Reacting to comments from Christian leader Russell Moore that pastors nationwide are growing alarmed by the number of members of their congregations who appear to heed the words of Donald Trump over Jesus Christ, a Christian author tried to downplay the report which led "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough to snap at him.
In an interview with NPR, Moore stated, "Multiple pastors tell me, essentially, the same story about quoting the Sermon on the Mount, parenthetically, in their preaching — 'turn the other cheek' — [and] to have someone come up after to say, 'Where did you get those liberal talking points?'"
After watching the interview clip, the MSNBC host asked Daniel Darling, author of "Agents of Grace: How to Bridge Divides and Love As Jesus Loved," if he is observing the same change in attitude among evangelicals.
"Well, I think it's a minority," Darling protested. "I think, first of all we live in a divisive age. So, you know, with the digital age, with the global pandemic, with racial tension, these are interesting times and so I think the whole country's been caught up in divisiveness, but I think as Christians we have an opportunity to show something different, and I think every family has a few crazy uncles."
READ MORE: Fani Willis 'has evidence to charge multiple' Trump allies with breaching voting machines: report
"But Daniel, it's not a minority!" Scarborough shot back with his voice rising. "I don't mean to be rude, it's not a minority. It's all of my friends I grew up with in the Southern Baptist church. It's not a minority. It's my family members -- it's not a minority. There is a widespread infection across believers who used to think the story of Jesus Christ was the greatest story ever told who have substituted now temporal politics for an eternal faith, right?"
"Am I-- am I just -- do I just hang out with the wrong Southern Baptist friends?" he prompted.
"Apparently because, you know, the Southern Baptists I hang out with for the most part aren't thinking about those things," he said. "They're thinking about how to raise their families and serve the communities and, in fact, Southern Baptists have the third largest disaster relief operation right now."
"I know that," the MSNBC host conceded.
"They're mobilizing to places like Maui. They're in places like Poland helping refugees from Ukraine and I think we have an issue with divisiveness and we need to work on loving each other as Christ told us to," he added.
"But I don't think it's the majority," he elaborated. "I think there are divisive people in every family. I think evangelicals like every family struggle with that, and I think many people are weary and tired of the fighting; many people are ready for leaders."
Watch the video below or at this link.
MSNBC 08 11 2023 07 48 09youtu.be
