By Todd Starnes Published June 09, 2017
Fox News

FILE — Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) talks to the media on the president’s FY2018 budget proposal on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 23, 2017.  (REUTERS/Yuri Gripas)

First they came for the wedding planners and the bakers. Then they came for the Catholic farmers and the Baptist high school valedictorians. And now, the secularists are coming after the evangelical public servants.

On Wednesday, Russell Vought, President Trump’s nominee to be deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, was viciously attacked by Sen. Bernie Sanders over his Christian faith.

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Sen. Sanders deemed Vought unsuitable for office because he believes that salvation is found alone through Jesus Christ. He said someone with that kind of a religious belief system is “really not someone who this country is supposed to be about.”

What Bernie is saying is that this country ought to be about my belief system and to hell with anyone who does not agree with me.

Sen. James Lankford warned that Sander’s comments “dangerously close to crossing a clear constitutional line for how we evaluate qualifications for public service.”

True, Bernie wanted to be the prosecutor, judge, and jury over this man’s Christian faith. If he’d had his way, he would block all Christians from government service.

“The First Amendment is crystal clear that the federal government must protect every American’s right to the peaceful and free exercise of religion,” the Oklahoma Republican said. “We cannot say we have the free exercise of religion and also require people to practice their faith only in a way that government officials prefer.”

The Vermont senator’s comments brought strong condemnation from Christians across the nation – including Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.

“Senator Sanders is taking the Obama era’s religious hostility and putting it on steroids,” Perkins said.

Thousands have signed a Family Research Council petition demanding Sanders apologize for his outburst of religious bigotry.

Robert Jeffress, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas (and a Fox News contributor), said that there are only two choices for the senator: “Apologize to the country for his foolhardy attempt to introduce an unconstitutional litmus test that would exclude 41 percent of the country, or resign.”

The controversy stems from an article Vought wrote in 2016 defending his alma mater, Wheaton College. In that article, he described Islam as a “deficient theology.”

“This is a fundamental problem,” he wrote in The Resurgent. “Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned.”

Sanders confronted Vought during the congressional hearing. The following is a transcript provided by FRC:

Sen. Sanders: “‘Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ, His Son, and they stand condemned.’ Do you believe that that statement is Islamophobic?”

So sad, too bad, Bernie. This is what all Christian believe. It stands in contrast to the view there are many roads to God and all religious are equal even though some religions behead people, and other religions establish the Red Cross to save people. The vitality of Christianity rests in the exclusive claims and achievement of our Lord at Calvary. Unlike Islams which converted its adherents through the power of the sword, Christians seeks to win men through the power of persuasion.

Mr. Vought: “Absolutely not, Senator. I’m a Christian, and I believe in a Christian set of principles based on my faith…

Sanders: “…Forgive me, we just don’t have a lot of time. Do you believe people in the Muslim religion stand condemned? Is that your view?”

Vought: “Again, Senator, I’m a Christian, and I wrote that piece in accordance with the statement of faith at Wheaton College…”

Sanders: “I understand that. I don’t know how many Muslims there are in America. Maybe a couple million. Are you suggesting that these people stand condemned? What about Jews? Do they stand condemned too?”

The answer is “yes.” John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Yes, Christians believe in Jesus and Jesus taught, ”

Vought: “Senator, I’m a Christian…”

Sanders [shouting]: “I understand you are a Christian, but this country [is] made of people who are not just — I understand that Christianity is the majority religion, but there are other people of different religions in this country and around the world. In your judgment, do you think that people who are not Christians are going to be condemned?”

Here Bernie reveals that he doesn’t really understand the Christian faith and that he is angry that Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the one and only Savior of mankind by virtue of His death, burial, and resurrection.

Vought: “Thank you for probing on that question. As a Christian, I believe that all individuals are made in the image of God and are worthy of dignity and respect regardless of their religious beliefs. I believe that as a Christian that’s how I should treat all individuals…”

Vought wabbled a little here.

Sanders: “…Do you think that’s respectful of other religions?… I would simply say, Mr. Chairman that this nominee is really not someone who this country is supposed to be about.”

Really, the country founded by Christians and built on the Christian ethic . . . not Jews . . . not Muslims. Neither the atheism or communism of Bernie Sanders is what this country is all about.

As Perkins pointed out, salvation through Jesus Christ is a core biblical tenet held by Christians for millennia.

 “Yet Senator Sanders is making it clear that he believes the U.S. Senate should disqualify nominees who express this most basic biblical belief,” Perkins said.

“Americans should never be forced to choose between their faith and public service. Nor should the U.S. Senate try to impose a stealth litmus test that says ‘you can be religious as long as you don’t actually believe or talk about what the Bible teaches.'”

After Sanders’ wrapped up his rant, David French wrote a powerful rebuke of Sanders for National Review. “There is nothing ‘extreme’ about his statements, and they mirror the statements of faith of countless Christian churches and schools across the land,” French wrote. “Are these believers also not fit for public office?”

It’s a fair question and one that I posed to Sen. Sanders’ office. Does he believe Christians are unfit to hold public office?

The senator’s press office did not answer that question directly.

“The question at hand is not about Mr. Vought’s freedom to hold certain religious beliefs,” the senator’s spokesman told me. “The question that concerns Sen. Sanders is whether Mr. Vought will carry out the duties of his office in a way that treats all Americans equally, even those whose beliefs he has criticized.”

Here is the problem. Religion is about core values. Every man in that room is religious including Bernie Sanders who is absolute zealot for his religion of Equality and Inclusivity. It is clear, Bernie wanted all candiates for public service to share his religious beliefs.

It was an ugly moment in American politics, but it was also an instructional moment for American Christians.

Yes, if Christians are listening.

Progressives and secularists are waging a brutal assault on people of faith – and it’s only gotten worse since President Trump took office. I predicted that would happen in my latest book, “The Deplorables Guide to Making America Great Again.”

People of faith must stand together and renounce anti-Christian bigots and bigotry – especially when those bigots walk the halls of Congress.

Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary. His latest book is “The Deplorables’ Guide to Making America Great Again.” Follow him on Twitter @ToddStarnes and find him on Facebook.