The Freedom From Religion Foundation is again calling on the Trump administration to dissolve its embarrassing White House bible study after the head preacher recently spouted coronavirus-related bigotry.
The White House bible study is led by Ralph Drollinger, who formed Capitol Ministries in order to “birth ongoing outposts for Christ,” aiming to insert his toxic brand of Christianity into the highest levels of state and federal government. Last week’s bible study, a response to the pandemic titled “Is God Judging America Today?”, blamed gays, “ungodliness” and even environmentalism for the coronavirus. “Since God is just, and sin must and will be paid for, wrath — the righteousness of God revealed against sin — is an inevitable consequence,” Drollinger lectured.
In painful detail, the preacher then dissected several flavors of godly wrath. Drollinger intoned that he had an “encouraging” conclusion: The pandemic is not an example of “forsaking wrath,” he opined, but merely an example of “consequential wrath” in response to “individuals who are rebuked by God’s forsaking wrath.” Such nonsensical fantasy should have no place in any self-respecting church, much less at the White House and in the policymaking decisions of U.S. government officials attending these bible studies.
In the past, the White House bible study has notoriously suggested biblical justifications for the Trump administration’s family separation policy and has counseled executive officials that homosexuality is a sin and that environmentalism is a harmful religion. A few months ago, Capitol Ministries hosted a week-long religious event at the disgraced Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. FFRF is continuing to investigate the government’s involvement, since many senior officials attended the event, including current and former Trump cabinet members. Drollinger’s access to high-level officials and his influence on policy raise serious concerns that he may be running afoul of lobbying regulations, an issue that FFRF attorneys are also investigating.
Journalist and author Katherine Stewart discusses Drollinger and Capitol Ministries at length in her new book, The Power Worshippers, noting LINK 1 that Drollinger is a Christian Nationalist who, in common with his kinfolk, ultimately only cares about acquiring more power. Stewart was a recent guest on FFRF’s radio show and podcast, Freethought Radio.
We have already seen hate crimes rise against Asian-Americans due to ill-advised remarks by the Trump administration about COVID-19. With Drollinger and others of his ilk publicly scapegoating their favorite target, there looms a likelihood of a rash of hate crimes and stigmatizing aimed at the LGBTQ community. It’s reprehensible to see such malice from any pulpit. But it is especially unconscionable to have the White House provide that pulpit and prestige to Drollinger, a dangerous hatemonger and religious fanatic.
It’s time for the White House to end its bible study and show this hate preacher the door.