Trump Proof Evangelicals Are Losing Their Religion?

[Lyndon]

Hey I didn't make the loaded OP.

Looks like TDS to me.

Looks like Trump BS believer syndrome to me!!

 

[Ouroboros]

Something else to consider: why the adoration for Trump and not his Vice president who arguably encapsulates the morality of Evangelical Christianity more fully?

I suspect it is Trump's wealth and fame.

Since that past 100+ years the attitude among American Christians, or rather an unspoken rule, that wealth is a form of evidence or sign that God has blessed you. We studied this in sociology. It's quite interesting. So Trump being wealthy and supporting some core ideological issues, that's enough for them. If he's a liar, a cheater, corrupt, thief, or whatever else, it doesn't matter to them. As long as God seems to like him (he's rich) and he's supporting their core issues (which really are just fringe issues in their religion), he's the guy. He's Jesus Lord himself in a new clothing. He's the sheep in a wolf skin.

Part of it, I suspect is that Christianity has had a very good time in US. Very little, or no oppression. Tax incentive. Media moguls spreading the gospel and making money like no other temple monger from old times. And because of how easy it's been, they forgot to fight for the true core values and instead have to find the minor things like abortion to fight against. If abortion and homosexuality is made criminal according to their wishes, the next target will be alcohol, drugs, porn, and such things. There's always one more thing to attack on religious grounds. If it would continue, we'd end up just like any other theocratic society in history where blasphemy was (and is in some countries still) punished. But I don't think that will happen. We're just in a huge right-wing swing, and it'll swing the other way some day in the future, and we'll be in danger of having the opposite side being oppressive.

 

[Revoltingest]

Liberal?

Seriously?
Tom

You're not 100%, but you have enuf to make that label sting a little.

 

[Twilight Hue]

We

Looks like Trump BS believer syndrome to me!!

 

[columbus]

You're not 100%, but you have enuf to make that label sting a little.

The part that stings is that I'm not liberal enough to post in the Liberal Religion forums, nor conservative enough for the Conservative Religion forums.

Everybody hates me. I'm gonna go eat worms.
To.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Christians will just quote Romans 13:1 anyways.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

The part that stings is that I'm not liberal enough to post in the Liberal Religion forums, nor conservative enough for the Conservative Religion forums.

Everybody hates me. I'm gonna go eat worms.
To.

I sort of fall somewhere on that middle ground too. Conservative in some ways. Liberal in others. Underpinned with some libertarian views. A recognition to the need for sound leadership, but wary of authoritarianism from any direction.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Since that past 100+ years the attitude among American Christians, or rather an unspoken rule, that wealth is a form of evidence or sign that God has blessed you. We studied this in sociology. It's quite interesting. So Trump being wealthy and supporting some core ideological issues, that's enough for them. If he's a liar, a cheater, corrupt, thief, or whatever else, it doesn't matter to them. As long as God seems to like him (he's rich) and he's supporting their core issues (which really are just fringe issues in their religion), he's the guy. He's Jesus Lord himself in a new clothing. He's the sheep in a wolf skin.

Part of it, I suspect is that Christianity has had a very good time in US. Very little, or no oppression. Tax incentive. Media moguls spreading the gospel and making money like no other temple monger from old times. And because of how easy it's been, they forgot to fight for the true core values and instead have to find the minor things like abortion to fight against. If abortion and homosexuality is made criminal according to their wishes, the next target will be alcohol, drugs, porn, and such things. There's always one more thing to attack on religious grounds. If it would continue, we'd end up just like any other theocratic society in history where blasphemy was (and is in some countries still) punished. But I don't think that will happen. We're just in a huge right-wing swing, and it'll swing the other way some day in the future, and we'll be in danger of having the opposite side being oppressive.

I wonder how prosperity Christians deal with the existence of billionaires like Bezos, Soros, Gates, and Bloomberg that individually have more money than Trump? I wonder if they see this as the work of Satan?

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Hey I didn't make the loaded OP.

Looks like TDS to me.

Actually, I did my best to make the OP not loaded.

 

[Ouroboros]

I wonder how prosperity Christians deal with the existence of billionaires like Bezos, Soros, Gates, and Bloomberg that individually have more money than Trump? I wonder if they see this as the work of Satan?

Good point. God works in mysterious ways and even "evil" people can do good things... except when they're socialists or democrats because they are always evil even if God has blessed them with money.

You know what's really, really sad in all this... I was a member of a prosperity cult.. church, many years ago. Late 80's to mid 90's. Didn't work. God hated me. Don't know why, but God hates me. I tried my best to please him but I wasn't good enough. :/

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Good point. God works in mysterious ways and even "evil" people can do good things... except when they're socialists or democrats because they are always evil even if God has blessed them with money.

You know what's really, really sad in all this... I was a member of a prosperity cult.. church, many years ago. Late 80's to mid 90's. Didn't work. God hated me. Don't know why, but God hates me. I tried my best to please him but I wasn't good enough. :/

I have not been blessed with great fortunes either. Close a time or two, but my faith surely faltered in those times. I just didn't want it and didn't believe like a true Christian. I suppose it is useful to believe you deserve something and it is a divine gift, especially when buffeted by possible guilt for having it among a growing number of those that have so little.

 

[Revoltingest]

The part that stings is that I'm not liberal enough to post in the Liberal Religion forums, nor conservative enough for the Conservative Religion forums.

Well, restricted forums are about belonging to the clique.
It's a bit like a mean girls club.

 

[wellwisher]

The Christian religion, if taken to the limit, requires one be humble and turn the other cheek. This works well among groups of Christians, but it makes one very vulnerable in a world of godless leftist activists.The outward show of humility makes it too easy to be pillaged by the heathens. Bullies can smell what appears to be weakness.

Trump is not afraid to take on the heathens, for himself, as well as on behalf of the Christians. This has made some the Christians take a calculated risk to man up, so their world can change back, to one where they can once again be good Christians, without any fear of being pillage by the heathens.

The left is lamenting about how it was so much easier, when the Christians were sheep. As lions, they are taking back their religion and country, so their children, one day, can be sheep living in peace.

When I was young I was a quiet, peaceful and humble child. This made me vulnerable to wan-a-be bullies. The bully senses those whom they can pick on, since they will not fight back.

The work around I discovered, for my vulnerability, was to befriend the toughest kids in the school. These boys were not all bullies, and they were not afraid to rumble. My friendly association with the tough kids gave me school wide protection reputation, so I could remain peaceful, even among the discord of the pecking order.

The Christians have discovered this strategy with Trump. Some have even become emboldened, since protection is like a good defense, if you have to fight. The fight will now be fair, and not run by the rules of the bully.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Christians will just quote Romans 13:1 anyways.

Right - the verse that magically disappeared from their Bibles when a black president was in office.

 

[Lyndon]

The Christian religion, if taken to the limit, requires one be humble and turn the other cheek. This works well among groups of Christians, but it makes one very vulnerable in a world of godless leftist activists.The outward show of humility makes it too easy to be pillaged by the heathens. Bullies can smell what appears to be weakness.

Trump is not afraid to take on the heathens, for himself, as well as on behalf of the Christians. This has made some the Christians take a calculated risk to man up, so their world can change back, to one where they can once again be good Christians, without any fear of being pillage by the heathens.

The left is lamenting about how it was so much easier, when the Christians were sheep. As lions, they are taking back their religion and country, so their children, one day, can be sheep living in peace.

When I was young I was a quiet, peaceful and humble child. This made me vulnerable to wan-a-be bullies. The bully senses those whom they can pick on, since they will not fight back.

The work around I discovered, for my vulnerability, was to befriend the toughest kids in the school. These boys were not all bullies, and they were not afraid to rumble. My friendly association with the tough kids gave me school wide protection reputation, so I could remain peaceful, even among the discord of the pecking order.

The Christians have discovered this strategy with Trump. Some have even become emboldened, since protection is like a good defense, if you have to fight. The fight will now be fair, and not run by the rules of the bully.

But Trump is the biggest bully of them all

 

[Windwalker]

People can tolerate great faults in politicians because it's war
against the other side. One might call it the General Sherman
syndrome, ie, despicable people fighting the good fight.

Yes, dividing the country is in fact the role of a great leader. And Christians, being followers of the ways of Jesus, are always spoiling for a good war against their fellow citizens who don't believe like they do. Win that war against your neighbor at all costs, including truth and integrity, teaches Jesus to his faithful flock.

 

[shmogie]

Thanks for your response!

It makes sense that Trump support would be focused on political issues and not on behavior, and this is something the article did bring up:



What surprises me is just how much they support him. There's an adoration that seems to go beyond that of politically supporting abortion. That may not be the case for you or other Evangelicals, but it does certainly occur.

Also, the article discusses the discrepancy between just how much political emphasis is put on abortion and homosexuality vs. civil rights and human welfare, despite lip service otherwise from the pulpit.

In 2016 we had the choice between the two worst candidates in his

It's what evangelicals want that is causeing the rest of us to define them as being non-Christian. And it's also their willingness to make a pact with the devil to get what they want, and to hell with what anyone else wants. Even to the point of deliberately appointing biased and corrupt politicians and judges.

LOL !!! So YOU can determine who is a Christian. That is funny. It is like a shark defining what a baby seal should be.

I see, anyone with whom you disagree is biased and corrupt. What a saint you are.

What do Evangelicals "want" that has twisted your tail so much?

Tell me, please.

 

[shmogie]

Yes, that's true.



The thesis of the article is that the means are not leading to the desired end. Instead of increasing Christian virtue, the means are leading to a non-traditional-Christian end.

Yes, that is the authors opinion. It is an opinion that in my experience, is wrong.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yes, dividing the country is in fact the role of a great leader. And Christians, being followers of the ways of Jesus, are always spoiling for a good war against their fellow citizens who don't believe like they do. Win that war against your neighbor at all costs, including truth and integrity, teaches Jesus to his faithful flock.

Uniting the country can be useful too.

 

[Windwalker]

Uniting the country can be useful too.

I'll vote for that candidate.