the editorial of "Christianity Today" that called for the removal of President Trump.

The editorial position was consistent with historical positions taken by the prominent Evangelical magazine during the process of isolating the former Republican President Richard Nixon in 1974, and Democratic President Bill Clinton 1998.

In the Nixon Affair, in its editorial, “There is no doubt that whoever voted for President Nixon in the 1972 elections lost faith in him. Whether Nixon was convicted or acquitted, and whether or not he was removed, (Nixon) is behind the Watergate crisis and has to bear responsibility and leave. ".

She took a similar position with Clinton, and said, "The failure of President Clinton to tell the truth even after what has been revealed has been threatening the fabric of the American nation, and despite the repeated politicians denouncing the electoral promises, they, after reaching power, should not lie and they must tell the truth, especially if they swore to that".

Hence, it was not surprising that the opening of the last magazine, entitled "Trump must be isolated," has shocked the evangelists' faith and confidence in the president who gave them their votes.

The editorial editor for the magazine, Mark Galley, believes that Trump "has lost the moral basis for judgment."

"It's a left-leaning magazine and its companions don't know how to read the text of an excellent phone call," an editorial bothered Trump, who tweeted angrily.

Trump was referring to his call with Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelinsky, after which she launched investigations calling for the removal of the US President.

Trump described the editorial author as "unbelieving, who wants to strip you of your religion and your weapons."

Evangelists between unity and division
Evangelicals describe their Christian counterparts who vote for the Democratic Party as "unreal Christians."

On Trump's moral crisis, student Christine Reyes of the Caven Evangelical University says, "Like many young evangelists, I feel that we have become politically homeless. Trump no longer represents us, and we cannot vote for him again."

The relative distance between some groups of evangelicals and Trump began following his strict policies toward immigrants from Central American countries.

The policy of separating immigrant children from their families and detaining them in inhumane conditions has left a deep rift between evangelicals and Trump.

Reyes sees the gap between evangelicals and Trump growing, and says that their youth does not care about Trump's policies opposed to "homosexual" rights or toward abortion and immigration issues.

On the other hand, nearly two hundred evangelical community leaders, Trump supporters, have sent a message criticizing the "Christianity Today" magazine.

"Your offensive article questioned the spiritual integrity and Christian testimony of tens of millions of believers who take their civil and moral obligations seriously," the letter said.

Evangelical leaders added, "Your article not only targeted our president, but also those who supported him among us."

The Secret of the Supreme Court
But it is possible that the evangelical consensus will remain on Trump, given that he has made the Supreme Court lean towards issues that are the focus of this community's interests.

Professor Emerson Silvernell of Calvin University explains the evangelists' support for Donald Trump by saying that "the most important issue relates to Trump's choices for Supreme Constitutional Court judges, and these choices were the most important justification for Trump's support."

But he added, "I'm not sure whether to vote for him in 2020."

On the other hand, some evangelical community leaders justify Trump's behavior and support for him by saying, "He is like a husband who abuses his wife, but at the same time he is a caring father for his children and provides for his home everything they need, and we must accept him in the end and give him all the support."

The centrality of the Supreme Court in this field stems from its decisions that transcend the legislative and executive powers, towards issues of critical importance to religious Christians.

The court plays the decisive role in relation to abortion, gay marriage and religious school curricula, and these issues are the most important among conservative evangelicals.

Tilt for conservatives
Trump has appointed two judges to the Supreme Constitutional Court, which has moved her from a liberal-controlled court to a conservative-oriented court.

The appointment of Judge Neil Goric and Judge Brett Kavanaugh was consistent with the preferences of leaders of conservative evangelical groups.

Governors are expected to dominate the court with the prospect of stepping down or the death of two liberal judges, Judge Ruth Ginsburg, 86, who suffers from multiple ailments, and Judge Stephen Brier, 81, both of them a choice of Democratic President Bill Clinton.

94% of Republicans oppose Trump's removal, according to opinion polls conducted during the months of July and August.

After the investigations were completed and the House of Representatives voted to condemn Trump, support for Republicans did not change, as it reached 93%, according to data from the Institute for Interfaith Research.