The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by David Brody & Scott Lamb: on Principles & Values

Donald Trump: I really believe the Lord is speaking to me

[TV evangelist Paula]ÿWhite discovered that Trump loves Southern Gospel music and one of his favorites is Bill Gaither, [whom Trump saw] on Christian TV. For a birthday or anniversary she would send him Gaither tapes, along with books & sermons. "Have I had in-depth spiritual conversations with Trump? Absolutely," White said. "Let me say something very literal about our president: 100% he has a relationship with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior."

In 2012, Trump called White and told her he was thinking of running for president. There was a time for prayer as he pondered the decision. Of course he didn't run then, but he called her again in 2015 and told her, "I really believe the Lord is speaking to me, that maybe I'm supposed to run for president.' I asked him, 'As my friend, what can I do for you? He asked me to bring some pastors in to him, and I did." Time & again, White and various pastors have surrounded Trump and placed their hands on his shoulders as prayers were spoken.

Source: The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by Brody & Lamb, p.135 Feb 3, 2018

Donald Trump: Uses wealth to declare his competence and he can't be bought

Trump uses his wealth to state two facts about himself: (1) I'm competent, & (2) I can't be bought.

"I'm not doing that to brag because, you know what? I don't have to brag, I don't have to, believe it or not. I'm doing that to say that's the kind of thinking our country needs . We need that thinking. We have the opposite thinking. We have losers. We have losers. We have people that don't have it. We have people that are morally corrupt. We have people that are selling this country down the drain."

Source: The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by Brody & Lamb, p.145 Feb 3, 2018

Donald Trump: Not sure if he's ever asked God for forgiveness

[Trump was asked], "Have you ever asked God for forgiveness?"

I am not sure I have. I just try to go and do a better job from there. I don't think so. I think if I do something wrong, I just try to go back and make it right. I don't bring God into that picture. I don't.

Now when I take, you know, when I go to church, and drink my little wine, which is about the only wine I drink, and have my little cracker, I guess that is my forgiveness. And I do that as often as possible because I feel cleansed, ok? But you know, to me, that is important I do that. In terms of officially-see, I could tell you, "Absolutely"-and everybody-I don't think in terms of that.

Source: The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by Brody & Lamb, p.150-151 Feb 3, 2018

Donald Trump: God helped me by giving me a certain brain

[Trump was asked], "Does God help you do these great deals?"

"I think God helped me by giving me a certain brain, whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. I went through a phenomenal school, The Wharton School of Finance. I did really well there. I was a great student. So I mean, I was born with a certain intellect that is good for this."

Trump attributed his intellectual and financial success in life to God's gifting. Such attribution is a common religious practice-Thanksgiving.

Source: The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by Brody & Lamb, p.153 Feb 3, 2018

Donald Trump: The Bible is like a great, incredible movie

Trump compared the Bible to a great movie or a great work of art.

"I don't like to use this anthology, but like a great movie, a great incredible movie. You'll see it once it will be good. You'll see it again, you'll see it twenty times, and every time you'll appreciate it more. The bible is the most special thing.

My colleagues and I left portions of the interview on the editing room floor. Such is the nature of broadcast news that you only use a small portion of the material you obtain.

Source: The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by Brody & Lamb, p.162 Feb 3, 2018

Donald Trump: Respects evangelical leaders on prayer and on policy

His respect for the clergy and evangelical leaders is apparent. He not only values their prayers and spiritual counsel in private, But he also respects their public policy knowledge on the issues of the day as well. His evangelical advisory board is concrete evidence of that. Michelle Bachmann, the former Minnesota congresswoman and 2012 presidential candidate, is part of that select group of evangelicals around the president who applaud how he is leaning into them. "For too long Christians have been excluded from the table in decision making in Washington DC," Bachmann said. "They (Trump and Pence) do not shy away, nor are they ashamed with being associated with evangelical Christians. In fact, they take the advice, they do listen to the advice of the evangelical Christians." Source: The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by Brody & Lamb, p.274-275 Feb 3, 2018

Donald Trump: Always felt the need to pray; needs God more as president

During his first term we know that Trump has rarely attended church. And while we know that going to church regularly is good for the soul and for building community with other believers, we also acknowledge that ultimately God measures a man's heart, not his church attendance record. A lack of church attendance doesn't necessarily translate into lack of spiritual significance. We know he is constantly surrounded by evangelical leaders who pray with him and for him on consistent basis. Nobody except for God and Trump will know the consistency of his prayer life, but in an interview I conducted with the president during his first week in office, he gave signs that he relies on a power higher than his own. "I've always felt the need to pray." Trump told me. "So I would say that the office is so powerful that you need God even more. There's almost not a decision that you make when you're sitting in this position that isn't a life altering decision. So God comes into it even more so." Source: The Faith of Donald J. Trump, by Brody & Lamb, p.285-286 Feb 3, 2018

The above quotations are from The Faith of Donald J. Trump A Spiritual Biography by David Brody & Scott Lamb. Click here for definitions & background information on Principles & Values. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Donald Trump on Principles & Values.
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