Aside from a seemingly self-published Amazon book with a similar title, I have to admit I’m a little mystified that this idea isn’t gaining traction. While he has support from the evangelical community, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that this was a marriage of convenience, brokered by Jerry Falwell, Jr. who may or may not have been convinced to support Trump because of a scandal brewing involving a pool boy. He earned the disdain of famed haters the Westboro Baptist Church, but again, it didn’t stick.
Given that he is galavanting around the country maskless and facilitating the spread of a deadly virus, I would think that would give him some standing in the anti-Christ category. An ethics professor at SMU seems to think so. I’m just curious why folks who usually take note of cults of personality don’t seem to be recognizing him as such.
I always thought that it was because they want to bring about the apocalypse. Then Jesus comes back, and they get to go to their eternal reward. Just like it’s OK to kill some heathens in the interest of converting the rest, it’s OK to support the antichrist because it hastens the return of Jesus.
All good stuff. I’m left thinking, though–we have so many metaphors for false hero worship, from the Golden Calf to the emperor who had no clothes. None of them are sticking. Elmer_J.Fudd I actually think he is very attuned to those who follow him. He’s violated so many norms and seems to know precisely how to spin it so he emerges unscathed. I mean, he venomously criticized a war hero, admitted to sexually assaulting women in the crassest way imaginable–not to mention the racism and anti-immigrant messages (which frankly, have been quite successful electoral strategies in this country).
The evangelical religious community is historically credulous and uncritical of any anomalous event as a deliberate act of an inscrutable god. Especially when said event can be made to work in their favor. When it cannot, it’s seen as a declaration of War on Christmas.
Yeah, this one has always been bizarre to me. Obama was actually the good Christian family man, a good husband and father with no personal scandals and high character, a good Christian who was active in the church, etc. And they thought he was an/the antichrist because tan suits and fancy mustard and maybe a little bit of dark skin.
Meanwhile, Trump sounds like the exact blueprint for an/the antichrist. He’s not a Christian and has never been, obviously detests religion and actual Christians, is pretty much the exact opposite of all the values of Jesus, values money above all else, has no love for his fellow man, has openly admitted he doesn’t feel like he needs to ask god for forgiveness (pretty much the central tenet of Christianity), has abysmal personal character. And I think part of the antichrist mythology is that he’ll steer Christians away from God and they’ll all love him even though he obviously represents the opposite of Christ, right? Which fits Trump perfectly.
Their hypocrisy, lack of introspection, good faith, and really, any intellectual ability whatsoever is so absurdly obvious that it’s hard to even comprehend.
But there is one way to view this that makes it all make sense: their religion is not Christianity, their religion is the Republican party and what they view as their own tribe.
Oh, come on, guys! Trump is the perfect Christian leader! He’s the embodiment of all the Christian virtues. Why, just listen to the man himself:
He’s very smart (“a very stable genius”).
Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age,you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness” and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” (I Corinthians 3:18-20)
He’s very rich. (“Part of the beauty of me is that I am very rich.”)
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)
In general, he’s just great in every way, as he himself will be the first to point out.
They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. (the 94th Psalm, verse 4)
So then, no more boasting about human leaders! (I Corinthians 3:21)
He’s also a great family man–he’s been married three times!
Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Luke 16:18)
Over the years he’s given plenty of good, practical advice, like “When someone crosses you, my advice is ‘Get even!’ That is not typical advice, but it is real-life advice. If you do not get even, you are just a schmuck! When people wrong you, go after those people, because it is a good feeling and because other people will see you doing it. I love getting even.”
But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. (Luke 6:27-30)
He’s just an all around great guy, who doesn’t even need to be forgiven for anything: “I try and lead a life where I don’t have to ask God for forgiveness. Why do I have to ask for forgiveness if you’re not making mistakes? I work hard, I’m an honorable person.”
Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)
He alone can fix it!
Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. (the 146th Psalm, verses 3-5)
I mean, it’s perfectly obvious why evangelical Christians would make up the rock-solid base of support for a great guy like that! Why, I bet if he gets re-elected, he’ll unite all the nations of the world, and maybe implement some nifty new “contact-less” payment system–like a microchip in your hand or a barcode on your forehead or something–to help put a stop to this pesky virus.
(And of course it makes perfect sense that us godless heathens voted against a paragon of Christian manhood like Trump by about 3-to-1.)
That’s it exactly: He doesn’t get called the Antichrist because he is the Antichrist. Revelation lays it all out perfectly clearly: When the Antichrist comes, Christians will all flock to him and follow him.
Largely because the Evangelicals and Fundamentalists who care about the Antichrist mostly voted for Trump, and they all think they would never be suckered by the Antichrist because they’re such great Christians.
I’ve been saying it since 2016: he’s at least an antichrist, since he is clearly opposed to everything Jesus teaches. It’s not even like he tried to hide it.
My favorite on this is this article from a former fundie who lists all the Scriptures that I’ve ever seen applied to the Antichrist, and details how they fit Trump–at least, better than any of the other people that fundies have said were the Antichrist.
I was about to post it to my Facebook when Trump got sick. Sure, those of us who are skeptical of prophecies in general can see some stretching, but it really, really does sound like the type of stuff that every end-times obsessed person I’ve met would dive into.
The one I find more memeworthy is this one, though.
Political confirmation bias. Since the Antichrist is going to be an extremely evil person, for many believers, they assume he must be someone who holds opposing political views.
These Christians really do argue on the vast goodness of Jesus largely upon the good things he said about himself.
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes unto the Father but by Me” (John 14:6).
Only Jesus said that. Nobody else said that. Buddha never said that.
Yes, they really argue that way.
ETA: Yes, of course! He will unite the Nations and lead us all back to Jerusalem! Why, he has already begun the process! (U. S. Embassy moved to Jerusalem.)
OK, come on, this is a straw man. They thought he was the Antichrist because he was 1) liberal 2) Democratic 3) ‘globalist’ 4) highly popular with devoted fans 5) possibly Muslim etc.
Doesn’t mean it was necessarily true (the 3# and 5#) parts. But nobody was saying Obama was the Antichrist solely based off of superficial things like attire, skin color and eating habits. After all, almost all conservatives who criticize Obama love Clarence Thomas.