Jane's Addiction's Perry Farrell says Donald Trump has "done damage" to evangelical religion
Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell has taken aim at Donald Trump, claiming that the divisive President has damaged evangelical religion in the US, despite his attempts to use faith to bolster his re-election bid.
Sharing an article about declining church attendances in the US, Farrell said: “Our President is running on a platform of religion. He’s Done More (Damage) to Evangelical religion than any other president. Read and weep.
Our President is running on a platform of religion. He’s Done More (Damage) to Evangelical religion than any other president. Read and weep. Churchttp://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/139575-7-startling-facts-an-up-close-look-at-church-attendance-in-america.html?print
— Perry Farrell (@perryfarrell) June 26, 2020
He then followed up the tweet, replying to a follower anticipating backlash from some Jane’s Addiction fans, in which he claimed he’s conducted a study that finds evangelical church attendance “exceedingly receding.”
I did a study this morning to find Evangelical church attendance numbers exceedingly receding. The President’s claims he’s done more for religion than any other president. True. I doubt he’s aware that he’s actually Turned Off Their Youth. Time for new leadership. God is loving.. https://t.co/trzFXmDtHh
— Perry Farrell (@perryfarrell) June 26, 2020
Trump has significantly upped his attempts to appeal to Christian voters in recent months. Following Black Lives Matter protests in Washington D.C., he addressed cameras posing outside a church and holding a bible, with protestors cleared from the area using tear gas.
He drew criticism from a number of religious leaders, including The Right Reverend Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington D.C who said she was “outraged” at the use of the church as a “prop.”
Farrell is no stranger to political criticism. Last year he told NME of the “disappointing” encounter he once had with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in his battle to fight climate change. “It didn’t work out,” he said.
In the interview he also took aim at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “I felt [Tony Blair] to be a nice man. At least he knows how to comb his hair, for crying out loud. This Boris guy combs his hair like a little kid! How do you trust a man who combs his hair like a five-year-old?”
