Is there a line for conservative Christians anymore?
I found myself asking this question as I considered Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition’s recent event on April 17th. This event was geared towards kicking off the midterm elections and standing up to election fraud both are very worthy subjects to go over and they both need plenty of attention heading into the next election cycle, but what stood out to me was their list of speakers; specifically Iowa Representative Bobby Kaufmann and Governor Kim Reynolds.
Before we look at what is concerning about these speakers, we need to understand the purpose of Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition (IFFC). The IFFC website says,
“We are a non-profit organization that seeks to make a difference in the public arena regarding the issues that matter most. We stand for integrity in government, high moral values, constitutional authority, and Christian principles. Our purpose is to educate and influence voters and politicians to keep their commitment to both liberty and law; that America may continue to be one nation under God. We are not tied to any political party.” (emphasis added)
That is a great statement, one I can get behind, but I have to question if they have stayed true to it? This question goes far beyond Steve Scheffler (president of the organization) and the IFFC but I believe it is a good case study as politically active conservative Christians look in the mirror and ask if there are lines we should not cross.
When listing the IFFC’s purpose statement I emphasized a few lines that stood out they are: issues that matter most, high moral values, Christian principles and that America may continue to be one nation under God. These are great words but some of the speakers they brought into the event seem to fall short in their ideology and stances.
Gov. Reynolds has proclaimed that the marriage issue is settled (referring to the Varnum decision), she also shutdown churches for six-weeks during the COVID crisis, and from her office making birth control over the counter has been a recent priority. These hardly could fit in even the loosest definitions of high moral values, Christian principles, or continuing to be one nation under God. Yet there she was speaking for this event.
Who really caught my attention though was Representative Bobby Kaufmann. Kaufmann recently did an interview with the organization Iowa Safe Schools. Iowa Safe Schools may sound like a harmless organization, but they are really a radical LGBTQ group whose goal is to indoctrinate children with the sodomite agenda. This group is perhaps most infamous for their Governors Conference. This is what Family Leader President Bob Vander Plaats said in 2012, “Instead of passing out ‘safe’ sex kits to students, the conference could provide abstinence-based education, emphasizing healthy behavior and the healthy aspects of preventing unwanted pregnancies, STDs, depression and other problems resulting from sexual activity outside of marriage.”
The reports weren’t any better in 2015:
*One father said his daughter was “absolutely distraught” by what she witnessed and left the conference early in shock. Rather than learning how to bring unity to her school, she was subjected to “basically a sexual education class for same-sex couples. It was crude,” he said.
*Another presentation discussed medical transition options available for transgender youth, and how to utilize private insurance and government programs to pay for various procedures. Students were advised on the types of transgender accessories are available to make it appear they have certain body parts they do not really have, or items to hide certain body parts they do have. Students were given tips on what kind of binders to use or not use and how to obtain them without paying for them. Puberty blockers were another topic. Discussion was had on how that hormone treatment is ‘safe and effective.’
*A drag performance at the close of the conference also drew ire. Coco used words like sh-t and f-ckin’ frequently. Coco also encouraged students to slash the tires of someone if they have a bumper sticker that shows support for one-man, one-woman marriage.
*One teacher who attended the conference with her students said “the conference went way beyond the subject of anti-bullying. With all the profanity, obscenities, and shock valley that were used during presentations, the conference did not serve its intended purpose. There was no educational value to this conference.”
*A high school principal said he first heard about what was happening when a student’s mother contacted him to say her daughter was uncomfortable and wanted to leave, butwas afraid she might get in trouble for skipping out. He instructed the student could leave immediately without consequence.
This is also the group that was responsible for flying the transgender flag over the state Capitol building in 2019 and had to be escorted out of the Capitol in 2020 for using the wrong gendered bathroom.
What kind of an interview was Kaufmann doing? A Rainbow Forum of course.
In this interview he was praised for presenting a bill in 2020 that would ban conversion therapy and was called a true friend to the LGBTQ community. He was asked a hypothetical question about what song he would choose to lip-synch if his election came down to a lip-synch contest, his answer: a farm song or Lady Gaga’s Born This Way. In the interview he admits to attending drag shows and lists his favorite performer all while conforming to preferred pronouns instead of affirming God-given ones. If you wanted to know Kaufmann’s favorite color in the rainbow it is pink and he defines what PRIDE means to him along with listing his favorite gay icon.
Kaufmann clearly doesn’t fit the description of high moral values, Christian principles and that America may continue to be one nation under God.
So, what was he doing speaking at an IFFC event? That is a question I would like an answer to, but it brings up a bigger question, one conservative Christians have to answer, is there a line that we should not cross in politics?
My answer is that there is and Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition crossed it.
Author: Sam Jones
Pastor Sam Jones currently serves as Senior Pastor of Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in Humboldt, IA. He married the love of his life Sarah in 2013; they have two sons Thomas and Henry. He is most known for his teachings on the 4 spheres of delegated government and being a voice for the pre-born. In addition to his Pastoring schedule, Pastor Sam is an avid podcaster and has been known to dabble in radio as well. His political commentary has appeared in dozens of news outlets across the country including: The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and The Iowa Standard. Pastor Sam is the author of 5 Steps to Kill a Nation. He is also a co-author of Social Injustice, Church and State, and Enemies Within the Church Bible Study.
