White evangelicals blasted for backing Trump: ‘Where in the Bible does it say anything goes?’

White evangelicals were blasted in The Washington Post on Monday.

Less than one week before Christmas, Christianity Today magazine started a public debate over the morality of evangelicals supporting President Donald Trump.

The magazine -- founded by Billy Graham -- called for Trump's removal from office in an editorial.

“To use an old cliché, it’s time to call a spade a spade, to say that no matter how many hands we win in this political poker game, we are playing with a stacked deck of gross immorality and ethical incompetence … It will crash down on the reputation of evangelical religion and on the world’s understanding of the gospel," the editorial read.

The editorial enraged supporters of Franklin Grahm, who raged at his father's magazine as evangelical leaders panicked over after their integrity was called into question.

The debate continued on Monday with a Washington Post column by Eugene Robinson.

"Only now, nearly three years into his presidency, are some in the evangelical Christian community beginning to face what should have always been a central issue for anyone trying to lead a moral life: what Christianity Today, in an editorial advocating Trump’s removal from office, called the president’s 'bent and broken' character," he noted.

Robinson noted a key question raised by the editorial.

“Consider how your justification of Mr. Trump influences your witness to your Lord and Savior. Consider what an unbelieving world will say if you continue to brush off Mr. Trump’s immoral words and behavior in the cause of political expediency. If we don’t reverse course now, will anyone take anything we say about justice and righteousness with any seriousness for decades to come?” Evangelical Today wondered.

"The answer is no," Robinson told them.

"Evangelicals cannot have it both ways. They can’t claim to be a clarion voice of Christian values in the public square while at the same time behaving in politics like amoral secularists," he explained. "Why should anyone take them seriously if they talk the talk but won’t walk the walk?"

Robinson noted his criticism mainly applied to white evangelicals.

"I should note that we are talking primarily about white evangelicals, who form the core of Trump’s loyal base. I should also note that the president and his supporters, in reaction to the Christianity Today piece, are freaking out," he wrote. "But all the huffing and puffing just focuses more attention on the editorial and its powerful argument."

"Can a Christian movement completely ignore morality? Can it pretend not to know the difference between a leader who strives to be good and one who doesn’t? Tell me: Where in the Bible does it say anything goes?" Robinson asked.

Read the full column.