For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Matthew 24:24
In 1978, the IRS revoked the tax exempt status of “Christian” Bob Jones University (Greenville, South Carolina) due to its racist policies. The next year, 1979, Jerry Falwell, who had created Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virgina) in 1971, formed a political action committee called the “Moral Majority.” While, ostensibly, the impetus behind the creation of this group was the nation’s “moral decay,” I believe Falwell’s financial interests and desire for public recognition were the true motives.
The Moral Majority created a strange Evangelical version of “Christian politics” that revolves around abortion, homosexuality, guns, and (though they have mostly learned to keep it quiet) racism. There is never any mention of feeding the poor, caring for the sick, or providing hospitality to the stranger.
Although evangelical ministers had gotten involved in politics before, the Moral Majority, and its activation of evangelical Christians on behalf of the Republican Party, (and the candidacy of Ronald Reagan in 1980) was a new, dramatic, political mobilization of evangelical Christians who had previously believed in keeping religion and politics separate.
By the end of eight years of Reagan, however, the Moral Majority disbanded (in 1989) due to a lack of donations. Presumably the Christian Right no longer felt the country was in moral peril with Saint Ronald in the White House.
Perhaps it is not surprising that evangelical Christians began to become politically active again with the election of Barack Obama, the first black President. Despite Obama’s Christian baptism and beliefs, the evangelicals would often accuse him of being “hostile” to Christianity.
The dream candidate
In 2015, after seven years of a black President that they detested, along came candidate Donald Trump. The Democratic nominee was likely going to be a woman (of all things!). Not only that, but the woman was a Clinton!
Also, unlike Romney, or even Bush 2, Trump actually came and asked evangelical leaders for their support. He promised to appoint conservative Federal judges and appoint anti-abortion justices to the Supreme Court. He promised not to take away their guns. He promised he would bring back coal mining and manufacturing jobs. He even offered evangelical leaders “a seat at the table” in his administration.
Except for his personal behavior and character, this guy was their dream candidate. So they decided to ignore Trump’s behavior and character. Some preachers even made excuses for him. (“God uses imperfect people.”). Evangelical preachers began telling their congregations that Trump was God’s choice for President.
Pleasing the crowd
The white evangelical faithful went wild for Trump. His rallies stirred up a united hatred toward their “enemies” and an ecstatic passion for their new hero. The slogan “Make America Great Again” sounded like a call for the millennial reign of Christ. The chant of “Lock her up!” was a cry for justice against the “evil liberals.”
And, of course, Trump, the “very stable genius,” in his magnanimous mercy, promised to immediately solve every problem in America in an “amazing,” “tremendous,” “terrific” way.
Conspicuously, at a Trump rally there is ample evidence of anger, hatred, and resentment but there is never any mention of “love thy neighbor,” “give him your coat also,” or “he that is without sin, let him first cast a stone.”
Yet, while they actively ignore or reject the teachings of Jesus, four out of five white evangelicals approve of Trump’s performance in office. This could indicate serious hypocrisy on their part, but an easier explanation is that they have simply switched heroes.
An easier hero to follow
Jesus asks us to repent, to be better people, and to serve others. Trump promises salvation without having to change. In fact, he even encourages people to be petty, selfish, resentful, and angry. He promotes hatred, scapegoating, and blaming others for our problems.
Donald J. Trump promises to save the world, well America anyway, and all he expects from his followers is to cheer for him and vote (and maybe wear a red hat). He makes people feel good about being selfish. Jesus expects us to repent of our selfishness.
Trump encourages people to create political enemies and then blame them for everything they don’t like. Jesus taught that we should love everyone – including our enemies.
Most white evangelical Christians in America are no longer Christian. They have traded in their Christian moral values for right-wing politics. It is now more accurate to call them “evangelical Trumpians.”
The 2016 election laid out graphically what is in essence the loss of Christian America. Arguably, what has constituted white evangelical Christian morality for 200 years no longer matters … and what we have is a sort of late-stage Christian afterglow.
Pastor Wayne Flint
Author’s Note: Hardly anyone ever clicks on my source notes, but if you are concerned about the effect of Trumpism on Christianity you should find the links below quite compelling. The implications of this issue for Latter-day Saints should be obvious.
Sources: Gary Silverman, “How the Bible Belt lost God and found Trump,” Financial Times, April 13, 2017.
Stephen Mattson, “Conservative Christianity is now everything it once hated: Post-modern, morally relative, and post-truth,” Soujourners, May 12, 2017.
Mark Shea, “Conservative Christianity is now everything it once hated,” Patheos, May 18, 2017.
John Pavlovitz, “The Sin of Christians Choosing The Economy Over Morality,” johnpavlovitz.com, August 9, 2018.
David Knowles, “Trump supporters say God chose him to be president,” Yahoo News, November 25,2019.
Thomas Lecaque, “The apocalyptic myth that helps explain evangelical support for Trump,” The Washington Post, November 26, 2019.
Wes Granberg-Michaelson, “Ignoring the Facts to our Spiritual Peril,” Soujourners, November 27, 2019.
A well thought out news article.
It speaks truthfully and makes me think about the direction this nation is heading in which I do not think is good.
Keep up the great postings I look forward to reading them each week.
So where are we LDS on this matter? The answer is not at all obvious. We are a one party Republican church. Are we then a one party Trump church (I think so). LDS media have treated Trump with kid gloves. I mean the Deseret News.
No, “we are not.” There are many Democrats within the church, even those who have jumped the Republican ship due to the very reasons which were so well laid out in this blog. It’s truly frightening.
Moreover, I am coming to understand how hopeless it is to attempt to engage our Church owned media at this time of great crisis. We will soon find out how destructive capital’s mistreatment of labor is. So many workers lack health insurance. So many workers have employers who won’t give them sick time. So they will work on, infecting fellow employees with this new Coronavirus. The Deseret News continues to cover its butt lest Trump think less of them. This is a disaster in the making.
Thank you for this article. As a lifelong active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have seen the Republican party transform into the place where it is today. As a moderate independent, I am grateful someone has the guts and honesty to print the truth about the politics of today.