Phyllis Schlafly, an early supporter of the Religious Right, encouraged Christians to get behind Donald Trump in her final book, “The Conservative Case for Trump.”
The book, written with Ed Martin and Brett M. Decker, was released Tuesday, a day after her death. Despite the tabloid drama involved with Trump’s two divorces and bragging about his sex life in the past, Schlafly and the authors said the GOP candidate is “an old-fashioned man” who prioritizes family.
“Critics can, and will, go on and on about Trump having been married three times, and about how, in the past, he boasted about his indiscretions. But anyone who meets him today will meet an old-fashioned man grounded in his two great priorities — hard work and family — and a man who in other respects has led a remarkably clean life,” the authors wrote. “This ‘straight-edge’ living is remarkable especially for a man of such wealth and success.”
Trump, who is handily winning with evangelical voters according to the most recent Pew poll, will protect the Christian faith from Muslims abroad and the political left in the US, they wrote.
“Christianity is under attack around the world — most dramatically from Islamists, but also insidiously here at home with attacks on religious freedom,” they wrote. “Donald Trump has made a point about speaking out against the persecution of Christians abroad and against the left’s political correctness that is trying to ban public expressions of Christianity at home.”
“Trump is also outspoken on the need to defend Christians in Muslim countries and other countries where they are persecuted,” they added.
Trump has attracted attention for some of his past gaffes when it comes to faith, but the authors were confident that Trump’s faith would be a moral guide.
“Of his own religious background, he has volunteered that he grew up going to Sunday School Bible class every week at the First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, and as an adult, learned a lot about spirituality and the inner strength that comes from it by getting to know Norman Vincent Peale and attending his church,” they wrote.
“The importance Trump puts on personal faith inspires Trump to be vigilant against threats to the religious freedom of others. He has boldly asserted that when he is president, people will feel free to say ‘Merry Christmas’ again,” they added. “This is not merely an off-the-cuff applause line for religiously conservative campaign crowds but reflects his long-term thinking about the dangers of public pressure to suppress religious expression and sentiment.”
Trump — who called Schlafly a “conservative icon” Monday and said he was “honored” to have spent time with her — has racked up several high profile endorsements from evangelical leaders, including Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. Schlafly, Martin and Decker believe this proves his commitment to policies supported by conservative Christians.
“Trump has gone to great lengths to court national leaders in the social-conservative movement and has convinced many of the most prominent ones that he genuinely supports their policy positions,” they wrote.
