Ascol acknowledged that we’re no longer under the old covenant and that America is a constitutional republic. “But it has nothing to do with the correction that I was trying to bring to Ted Cruz’s unfounded castigation of God and calling what God did an abomination,” the pastor said.
Ascol also referred to all the pushback he’s received about his Leviticus 20:13 tweet, not only from members of the LGBTQ+ community and the “open proud pagan folks” but from people identifying as conservative Christians who are “appalled” by what he wrote.
On his podcast, the pastor said, “We’ve gotta get over this idea that if we’re just nice enough, people will not get upset by what we say.” When others say “just quote certain verses of the Bible,” said Ascol, it makes him want to know “what other verses of the Bible are there that embarrass so-called Christians? Because if you’ve got any Bible verses that embarrass you, you’ve got a real problem with God.”
On social media, numerous people questioned Cruz’s use of the “render to Caesar” verse, Mark 12:17. Author and commentator Allie Beth Stuckey tweeted, in part, “I don’t think the verse cited in your tweet is really relevant here, nor do I think the exegesis is correct.”
On June 6, Ascol tweeted: “Who gets to decide what things are Caesar’s? God. Why? Because Caesar is God’s. ‘In the beginning God created the heavens & the earth.’—Genesis 1:1”
Ascol publicly supports Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who recently announced his Republican candidacy for U.S. president. At DeSantis’ second gubernatorial inauguration, Ascol delivered the invocation.
