A Republican member of Congress is facing criticism after remarks made during a prayer at a Washington, D.C. event hosted by the Family Research Council. Representative Brian Babin of Texas spoke at the organization’s National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, held at the Museum of the Bible.
The Family Research Council is classified as an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. During the prayer, Babin said, “Lord, we beseeched thee. Our prayers were answered in getting us a new president and taking a different direction in our country than we had seen for the previous four years. Apostasy, blasphemy, taking our children down the path of homosexuality and perversion. Open borders. Criminals running rampant in our streets…Lord, we have new leadership, and we thank you for that. But Lord, we know that government is not going to save our country.
It’s going to be the American people returning to the path that you have set out for us and our Founding Fathers.” Babin has consistently received a score of zero on the Human Rights Campaign’s Congressional Scorecard, reflecting opposition to LGBTQ+ equality. In past years, Babin has supported legislation restricting queer content in schools and opposed marriage equality following the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. He also introduced a bill seeking to roll back Obama-era guidance supporting transgender students. Now, he is thankful to God for sending Trump to protect America.
