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Abby Johnson speaking during a panel discussion at CPAC 2021Michael Hogan | LifeSiteNews

ORLANDO, FLORIDA, February 27, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — A spirited discussion during a breakout session at CPAC today brought out into the open what many religious Americans have been saying the past several years, namely, that the conservative movement is compromising on social issues in order to win over gay and pro-LGBT voters.

Pro-life activist Abby Johnson lit the fuse Saturday with remarks she gave during a panel conversation on Christianity that also featured former Trump legal advisor Jenna Ellis. Johnson’s comments resulted in a twenty minute, sometimes combative, back and forth between herself, other panelists, and audience members.

“They haven’t had one keynote speaker stand up there and talk about the attack on traditional marriage,” Johnson thundered. “And they can’t. Because some of their sponsors are gay conservatives.”

Johnson, who has previously spoken on CPAC’s main stage, said she was referring to the influence of groups like Log Cabin Republicans and Atheists for Liberty, which had booths at the conference. 

“Transgenderism is running rampant through CPAC and we’re not talking about traditional families, we’re not talking about traditional marriage …. because we have compromised to this false sense of diversity.”

Johnson and other Christians that attended this year’s gathering told LifeSite that there have been major changes with CPAC’s approach to social and LGBT issues in recent years and that some Christian organizations have pulled out of the conference because of it.

“We have a problem in the conservative movement. Because we are allowing diversity to trump Jesus Christ … there is an attack on Judeo-Christian beliefs in this country and we’re not addressing it at our country’s largest conservative conference? Because what? Because we want sponsorships to roll in? Come on.”

Johnson was supported by her fellow panelists, including Ellis. She also criticized a golden statue of President Trump that was wheeled into the conference. Attendees could be heard praising the statue as “awesome” as it made its way through the convention floor.

“We have a problem with the conservative movement … we don’t hear enough of [the word of God] from the main stage,” she said. “I think gun rights, election integrity is important … but we need to hear more about God from the largest conservative conference in the United States.”

Earlier Saturday afternoon a twenty-minute discussion on women’s sports was moderated by Terry Schilling of the American Principles Project. Schilling spoke with a female college athlete and a State Representative from South Dakota about the need to keep biological males and females from competing with one another. 

A discussion on abortion was also held on the main stage Saturday that featured Alison Centofante of Live Action, a pro-life organization founded by Lila Rose. LifeSite will be posting interviews to its Rumble account with Centofante, Schilling, and Ellis in the coming days. All three conversations discuss the importance of keeping social issues at the forefront of CPAC gatherings.