More allegations against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump: Several women have come forward to say they were sexually assaulted by the GOP nominee. The news comes after the release of a video last week that showed Trump boasting about sexual assault. In the recording, he is heard saying he kissed and groped women without their permission and that he could get away with it because he was “a star.” The revelations led some Christian leaders to back away from their support of the candidate. Christianity Today, a prominent evangelical magazine, published an editorial noting that “evangelicals, of all people, should not be silent about Donald Trump’s blatant immorality.” Other prominent evangelical leaders, however, have remained steadfast in their support of the nominee. They include Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, urged forgiveness for what Trump had said:
Mike Pence: It’s not about condoning what is said and done, it’s about believing in grace and forgiveness. As Christians we are called to forgive even as we’ve been forgiven.
Trump is also hurting among other religious groups. Mormon support for the Republican candidate has significantly weakened. Polls show Trump and Hillary Clinton in a virtual tie in Utah. And with regard to Muslims, a new nationwide survey conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations found that 72 percent intend to vote for Clinton. Only 4 percent said they would vote for Trump. But a poll released earlier this week showed 65 percent of white evangelical Protestants still plan to vote for the GOP candidate.
Watch our conversation about reaction to Donald Trump’s remarks with David Gibson, a national correspondent for Religion News Service.