Americans who believe Trump is anointed by God
In 2015 Lance Valno He heard a “tick-tick-tick” sound in his left ear. It was the voice of the Holy Spirit telling him that the forty-fifth chapter of Isaiah would reveal the identity of the forty-fifth president. And look at the text that revolves around Cyrus, the pagan king who was anointed by God to save the Jews from captivity in Babylon. It stands to reason that the “pagans of Queens” were similarly anointed. Before the election, Valnau published his book “The Divine Chaos Candidate,” likening Donald Trump to a divine “wrecking ball.”
Mr. Valnau does not lead a church. He is an entrepreneur and podcast host. Traditional Bible scholars may resent his use of numerology to interpret the Bible, where chapter and verse numbers were added in the Middle Ages. However, his statement gained traction in Maga world and has spread beyond his raucous conspiracy theory-filled podcast where he offers prophetic insights, before directing listeners to his online store to purchase rhinestone-encrusted “I Love Trump” lapel pins.
Trump’s arrest of white evangelical Protestants (who make up a quarter of voters) has been one of the most notable features of his political rise. Less appreciated is the way Trump has transformed evangelicalism, elevating beliefs and figures once considered fringe or crazy. This goes both ways. Maga The world is now filled with the language and images of charismatic Christianity.
Last month, Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, spoke at a get-out-the-vote prayer rally hosted by Wallnau. Trump has given several interviews with Gene Bailey, a pastor and host of “FlashPoint,” whose slogan is “Where politics aligns with prophecy.” His supporters talk about the elections as elections that were not between left and right, but rather between good and evil. After the first attempt on Trump’s life in July, evangelicals said he survived by divine intervention. Since the gunman opened fire at 6:11 p.m., many cited Ephesians 6:11, which says: “Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Talk of Satan is common among charismatic Christians and Christians, who value supernatural experiences such as prophecy and insist on spiritual revival before Christ’s second coming. Many believe that evil incarnate exists and see themselves as players in a fierce cosmic battle for salvation. This thinking informs struggles large and small: Pentecostals are the kind of people who might pray for a parking spot and see scoring a goal as a spiritual victory, says Leah Payne, a historian of the movement. This worldview extends to their politics.
Polls conducted by political scientist Paul Djope indicate that 18% of Americans strongly agree that modern-day prophets continue to reveal God’s plans for humanity. Among these believers in the prophecy, three-fifths believe the upcoming election may be the last chance to rid America of satanic influence, and two-fifths say a civil war may be necessary to put the country “back on the right track.” Half of them have heard someone argue that the deep state tried to kill the former president. More than 50 Christian pastors and influencers were in Washington on Jan. 6, according to Matthew Taylor, a scholar whose book “The Violent Take it by Force” documents election denial on the Christian right.
Taylor sees several explanations for the rapprochement between Trump and charismatic Christians. Consistency in politics is not actually the most telling thing. Trump’s rivals in the 2016 Republican primary — many of whom were church-going evangelicals — sang the same songs that Trump sang about abortion and support for Israel. Rather, the synergy comes from the shared tonal tone and rhetorical style. Back in 2015, evangelical elites rejected the then-candidate. But Paula White Cain, a fiery TV preacher with bleached-blonde hair, helped bring the pastors to the side. The two go way back: Years ago, Trump saw Ms. White Cain television “And he praised her.”He – she Factor.” She replied, “Mister, we call this the anointing.” She later bought an apartment in Trump Tower.
Just as Trump was a political outsider, Ms. Whitecain has long been ridiculed by respectable evangelicals, not least because she is a Pentecostal preacher and has been married three times (currently to the keyboardist of the band Journey). Russell Moore, Baptist Theologian Editor Christianity todaya mainstay of the evangelical elite, once described Ms. Whitecain as a “charlatan” and “heretic.” But the association with Trump means she is no longer marginal. Last month, she hosted a prayer service with Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House and a devout Southern Baptist. Meanwhile, Mr. Moore left the sect as its members embraced the former president.
The other piece is Trump’s mastery of the language of martyrdom, war, and revival (even if he can’t name his favorite Bible verse). These themes have animated the Christian Right since the mid-20th century, when the Supreme Court banned certain sectarian activities in public institutions. This “Christian persecution complex” couples the American Jewish tradition with identity politics to conjure “a utopian vision of imminent danger and moral injury, of collective struggle and perseverance, and of holding on to the promise of salvation,” said Elizabeth Castelli, a professor of religion. Sounds a lot like Mr. Trump. In July he told his “beautiful Christians” that in four years “we’ll fix it so good, you won’t have to vote.”
However, actually sitting through one of these talks is more arrogant than talking about renewal. In the middle of a recent “FlashPoint” event at a New Orleans church, your correspondent walked out, ignoring his texted pleas.”flash“And a dollar amount of his choice to a five-digit number. It was getting very boring. Outside, it was a beautiful day. ■
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