Conservative Twitter Responds to Religious Liberty EO on National Day of Prayer
Many Conservatives aren't happy with the executive order President Trump signed today.
Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. President Donald Trump marked the day by signing his highly anticipated religious liberty executive order.
Trump’s religious freedom promises appealed to voters during the election season. He seemed to be keeping that promise early on in his first 100 days. In February a version of Thursday’s executive order leaked to the press. The draft contained strong protections for religious businesses and ministries.
But many conservatives are warning that the final version is worse than the initial draft. They claim it lacks some necessary components for protecting religious freedom. They took to Twitter to express their misgivings.
National Day of Prayer Festivities
On Wednesday Trump hosted some prominent Christian figures for a dinner at the White House. Conservative commentator Eric Metaxas posed for a photo with Christian singer Stephen Curtis Chapman.
With @StevenCurtis Chapman discussing the privilege of our evening in the @WhiteHouse w/religious leaders & the Prez. #NationalDayofPrayer pic.twitter.com/I0eqlhWyK1
— Eric Metaxas (@ericmetaxas) May 4, 2017
Pastor Franklin Graham also tweeted about the Wednesday dinner. “I thank God that we have a president who seeks the counsel of men and women of God,” Graham posted on Facebook. Graham said Trump’s executive order “helps protect churches and Christian organizations.”
Last night I was at the @WhiteHouse for dinner with other pastors and Christian leaders from across the country. https://t.co/v8FHVvyxdb pic.twitter.com/kcdKJgBtU9
— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) May 4, 2017
Speculation and Criticism
During a press briefing Wednesday night, the White House gave journalists a one-pager noting the order’s major highlights. Bloomberg reporter Jennifer Jacobs tweeted a photo.
Here's the one-pager White House aides handed out in briefing room tonight on tomorrow's religious liberty executive order. pic.twitter.com/Bd8KF1KCbL
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) May 4, 2017
Conservative critiques came quickly. They claimed the protections listed were too vague or not enough. Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation feared it was “woefully inadequate.”
If the @realDonaldTrump EO on religious liberty ends up being what media outlets are currently reporting, then it'll be woefully inadequate.
— Ryan T. Anderson (@RyanTAnd) May 4, 2017
Russell Moore, President of the Southern Baptist’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, agreed.
Let's hope media outlets are wrong. Religious freedom is in the best interest of all Americans, of whatever faith or political bent. https://t.co/3qqoAzTJjf
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) May 4, 2017
According to the one-pager, freeing churches from the Johnson Amendment seemed to be a major focus of the order. The Johnson Amendment prevents pastors from endorsing candidates from the pulpit. Trump consistently promised to repeal the law during his campaign. But some on Twitter claimed it wasn’t a top concern for many pastors. New York Times columnist Ross Douthat tweeted the issue “has literally never come up” in his conversations with religious leaders.
In years of conversations w/religious leaders worried about their institutions' liberties, Johnson amendment has literally never come up.
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) May 4, 2017
That drew this response from Andrew Kloster from The Federalist:
https://twitter.com/ARKloster/status/860113790943330304
Pastor and professor Ed Stetzer tweeted a 2012 Christianity Today article reporting that most pastors don’t approve of pulpit endorsements.
https://twitter.com/edstetzer/status/860164789489848323
National Review writer Ian Tuttle tweeted a critical statement regarding the order from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a Christian non-profit legal organization.
https://twitter.com/iptuttle/status/860139624483696641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fstream.flywheelsites.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost-new.php
National Review columnist David French also praised ADF’s statement.
Good work by my friends at @AllianceDefends. The EO doesn't do anything meaningful (it may even be dangerous, as I'll explain in a piece) https://t.co/XqavgMJJnr
— David French (@DavidAFrench) May 4, 2017
Trump’s Rose Garden Remarks
Later Thursday morning Trump addressed a group in the White House Rose Garden. News outlets, including Fox News, tweeted excerpts from his speech. Trump said he was “giving our churches their voices back.” He also said “no one should be censoring sermons or targeting pastors.”
.@POTUS: "We are giving our churches their voices back." #nationaldayofprayer pic.twitter.com/uBKYvRLkJ6
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 4, 2017
.@POTUS: "No one should be censoring sermons or targeting pastors." #nationaldayofprayer pic.twitter.com/M4kqSpZDjw
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 4, 2017
After his remarks, the president signed the order.
MOMENTS AGO: @POTUS signs religious liberty executive order on #nationaldayofprayer. https://t.co/voG1RCB7rL pic.twitter.com/sTKSNeLKuf
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 4, 2017
Who Has the Text?
Meanwhile, Twitter users were looking for a copy of the order’s complete text.
So who's got the actual text of this thing?
— Zack Ford (@ZackFord) May 4, 2017
Anybody have actual EO text?
— Ryan T. Anderson (@RyanTAnd) May 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/joecarter/status/860173455462993920
Yahoo News reporter Jon Ward tweeted what appeared to be the final order.
I'm told this is the final language. Will wait to see WH release it for sure but can at least get a head start on reading. pic.twitter.com/Ktyi7voCCq
— Jon Ward (@jonward11) May 4, 2017
The full text of the order is now on the White House website and can be read here.
Disappointment — But Hope
Moore tweeted he was thankful the order affirmed “the need to protect religious freedom.” But he added that “much, much more” is needed.
Grateful for Executive Order's affirmation of the need to protect religious freedom. Much, much more needed, especially from Congress.
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) May 4, 2017
ADF released another statement regarding the order after its signing. In it, ADF President Michael Farris says the order leaves certain religious liberty promises “unfulfilled,” but also “provides hope” that more action is to come.
ADF CEO Michael Farris comments on @POTUS's signing of the #religiousfreedom executive order https://t.co/huMyTSlJpO pic.twitter.com/apvyt6D4Vf
— Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) May 4, 2017
Stream contributor and Colson Center President John Stonestreet tweeted, “If the #ExecutiveOrder is a first step, it’s a tiny, tiny one at best.”
If the #ExecutiveOrder is a first step, it's a tiny, tiny one at best. Not enough on #HHSMandate, nothing on conscience in public square.
— John Stonestreet (@JBStonestreet) May 4, 2017
A small step, perhaps. But for Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, a significant step in defending religious liberty.
President Trump is taking a significant first step to defending religious liberty. https://t.co/rUSZxihGh6
— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) May 4, 2017
