How Trump Has Transformed Evangelicals
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- Опубліковано 13 гру 2023
- How did evangelical Christians shift from being reluctant supporters of Trump to among his most passionate defenders? How did some evangelicals, historically suspicious of politicians, develop a “fanatical cult-like attachment” to Donald Trump? And what happened to the evangelical movement, as some bought into Trump’s vision of America and others recoiled?
A few weeks before the Iowa caucuses we talk to Tim Alberta, a staff writer at the Atlantic and author of the new book The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism.
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He didn't "transform" them. He revealed them.
Absolutely
He may have revealed evangelicals to people who weren't paying attention before Trump. But to those of us who have been paying attention this is more of the same.
He gave them permission to hate
Definitely.
Your statement was eye opening. Everything makes sense. My disappointment and disbelief in my family, friends and others has been so hurtful. I haven't understood how we could have been raised by the same parents and be so different. What I thought I saw in them before made me realize it was never there to start with. I wanted to see so much good in them, I just refused to believe otherwise.
He showed them the way.
He showed them you could be racist. You could be sexist. You could be a bigot. You could mock the weak and the lame. You could hate your neighbour. That you could indulge your envy, wrath and gluttony. That you could laugh at the mother crying over their dead child. You could insult the crippled veteran. He showed them you could do all of that, *and you could get away with it!*
He is their true Messiah. He freed them from the burden of pretending to be decent human beings.
Sick defendant X-President Rump, your the opposite of Jesus. Beatitudes-Blessed are:
Poor in Spirit vs. proud
Meek vs. forceful & aggressive
Hungry & Thrist for Righteousness vs. seeking your own pleasures
Merciful vs. vengeful
Pure in Heart vs. evil heart
Peace Makers vs. looking for a fight
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
Trump didn't really transform the Evangelicals, he just led them out of the closet.
He gave them an opportunity to get caught up in their own self-righteousness.
Trump has never held Evangelical beliefs. He merely served their rhetoric back to them like a mirror. He used fear and other emotions which are powerful methods of persuasion and manipulation. Their racism, his lies and his continued (since 2015), ongoing campaign rallies have maintained the group’s enthrallment with and loyalty to him as an individual. Antigovernment idealology and racism are deeply held beliefs within these southern “Christians.” Trump continues to stir that pot and claim that he is “protecting them.”
Which is exactly what a good fascist leader does.
Fascism isn’t brought on by a fascist leader, rather fascism must first exist in the deepest hidden away places of the minds of a group. And then and only then can a fascist leader exploit that group’s desires to start a fascist movement.
The ingredients are: 1) crisis. The group must feel that they are somehow in crisis whether real, like in the case of Nazi germnay, or perceived like in the case of MAGA. 2) decline: the group must feel that their group identity is in decline either in numbers or in social status or both. 3) victimhood: while not strictly necessary it is very helpful if the group views their crisis and decline as the result of persecution or devaluation by another group or groups. If victimhood is not a precursor it will be implemented by the leader at a later time. 4) community: the group must feel some strong sense of in-group belonging based on the values or characteristics of group members, and desire to exist in a more homogeneous society where their group identity is the overwhelming mainstream. 5) duty: the group members feel as though they have a duty to the group to do something to rectify their dire situation. they can no longer sit idly by and watch as their group identity is torn down and devalued. 6) authority: the presence of the first 5 precursors almost always leads to a desire for an authority figure who deeply understands the group’s struggles and desires and who they believe is capable of forcing the homogenous community they long for into existence. 7) superiority: once the group finds and accepts a leader, they hold him (its always a man) as the head of their community and he is therefore the embodiment of their community values or characteristics that they want to push onto everyone else. the group will find his actions beyond reproach and his instincts and opinions superior to fact and reason. 8) domination: the leader can now lead the group out of the closet by reassuring them that their feelings of crisis, decline, victimhood, and desire for a more homogenous community are valid because they are a chosen people and their in-group values or characteristics deserve to be in domination over out-group values or characteristics. this is where a leader can insert the idea of victimhood if it wasn't already present, as a justification for pursuing dominion over other groups. 9) violence: the group will initially prefer to inflict their domination on other groups peacefully if possible, however it is never possible, and the group will always ultimately use their sense of victimhood and their core belief in their destiny for domination to justify use of violent force to gain power and enact their will.
the first 5 things need to be present in the minds of the group before they can be vulnerable to adoption by a fascist leader who will lead them down the path to the following 4.
its really scary to reflect on whats happening and realize that we're already in the beginnings of stage 9. some of Trump's supporters already belief violence is justified if thats whats necessary to put trump in power and force their agenda, though i don't think most of them are ready to take up arms just yet. still, we're very close to that point.
Trump also has “charisma” like Hitler. They both knew that in order to keep their hold over their followers they needed to have regular face time with them in order to maintain their “spell.” Trump has been campaigning since 2015 and all during his presidency. They also both understood that to hook them they needed to appeal to their emotions, not logic. We can only hope there isn’t another wildly charismatic person waiting in the wings. Hopefully, in the meantime the holes and gaps that allowed Trump to thrive will be patched up. I truly believe that’s why NOBODY has been able to get away with the things Trump has.
As a Christian the trump phenomenon is ticking me off. Basically the Christians are saying God is so weak that someone like Trump is necessary to do the good works.
The apostasy was foretold !
Sick defendant X-President Rump, your the opposite of Jesus. Beatitudes-Blessed are:
Poor in Spirit vs. proud
Meek vs. forceful & aggressive
Hungry & Thrist for Righteousness vs. seeking your own pleasures
Merciful vs. vengeful
Pure in Heart vs. evil heart
Peace Makers vs. looking for a fight
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
All Trump did was lift the rock under which the evangelicals were living.
He didn't transform them just gave them a platform to spew more hate.
Tax the churches and the rich!
Someone should tell them that when you dance with devil, you only lead until you don't. The thrid temptation of Christ was the offer of temporal power. Christ resisted. Seems these evangelicals failed the test.
My sister‘s daughter-in-law which I adore. Was raised in the Evangelical format not that She’s sucked in to this new filing. But she did tell me that group of people have more Money than God. foul the money and power
Great comment!
America is MYSTERY BABYLON ~
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
BOOK OF REVELATION IS COMING TO PASS
From the mouth of trump came these words, "you knew I was a snake when you picked me up".
@@lyndadunn2777
EXACTLY. 👹
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
My father is upset because he and I don’t agree on much anymore. I said dad, you’re who taught me to be accepting of everyone.
This should be titled: "How Evangelicals sold their souls."
He offered them the kingdoms of world, if they only bow down and worship him. They thought the transaction was a good one.
Sick defendant X-President Rump, your the opposite of Jesus. Beatitudes-Blessed are:
Poor in Spirit vs. proud
Meek vs. forceful & aggressive
Hungry & Thrist for Righteousness vs. seeking your own pleasures
Merciful vs. vengeful
Pure in Heart vs. evil heart
Peace Makers vs. looking for a fight
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
No, this should be titled how evangelicals decided to take their country back to it's founding principles as found in their founding document The Mayflower Compact...from which the Declaration of Independence is derived, from which the organizing document of America is derived...the Constitution.
@@markanthony3275 The U.S. Constitution prohibits favoring any one religion over another. That's includes Christianity. The Mayflower Compact was agreed upon by the founders of the Plymouth Colony to obey the laws and the new government to prevent infighting in the new colony. Though the original document was lost, the idea remains. You are right that today we stand with the Constitution which guarantees freedom of your religion and freedom from anyone else's, which annoys people who want one religion to dominate the country..
@@luckystoller6171 No Christian wants a Theocracy, that was tried before in a place called Muenster in the 1500's. All Christians want is a fair chance to compete in the marketplace of ideas. I would say however that there have been countries in the 20th century that were run on purely religious principle's...the religion called humanism...communist USSR, communist China, Revolutionary France and Nazi Germany. Everyone of them organized on humanist principles that led to belief that man could be the cause of his own effects, the master of his own destiny, the captain of his own ship....and look at the wonderful results!
Funny .....these Evangelical Saints are supposed to convert sinners into saints ......instead , Trump has converted these " saints " ..into sinners .. Go figure .!!!!
Well said and ACCURATE.
They were never saints. They've always been shitheads. Let's not forget that the SBC, from its inception, was one of the foremost cultural institutions involved with the support and preservation of American slavery and subsequently the brutality and horrible injustice of Jim Crow laws.
Give an example , I know you're in an echo chamber /university/Hamas, but at least try.
@@march24-lp4pv Examples ..you mean the hundreds chanting ." Hang Mike Pence , the dozens across the country being indicted for signing " fake elector " papers ., the constant lies , .. ECHO Chamber ......it's the right winger , like you , who watches the outlet , FOX , which has lost a $ 787 million lawsuit , and Giuliani , who lost a $ 150 million lawsuit over lies . ECHO CHAMBER .........that's where you live .!!!
If you do your research on the religious right they were not saints in no way shape or form. They are thirsty for power and prestige. That's all I was able to find.🤠✌🏾
Religious people will always be tempted by golden calfs and pharisees. They'll overlook the many passages about caring for immigrants, helping the sick and poor, contributing what you have to your neighbors in need, and the difficulty the wealthy have at getting to heaven.
tRump is the lawless one, Biden is one who restrains him, maga are those who are perishing, tRump is the antichrist
- 2 Thessalonians 2:7
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
I'm not even christian and I can figure these thing out.
If only we could all be like you.
@@marvduck3729 Like me?
Evangelicals worship the gospel of capitalism where being poor is a sin and being rich in this life is the goal
Sick defendant X-President Rump, your the opposite of Jesus. Beatitudes-Blessed are:
Poor in Spirit vs. proud
Meek vs. forceful & aggressive
Hungry & Thrist for Righteousness vs. seeking your own pleasures
Merciful vs. vengeful
Pure in Heart vs. evil heart
Peace Makers vs. looking for a fight
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
Trump has lived his life violating most of the Ten Commandments. That evangelicals could so whole heartedly align themselves with Trump seams to make clear that at best hey have a transactional relationship with their religion and the contents of the bible.
At least after “The Prosperity Gospel” took hold of their so called Jesus-loving pocketbooks!
Well, if you listen to their sermons there's practically a competition to see who sinned the worst. So a past history of breaking commandments is no barrier.
The transactions were between the Christian leaders and Trump, the rest of the lay people embraced Trump because they recognized themselves in him.
The so-called evangelicals are not Christians but racists to the bone. RACISM is the main draw for ALL trump supporters, including the ones from the LYNCH belt, not the wrong moniker, 'Bible belt .' It's the LYNCH BELT.
He's probably never even read the 10 commandments or anything in the bible. He thinks he's god.
Jim Jones, eat your heart out.
...and drink your Kool-Aid !!
The Atlantic is doing a lot of heavy lifting for journalism. Thank you. Truth in journalism is becoming extremely rare.
I'm grateful to be an Atlantic subscriber
Left wing marxist talking points does not constitute journalism.
My grandmother was a stout, evangelical Christian and the kindest, most compassionate woman of the highest integrity.
I find myself wondering how she would feel about Trump, and am hopeful she would have rejected him.
The psyops perpetrated on her demographic are incredibly sophisticated.
I miss you, Grandma.
If the Evangelicals have been active in politics for a long time, they should be taxed --- and retroactively, too.
It’s a cult. An echo chamber. To be stuck there, you’d need to fully identify with an ideology or worse a man. And you’d need an “other” to ostracize. At least, that’s what I see.
All you need ot be an Evangelical is "blind faith." Add to that it is a world of two sides, us and them.
I fully agree. The sad part is that the cult leader's behaviour deteriorates rapidly the older they get and the followers equally become more mesmerised by their leader's words and action.
It's a form of blasphemy, in Christian terms. They've put the Orange Assolini on par with Jesus, if not higher.
Notice now at trumps rallies how he sorta sings his speech then they add the music. Are you serious? Is this bull suppose to work? But then I hear applause for Putin. I guess so 😏
@@jskok3280 Oh no... You said the C word!!!!! 😂 Meanwhile you're a Democrat..
Evangelicals are ready made for Trump. It is a culture where one can get social credit by demonstrating how deeply one believes in things that are obviously false, where the primary benefit of participating is feeling like one is in the right and deserves to tell other people what to do, and where authoritarian or racist ideas often find fertile ground.
People taught blind faith can be led anywhere.
When you think of all the millions of people who have died, many needlessly, through ignorance and religious dogma, it is truly disheartening.
Fascinating conversation, thank you. The great missing piece for me in this otherwise fine analysis is race. Alberta rather glossed over the seismic shift that took place with the election of Obama without delving more deeply into the unquestionable link between contemporary white evangelicalism and white supremacy. For much of white America, the election of a Black president was tantamount to an announcement of impending Armageddon. Race is a primal driving factor in American culture and politics, and it's a serious oversight to have glossed over this.
Especially since it only takes a few sentences of conversation with them for the racism to pour out of their mouths like a river. They are obsessed with Obama. They think he's running the country. Frankly, they look, sound and act insane. There is nothing Christian in anything Trumpler and his minions have done. Yet these people follow him off a cliff. Also, so far no one has even mentioned how much many of them love trump for giving them permission to hate; to be as evil as they like.
That's typical leftist ignorance.
Yes, about the race issue. As a Mexican-American, I feel it immediately whenever my husband and I go out. He’s more tanned than I am, and so immediately folks think he doesn’t speak English. I then speak in my perfect Midwest accent; I can almost hear them say, “Oh.”
@@trinidad2450OT: I just want to tell Trump supporters. Do you realize that a large part of the border is in the middle of a river? Is the wall going to be underwater?
@@trinidad2450do you say WHARSH instead of wash? 😅
He has not transformed them. They've always been this dishonest with themselves. Their support was never in question to me, from the second he showed up.
Were they? Seamus Coughlin made an astute observation. He pointed out that evangelical Protestants actually put their money where their mouth is as opposed to paying lip service to their faith.
An excellent podcast and interesting how Tim's father became a Christian evangelical. Of course many more people "see the light' and leave the church becoming "religiously unaffiliated". That's become a major trend especially among young people. There are no doubt many reasons for this but one reason, in America anyway, is the rise of Christian nationalism with evangelicals. America is headed for disaster if Trump wins the presidency.
Sadly, it's probably headed for disaster even if Trump doesn't win the presidency. Expect at least another four years of baseless claims of a stolen election.
It is like that Ghostbusters movie where folks are judged by the destroyer of their own choosing. In this case, oddly, they chose a serial cheater famous for bedding woman (not to mention abusing some), a famous orange tv star who was making a living making a parody of himself, as not just their leader but even as the incarnation of their lord or something. That is laughably ironic.
They do this because he will do things (hurt people) that they are not allowed (by their religion) to do themselves. Understand now?
I think they are just confused, taken advantage of by a con man. But they did have some predisposition for that I would wager.@@lingyjennifer8399
The christofascists found a man who could support their fascism, even if they had to hold their collective noses.
It's not fascism. Please learn what that term means.
@@donjindra
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement, characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived good of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.
Looks very similar to me, that's the direction they are aiming for.
@@ezbody This is a fascist conception of politics: 'Anti-individualistic, the Fascist conception of life stresses the importance of the State and accepts the individual only in so far as his interests coincide with those of the State, which stands for the conscience and the universal, will of man as a historic entity. It is opposed to classical liberalism which arose as a reaction to absolutism and exhausted its historical function when the State became the expression of the conscience and will of the people. Liberalism denied the State in the name of the individual; Fascism reasserts' - Bennito Mussolini
I ask, what mainstream Republican would accept that political framework?
@@ezbody Fascism is not far right. It has attributes of both left and right. Fascism defies simplistic left/right categorization. Trump's cult of personality is similar to Stalin's cult of personality and it's trivial when compared to the CCP's Xi Jinping cult. Trump has groupies who will follow him anywhere. But so does Bernie Sanders. The authoritarianism of the left is every bit as strong as the right's. The left is actually doing a better job of it. A look at the Evergreen College mob of a few years ago shows where the left is headed. Antifa is another example. Trump is an immediate threat. But the left's long-term threat is more serious.
Anyone who knows what fascism is knows trump and the GOP are embracing fascist, totalitarian ideologies. At this point, they are not being very suttle about it.
"If they were to concede any criticism on Trump as being legitimate, then it was a legitimate attack on them."
I'm no Evangelical, and I'm just a layman, but even I know that part of being a righteous person is to routinely question oneself. I constantly ask myself, "am I wrong about this?" "Did I do the right thing here?" And when I perceive that I'm wrong, or have wronged others, I do my best to make amends and learn from it how to be a better person. We're all merely humans, and we're going to be wrong constantly throughout our lives, but that's how we learn and grow.
One of the best things I ever read in a Christian church was, "be thou an example." (1 Timothy 4:12) I try to be, in my humble way. What sort of example are Evangelicals setting if they lack the humility to admit when they're wrong, or even to ask themselves if they might be wrong?
Seems to me Christianity without the humility to consistently ask if you're wrong is just perfunctory rituals and empty verbiage.
Well, they have been arguing with evolutionary biologists for 150 years, just rehashing the same tired old watch maker/junkyard tornado arguments. It isn’t truth they’re after-it’s power.
Right, humility is fundamental to Christianity, and today's Trump evangelicals have rejected it.
Somehow, I find it easy to believe religious folks are more susceptible to being conned. And to believe in conspiracy theories.
People who have been taught blind faith will follow anyone which is why they are so susceptible to cults of all kinds.
Also...Thank you Tim Alberta for your articles and your books and your interviews on this topic. I'm a Baptist pastor of a small Church in a Puget Sound area of Washington and I have been trying to turn Evangelicals away from supporting Trump since he came down the escalator. Thanks for your work. I'm hoping it bears fruit. Peace.
Thank you so greatly - especially to Tim - for this deeply thought-provoking Podcast. I hit 'rewind' multiple times, just so that I was sure to grasp all of the information-dense discussion of both of you. My religious background has always been on the borderline of the Evangelical community, but due to my frequent relocations due to my long military service, I never found a 'church home'. I'm starting to think that I was prevented from joining many churches - due their luke-warm adherence to Jesus's commands. Seeing the wreck that Trump has made of the Evangelical community, I'm glad that I can worship God apart from those people. And I pray that they wake up!
What a great & important interview. Thank you! It opened my eyes as a German, who did not understand how evangelicals could follow a guy with such a livestyle and talking. Greetings from Bavaria!
He has nothing in common with the working class he is anti union he has never put in a solid 8 hours of work. So his supporters that think he is fighting for them really blows my mind. That man doesn't even care about people who are closely related. His siblings got nothing when his father passed. He cheated on every wife he had. But he cares for the working class. Yeah! Right!😏 I used to train in Bavaria. Graffenweur. I spelled it wrong. Yep! Tank Gunnery.🤠👍🏾
Thanks for your comment. I agree to 100 %! I red the book: "Too Much and Never Enough" by Mary L. Trump. Good to hear that you trained in Gravenwöhr. I hope you made good experieces with the Germans. We are sometimes humorless and not as open as the Americans. 😄 Wish you a good year 2024! 🍾🍸@@WarrenHolly
@@WarrenHolly He may be anti-union but he does spout cultural values usually associated with the working class: law, order, and discipline, "common sense above intellect", and "manliness" (strength, backbone, street smarts, and common sense). EVEN IF he doesn't really live most of these values, he brash cocky and bullying behavior is easily confused with leadership by his base.
@@filrabat1965 he wants others to obey law and order he moves by his own rules and laws. A drug addicted serial rapist I don't want to hear nothing he has to say. 5 time draft dodger. No thank you! I was raised around real solid men. No cowards. I was raised around strong women. I have nothing in common with a coward. Sorry! You hold his hand.😏
@@SuperTopdog22 Once I break ice I've met some pretty cool Germans. My landlords were elderly but we had some great conversations I was a teenager when I landed. Yeah! I have great memories of Germany and I did have a run in with some neo Nazis and it got bad. Yeah!
Separation of State and Church.
That’s it in a nutshell. And that’s a simple point covered in the constitution.
I remember sleazy 80s-90s televengelists commercials on old school TV. Trump has that flavor, it was pathetic then. It's still pathetic now.
They’re still there, they have their own channels. Jim Baker, Peter popov.
@@Cmunic8 & let's not forget Kenneth Copeland.
this was a GD EXCELLENT insightful interview!!!!!!
The book is fantastic! So eye opening for my husband who was raised evangelical. We live in the Brighton area-- very conservative and Trump loving...
Yes, evangelicals no longer need Trump to take down Roe vs Wade.
Great conversation. This is a critical point in American History.
As a devout atheist, I pray daily for the rapture to occur as soon as possible.
Not for you :
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
AMERICA IS MYSTERY BABYLON
BOOK OF REVELATION IS COMING TO PASS
atheist would not be praying for the rapture if they reject Jesus. All who call upon the name of Jesus will be saved for eternity.
As an devout atheist, he won’t believe that the antichrist is here ~
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
The more I see how evangelicals are, the more I see secular people follow Christ's morals better the all the hypocrites!
He made them realize they didn't have to pretend to be good moral people any more. They were allowed to proudly admit their utter lack of morality.
When it was Bill Clinton character mattered. When it was Trump not so much.
He didn’t they were already like this😏
This lecture is very much like what I was thinking before the 2016 election.
I have to admit - I could only listen to the first 8 minutes of this and had to turn it off because I was so sickened by what was being said. My rage is to the ones that claim to be the "people of GOD". I strongly believe in GOD. Not so much the "church". For decades I've said "The bible was inspired by GOD, but written by man." I've NEVER liked the words "GOD Fearing" and an "Evangelical" friend of mine told me a couple of years ago that the literal translation or the "original" words were "Awe of GOD". The Evangelical "leaders" are using this opportunity of Donald Trump to gain POWER for their leadership roles. Those leaders are manipulating their followers to believe that Trump is the second coming of god. I don't think for an instant that those leaders actually believe it. It's the opportunity they see to gain power for their wants. Not so much for their church - but their ego and self serving wants. Those evangelicals have the power in their church. They want the power in the United States. They want to use that power to gain GLOBAL POWER. For what ends - I can't say for sure - but I can guess that it's not for the glory of GOD. I'll get back to listening to the rest of the article when I muster up the strength. It's at time like this I regret giving up drinking alcohol.....
I was in Southern California evangelical mega churches from the 80s thru to 2010, and politics were not discussed. Maybe because my churches were usually diverse. Now, one of those pastors was on Trump's team. There has been a shift.
They might not be a uniform bloc, but they sure act like one.
I will say that they are right that this is a battle of good v. evil; They just chose the side of the Prince of Lies
Remarkable dialog. Thank you for educating us and helping us non-evangelicals understand what in the world is happening in the minds of many evangelical followers in America. I am a Christian and wouldn’t ever vote for a person like Trump. His behavior and deeds are bad for himself, his children, this country and the world. I pray more evangelicals wake up and forgive themselves and truly get to know who Jesus really is and was. God in the flesh. 🫶🏽
DONALD JOHANN DRUMPF 666
AMERICA IS MYSTERY BABYLON
BOOK OF REVELATION IS COMING TO PASS
A couple from a neighborhood (evangelical) church knocked on my door, proselytizing. As a longtime former churchgoer I was polite, but I felt a cold chill in their presence, knowing these were Trump-worshippers. "Get thee behind me, Satan."
Engaging discussion - lots to think about
Such an interesting topic, thank you for the insight. As Latin American it has always confused me the complete adherence that the evangelical American movement has with hedonistic characters such as Trump. It is quite an irony. Also, where are the loud dissenting voices within the evangelicals? where are the actual self-righteous individuals? that for me is a real mystery, because, of course, they exist in mass but their silence is so... weird(?).
In evangelical religions, including Mormonism, the most-valued personal trait is unquestioning conformance to the group. A person who questions the group-think will be ostracized: Excommunicated or banished from the church and all its social functions, exiled from the family, and fired from the job. That's why there are no loud dissenting voices within the evangelicals.
I and my family enjoyed going to neighborhood "evangelical" churches until the initial sweeping GOP Tea Party politicization, Newt Gingrich, etc. There was no racist white militancy before that.
Calvinism of the evangelical was a good fit for Republican neoliberalism. There has been a big issue of inculcating Calvinism into even the "freewill" churches (Arminianism) and traditional catholics. It's not accidental the Trump family went to Norman Vincent Peale's church and why Peale turned away from being a Methodist. By the way, a lot of New Age theology originated from Peale where it was taken up by churches like New Thought and Unity churches. From those movements, it was reabsorbed into the mainstream churches and pentecostal groups.
It's infuriating this man is just talking as if this is normal when the words he uses to describe evangelicals is literally bat shit insane. Like he's describing loonies while refusing to call them that.
Hey, it's great that you explicitly credited the fact-checker.
This is news to people that were either oblivious to what was obvious or the willfuly ignorant.
Brother Tim! I have been Russian Speaking Jewish American Evangelical Christian since June 2005. There is one common denominator (that brought Trumputin to the Church ) with general American culture: entertainment replaced intentional relationships
This was great.
Thank you for the INSIGHT truly appreciate !
"Morality matters," say the Trump supporters. 🤔
Morality, honesty, integrity do not matter for any politician, regardless of the party affiliation.
@@alpscraftshack599 your subtle " both sides" observation is bs
@@slartibartfast1268 LOL
Excellent podcast. Christians should not be part of the political process. Makes a lot of sense.
There is something about most people, but especially Americans, that allows us to look past almost anything as long as we feel that we are being enriched, with either money or power. Think of all the people that know about how crooked ponzi schemes are and how crooked other things are...but nobody will lift a finger to stop them as long as the money or power keep rolling in.
Anytime you take a person who has a persecution complex and give them power, it is like the slave who becomes king. “Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up: a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food; an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.” Proverbs 30:21-23 The Earth is trembling.
America is MYSTERY BABYLON ~
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
BOOK OF REVELATION IS COMING TO PASS
I did my doctoral dissertation on the issue of self-identified evangelicals being co-opted by a nationalistic metanarrative. I finished it in 2003 during the runup to the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Sadly, it has aged very well. What was hard for me to imagine at the time was the insane depths to which it would turn out to be true in the days of Donald. This is not Christianity we are witnessing among evangelicals; it is pure cult behavior. It has nothing to do with Jesus. With these folks, if Donald and Jesus are in conflict (which, let's face it, is always), Donald wins every time. What a sad, embarrassing, shameful day for the evangelical church.
A cult that is based on myths and fables will always gravitate toward despots and narcissists.
They are as dishonest as him.
My brother in law, a businessman, said that he had been screwed over by self proclaimed Christians more than any other segment of society.
Evil angels...
*"Our Hearts bring back the Light."*
Wishing you all a Wonderful Winter Solstice.
A traditional celebration dating back well over 5000 years ago where the Sun is literally rebirthed in the passageway of an ancient tomb.
"The Grand Passage Tomb." A World Heritage site. Witness the rebirth in person.
A celebration of life and renewal, peace and camaraderie with food, song, dance, drink and goodwill.
Happy Holidays.
Let the Sunshine In...
*Be Happy*
"Solstice Night by S J Tucker"
,
At the end, he says something to the effect of, "If we don't so something about Trump, things could get dangerous." What he meant was, "Things could get dangerous for people like me." It's already dangerous out here for a lot of us. Especially if you are any kind of visible minority.
Rudy pay up 148 million..hahaha ..
Hey! That was great. Thanks. Now on to a Chris Hedges interview…
I find it fascinating and concerning that some evangelicals ask their pastors why they still reference jesus when they have a new christ that will fight and take what they want. Essentially some evangelical Christians now object to the teachings of Christ, instead wanting a messiah that acts as a holy warrior.
If you deal with the devil, you ain’t no Christian.
True ~
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
AMERICA IS MYSTERY BABYLON
The author misspelled "Evilgelicals."
The spelling appears to be correct by their actions.
Shows how pathetic they are
Are most evangelicals home or church school schooled? In other words, they live an insular life?
Not all. I don’t have statistics. I know the teenagers in my church mostly went to public schools. Some of that is determined by parents having jobs outside the home.
The next time an evangelical comes knocking on your door to tell you the good news tell that person you don't want to join the republican party and then shut the door.
Was such a joy to listen to, iit even felt a bit too short. Great job everyone this a gem.
Some "Christians" are asking their biological brothers and sisters to either love the U.S. and accept what Trump represents or leave the country. Welcome to 2024.
Sad, really ~
AMERICA IS MYSTERY BABYLON
DONALD JOHANN DRUMPF 666
BOOK OF REVELATION IS COMING TO PASS
Word! Is it really true?
I'm sorry, he's made them into Even Jellicles. He's expert at herding cats.
That was a heckuvva show, no? Yes!!
They made a deal with the Devil.
Just goes to show how shallow the movement was in the first place. Defeat for God? God can’t be defeated, but humans can. If there is any hate of any kind in your heart, then you loose. God is Love and Love is God, and the way back to God is also through Love. Love one another. Without love, there is no lasting peace.
Agreed.
Religion is Great!
You can interpret it to suit your agenda, politics..... whenever, however.
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
I am subscriber
He's a huckster and they are the johns. I mean, they are already primed for a faith based belief and what is faith? Investing in a belief.
I think it's the other way around. Trump is good at reading his supporters. He gives them what they want.
Evangelism is a multi-billion dollar business. The people are not God fearing,but Pastor fearing.
My question to Evangelicals who support Trump is: explain to me exactly what Christian virtue he represents?
Former evangelical weighing in (out of it for 25 years), went decisively "liberal" in 2002. He represents defiance of "godless liberalism and political correctness and modern wokeism".
He also defends "the common everyday working man or man in the cubicle who believes in 'simple common sense values' " and supports "just plain being normal and not a weirdo".
They'll just say that he is a means to an end.
"It is well established that religiosity correlates inversely with intelligence."
DONALD JOHANN DRUMPF 666
Try debating a Jesuit brother.
Trump is slyly currently avoiding the abortion issue, though of course he says evangelicals have him to thank for a Supreme Court that reversed Roe vs Wade.
Yes take people who’d believe ANYTHING and then they believe anything.
There can be no common ground with ideologies not based on reason. If these people have to choose between God and democracy or nonviolence, it will be no choice at all.
I would argue mostly just revealed the ugly sides that existed from the start. If you haven't yet, a fantastic explanation can be found in both "Jesus and John Wayne" by Dr. du Metz, and "the Color of Compromise" by Jemar Tisby.
How can an omnipotent being be defeated? Make it make sense, evangelicals.
No they were always exactly what they are not hypocrites
Evangelicals and their privledge card
This guy is still trying to help us live our lives, the way he would like us to live them.
Are you serious? Fraud, sexual assault, insurrection? I this how you are willing to live your life?
Like hypocrites you mean just like him.
I wouldn't be surprised if there's a church somewhere that has Orange Jesus as a stained glass window on their church!
Orange “Jesus” is ~
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
Well, you do give a good idea for a T-shirt.
I listened to an interesting podcast called “Heretic” about the rise and fall of Reverend Carlton Pearson. Quite enlightening for me about evangelism, I had no idea what they were truly about….a tad scary!
I call them Talibangelicals. 🤣
At 13:16, Trump quotes Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness. “I will give you power.”
Exactly ~
Donald Johann Drumpf 666
AMERICA IS MYSTERY BABYLON
@limolnar
0 seconds ago
The only time the founding government of the US mentioned being a Christian country was the statement from the Treaty of Tripoli in 1805, Article II: "The Government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion."