Robert Jeffress, Trump's controversial pastor who thinks Islam promotes 'pedophilia' and homosexuality is filthy
President Donald Trump on Saturday, April 11, announced that he is set to watch his evangelical adviser, Pastor Robert Jeffress' Easter Sunday service on April 12. Jeffress, a Texan pastor, has had a controversial past, with many around the president concerned about his association with the evangelical due to his extreme right-wing views.
The 64-year-old, who is also a Fox News contributor, earned degrees from two universities and two seminaries, married his love from high school and raised two daughters. The pastor plays piano, writes books on the side, and by his own admission, has never had alcohol in his life, except for a Jack Daniels ice cream at a restaurant. However, despite a seemingly perfect family and a life devoid of excesses, the pastor's professional history has been largely sensational.
Pastor of the 4,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas, Jefferess, has sparked multiple controversies throughout his life, particularly for his anti-Islam and homophobic comments. Being an ardent supporter of Trump, he has often defended the Republican on multiple fronts, be it his alleged extramarital sexual relations with adult-film star Stormy Daniels, or his reported controversial description of African nations, calling them "s***holes."
Islam 'promotes pedophilia'
Jeffress, in a taped church segment in Dallas 2010, had sparked controversy within the religious community by slamming Islam and claiming that the religion "promotes pedophilia." The evangelical, in the segment, said: "The deep, dark, dirty secret of Islam: It is a religion that promotes pedophilia – sex with children. This so-called prophet Muhammad raped a 9-year-old girl – had sex with her."
Despite widespread outrage, the pastor stood by his comments weeks later, and even rallied Christians and conservatives to stand up to "this evil, evil religion."
Homosexuality is 'filthy'
The pastor also denigrated the LGBTQ community in a series of sermons titled "Politically Incorrect," where he explained, "why gay is not OK." Jeffress preached, "It is so degrading that it is beyond description," he said while referring to same-sex attraction. "And it is their filthy behavior that explains why they are so much more prone to disease," he said, according to D Magazine.
Jeffress, in the same sermon, also encouraged parents to not sever ties with gay children but not to welcome their "homosexual lover."
"You don't have to invite their homosexual lover into your home," he said. "But let your son or daughter always know that you love them."
Obama paving way for Antichrist
Jeffress also slandered political leaders, including former President Barack Obama, claiming that he was clearing the way for the Antichrist by supporting gay marriage. The pastor, in his 2014 book 'Perfect Ending' wrote: "While I am not suggesting that President Obama is the Antichrist, the fact that he was able to propose such a sweeping change in God's law and still win re-election by a comfortable margin illustrates how a future world leader will be able to oppose God's laws without any repercussions."
Trump chosen by God
Jeffress, who has made no secret of his Republic aligning, in contrast, agreed with President Trump's followers, stating that he has been chosen by God to run the United States. The pastor, citing the New Testament in August 2017, also commented on America's relations with North Korea, and said: "In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un."
The pastor also defended Trump during the 2018 Stormy Daniels' scandal, as he brushed off reports of an extramarital affair by saying voters "knew they weren't voting for an altar boy" when they elected him to be the president.
Considering Jeffress's fervent support of the president, it is hardly a surprise why Trump has not paid heed to the pastor's controversial past.
Trump, on Saturday, said that he will watch the pastor's service remotely, marking it as the first time the Republican will remain in Washington DC for the Easter weekend ever since he assumed the presidency.