‘This Is Not of God’: When Anti-Trump Evangelicals Confront Their Brethren

[Correll]

In my opinion Donald Trump is absolutely not “religious.” He is not even “spiritual.” He is a totally amoral narcissist.

Trump’s choice as White House “spiritual advisor” (Paula White) and the many established televangelists who support him do not give him … “Christian counsel.” They are just sick venal fakers who speak gibberish and hope to make money “preaching.” Most reasonable Americans, both religious and irreligious, write off these fruitcakes and opportunists for the frauds that they are.

I agree that Trump is not a religious or spiritual person. I think most evangelicals would agree.

BUt their political alliance with Trump is not built on the idea that he is "one of them" but that he is not their enemy, like Hillary and Biden are, and is willing to work with them, like Liberals are not.


That is completely normal and reasonable.


Liberals are pretending it is not, because a populist allying with the evangelicals, is a force that could threaten their agenda, so they start the trash talking.

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

There is no “trash talking” here from the OP.
Nor from me.
Nor from most liberals who oppose reactionary “Christian evangelical” obscurantism and hysterics.

But from the evangelical side, from the Paula Whites, from the televangelists, there has indeed been plenty of gibberish and political trash talk towards liberals and “demonrats.” Our country desperately needs to grow up and REJECT this dangerous, intolerant and divisive political movement that disguises itself as representing … “Christian values.”

 

[Weatherman2020]

In my opinion Donald Trump is absolutely not “religious.” He is not even “spiritual.” He is a totally amoral narcissist.

Trump’s choice as White House “spiritual advisor” (Paula White) and the many established televangelists who support him do not give him … “Christian counsel.” They are just sick venal fakers who speak gibberish and hope to make money “preaching.” Most reasonable Americans, both religious and irreligious, write off these fruitcakes and opportunists for the frauds that they are.

That may be, but Trump did more to promote Judeo-Christian values than any other POTUS. God has a long history of using people who were unbelievers at the time. I don’t think the book is closed on Trump.

 

[Weatherman2020]

I agree that Trump is not a religious or spiritual person. I think most evangelicals would agree.

BUt their political alliance with Trump is not built on the idea that he is "one of them" but that he is not their enemy, like Hillary and Biden are, and is willing to work with them, like Liberals are not.


That is completely normal and reasonable.


Liberals are pretending it is not, because a populist allying with the evangelicals, is a force that could threaten their agenda, so they start the trash talking.

Exactly. Bush may be an evangelical, but he did little. No fruit.

 

[Lysistrata]

I agree that Trump is not a religious or spiritual person. I think most evangelicals would agree.

BUt their political alliance with Trump is not built on the idea that he is "one of them" but that he is not their enemy, like Hillary and Biden are, and is willing to work with them, like Liberals are not.


That is completely normal and reasonable.


Liberals are pretending it is not, because a populist allying with the evangelicals, is a force that could threaten their agenda, so they start the trash talking.

Evangelicals must be pretty desperate if they consider other Christians to be enemies merely because their political leanings differ. It's sad that the European Christians brought their differences to the New World and continue to squabble among themselves. This time, though, they are doing it in a country that has both Christians and non-Christians in its population and they are squabbling about policies that would affect non-Christians as well. Patriotic political candidates and office-holders recognize that it is their duty as Americans to represent all, regardless of faith, rather than use a political office to impose their sect's beliefs universally.

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

Evangelicals must be pretty desperate if they consider other Christians to be enemies merely because their political leanings differ. It's sad that the European Christians brought their differences to the New World and continue to squabble among themselves. This time, though, they are doing it in a country that has both Christians and non-Christians in its population and they are squabbling about policies that would affect non-Christians as well. Patriotic political candidates and office-holders recognize that it is their duty as Americans to represent all, regardless of faith, rather than use a political office to impose their sect's beliefs universally.

Yes, evangelicals and Trump supporters are desperate. These are evangelical mumbo-jumbo religious fakers and political opportunists who perfectly reinforce each other’s scams. Only the corrupt and hopelessly narrow minded could imagine any of this is or was good for our country or for the reputation of “Judeo-Christianity.”

As for politics — blah, blah, blah. “Demonrats” and “Angels Coming from Africa” to defeat the “Satanic Leftists.” We’ve heard it all before and … it sickens and has been rejected by decent Americans.

Another Trumpian “victory” for these scam artists would be our nation’s … death knell.

 

[Correll]

There is no “trash talking” here from the OP.
Nor from me.
Nor from most liberals who oppose reactionary “Christian evangelical” obscurantism and hysterics.

But from the evangelical side, from the Paula Whites, from the televangelists, there has indeed been plenty of gibberish and political trash talk towards liberals and “demonrats.” Our country desperately needs to grow up and REJECT this dangerous, intolerant and divisive political movement that disguises itself as representing … “Christian values.”

Your post was almost pure trash talk.

Stripped of your partisan pap, all you said was that, in your opinion, Donald Trump is not religious, and that some of the religious leaders that do support him, you don't like and look down on.


BIG-FUCKING-DEAL.


NOT.

 

[Correll]

Evangelicals must be pretty desperate if they consider other Christians to be enemies merely because their political leanings differ....

Your minimizing of the enmity that lefties have for Christians, would be funny, if you were not actually serious.

 

[Correll]

Yes, evangelicals and Trump supporters are desperate. These are evangelical mumbo-jumbo religious fakers and political opportunists who perfectly reinforce each other’s scams. Only the corrupt and hopelessly narrow minded could imagine any of this is or was good for our country or for the reputation of “Judeo-Christianity.”

As for politics — blah, blah, blah. “Demonrats” and “Angels Coming from Africa” to defeat the “Satanic Leftists.” We’ve heard it all before and … it sickens and has been rejected by decent Americans.

Another Trumpian “victory” for these scam artists would be our nation’s … death knell.

Good thing you are not engaged in "Trash Talk".

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

“… all you said was that, in your opinion, Donald Trump is not religious, and that some of the religious leaders that do support him, you don't like and look down on.” — Correll

Damn right. That is exactly what I said. That is not “trash talk” but my opinion … and the opinion of most Americans with a lick of “Common Sense.”

You yourself agreed that “Trump is not a religious or spiritual person.” Trash talk?

You apparently don’t agree with most Americans that evangelical “leaders” like Paula White and the aforementioned televangelist bible thumpers are frauds and / or lunatics. Take a look at … videos of Paula White “speaking in tongues.”

You can of course believe whatever you want. It’s a “free country.” I believe you defend these phony money-hungry preachers because they mislead voters who were critical to our recent “Grifter-In-Chief.” You basically admit as much. That G-I-C tried to stay in power even after he was rejected by U.S. voters, and he continues lying and endangering what is left of our Republic.

But this discussion is ostensibly about mad Evangelical Rightists of the sort that even Barry Goldwater thought were a bunch of dangerous fruitcakes. You don’t object to their language when they call the rest of us Satanic “Demoncrats” or agents of the devil. This is language that makes discussion impossible. This is “Christian Trash Talk” of the worst kind. You think rational criticism of these pro-Trump frauds, lunatics and the scam artists is itself … “trash talk”?

Perhaps you also think my words and thoughts are “Satanic” because I am not a “Christian” who believes in your Bible?

Please, gives us all a break. I — like most religious people — like most moral and modern people — see right through your and your allies’ “trash talk.”

 

[Correll]

Damn right. That is exactly what I said. That is not “trash talk” but my opinion … and the opinion of most Americans with a lick of “Common Sense.”

You yourself agreed that “Trump is not a religious or spiritual person.” Trash talk?

You don’t agree with most Americans that evangelical “leaders” like Paula White and the aforementioned televangelist bible thumpers are frauds and/or lunatics? Take a look at … videos of Paula White “speaking in tongues.”

You can of course believe what you want. I believe you defend these people because they were useful, even critical, to our recent “Grifter-In-Chief,” who moreover tried to stay in power after he was rejected by U.S. voters, and whose continuing lies endanger what is left of our Republic.

The discussion is about a mad Evangelical Right that even Barry Goldwater thought were a bunch of dangerous fruitcakes. You don’t object to their language when they call the rest of us Satanic “Demoncrats” or agents of the devil. This is language that makes discussion impossible. This is “Christian Trash Talk” of the worst kind. You think rational criticism of these pro-Trump frauds, lunatics and the scam artists is itself … “trash talk”?

Perhaps you also think my words and thoughts are “Satanic” because I am not a “Christian” who believes in your Bible?

Please, gives us all a break. I — like most religious people —most moral and modern people, see right through your and your allies’ “trash talk.”

I think that religion fills a role in teh lives of most people, and that is has, for almost all of human history.


As bizarre as that might look to secular people like you or me, when I look at the bizarre behavior that your culture and belief system has led to and is leading to,

I'm find myself thinking that leaving that behind, might be a DEEVOLUTION, not a form of ADVANCING.


I have always defended religious people from people like you, because I have always respected them and their beliefs, while I find you anti-religious or anti-Christian bigots to be... the real problem.


Your point about their "trash talk" has some validity. Do you wish to seriously discuss it? Or was that just a lucky hit, as you throw your mud?

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

I’ve said what I have to say, Correll.
Glad you find the concept of “Christian Trash Talk” interesting.

 

[Correll]

I’ve said what I have to say, Correll.
Glad you find the concept of “Christian Trash Talk” interesting.

I did not say that.

I said that you had a valid point and I asked if you were serious about discussing it.


I see that you are not. I guess you will go back to discussing the ideas of people different than you, that you do not share and how you think they are weird and how that makes you superior to them.

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

I will comment when I think it is useful, and I will use my “God given” Common Sense to expose fakers and frauds and demagogues dangerous to our Republic.

 

[Correll]

I will comment when I think it is useful, and I will use my “God given” “Common Sense” to expose fakers and frauds and demagogues dangerous to our Republic.

And again, despite prompting you have no desire to explore your point.

I guess that your point, was not really the point of your post, trashing talking people that are different than you, that was the point.

 

[Tom Paine 1949]

The subject of “Trash Talking” was one you introduced and you accused me of. I already set you right on all that, expressed myself clearly, and feel no further need to defend myself from your continuing abuse.

i have much better things to do at this hour than argue with you further. You can reread my posts if you can’t fall asleep.

As for me, I will sleep with a clear conscience …

 

[Correll]

The subject of “Trash Talking” was one you introduced and you accused me of. I already set you right on all that, expressed myself clearly, and feel no further need to defend myself from your continuing abuse.

i have much better things to do at this hour than argue with you further. You can reread my posts if you can’t fall asleep.

As for me, I will sleep with a clear conscience …

Stripped of your trash talk, all you said was that, in your opinion, Donald Trump is not religious, and that some of the religious leaders that do support him, you don't like and look down on.

 

[Colin norris]

‘This Is Not of God’: When Anti-Trump Evangelicals Confront Their Brethren

I've wondered how people of faith are viewing Trump..this article was an eye-opener--The article is ong..this is just a brief quote:

The night before Shane Claiborne came to town to preach at a Christian revival, he received a letter from the chief of police at Liberty University warning that if he set foot on the property, he would be arrested for trespassing and face up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

At first glance, Mr. Claiborne hardly appeared a threat to Liberty University, a dominant force in Lynchburg, Va., and a powerful engine in evangelical Christianity. Wearing baggy clothes that he sews himself, Mr. Claiborne preaches the Gospel, lives among the poor and befriends prisoners on death row, modeling his ministry on the life of Jesus.

But to the leaders of Liberty, he was a menace to their campus. He and his national network of liberal evangelicals, called the Red Letter Christians, were holding a revival meeting to protest in Liberty’s backyard. Their target: Jerry Falwell Jr., Liberty’s president and a man who has played a pivotal role in forging the alliance between white evangelicals and Donald J. Trump, who won 81 percent of their vote.

Mr. Claiborne and his group are the other evangelicals. The Red Letter Christians, a reference to the words of Jesus printed in some Bibles in red type, are not the evangelicals invited for interviews on Fox News or MSNBC. They don’t align neatly with either political party. But they have fierce moral and theological objections to those evangelicals who have latched onto Mr. Trump and the Republican Party.

“Let’s go where the Christians are, go where toxic Christianity lives,” Mr. Claiborne said last year, when proposing the idea for a revival in Lynchburg at an annual retreat for the Red Letter Christians.

The revival last month was the most energetic of several recent attempts by Christians in various camps to confront what they see as Mr. Trump’s “court evangelicals” selling out the faith. The critics have written columns, and a book called “Still Evangelical?” They convened a closed-door summit last month at Wheaton College. A number of bereaved, eminent elders plan a procession to the White House soon to hand over their manifesto, “Reclaiming Jesus: A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis.”

Mr. Claiborne and his group were far more audacious, but they also faced disappointment, resistance and fear. They were taking on Lynchburg, a company town where Liberty University is the biggest employer. Their “Red Letter Revival” revealed the state of the evangelical church in 2018: The loudest voices and institutional power and money are with Mr. Trump; the dissenters are fired-up, underfunded and scattered; and the vast majority of pastors are silent for fear of dividing their congregations or risking their jobs.

The chief of police is obviously a godbothering Republican. He us the one who should be arrested for denying the guy his freedom.

 

[surada]

Just as Jesus warned, a lot of people will claim to be followers, but they are just wolves in sheeps clothing. The easy distinction is the fruits of their lives (Pelosi, Biden come to mind, they live anti-Biblical lives and support anti-Biblical agendas)

Moral Majority - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Moral Majority was a prominent American political organization associated with the Christian right and Republican Party. It was founded in 1979 by Baptist minister Jerry Falwell Sr. and associates, and dissolved in the late 1980s. It played a key role in the mobilization of conservative Christians as a political force and particularly in Republican presidential victories throughout the 1980s.

 

[surada]

Makes sense. Like Ben Shapiro. He was not a Trump fan, until he saw how "conservatively" Trump governed.

Some like Trump because he is venal, crude, grandiose and dishonest.