It’s been quite a few days since Trump’s NABJ fiasco and his appalling questioning of Kamala Harris’ heritage/racial identify. Sure, many a white person including and especially a white person (usually male but not always) who’s a to their core racist P.O.S. deciding just “what” a non-white person “is” is all too common. However, getting to the point Trump claimed about “suddenly changing” what Harris called herself (Black or Indian?) Comedian John Oliver poses a question journalists have been afraid to raise. He asks in effect just when did TRUMP become a “Christian” and WHY?
Growing up I heard many a wise older person say to avoid discussing either religion or politics, except maybe with those close to me who truly loved me and would pretty much no matter what. This is doubly explosive to discuss, especially on a national scale even in far less turbulent times because it mixes BOTH. However, from where I sit it’s a conversation that should damn well have been underway for days now. Trump did after all as Oliver notes start it:
“I mean this in the most disparaging way possible: that went about as well as could be expected,” Oliver said. “Putting Trump in front of a Black audience and asking him to speak on race was never going to get more elevated than, ‘the lady said she was both Indian and Black. That is cheating.’”
Oliver continued, “So, none of this needs saying, but Harris didn’t ‘make a turn’ into being Black like it’s an interstate off-ramp. Her father’s black, and her mother was Indian.”
Oliver would go on to talk about other recent matters that has the Evangelical movement (or that swath, admittedly pretty large who claim to speak for all of Christianity) up in arms. Their being all “offended” is nothing new. Whenever donations are slipping they can always come up with a fresh outrage to get the money flowing again. However I want to remind readers the support of those Evangelical leaders who pledged their fealty (and with it that of their respective flocks) to Trump made a cynical bargain. They knew goddam well he wasn’t a Christian (not that they are either if you look at actually following the preaching what Jesus actually taught) but made a deal with the Devil.
Oh, some of them might have made what they thought was an “earthly” transactional deal – getting Trump elected so they could get the judges and Justices that would allow them to impose THEIR version of Christianity on all of us. They were probably so giddy at the prospect they didn’t notice the pen they signed with had a little burr on it. That nicked them just enough that a single, tiny drop of blood fell onto the contract they signed right there with Satan’s minion in the form of Donald J. Trump. Others I’m sure simply sold their souls willingly. Dumbasses who actually believed Satan’s promises that they would be in a special wing of Hell where souls didn’t actually suffer.
The point is that probably every last one of them beheld Trump and HELD their noses – and have been doing so ever since. They knew he’d lived an appallingly UN-Christian life and had no shame. He never pretended otherwise. They also knew he’d sometimes talk their talk but pretty much would continue to violate any of their precious Ten Commandments or other Christian principles he pleased. And not care. But they needed Trump to get what they wanted. Trump knew, much as he hated to admit it he needed THEM. For over forty years one law of American politics has held – a Republican can’t win the Presidency without overwhelming support from the “Christian” Right voters. So the bargain was struck.
They really should have known better. Almost to a person these faux men and women “of god” have been horrified to see Trump declare himself the new Jeebus! Oh, they still speak out loudly on his behalf but it’s surely dawned on them that they have actual made a bargain with the Devil. That Trump is the foretold False Prophet. The Anti-Christ. Like so many others they thought they could control Trump, only to learn the hard way there’s no controlling him!
That gets us back to the question of not just when all of a sudden Trump became “Christian” but WHY? Unless you’re one of the conservative lurkers who monitors Politizoom (trust me – they are there) you didn’t need to read any of what I’ve written to know the answers to both of those questions. Trump realized that his MAGA army notwithstanding he simply didn’t have a chance without RWNJ Christian support. So he picked Pence to wrangle up the leaders for him. Trump doesn’t need Pence anymore, and like the establishment of the GOP that’s now dead the leaders of the Evangelical movement are too afraid of Trump to stand up to him. Hell, like in the old USSR they are afraid even broaching the subject will ruin them – none can trust anyone else not to “inform” on them.
However, Democrats and journalists too should follow Oliver’s lead:
“It’s always strange to watch Trump act like he cares about religion,” Oliver joked, “because to echo something I heard someone say recently: ‘I didn’t know he was a Christian until a number of years ago, when he happened to turn Christian. All of a sudden, he made a turn and became a Christian person.”
Trump and his surrogates, as well as these Evangelical leaders should be peppered with questions. Based on the fact that until he needed them politically Trump had nothing to do with Christianity or those Evangelical leaders. Questions like ‘Did you actually believe he was changed? Born Again?’ Paired with examples (recent ones) that prove he’s the same a-hole he always was and after citing just of couple of example (and nothing there’s plenty more) ask ‘What about now?’
Trump has all but declared to “Christians” that the T in his name stands for (Holy) Trinity – that HE has taken over for God, Jesus and the Holy spirit! People including Trump need to be hammered on this. He’s no more of a Christian than I am an Olympic athlete. We need to make that point and keep on making it.
Bob Reich did a short video on Christian Nationalists. It’s more than a little scary. IMHO the folks who are running these churches aren’t stupid enough to believe trump is the second coming, but they know their members are. So they will try to get him elected, get their people installed in executive positions in his administration, and then when he drops dead will substitute one of their own.
From the movie Constantine, where a woman detective, who was a devout Catholic, was trying desperately to prove her twin didn’t commit suicide, because she would be condemned to Hell, was arguing with the premiere exorcist, Constantine,(Keneau Reeves), about whether the Devil actually existed. She stated people are evil. He agreed we are born capable of evil, but there are influences that, sometimes come along to nudge us in the direction of good or evil. She stated, I don’t believe in the Devil. He said, you should… he believes in you.
I don’t care what any of you think about my next statements, but I’m exposing a personal experience, albeit, knowing nothing I say can recreate it for you. I experienced something 50 years ago that convinced me supernatural darkness full of ‘principalities and powers’ DOES EXIST. I’m a seeker and have pushed the envelope many times in many ways. One night on acid, although I had many positive experiences prior to that night, was slowly having negative experiences, eventually driving from Greensboro to Kernersville with another friend freaking out, being his first time. Got home, spoke briefly with my dad. Went to my room, normally lit like a full moon with a streetlight right out my window. I had noticed a growing sound that was called hellspeak in the movie. Good description. Never could figure if it was human or the predatory growling of animals. I lay on my bed. Suddenly everything went supernaturally dark. Like I had been dropped into the deepest cave on earth. I tried to move…couldn’t. I tried to call for help…couldn’t. The only thing I could do was LISTEN. The evil chorus grew louder as if I was being encircled by demons intent on destroying me. I cant say how long it went on…it seemed like a long time. Suddenly, it stopped as if a conductor in a symphony had halted the orchestra. Then, from THE OTHER SIDE OF MY ROOM, an evil commanding voice said WITH AUTHORITY…YOU’RE DEAD. I really can’t say how long my mind froze in an ongoing conflict with panic/belief/denial etc. Eventually my soul, the deepest part, cried out for help from whatever you want to call the Almighty. In a twinkling of an eye it was over, the light was restored, and I was stone cold sober. Acid last 8-12 hrs. You don’t sober up because you want to. I had only been tripping for 2-3 hours. It changed the trajectory of my life and I can recall the exact details 50 years later. I majored in Religion and it was years before I ventured into hallucinogens again to see what would happen. I never had another experience like that again. I bring this up because our materialistic culture, has stunted our appreciation of the mysteries of this universe. We now think we know all the answers even though somewhere in space and time death claims us all, and all of our so called certainty won’t mean a goddamn thing. These phuckers use the shallow belief systems to cover their evil. Blasphemy to the nth degree. They may have power here. Their crimes may go unpunished here. Their lies may prevail here. But HERE IS NOT THE FINAL DESTINATION. Take whatever you will from my experience, but you shouldn’t rely ON YOUR IDEAS about the reality of this thing we call life. I’d advise keeping an open mind, heart, and soul. Do good. Resist evil. Remain humble. Walk in love however you can. Don’t walk in darkness. You’ve been warned. Hell awaits those who ignore the fruits of EVIL.
I guess even those in darkness like it there…for now. YOUR thumbs down means nothing. I tell the truth. You do not.
Yes; not quite sure who/what those thumbs down could mean but you’ve described an experience and a consequential life outlook that are definitely worth heeding. And for the record, I’ve has similar experience.
What I have come to realize with the Orange Menace is that religion can be a double-edged sword.
On the one side, for Christians, they choose to follow Jesus (the religion I am most familiar with). They genuinely want to do right and they are willing to reform their thinking as they walk this walk. I would think it is similar for people who are in other religions. For example, here in Japan, I had a number of late-night discussions with a devout Buddhist. I conclude that we both genuinely want to do right, though our respective hierarchical mechanisms of ultimate reality are quite different. Such people on occasion still can make very big mistakes, but in general, I don’t think being committed to some sort of devotion to doing right has a high likelihood of going bad all that often.
However, on the other side of that sword, power and influence are the great god that is worshiped. It is modern-day idolatry, a counterfeit god that people sacrifice more and more to, compromising their integrity in their show of devotion. Power seems to be a dangerously addictive drug, and it can turn you into a monster.
Imagine Matthew 7:22-24 where Jesus might say to some of the people in this second group, “I never knew you”. We should be scared. God wants us to seek and build _right relationships_; relationships that make people better, bring out the best in them, and respect a desire to grow and change and conform in the ways of the heavenly kingdom.
Somewhat ironically he’s about as ‘Christian’ as they are.
Their ‘brand’ of Christianity doesn’t appear to be Christian at all.
Not when you compare it to the actual teachings of Christ.
The true Christian party is the Democratic Party.
quite a few evangelical leaders have been very clear that Trump is not a Christian and not one of them but that that is irrelevant. they need him to get what they want. there is even a biblical story they use about a pagan king who helped the Jews or early Christians but was not himself a believer and for that they are grateful. I think Roger is correct, the main point to project 2025 is to install a bureaucracy to achieve the goal of establishing a Christian nationalist autocracy. once they’ve consolidated their position they won’t need Trump anymore and he’ll either be persuaded to retire or he’ll have a convenient heart attack or other accident.
Trump – perfectly happy to (unwittingly) be the useful idiot.
I don’t think most of the key people who created and have been setting up the implementation (starting during the transition – they will in fact run it) Project 2025 are Christian any more than Trump is. (Or some of those Evangelical leaders you mention are) If they experience anything “religious” in nature it’s pure Trump worship. To them “heaven” is the country they will create if Trump is given a second term and all the rewards they will reap. Hell? They don’t believe such a thing exists. Like me they are agnostic. Or even stone cold atheists. What matters is that like any GOPer they know they can’t win without the self-professed “Christian” right-wing vote. Like Trump they (Project 2025 leaders and many if not the majority of the rank and file already in place) see partnering with the Evangelicals as a purely transactional thing. A means to the end they seek.
As I said I agree with you that some, not a majority but some of those Evangelical leaders are grifters like Trump. They too don’t believe in any biblical heaven or hell and are out to gain as much wealth, perks and privilege as they can before they die. Like their colleagues they believe that their collective power will be enough to control Trump. ALL of them are sadly mistaken. Trump will throw them all into the wood chipper at some point. Like Donner and his ill-fated party they have led their charges through the pass without having realized it. Among the rank and file RWNJ Evangelicals Trump is already being thought of as the new Jesus or even God. Yep. If he manages to get back into the WH Trump won’t need ANY of those Evangelical leaders anymore. Their only hope to retain their status and lavish lifestyles will be to continue to sing his praises to their parishioners.
VON SHITZINPANTZ is NOT a Christian! The ANTI-CHRIST by definition cannot be a Christian!!
Did Trump actually say that he is the chosen one. If he didn’t say that please correct me. we all know he throws a lot of BS out there. AMEN