The Last Temptation - How American Evangelicals Sold Their Collective Souls For Politics

[pismoe]

The Last Temptation - The Atlantic - Pocket

One of the most extraordinary things about our current politics—really, one of the most extraordinary developments of recent political history—is the loyal adherence of religious conservatives to Donald Trump. The president won four-fifths of the votes of white evangelical Christians. This was a higher level of support than either Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush, an outspoken evangelical himself, ever received.

Trump’s background and beliefs could hardly be more incompatible with traditional Christian models of life and leadership. Trump’s past political stances (he once supported the right to partial-birth abortion), his character (he has bragged about sexually assaulting women), and even his language (he introduced the words pussy and shithole into presidential discourse) would more naturally lead religious conservatives toward exorcism than alliance. This is a man who has cruelly publicized his infidelities, made disturbing sexual comments about his elder daughter, and boasted about the size of his penis on the debate stage. His lawyer reportedly arranged a $130,000 payment to a porn star to dissuade her from disclosing an alleged affair. Yet religious conservatives who once blanched at PG-13 public standards now yawn at such NC-17 maneuvers. We are a long way from The Book of Virtues.

In January, following reports that Trump had referred to Haiti and African nations as “shithole countries,” Pastor Robert Jeffress came quickly to his defense. “Apart from the vocabulary attributed to him,” Jeffress wrote, “President Trump is right on target in his sentiment.” After reports emerged that Trump’s lawyer paid hush money to the porn star Stormy Daniels to cover up their alleged sexual encounter, Graham vouched for Trump’s “concern for Christian values.” Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, argued that Trump should be given a “mulligan” for his past infidelity. One can only imagine the explosion of outrage if President Barack Obama had been credibly accused of similar offenses.

The moral convictions of many evangelical leaders have become a function of their partisan identification. This is not mere gullibility; it is utter corruption. Blinded by political tribalism and hatred for their political opponents, these leaders can’t see how they are undermining the causes to which they once dedicated their lives. Little remains of a distinctly Christian public witness.

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The GOP, the party that claimed Jesus for themselves & for a nation, have now ultimately defiled Christianity & Jesus, relegating their claimed 'savior' to nothing more than a political tool in their efforts to attain & retain political power.

And Jesus said to the evangelicals, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

This is not mere gullibility; it is utter corruption.
It is neither. It is realism. No leader with strong Christian values is going to make it through the muck to the top of the Hill. I would suggest that the evangelicals got tired of getting nowhere and decided that it was better to fight dirty than to never get abortion outlawed. Or homosexuality forced back into the closet. No doubt those things are more important to them than the minor tarnishment of picking a man who does not meet their moral standards. Voting for him doesn't mean they personally act like him in their daily lives, does it?

There are very few supporters of Donald Trump of any stripe who don't begin with "I don't like the way he.....(fill in the blank) BUT....." They want to get certain things accomplished. Those who actually LIKE Trump's personality are probably from NYC, where they're used to attitudes and mouths like that.

----------------------------- i'm RURAL as can be and have been for 50 of my 70 years and I unashamedly support the TRUMP with a few problems . Trump was the only American in the election that he won Old Lady .

"The only American"??

You know his father came from a very wonderful place in Germany, right?

--------------------------- yeah , TRUMP and maybe Cruz were the ONLY Americans on that stage for nomination Pogo . Trump in particular has American Style , thinking was raised in the USA , has no ACCENT , looks American and I like his rebuilding of USA Military . He also has a good looking family that seem to back their DAD the one and only President Donald Trump and he is a builder of lasting things like YUGE Buildings Pogo .

EVERYBODY has an accent. Including you, including me. Tell me where "Yuge" comes from.

I see your point about "looks American" though. Never thought of that --- he paints himself orange so he can look more Indian?

-------------------------------------- I think that The TRUMPS use of the word YUGE is just to mess with your heads . As far as accent , the TRUMP has a 'new yawk' accent that is American rather than 'fureign' Pogo !!

 

[pismoe]

Why would they be "supporting" anybody as a bloc in the first place?

Far as I know we still don't run a theocracy (yet).

The reason why Christians vote as a bloc against the libs is because of the Christophobia.

Much like if you look at German elections in 1932, the Jews voted heavily against Mr. Hitler

That's because he said "they're rapists". In German of course.
Feel free to show the class how it was a religious thing though. This oughta be good. Jews voted against Hitler because he was a Christian, amirite?

Exactly. Hitler made up bullshit about the Jewish faith, much like libs do about the Evangelical faith today.

The only difference is that Hitler didn't act shocked when he didn't get the Jewish vote

Fundies as persecuted as Jews were in Hitler's Germany.......

Illustration of a dead giveaway that the goal is complete homogenous domination​

------------------------------- I like it , thanks Pogo !!

 

[Pogo]

This is not mere gullibility; it is utter corruption.
It is neither. It is realism. No leader with strong Christian values is going to make it through the muck to the top of the Hill. I would suggest that the evangelicals got tired of getting nowhere and decided that it was better to fight dirty than to never get abortion outlawed. Or homosexuality forced back into the closet. No doubt those things are more important to them than the minor tarnishment of picking a man who does not meet their moral standards. Voting for him doesn't mean they personally act like him in their daily lives, does it?

There are very few supporters of Donald Trump of any stripe who don't begin with "I don't like the way he.....(fill in the blank) BUT....." They want to get certain things accomplished. Those who actually LIKE Trump's personality are probably from NYC, where they're used to attitudes and mouths like that.

----------------------------- i'm RURAL as can be and have been for 50 of my 70 years and I unashamedly support the TRUMP with a few problems . Trump was the only American in the election that he won Old Lady .

"The only American"??

You know his father came from a very wonderful place in Germany, right?

--------------------------- yeah , TRUMP and maybe Cruz were the ONLY Americans on that stage for nomination Pogo . Trump in particular has American Style , thinking was raised in the USA , has no ACCENT , looks American and I like his rebuilding of USA Military . He also has a good looking family that seem to back their DAD the one and only President Donald Trump and he is a builder of lasting things like YUGE Buildings Pogo .

EVERYBODY has an accent. Including you, including me. Tell me where "Yuge" comes from.

I see your point about "looks American" though. Never thought of that --- he paints himself orange so he can look more Indian?

-------------------------------------- I think that The TRUMPS use of the word YUGE is just to mess with your heads . As far as accent , the TRUMP has a 'new yawk' accent that is American rather than 'fureign' Pogo !!

You just said above he "had no accent". Now you're admitting a "new yawk accent". That 180 happened so fast, I'm dizzy.

Bernie Sanders, a politician who shares zero of Rump's perverse philosophy, has the same pronunciation. That's because they grew up in the same place, with the same ACCENT.

There is no such thing as a person with "no accent" unless they do not speak at all. Under that equation we can only WISH Rump had no accent.

Now what do you think is his purpose with the word "bigly"?

 

[The Irish Ram]

The Last Temptation - The Atlantic - Pocket

One of the most extraordinary things about our current politics—really, one of the most extraordinary developments of recent political history—is the loyal adherence of religious conservatives to Donald Trump. The president won four-fifths of the votes of white evangelical Christians. This was a higher level of support than either Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush, an outspoken evangelical himself, ever received.

Trump’s background and beliefs could hardly be more incompatible with traditional Christian models of life and leadership. Trump’s past political stances (he once supported the right to partial-birth abortion), his character (he has bragged about sexually assaulting women), and even his language (he introduced the words pussy and shithole into presidential discourse) would more naturally lead religious conservatives toward exorcism than alliance. This is a man who has cruelly publicized his infidelities, made disturbing sexual comments about his elder daughter, and boasted about the size of his penis on the debate stage. His lawyer reportedly arranged a $130,000 payment to a porn star to dissuade her from disclosing an alleged affair. Yet religious conservatives who once blanched at PG-13 public standards now yawn at such NC-17 maneuvers. We are a long way from The Book of Virtues.

In January, following reports that Trump had referred to Haiti and African nations as “shithole countries,” Pastor Robert Jeffress came quickly to his defense. “Apart from the vocabulary attributed to him,” Jeffress wrote, “President Trump is right on target in his sentiment.” After reports emerged that Trump’s lawyer paid hush money to the porn star Stormy Daniels to cover up their alleged sexual encounter, Graham vouched for Trump’s “concern for Christian values.” Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, argued that Trump should be given a “mulligan” for his past infidelity. One can only imagine the explosion of outrage if President Barack Obama had been credibly accused of similar offenses.

The moral convictions of many evangelical leaders have become a function of their partisan identification. This is not mere gullibility; it is utter corruption. Blinded by political tribalism and hatred for their political opponents, these leaders can’t see how they are undermining the causes to which they once dedicated their lives. Little remains of a distinctly Christian public witness.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The GOP, the party that claimed Jesus for themselves & for a nation, have now ultimately defiled Christianity & Jesus, relegating their claimed 'savior' to nothing more than a political tool in their efforts to attain & retain political power.

And Jesus said to the evangelicals, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

You little dumb ass. Hillary Satan Clinton was the best you had to offer, sooo...
Little remains of a distinct Christian public anything, thanks to you liberal assholes. No crosses, no 10 commandments, no soap boxes. And now you want to use Christians to push your stupid messiah garbage.
Christ is Lord.
Trump is President.
Hillary is drunk in her bleachbit basement.
God's in His Heaven.
All's right with the world....for now.

Worry less about someone else's walk with God, and sweep your own porch. It appears you have more to worry about than who is President.
Life is short, eternity is forever. Does Jesus know you?

 

[Jets]

Evangelicals are going to support the GOP regardless of how “Christian” the candidate presents himself.

 

[pismoe]

and me , I sound like a 'Finlander with a bit of Swede' thrown in due to coming from the Great Upper Peninsula of Michigan . Its simply called , hey that guy sounds like a YOOPER with his mouth fulla 'venison' , Pasty or Lutefisk but he is ALL American as is his accent Pogo .

 

[pismoe]

Evangelicals are going to support the GOP regardless of how “Christian” the candidate presents himself.

I think so as there is no one other than The Trump that is halfway suitable Jets .

 

[debbiedowner]

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/...HHPxxLh4Oa2DYkEKDYp6wwiUXQ4bVfS1GPDFwhNakj1Fc

 

[Pogo]

and me , I sound like a 'Finlander with a bit of Swede' thrown in due to coming from the Great Upper Peninsula of Michigan . Its simply called , hey that guy sounds like a YOOPER with his mouth fulla 'venison' , Pasty or Lutefisk but he is ALL American as is his accent Pogo .

True story: the first time I had a conversation with a Finnish girl (in English), I thought she was crying. That's what it sounded like.

 

[pismoe]

just so its clear . I'm talking Finlanders and Swedes from a hunerd yeays ago . They are a hundred percent America nowadys but thats because they fit right into the USA in looks , style , Westen Culture , traditions , Religion . They are good people for the most part Pogo .

 

[Dr Grump]

Since when is the word "broad" misogynist? Are Dean Martin, Burt Lancaster and Sammy Davis all "misogynists" in you small mind?

Burt Lancaster definitely. The other two were lotharios therefore vicariously misogynists for sure. And yes, 'broad' is, IMO, a derogatory word used for women....

 

[playtime]

“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.”

― Barry Goldwater