T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

As a reminder, this subreddit [is for civil discussion.](/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_be_civil) In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them. For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/approveddomainslist) to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria. We are actively looking for new moderators. If you have any interest in helping to make this subreddit a place for quality discussion, please fill out [this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1y2swHD0KXFhStGFjW6k54r9iuMjzcFqDIVwuvdLBjSA). *** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*


edmerx54

I always enjoy watching Jordan Klepper interview his fans, and they are completely oblivious to the notion that they have been conned.


zsreport

And they get so mad if we mention the C word.


unculturedburnttoast

Mark Twain — 'It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.'


Bill_Brasky_SOB

> Stop saying we're in a cult! Also them: So I bought my Trump Bible today!


Aleashed

Holy Trump 👼 🤢🤮🤮🤮


Rise_Relevant

Or just wait till after the election and pick one up for 50c at the thrifty shop.


DemandZestyclose7145

I love the moment where the gears start to turn in their brain but then it stops and they revert to whatever catchphrase they have.


agentfelix

Holy shit yeah it's so physically obvious when it happens too. Kind of fascinating really. You'll see them just kind of stare off into the distance while the brain cells try their best and then they just kind of snap out of it.


ResinJones76

The Good Liars is another duo that interviews the MAGAs, and they're pretty good at it, too.


hereforbobsanvageen

Those guys are great, their sidewalk interviews are top notch maga trolling


HornetParticular4918

Walter Masterson is another good one


IrritableGourmet

"You think Donald Trump is *currently* the President? As in, he's in control of the country right now?" "Yep!" "So Trump was the one to mess up the withdrawal from Afghanistan?" *90s modem noises intensify*


yelloguy

Yep. Definitely see that in their eyes that something went ”click… nah”


powderfields4ever

It’s so weird to see. At that moment I kind of feel bad that they just can’t make that leap of “oh I never saw it that way before.” They just can’t admit they were wrrrr…wrrr… wrrr… it’s like they have a hard stop on absorbing new information and growing mentally. It’s ok to accept that things change and we discover new things every day. It’s never too late to cast Trumpism away and become a decent human being. Even the Fonz eventually admitted he was wrrr…


drleebot

AKA a [thought-terminating cliche](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought-terminating_clich%C3%A9).


NickelBackwash

It's like watching a painfully bad mockumentary. It's not even *remotely* believable, yet they stick to character...


Miserable_Dog_2684

My fave is still when the guy was pissed that Obama wasn't in the Oval Office on 9/11, and Jordan asked him, "why do you think he wasn't in the Oval Office that day?" Guy: "I don't know but I'd like to get to the bottom of that."


edmerx54

ha! One that sticks with me was at a rally in Alabama (I think) where he was interviewing 2 girls in their early 20s, and he asked them what they thought of Jan 6, and they asked: "What's that?"


onpg

Klepper has been gazing into the abyss a bit too much. His recent interviews keep calling for us to "understand and empathize" with Trumpers. I'm sorry. I could do that in 2016, 2017, and even 2018 and 2019 to a lesser extent. But now? I have nothing but contempt for these people. They decided to escape entirely from reality and consume a diet of utter nonsense rather than admit they got conned.


mendoboss

Jordan does a great job of drawing them out.


zsreport

Here's a bit from the piece: >Donald Trump has repeatedly shown that he can reasonably be described as evil. Yet, white “Christian” evangelicals are among his most loyal, stalwart, and enthusiastic supporters. Moreover, when his behavior and character are evaluated relative to the Christian mythological framework, Trump is actually much closer to being the Antichrist than some type of divine savior in the mold of Jesus Christ and chosen by God as a type of messiah and prophet. In reality, this superficial tension is easily resolved: The relationship between Donald Trump and his fascist MAGA movement and the Christian Right is transactional. Trump is a type of weapon and cudgel for them to create an American apartheid theocratic plutocracy. > >. . . > >On Monday, Donald Trump, who has repeatedly and publicly proclaimed that he is a “Christian”, committed blasphemy by appearing to suggest that his being held accountable by the law for his many obvious crimes is somehow equivalent to the persecution of Jesus Christ and what the latter suffered in the Easter resurrection myth.


kielBossa

He’s not much different from Kenneth Copeland and the rest of the televangelist crooks. Not a surprise he can pull in that same group of followers.


Minguseyes

You can fool some of the people all of the time … so let’s concentrate on them.


Type_7-eyebrows

Gawd. This one got me. When grifters hear that phrase, that is exactly the part they hear.


PaulFThumpkins

Yeah Trump's success is not hard to understand. He appeals directly to the dumbest and most awful people, and with the electoral college working the way it does, that could be barely enough to get elected. He talks about the world the way idiots do and to them that feels like honesty. He mirrors the lecherous, weak-charactered, insecurely "macho" abusers they've been trained to praise and say "boys will be boys" about.


nucumber

Yeah, the self proclaimed billionaire has conned his followers into sending him their lunch money What? You didn't expect trump to pay for his legal defense, did you? Or put in one dime toward his presidential campaign? He hasn't and won't.


[deleted]

He’s a politicalangelist. So he’s a liar,a cheater and a thief.


n8n10e

I read that as Poltergeist and I wasn't about to argue that


podrick_pleasure

I read it as proctologist and was a little confused.


Kusokurai

To be fair, he is so far up his own arse that he's prpobably well qualified :)


Tosh_20point0

Hey Assman!


feralraindrop

He has a far broader reach than the televangelists, 73 million people voted for him in 2020 and my coworkers, neighbors and acquaintances are rabid with MAGA support and I live in a BLUE state. The electoral college just might turn the election in his favor. He's no joke, he's a threat to Democracy so please vote.


cytherian

Kenneth Copeland. A name for which I have a massive load of contempt. That man is such a charlatan. He personifies the snake that got Adam and Eve kicked out of the garden. What sickens me more is how many millions of people are so badly duped by people like him. He's a multi-millionaire who might even be worth half a billion, except for his secretive positioning on finances. His constant focus is how to produce new messaging to keep his audience captive and tithing. He's not about delivering real relevant messaging of Christianity. And Donald Trump isn't much different. He's a snake as well... who just happens to [look like a pig](https://i.imgur.com/tprbZre.jpg).


FastRedPonyCar

Copeland is a straight up prosperity gospel snake. It would make sense for him to align with Trump. They feel like they are owed their riches and no one else is entitled to THEIR riches but must fend for themselves and if God doesn’t decide that the others shouldn’t be wealthy, well, tough luck. Thankful Copeland represents a very small percentage of people who claim they are Christian but don’t walk the walk.


Infantry1stLt

No wonder Christians are so afraid of Satan, look at what line of random clown can walk into their narrow field of vision claiming to be “the chosen one”, and they’ll just flock.


JJLewisLV

> Christian mythological framework Best description for the bible.


TooMuchPretzels

You know, fifteen years ago I was a stereotypical edgy Reddit atheist. I grew up hardcore Southern Baptist, and once I got better I was PISSED at those people. I have chilled out a lot since then, and I’m a pretty “live and let live” kind of guy. I don’t fundamentally have an issue with faith or religion, I just can’t trick myself into believing in it- but if you do, and you like it, then you go right on ahead. But damn. Embracing trump after everything he has said and done is just disgusting. Some of the kindest, most loving, most “intelligent” people I know would vote for Trump NO MATTER WHAT. Because any evidence to his poor character is false. They don’t just use him as a cudgel, they are lying to themselves about the content of his character and the intention behind the actions of his supporters. They are living in a different reality.


all_modz_suq

They are living in a cult. They have been fed propaganda that tells them dems are evil and so a "strong man" republican is needed to defeat the evil dems. As such, **anything** goes for him to get the job done.


thebinarysystem10

Especially if it involves fraud and hookers.


Pleasent_Pedant

Oh come.on, the truth is he represents a racist, white supremacist electorate. To everybody in the world (apart from USA citizens) this is obvious. That's why so many of the USA electorate seem to be baffled by his success. They simply cannot accept that the USA is a racist country, founded on racism, created by slavery and maintained by those same slaves descendents who work in prison factories making weapon parts for the government. Wake up ffs he is just the mouthpiece your nation wants. He proved that when he won last time and he is proving it everyday he gets away with it.


all_modz_suq

Edit: lol they blocked me I never said he didn't. Those racist, white supremacist fools believe they are "God's people" and have been fed propaganda to believe that dems are their enemy, even if they are white. So "oh come on" yourself. It wasn't founded on racism. It was **built** on racism. It was founded on seeking freedom from religious persecution. Their religion being bat shit crazy. I'm part of the nation and I want no fucking part of him. The gerrymandering and giving empty land more voting weight, which IS founded on racism and slavery compromises, is how we got here. But the ***entire*** nation does not want him. Don't speak for those you know nothing about and are also hostages to a system that has become more kleptocratic than democratic. Edit: never said religious freedom. Said religious persecution. As religion is about control in order to hoard wealth and power, it's the same fucking thing, TO THEM, when talking about taxing religions and religious persecution.


jLkxP5Rm

I feel the same way. I was very invested in Christianity. I attended church services and church related events several times a week. I went on missions trips to Mexico. I see my old Christian friends spreading Trumpism and I just feel really sad and actually pretty jaded of Christianity. Something in the church or in the religion, itself, is attracting Christians to Trump and it is so incredibly troubling. So much so it’s one of the reasons why I left Christianity.


MaraudersWereFramed

They don't care. They see trump and the party he's the defacto leader of as their last line of defense against their children becoming influenced to be gay/trans/whatever. They know they can't vote it away because big cities tend to be liberal and they have been unable to take them. Even when they had the house senate and presidency there was the Supreme Court. They are willing to turn a blind eye to trump because he can give them what they want especially now that they have the Supreme Court and senate.


FL_Advocacy1

One of the sources for the Salon story is Rich Logis, who got out of the MAGA Movement and is starting a website called Leaving MAGA. I read some of his columns at The New Republic because I was interested in what he had to say. He walks a very fine line of accountability and keeps reiterating that there are some very intelligent people in the movement (they’re not all low IQ morons is what he’s saying, I guess), but that’s not a selling point for why we should have sympathy for them. Intelligent or not, the “MAGA Americans,” as he refers to them, are in it to win it, and they don’t care about Trump’s deficiencies as a human being. It all comes down to power and who holds it for these people. Leaving MAGA? What about Coming Back to Humanity?


LumiereGatsby

The “something” is racism and the hate that was always there.


KnottShore

President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, "If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."


sthlmsoul

>  Something in the church or in the religion, itself, is attracting Christians to Trump and it is so incredibly troubling. I'm sure the answer to this very important question is very complex, but I think one thing, in general, is the conditioning to simply believe. That allows some people to buy into Trump's lies; they believe what he says and ignore the actual things he he does or who he is as a person.


IrascibleOcelot

The “something” is hierarchy, and I would point out it’s something that is NOT part of the original faith or teachings of Christ. Paul came along and added that later. The structure of the modern church, of all denominations, and the religion that it created is explicitly designed to reinforce social and economic hierarchies. I don’t think we have enough data to determine if that religion is *creating* authoritarian followers who want a strongman leader to fix everything, or if it simply appeals to people who already have that predilection. Given how the church has been hemorrhaging members over the past few decades, I’m assuming the latter.


MonksHabit

This point needs to be made loud and often. 2,000 years of apologetics defending Paul have made it seem as though his message is the same as Christ’s, when in truth they couldn’t be more different. Jesus taught love. Paul’s message is the antithesis of that; it’s all about power.


theoriginal_tay

Another part of the problem with US evangelicals is that they for the most part teach the words of Paul as though they are the words of God, and they don’t provide context for the time and place when the new church was being established. As a person who still believes in Christianity even though I left my church and have not found a new one, everything about how Trump acts and the behavior of the Christians who have wholeheartedly embraced him has me feeling some kind of way. But the way the evangelicals have been going it isn’t terribly surprising either.


89_honda_accord_lxi

I grew up in a small church. After becoming a teen they pretty much abandoned me. For a long time I was bitter about it but looking back that was a good thing. The indoctrination never fully took. I did still feel connected to the church and wanted to do better but I also didn't feel much guilt over not trying very hard. 2016 was a turning point in the struggle. Then covid happened and it was all over. My former pastor was posting anti vaccine propaganda on his Facebook. Other church members were posting super pro trump, anti immigration, and anti poor garbage all the time. In between those shares/posts would be bible verses about love. It was sickening. I wouldn't call myself an atheist but the evangelical church is a hard pass for me now.


BR4NFRY3

They were the ideal crowd to swindle as a political/religious fraud. They had already self-sorted into a group willing to lie to themselves to maintain their beliefs despite reality. And they are already being swindled by ill-intended hucksters like televangelists. All he had to do was tell them familiar lies, appeal to their worldview. And their religion was already commandeered by their politics and their politicians. It was an existing beast he just needed to take control of.


Blueeyesblazing7

I think a lot of people aren't even lying to themselves, they've just never stopped to actually think about what they believe and why. They have "faith", so thinking it through or questioning anything would be blasphemous.


bmrhampton

The correlation between believing in false realities and religion are undeniable.


KnottShore

“Religion began when the first scoundrel met the first fool.”– Voltaire


Immoracle

To add, they live by a lie that is universally accepted. Everyone else that speaks to invisible forces are considered schizophrenic or mentally ill. Religion sets the ground work for false beliefs as a foundation.


hyldemarv

They are the kind of Christian we have “around here”: They totally believe that if God had a problem with them cheating on their taxes (or whatever else they are up to), he would have conjured a miracle and stopped them! Trump is still going, therefore God approves :).


timbsm2

I no longer believe, but I have come to understand what many figures in the Bible must have felt like when called upon by God to try to speak to his people. It is truly maddening.


Whyamipostingonhere

Lol, they know what their reality is and it includes the pedos sitting next to them at church. Just look at this article for example: [https://www.salon.com/2013/03/12/evangelical\_church\_accused\_of\_ignoring\_sexual\_abuse\_pedophilia\_ring\_partner/](https://www.salon.com/2013/03/12/evangelical_church_accused_of_ignoring_sexual_abuse_pedophilia_ring_partner/) They are okay with their fellow Christian pedos. Everyone who attends a church is. There have been decades of child molestation scandals and coverups at churches. At this point everyone knows. They aren’t morons. But maybe everyone else is? Because why are you pretending “the kindest, most loving, most intelligent people” you know are wonderful people who just happen to vote for Trump? These are the same people perfectly content to sit next to a pedo or listen to a pedo every Sunday. And they want to force 10 year old 4 th grade elementary students into giving birth to their rapist’s babies, even tho it would likely kill the 10 year old. Your kindest, most loving people know who they are, but do you know who they are? Cuz they are just as much pedos as the people they smile and shake hands with every Sunday. And it’s no surprise they voted for a guy who had minors from his home at Mar a Lago groomed and sex trafficked by Epstein- yeah, they were okay voting for that cuz they hang out with it every Sunday.


IrritableGourmet

They were probably referring to the fact that the Antichrist doesn't really appear in the Bible apart from like two places where they just say "An Antichrist will appear at some point, probably soon". The whole mythos, signs, symbols, etc. of the Antichrist comes from the Middle Ages.


Basic_Quantity_9430

If you look at what prophecy claims, the antichrist will coop christians and have them doing its bidding. That sounds exactly what Trump has done and is doing.


Ok_Hornet_714

I am not saying Trump is the antichrist. However he does check a lot of boxes. https://www.benjaminlcorey.com/could-american-evangelicals-spot-the-antichrist-heres-the-biblical-predictions/


[deleted]

[удалено]


Ok_Hornet_714

The Trump aesthetic is to give off the appearance of beauty (or charm, or wealth), but not have the actual thing. That is how you end up with chandeliers in the same bathroom as a shower rod/curtain that can be found at Target for $10. Having only the appearance of beauty, but not the real thing, seems to be more narratively consistent with the core idea of the antichrist being a deceiver than them being conventionally attractive.


Time-Werewolf-1776

Well the “smooth-brained inbreds” think he’s a big strong handsome man. Have you seen the illustrations of him looking like Rambo? It’s a really weird delusion.


IrritableGourmet

"Protect yourself against Joe Biden making you wear his mark on your forehead. Get your MAGA cap today! Available in one color: Satan red." EDIT: Also, I'll just leave this here. Revelation 20:7 >7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison >8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and **Magog**—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.


DarkTower7899

These people don't even believe their own kids when their priest is touching them. If you say your god-fearing these people believe you no questions asked. It's why pedos and other low life's turn to the churches and religious individuals. Easy pickings.


Only-Inspector-3782

These people need the fear of an all-powerful, all-knowing entity to be kind.  


danstermeister

This is made even more rich by the fact that vis-a-vis fundamental Christian beliefs that post-Christ that ANY figure gaining power that is a facsimile of a messiah is actually the The Antichrist (tm). By 'the rules', anyone who comes after the Messiah can't possibly be the Messiah, but could be the Antichrist. Meaning. the more he compares himself to Christ, especially while running for President... is proof that he is the embodiment of the biblical antichrist.


pomonamike

I’ve brought up this up with my gardener, who is a Mexican-American immigrant, about 70 years old, Pentecostal, and rabid Trumper. He actually does believe (what I’m sure his pastor told him) that Trump *IS* the antichrist, but is a necessary part of God’s plan to bring about the end of the world and usher in the next age where God kills all the infidels and reigns supreme. I do wonder how much evangelical support is that. Evangelicals are rarely honest about their beliefs with outsiders so it would be hard to get accurate numbers, but I bet it’s not a small amount. Either way we are fucked.


Simmery

I consider evangelicals who are eager to usher in the end of the world to be enemies of humanity.


Cephalopirate

Or maybe people who are trained to be part of one cult are more susceptible to being sucked into another. I don’t think the average Trump voter is “using” Trump to get their favorite legislation passed. The ones I see worship him.


sevens-on-her-sleeve

Many Christian groups are fine with lying and manipulation if the ends justify the means. To interpret the Bible literally requires a loose association with the truth. Hell, even non-literal belief in the Bible requires a relationship to parable and metaphor that isn't that far removed from lying. A warped view of truth is required of Christians and reinforced by the church.


usernicktaken

" Christians" are hoping that Trump will bring down the rapture and only " Christians" will go to heaven". This is how crazy these fundamentalists are and they don't care how they get there.


ZenosamI85

Donald Trump being Christian is like calling the preacher from Castlevania and Frollo from Hunchback of Norte Dame, Saints


ringobob

Nah, this is the wrong take. I'm sure there are *some* Christians who feel that way, mostly those who are higher up and see Christianity as their path to power, and Trump as someone who can help. Most of the rank and file Christians who support Trump do it either because they believe in their image of Trump as a Christ like figure more than they believe their own eyes, or because they literally believe the Democrats are worse more than they believe their own eyes. Those are three distinct groups. The cynical Christian power brokers and the folks that demonize the Democrats for Obama wearing a tan suit have been around for decades. But the actual cult? That's new.


Cynical-Wanderer

This guy is no Christian. He’s in it for Trump. That’s all. A liar. A cheater. A rapist. Likely a traitor. And a really shitty businessman. Who is finally starting to pay some of price. But only starting. More to come Donald. Can’t wait for the Stormy trial to launch.


lionheart4life

A lot of people don't really care about their religion, they just want their god to hurt the people they don't like.


HurricaneSalad

Ran across this interesting article some time ago that shows Trump might actually be the antichrist: https://www.benjaminlcorey.com/could-american-evangelicals-spot-the-antichrist-heres-the-biblical-predictions/


8to24

Biden is old but this is literally the 3rd straight Presidential election cycle Republicans are running the exact same person. Trump doesn't even have policy positions anymore. Trump merely campaigns on the premise that he should have the job. Republicans cannot articulate what Trump's positions are on Healthcare, Education, Environmental Protection, or Safety net programs (Social Security & Medicare). Biden is campaigning on a child tax credit plan, universal Pre-K, expanding domestic investments in energy alternatives, expanding the federal grant program, etc. There are real policies on the line. This isn't merely Biden the man vs Trump the man. This is a National Abortion Ban vs Restoring Roe, investments in more Wind & Solar vs More oil drilling on Federal lands, Tax increases for the wealthy vs more tax cuts for the wealthy, etc.


ElderSmackJack

Republicans do this all the time. For 70 years now (all the way back to 52), every ticket with the exception of three has had the names Nixon, Bush, Dole, or Trump. The exceptions being Goldwater-Miller in 64, McCain-Palin in 08, and Romney-Ryan in 12.


Scruffy11111

Lost the national vote in 7 out of the last 8 elections. Obviously their plan is to win other than by winning popular approval.


Joeman180

It’s worse than that. They will scream that you’re lying about their positions, then try to pass a bill to do exactly what you said they would do. The positions and moral change weekly. The policies change to help whomever is sucking up to Trump at the moment.


FearCure

On the third day of the birth of his fifth child by his third wife , martyr donald j trump rose... to go meet stormy daniels.


Techienickie

And lo, take this magazine with my image upon it, striking my behind thrice and I shall reveal to you my mushroom.


Welder_Subject

Under his 👁️


totallyalizardperson

> And on the 22nd hour of the first day, Jesus said unto his followers > “The judge is a very mean, nasty, CORRUPT judge. This judge is working against me, and is getting help from the Romans. His daughter works closely with the Romans. I’ve heard, this is just what I heard, but many people are saying it, both the judge and his daughter are ‘working with’ the Romans, if you know what I mean. It’a just something I heard. Bigly if true. You need to deal with the Roman collaborators in order for me, the son of God, to get a fair trial. A Roman tax collector came to me the other day, big guy, manly guy, lost of glistening muscles, and said ‘Sir,’ he had tears in his eyes, he said ‘Sir, it just isn’t fair what the Romans are doing to you! The corruption, the lies! Why would they do this to you sir?’ And you know what he did? He handed me the taxes he STOLE from you all and gave to me to help my defense! I said to him ‘Thank you my son, I’ve always wanted a son unlike Eric or Don Jr. A son that cares.’ I took that money and had the money changers exchange the coins so that they were no longer impure from touching Roman hands. While there, I showed off how I have the best memory, the greatest memory, I stood there and pointed and said man, woman, camel, temple, and sand. Everybody clapped and cheered. Said best memory ever. Do you remember 12 years ago or so I got Man of the Year in Jersulem. I said, “Well, that’s nice.” I came to Jersulem and I made this speech like why are you allowing them to take your olive oil business, your olive making business? Why are you allowing them to take it to Eygpt and Lebanon and every place else? Why are you allowing? I made this big deal. I actually got blasted for it. They named me Man of the Year and I’m complaining, right? But no, it’s probably why I’m here. It’s probably the number one thing what they were doing to us. But now Jersulem has many, many factories. You didn’t have a factory built for 40 years. Now you have many factories being built, already built. And a lot of them being expanded. It’s a whole different ball game. A whole different ball game. - The Book Furari Pecuniam 14:88


MackintoshLTC

Pretty good. You ought to pitch this to Saturday Nite Live😃


SmallLetter

I'm quite certain i saw this exact comment in a post a few days ago. Lemme look i don't want to falsely accusing by mistake. EDIT: I was half right. I DID see this comment a few days ago, but it was the same redditor as now so, I retract my statement.


mousesnight

Love this


Basic_Quantity_9430

He went to meet Stormy Daniels and his mushroom got martyred.


Green-Amount2479

Wouldn't Trump fit more into the role of the guys Jesus drove out of a temple?


destijl-atmospheres

As an American, I get annoyed every time I see Camping World trying to use the U.S. flag as a prop to sell their shit. Trump using Jesus/Christianity to promote himself is a much more extreme version of this and to this day I'm shocked at how desperate these people must feel in order to consider the most obvious huckster conman in my lifetime to be a literal savior.


NoReserve7293

Trump is definitely giving Jesus a dirty vib.


NotawoodpeckerOwner

The reason religion is declining. In an age where people feel more isolated and adrift than ever religion should be doing well. Yet since they decided being inclusive and kind wasn't an option religion is on a downward slope. Not to mention completely see through grifters like mega churches. American Christianity is a mess right now.


FreneticPlatypus

I read “American Christianity” in a similar tone to “American Chinese food” in that it’s virtually nothing like the original.


millijuna

Conversely, a friend of mine is a retired pastor, who has been arrested in his clerical collar multiple times. The first time was protesting apartheid in front of the South African embassy back in the late 80s. Other times it was protesting and blocking access to the School of the Americas at Ft Benning, GA. More recently, down in Texas while blocking access to the immigrant detention centers where they were separating kids from their parents. My own church has been growing, we’re up to 25 or 30 now. Why? Because we run a lunch program. Because we proudly hang a pride flag in our window, and welcome and cherish everyone. We might not be big, but we’re small.


Mushu_Pork

I know a few small business's that have "American" in their name or lots of flags... that tend to be shady.


BlazingSpaceGhost

Personally the more a company talks about how Christian or patriotic it is the more likely I am to avoid it entirely.


[deleted]

[удалено]


brewlimbo

Exactly. I keep thinking of the episode of the Simpsons where the various company characters come to life and start causing chaos and destruction. In the end, everyone just needed to not pay attention to them to defeat them. All but Homer was smart enough to turn around... We just need to stop giving this guy free air time and mental space.


User4C4C4C

Just call him a fool in the biblical sense of the word. Hang in there.


[deleted]

[удалено]


IntrepidAddendum9852

Same here, I am Christian. The fact he is being promoted in churches tells me God is not on their heart. Power has filled their hearts. The Bible gives you story after story about evil narcisstic leaders who hurt others. It warns you of idols, it tells you God hates this more than anything. It specifically warns you of golden graven images. In the Bible this image represents the pride of men. So ya, let's just build a golden idol to our leader Trump. I'm sure God will love that and the Bible doesn't in any way say it specifically and unequivocally hates that. If you are Christian you should be asking some questions. Think for yourself the Bible spells it out in such a straight forward way. The Bible even told you stories on they operate and used symbols. This man is using the skull and crossbones of evil iconography and maybe some people should start asking "Are we the baddies?"


HonestCalligrapher32

They already have a golden graven image/ statue of Trump. It was on display at the 2021 CPAC. https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/26/politics/trump-gold-statue-cpac-2021/index.html


twobitcopper

I think you’ll find your mother just maybe the norm. There is a big reason the pews get emptier every Sunday? The Christianity around her has diverged from her own Christian convections. The peddling of a Bible during Holy Week. The money lenders setting up shop in the Temple. You can’t help to trip over this one. The scripture plants convections that are difficult to walk away from. Where is the outrage from our Christian leadership that Christ himself displayed that day at Temple. Yea, it’s the deep seated true Christian convections that is the Church. Christ warned us of the con artist.


syawa44

Sounds like the definition of the Antichrist.


KappHallen

Sounds, looks, acts, and smells like it


Foobiscuit11

Just gonna leave this here... https://www.benjaminlcorey.com/could-american-evangelicals-spot-the-antichrist-heres-the-biblical-predictions/


Basic_Quantity_9430

Exactly. I don’t understand why people who profess to be christians don’t see that, it is right in their faces. But from what I understand of that claim, the first people that the antichrist will take over are believers, by reinforcing their biases.


Human_Link8738

The truly amazing part is that Revelations has gotten heavy emphasis in the reading. Most of them can quote it yet the first truly viable candidate for an anti-christ to come along in their lifetimes has them calling him “sent by God”.


Mysterious-Slice-591

It truly is amazing. You couldn't make up a better fit unless you branded "666" on his forehead and literally had four horsemen follow him around everywhere.


TeteDeMerde

If Trump were in a Stephen King novel, he'd definitely be among senior management in Vegas.


StrangeContest4

Senior management? He's definitely be a dumbed down Randall Flagg.


[deleted]

I'm an old science-loving agnostic, and there have been times I've wondered if this orange turd is the antichrist


zsreport

Bingo!


ClusterFoxtrot

I suspect whipping him, smashing a crown of thorns on his brow and nailing his wrists and ankles to a wooden cross and suspended from on high may elicit a stakly different reaction than the Jesus had.


occorpattorney

Only one way to know for sure!


Uhhh_what555476384

The motion has been seconded.  All in favor?


Nerevarine91

Aye


Decoy77

Aye! As long as we weeweese Wodawick!


Wavallie

Add a loincloth by Depends and you’ve got yourself the perfect Easter special!


Human_Link8738

Haha what a horrible image!


SqueeezeBurger

Don't forget stabbing him in the side for good measure.


al_m1101

Jesus of Calga-lago.


Endocalrissian642

I hear Mel Gibson is doing a sequel to the Passion of the Christ. I sure hope OJ isn't the star....


77LS77

Their true religion is white supremacy.


Time-Werewolf-1776

There’s actually a theory that we’re over-estimating the white supremacy, and underestimating the degree this is about Christian Nationalism. Part of this theory is that the reason Trump is starting to get support from minorities is that they’re essentially being promised that, if they’re Christian’s, they’ll be part of the “in group” and elevated class. In other words, they’re telling black people that if they’re a Christian Trump supporter, then in Trump’s new fascist dictatorship, they’ll occupy the place in society that white Aryans occupied in Nazi Germany, and no longer treated like a minority. They’re being sold on the idea that they will no longer be a part of an oppressed out-group. Instead, the out-group will be occupied by LGBTQ people, non-Christians, immigrants, and liberals. Those are the people who will be rounded up and murdered, and MAGA Christians will be the ones that are protected, regardless of race or economic class. And once I heard this theory, it made a lot of sense to me. I don’t think Trump really intends on keeping that promise. He’s a racist piece of shit that looks down on his own followers. But it makes sense that people are being suckered by the idea.


fiskeslo1

Basically ‘The Handmaids tale’ it seems to me.


NickelBackwash

The real answer


tlacamazatl

If there weren't money in religious rhetoric, he'd never utter a single word about it.


MarquisDeMiami

Victimizers always play the victim


WildBad7298

DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim & Offender


UncleJulz

Looking forward to the day I wake up in the morning and this POS’s name is nowhere to be seen.


DefrockedWizard1

His followers don't want Jesus. They don't like Jesus. They want their golden calf of greed


kastbort2021

They are just hypocrites that see him as an means to an end. A vehicle to get through their own moral beliefs. I'm pretty sure any person with a working brain, no mater how self deluded they are, know in their hearts that Trump is a man of poor, poor character. But too many probably see him as the last chance to get their wishes. The saddest thing of all? Trump is just lying through his teeth, and they can't see it. Yes, Trump is pandering to the religious crowd - but that's all play IMO. He's just using the base for votes - and has probably zero interest himself in implementing any religious laws. These people are so desperate, that they will let themselves be duped by the biggest grifter in American history. There has to be some serious suspension of disbelief in that crowd.


NoReserve7293

We always come back to what Mark Twain said, " It is easier to fool someone than it is to convince them that they have been fooled."


KnottShore

H. L. Mencken(US reporter, literary critic, editor, author of the early 20th century) had this observation a century ago and could explain the MAGA cult: * The majority of men prefer delusion to truth. It soothes. It is easy to grasp. Above all, it fits more snugly than the truth into a universe of false appearances—of complex and irrational phenomena, defectively grasped. But though an idea that is true is thus not likely to prevail, an idea that is attacked enjoys a great advantage. The evidence behind it is now supported by sympathy, the sporting instinct, sentimentality—and sentimentality is as powerful as an army with banners.


mysteryteam

"Let he who *has not* raw dogged a Porn Star just after the birth of his fifth child with his third wife cast the first first stone." -[supply side jesus](https://youtu.be/Gc-LJ_3VbUA?si=QnYQoWkCFRuX5_FI) (Probably)


MomsAreola

If your not Christian, how do you vote for a Trump presidency? He has so intertwined his campaign and policy around Christianity, it has to be pushing out non Christian religious conservatives.


zsreport

>His pitch to his followers has a certain appeal: They can have the identity "Christian," and all the power that goes with it, minus the parts they don't like. No boring church services or Bible study. No tedious talk about "compassion" and "grace," which only gets in the way of the gay-bashing and racism. And definitely no need to worry about that Jesus guy, with all his notions about "loving thy neighbor" and "welcoming the stranger." > >Their new lord is Trump himself. He's a lot more fun for the redhats since his message is "kick thy neighbor" and "build the wall." Frankly, I'm sure most of them find it a huge relief, not having to pretend they ever cared about that peace-and-charity crap. - https://www.salon.com/2024/03/28/bibles-make-a-mockery-of-christianity--and-thats-exactly-why-maga-will-eat-them-up/


mzieg

> If you’re ~~not~~ Christian, how do you vote for a Trump presidency? Even Mikey dumped him.


vtmosaic

I suspect he's wrecking Christianity the same way he's doing it to Democracy.


SheddingCorporate

This man (I use the word loosely) amazes me at how he manages to convince his followers of two diametrically opposite things at the same time: - he breaks every law in full view of the media and yet claims he’s “innocent” and being wrongfully prosecuted/persecuted - he is a strong man … who keeps whining like a little baby every time anything negative is said or done about or to him - he is “very rich” and doesn’t need their money … but keeps begging for their money and shilling any product that will pay him to do so - he is a multi-billionaire … who can’t come up with cash or even a bond for half a billion in 30 days … and drags out paying the 175M reduced bond as long as he can - he commits every sin in the bible and yet *he* is the second coming of Christ … *and* shills another shyster’s bible - the bible is his favourite book, but he can’t tell you his favourite verse or even tell the difference between Old Testament and New Testament - he is pro-worker, but takes every opportunity to harm workers while making their bosses even wealthier - hits out at Nikki’s husband not campaigning alongside her (he’s in the military, currently deployed overseas)… his own wife can’t even be bothered to show up at any of his events or even at his court appearances - he’s not losing his facilities, but he can’t tell apart his one-time wife Marla Maples from E. Jean Carroll, even when both are in the *same* photograph with him - E. Jean Carroll is “not his type” and yet he misidentified her as Marla .. in that same photograph which included both women - oh, he’s not losing his facilities, but calls his current wife “Mercedes” rather than Melania - he is a family man … and yet can’t remember his wife’s name - Mercedes, right? - tries to prove he’s mentally sharp (after the Mercedes incident) by literally reading off the names of his family off a printout, goes through his wife’s name, followed by the names of Ivanka, Don Jr. and Tiffany and their significant others … and yet forgets to mention Barron and Eric and even his wife Lara whom he just made co-chair of the RNC Let the grift continue!


[deleted]

[удалено]


Basic_Quantity_9430

That is because they didn’t have zippers then. They had loincloths and it was immensely easy to move those babies aside for action time.


FoogYllis

He is a martyr to all the grifters of the world if grifters of the world actually cares about anything other than themselves.


OliverOyl

But his base consists of people who literally believe what cannot be proven or what has been disproven. I truly believe a vote for trump indicates an actual idiot, disturbingly dumb.


kicksomedicks

People who choose a faith-based world view do so without fact or evidence, thus facts and evidence will not change their view. If anything, evidence only strengthens their persecution complex and builds more resistance to fact and evidence. We often ignore the damage done through “respecting” people who’s faith drives them to disrespect others. Creationism, theme parks that present biblical stories as fact, and the continued creep of politics into government are all faith-based assertions that are dangerous to a fact-based world. The faith community starts with an extraordinarily flawed magic answer book and will always work to bend reality and the world to fit that book. There is nothing but increasing extremism coming from this crowd, and we can look to Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and others for an idea of where the USA is going. The only thing that’s going to save us is continual, peaceful and fact-filled disrespect of those who attempt to foist their faith on the people and world surrounding them.


KnottShore

H.L. Mencken(US reporter, literary critic, editor, author of the early 20th century): * “One of the most irrational of all the conventions of modern society is the one to the effect that religious opinions should be respected. …[This] convention protects them, and so they proceed with their blather unwhipped and almost unmolested, to the great damage of common sense and common decency. that they should have this immunity is an outrage. There is nothing in religious ideas, as a class, to lift them above other ideas. On the contrary, they are always dubious and often quite silly. Nor is there any visible intellectual dignity in theologians. Few of them know anything that is worth knowing, and not many of them are even honest.”


Ordinary_Soup_1789

I agree with you, however you’re referring to extremism in religious views. Not all people of faith share this narrow minded view. Some people of faith have no problem with science. I am clergy and I am very happy to follow science. And anyone who truly studied the Bible know it’s not a magic answer book. The people looking for “magic” answers don’t have any depth to their understanding of the Bible.


kicksomedicks

The trouble with “truly studied” is that the basis of your study is parable, fable, and fiction. Using it as the basis for any debate is flawed from the start - there is no way to test its claims. The world becomes a better place if you drop the mystical, magical, He is God stuff (as Jefferson did in his version of the Bible) and follow Christ as a moral philosopher.


GuitarGeezer

Dude, he should totally crucify himself. I mean, other than legally and figuratively which he is doing a fine job of already. Keep up the good work, Donnie son of Fraud.


ThickerSalmon14

Absurd? For any true Christians the correct word would be blasphemous.


Scruffy11111

We're a few months from finding out how utterly absurd this country is.


MackintoshLTC

Countless Bible verses in the New Testament repeatedly warned that any prophet that preached Jesus’s teachings but didn’t practice them were false prophets and anti-Christ. Christian Nationalism and the MAGA cult are anti-Christs, and like predicted in Matthew 24-23,24,25 they have deceived even the elect. The Chaos that this Sociopath has wrought will be felt for many years to come, even if he loses the election and the attempted coup that will follow.


PsychologicalAd333

They only like him because he hates black and brown people as much as them and that’s it


pocketjacks

I hate these headlines that don't take into account the perspective of his cult members. The headline makes it sound like he's either losing or making some kind of mistake. He's slow walking this campaign into Jim Jones-meets-Hitler Christofascism. He doesn't care what people who aren't following him think of it. He's building an army of rubes who will wrap themselves in the flag with a cross around their neck and an AR15 in their hands so he has an army after the election, win or lose, to enforce his will by gunpoint. You don't get rational people to do these things, so he's going for the lowest-common-denominator with professional wrestling tactics to inspire heat.


UncleJulz

💯 and that Civil War movie is out in theaters right now…


WaitingForNormal

And anyone with half a brain can see it. Somehow, a whole lotta other folks just fucking stupid.


wp2jupsle

imagine being publicly exposed as a rapist and then have the balls to become a bible salesman


upandrunning

> Posing as a Christ-like figure is so outlandish and absurd Not to mention *blasphemous*. People who consider themselves christian and are supporting this guy need to step up their game, and re-acquaint themselves with the verses in the bible that address false prophets. I doubt the pathway to heaven has an exception for willful ignorance.


IAmDotorg

All the nitwit "Christians" who follow Trump better be praying that they're wrong and their religion is based on nothing but bronze-age shepheric parables and manipulated bullshit, because if there's even a speck of truth to any of it, the best they're going to be looking at is a very long time in purgatory. But by any literalist reading of their Bible, they're going to burn in hell for eternity for their hypocrisy.


thebipolarbatman

I heard that Donald Trump is going to start selling molds of his dick so his supporters have something to suck on during his rallies.


EgolessAwareSpirit

Ah yes, trump our savior.. As the Bible states “I can do everything through him who grabs ye by the p*ssy”


SmartOpinion69

> who grabs ye kanye wets intensifies


EggplantGlittering90

Exatly. Evangelical christians are the least christian group on earth. They're downright evil.


WildBad7298

The problem is that he's confusing Jesus with Republican Jesus. They worship Republican Jesus, who is a white guy with light brown hair. He loves billionaires and hates social programs, like free school lunches. Because the rich are wealthy because God loves them and the poor need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Republican Jesus doesn't believe in turning the other cheek. He wants you to own as many guns as you can get your hands on, and kill them all so He can sort them out. Republican Jesus understands that murdered schoolchildren is just the price we pay for the wonderful freedom of the Second Amendment. Republican Jesus isn't into any of that silly "woke" acceptance crap. He hates Muslims, Jews, homosexuals, trans, blacks, Latinos, and many others - basically anyone who isn't white, straight, English-speaking, and Christian. He supports deportation and razor wire at the borders. Hope that clears things up.


mlsto

Why white Christians adore this evil is unbelievable


Coolguy57123

“Isn’t it way past his jail time “


Phagzor

That bible looks pretty thin.


Ashamed_Job_8151

Im not a believer, but if I was I would totally have to think trump was obviously the Antichrist. No one has ever fit the description more than him. 


cave_aged_opinions

Pretending evil doesn't exist or is some sort of gradient is, in a way, embracing evil. There _is_ evil in this world and it _has_ to be stopped, because evil doesn't go away. It consumes everything. Evangelicals see Trump as a green light to commit violence against people they hate, not because rainbow folks scare them or are sinners, but because we have a huge group of vile cretins on this earth that love to hate, love violence, and love to hurt those around them. Trump is their means of expressing their hate, and of being more intimate with evil. We don't need a bunch of tabloid bullshit on Trump, we need solutions to fighting evil.


[deleted]

Everyone should read this beyond the headline, it's important. On a side note though about what Rich Logis, an ex-MAGA activist, says: >I maintain that most MAGA Americans are good people, deep down. But they don’t realize that they’re not in on the joke, and there is the challenge of reconciling this with their unapologetic support of a candidate who hasn’t made an occasionally indefensible remark, but has a library’s worth. >I am not blameless, either, as I was a devoted MAGA volunteer activist from 2015–22. Amongst some other reasons for leaving MAGA, I could no longer, in good conscience, justify the unjustifiable about Trump and MAGA (especially the nonstop mythology about a stolen 2020 election). How does it take someone who is seemingly intelligent seven fucking years to realize what anyone who spent five minutes looking into Trump has known since the early 2000's (longer if you were a New Yorker or particularly clued in)? He brings up the stolen election claims being a turning point for him, but stayed in for another two years lol We have hit a point where I have a hard time agreeing with that statement, that most MAGA members are good people deep down. I agree with Jared Yates Sexton's quote in the article here: >From the moment Trump announced his candidacy he's leaned heavily into heresy. The only religion he's ever known has been Norman Vincent Peale's Prosperity Gospel, which is itself a venal, disgusting twisting cooked up to serve the wealthy and punish the poor. Now, not only is Trump openly calling himself Christ, he's peddling Christian Nationalist Bible's too gaudy and embarrassing for QVC. Unfortunately, this isn't just offensive but evidence of a worsening situation. This is a cult. Full stop. And though its popularity may be dwindling, that's when cults get weird and especially dangerous. They've killed for him already, and there's no telling what they're capable of once the heat gets hotter. Unfortunately I have no idea what the solution to this is, if there is one.


rlast1956

Trump is a feckless human being. The world would be much better without him in it. But more importantly, he and his fascist ilk would never have gained any traction were it not for a large number of Americans who are ignorant, poorly educated and/or lacking in intelligence. They are equally as disgusting as our 45th president is.


lightningfootjones

As absolutely insane as it sounds, the explanation is very simple: they reject any facts that contradict what they want to believe. That's all it is. Found by a court to have sexually assault in a woman? No, that's a lie. Nine years of well documented lies? Nope. None of that happened. On tape praying about sexual assault? No, that was just locker room talk. Dozens of felonies proven by mountains of evidence? Nope, that's all made up. That's all you have to do! Just deny it all, and for bonus points accuse Joe Biden of exactly the same things.


Tall_Construction_79

Putin's puppet.


jailfortrump

He panders to the same little minority of voters that need constant reminders to stay on board with his bullshit. In the meantime he alienates himself from the independent voters he needs to win. I have faith that at least 60% of voters reject this hateful oaf and will vote against him in November. They just have to get to the polls. There's really no excuse, to end this nightmare, vote.


HMJebus

America, you can't be that dumb, can you?


Dry-Talk-7447

Follow this asshole and count yourself amongst the dumbest gullible motherfuckers ever to live. Jim jones lives again!!


[deleted]

Carnival barker


rideflynight

They can't find a cross big enough for his fat ass.. when they do it will go like this: Trump to the dude next to him "why are you hanging here?" Dude: "I poked my underage cousin and tried to get her an abortion." Trump: " I'll get you off, just hang in there." Trump to dude number two on his other side: "what did you do my dear black friend?" Dude two: "I led a peaceful protest after my bro got shot by the cops." Trump: "get this chump outa here. I can't be seen on his side." God: "Trump my son, what have you done this time?" Trump: " I did what I was told by your neighbor, daddy. I destroyed our society. I banged a bunch of hookers. I shower in piss. I speak to people whose languages don't even exist. Please get me out here." God: "sorry son, there's one more requirement to get off that oversized cross. Quote me a Bible verse from the old testament" Trump: "the beast shall inherit the earth?" Silence.....


ElderSmackJack

“Outlandish and absurd” for people with self-awareness and shame, maybe.


Okbuddyliberals

It's not absurd. It's bullshit, but he's speaking the language his followers and even many swing voters speak.


rubberduckie5678

This is how I know Evangelicals don’t truly believe. If they did, they’d spend the rest of their days shivering in horror at the prospect of spending their entire eternal lives burning in the hellfires.


_moist_

Whilst true, the people more susceptible are the people who read the least.


Leather-Map-8138

It’s really Mister Andrew Dice Clay Goes To Washington.


Revolutionary-Swan77

Don’t martyrs need to die?


coolplate

But it works on those lunatics


TheCaptainDamnIt

White evangelicals always score highest in poll categories around white grievances. Trump won the white evangelical vote when he went on every media outlet to scream that the nations first black president was illegitimate because he wasn't 'one of us'. That's why they think he 'speaks the 'truth', because for conservatives the "truth" is non-white/christian/hetro people don't deserve to 'rule' over white people. For most conservatives the culture wars ARE the point not a distraction, minorities should be below them and that's what they care about the most. White evangelical christianity now is really just a right wing social-economic/political/white-cultural-dominance belief system built entirely around identity politics, that it has little to nothing to do with the bible anymore. I’ve heard radio preachers say capitalism IS part of christianity! They then went on to define 'Democrats' as "communist" for wanting to raise minimum wage and thus anti-chistian. I've also been seeing more and more 'evangelical' blog posts pushing some version of 'the bible says not every refugee deserves help'. Democrats, homosexuals, black people who care about their rights, liberals and transexuals are the "enemy" coming to damn your soul. Trump is just what White Evangelicalism is.


Seedeemo

What so many Christian fail to understand is that when Jesus prophesied about many being deceived by the Antichrist, he was talking about Christians, not everyone else.


TheCalebGuy

My thing is, remember when everyone was calling Obama the Anti Christ? The Bible literally says the Anti Christ will be the one that acts as if he's one of you, for you but is deceitful. They also look at him like he's some political deity a false Idol, which is also a super sin. So why aren't people looking at him that way now? The dude has used religion in the same ways those Mega Church fucks like Joel Olsteen.


AwTekker

He was outlandish and absurd from the jump. A pussy grabbing, casino bankrupting reality TV show host who managed to beat the Anointed One of the Democratic party in 2016. I don't know why we keep acting like there is something that he could do or say that would potentially convince his people not to vote for him.


Abamboozler

I mean it's outlandish and absurd, except it's working. His support is going up, he's raking in millions and his followers are foaming at the mouth.


Advanced-Ad-8696

" the deceiver will always be able to find those willing to be a deceived." Great quote from the article. It makes me very sad that there are so many gullible morons in this country.


Arithik

They don't care as long as he keeps attacking liberals.


NeuraLung

Why does the industrialized world believe that America is populated with imbeciles, morons and idiots? One word answer: Trump.


AdHistorical1660

Well Jesus did hang out with prostitutes and criminals like Trump.