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White House Office of Faith [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-02-09

It was just on Friday when I wrote Trump gets Religion. Later that day, Trump had a new executive order called Establishment of the White House Faith Office.

It didn't take too long before people were saying it was unconstitutional, but it was backed up by a number of executive orders by George W. Bush from 2002 to 2006, and then one in 2010.

However, Trump seems to have gone way beyond Bush's orders. He singles out Christianity and Judaism with talk about anti-Christian and anti-semitism in various aspects of life.

Tell me if you think this sounds right:

"The executive branch wants faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship, to the fullest extent allowed by law, to compete on the level playing field for grants, contracts, programs, and other Federal funding opportunities."

He does say to the fullest extent allowed by law. Then he starts going in a possibly unconstitutional direction.

"... and enforce the Constitution's guarantee of religious liberty and to ending any form of religious discrimination by the Federal government."

See what he did there? He's implying that there had been religious discrimination by the Biden administration. Which is simply crazy because Biden is a devout Catholic, where Trump is a, well we won't get into that.

"... to the extent permitted by law, the office shall: From time to time, consult with and seek information from experts of various faiths and community leaders, identified by the White House Faith Office and other EOP (Executive Office of the President) components, including those from outside the Federal Government and those from State, local, and Tribal governments."

The key line is "identified by the White House Faith Office." They get to pick and choose who they think is qualified as being an expert.

"These experts and leaders shall be identified based on their expertise in a broad range of areas in which faith-based entities, community organizations and houses of worship operate, including protecting women and children, strengthening marriage and family, lifting up individuals through work and self-sufficiency, defending religious liberty, combating anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, and additional forms of anti-religious bias."

He doesn't mention that there are any other religions that qualify. He just says other "forms of anti-religious bias." So, he has singled out Christianity and Judaism. No other religions need to apply. If you don't include all religions, then it is unconstitutional. It also assumes that everyone must be religious, leaving out atheists and agnostics. It is possible for people who don't believe in God to still be good people and do good deeds. He's also leaving out Satanists. That also is a faith. So is Hinduism, Buddhism, and dozens of other religions. He mentions Tribal government, but he's not talking about Native American religions. He's talking about Christians on Tribal lands. So, unless I'm missing something, he's only recognized two religions as being valid. That is unconstitutional.

Then he goes into favoritism for government money and support.

"... coordinate with all agencies to implement training and education throughout the country for faith-based entity grantees to build their capacity to procure grants;"

Because only two religions have been designated as valid, it sounds like favoritism for Christian and Judaic organizations and getting grants. Also unconstitutional.

"...support agencies in developing and implementing training and education regarding religious liberty, exceptions, accommodations, or exemptions;"

Exemptions. We're talking about Hobby Lobby. We're talking about the cake maker that won't make a wedding cake for a gay couple. We're talking about a web designer that won't design sites for LGBTQ+ people. Accommodations sounds like favoritism to the qualified religions over non-religious organizations. Exceptions are for state laws that supposedly burden religious beliefs. What about those non-religious based nonprofits?

"... consult with public and private businesses regarding their policies for employee volunteerism, charitable giving, and payroll deductions;"

Payroll deductions. What might he be talking about? A tithe? Looked it up. It is legal. It is done.

But pushing employees for volunteerism and charitable giving is against labor laws. We will have to see if the National Labor Relations Board is still able to function after what Trump and Musk will do to it.

"... coordinate with agencies in identifying and promoting grant opportunities for non-profit faith-based entities, community organizations, and houses of worship, especially those inexperienced with public funding but operate effective programs."

Inexperienced. Let's spend government money to teach people how to get government money. Possibly okay, but again what about nonprofits that are completely without religious influence?

"The Directors of each Center of Faith shall oversee their respective agency's efforts to assist in carrying out this order, and shall report in such efforts to agency leadership and the office."

I read through it a number of times, but I believe it says that every single government agency is going to have a faith-based liaison officer. Every single one of them.

"Agencies that lack a Center of Faith shall appoint or designate a Faith Liaison within the agency to oversee the agency's efforts to assist this Office in carrying out this order and to report such efforts to agency leadership and the Office. All such agencies, shall, designate, or appoint such a Faith Liason within 90 days of the date of this order."

I'm still reading it as every single governmental agency is going to have a Faith Liaison.

This definitely seems to be a case of the government recognizing and making a state religion. Or religions. That's against the First Amendment. Religious liberty for all, not just one. Or two.

It's been written in such a way that it seems innocent, but it's not. There are key words and phrases that give it away.

To direct this theocracy, Trump named televangalist Paula White-Cain.

Paula White-Cain.

Even far right Christians call her a heretic. Up until now she has been Trump's "spiritual" advisor. She's a mega church pastor from Florida. Amazing how many connected people from Florida are in or close to the Trump administration. And how many being chosen are blonde women.

She uses the evangelist trick of telling her flock that they have to support her, even if they are struggling to make ends meet, or God would kill their dreams.

In 2019, she told her TV show's viewers that states had passed laws declaring the Bible to be hate speech, and that's why Trump's judicial appointments needed to be confirmed.

"She is a proponent of 'prosperity theology,' which teaches that God rewards the truly faithful with material worlds and personal success."

You can trace her type of snake oil salesman back to evangelist Oral Roberts. It's been used for many decades to con vulnerable churchgoers.

The Christian MAGA right took to social media to bemoan Trump's choice.

"Even though President Trump is enforcing laws that line up with our values, that does not mean he has any clue what Christianity is or why it matters. Paula White is a known heretic and known false teacher who has no regard for the Gospel of Jesus Christ," Christian podcast jost John Mason wrote on X.

He wasn't the only one. Others had even worse words about her.

"Paula White, head of Trump's White House Faith Office, is no Christian leader. She teaches the heresies of Word of Faith & Prosperity Gospel, both utterly opposed to authentic Christianity. Worse, she has lived a life of scandal, with multiple husbands, twisting the Gospel for profit," wrote Scott Ross, who called her appointment an abomination.

If that wasn't enough, even more were upset with the choice.

"This is the worst decision President Trump has made since taking office... Paula White is a heretic, who peddles a Prosperity Gospel. Plus, pastors should not be women, according to the Bible," wrote conservative commentator Jon Root.

Not only is this new White House Office of Faith unconstitutional, it's going to be run by a huckster who fits right in with Trump's merchandise grifting. Expect her to soon be selling Trump's made in China Bibles, unless Trump has too much fun selling those himself.

The Christian far-right has bent over backwards in supporting Trump to get Trump elected to get what they wanted. I'm sure they would have been quite happy with the White House Office of Faith by itself, but Trump has made an egregiously bad choice this time with Paula White-Cain. It will come back to bite him.

This is what Trump wants to make us all endure. Note Paula on the right.

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