Once again, the New York Times misunderstands, mocks evangelical Christians
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Contrary to what "The Gray Lady" would have you believe, it's the radical left that is attacking democracy. Evangelicals, in fact, are trying to protect it.
In a year-end op-ed piece for The New York Times, Katherine Stewart allegesthat, "The Christian nationalist movement today is authoritarian, paranoid and patriarchal at its core. They aren't fighting a culture war. They're making a direct attack on democracy itself." Such claims are as ludicrous as they are misleading.
According to Stewart, when evangelicals like Lance Wallnau compare Trump to King Cyrus in the Bible, they are actually wanting Trump to be a king. Indeed, she claims that, "in Mr. Trump, they have found a man who does not merely serve their cause, but also satisfies their craving for a certain kind of political leadership."
Evangelicals, whom she slyly characterizes as "Christian nationalists," want a king, not a president. They want someone to impose their views on the nation. They are theocratic, not democratic. That's why Trump is their man.
She writes: "I have attended dozens of Christian nationalist conferences and events over the past two years. And while I have heard plenty of comments casting doubt on the more questionable aspects of Mr. Trump's character, the gist of the proceedings almost always comes down to the belief that he is a miracle sent straight from heaven to bring the nation back to the Lord. I have also learned that resistance to Mr. Trump is tantamount to resistance to God."
Let's analyze these claims one at a time, as factually and as dispassionately as possible.
First, with regard to the Cyrus comparison, I can say without equivocation that those using the analogy did not use it with reference to Trump ruling over the nation like a king. As evangelical Americans, we trace our roots back to those who overthrew British rule. We reject a king over America just as much as we reject attempting to set up a theocracy where religious leaders rule the land by fiat and force.
The Cyrus analogy had to do with the unlikelihood of someone like Trump being president, just as it was unlikely that God would use someone like Cyrus (an idol-worshiping, non-Israelite) to restore the Jewish exiles from Babylon.
Wallnau even read Isaiah 45 to Trump at a gathering of evangelicals during the primaries, including these words: "For the sake of My servant Jacob, Israel My chosen one, I call you by name, I hail you by title, though you have not known Me" (Isa 45:4).
In other words, God was raising up Donald Trump – a non-evangelical, non-Christian – to help America and, in particular, to help evangelicals. It had nothing to do with him reigning as a king.
Second, these evangelicals are not paranoid. We are fighting a very real battle for our liberties. We are standing up for the rights of our children. Even Time Magazine published an article on June 29, 2016 titled "Regular Christians Are No Longer Welcome in American Culture." And already in 2003, David Limbaugh could write the book Persecution: How Liberals Are Waging War Against Christians.
There's a reason I have urged fellow-evangelicals to rise up and speak up in 2019. (For a fair, academic evaluation, see George Yancey and David A. Williamson, So Many Christians, So Few Lions: Is There Christianophobia in the United States?)
Third, we evangelicals are fighting a culture war. We are not fighting "democracy itself." To the contrary, we believe the democratic principles of our country are being undermined by radical ideologues who have a very different vision for America.
We see a rise in mobocracy, not democracy. We see a push towards socialism, which will destroy the democracy. We see an anti-Constitutional, even anti-American vision from the radical left that is destructive – and we see Trump opposing that.
For good reason Tom Gilson has started the new year writing about, "Leftist Totalitarianism: Your 'Freedom of Conscience' Under State Control." For good reason, Dennis Prager has warnedabout where the left wants to bring us in 2019.
It is the radical left that is attacking Democracy. Evangelicals are trying to protect it.
Fourth, it is downright disingenuous to speak of American evangelicals as "Christian nationalists," with all the ugly connotations such a term stirs up.
I don't know a single evangelical leader who would use such a term, nor do I know any who would prefer being labeled as such. (I can only speak of those I know.)
The truth be told, Stewart could just as well label liberal and "progressive" Christians as "Christian nationalists," since they too speak about what is right for America, they too believe that their candidates would do the best job for America, and they too claim to be following the principles of Jesus.
Fifth, these evangelical leaders are not standing up for patriarchy. They are resisting radical feminism, which ultimately hurts women more than anyone. They are pushing back against the "Shout Your Abortion" movement, against the war on the unborn. They are pro-woman and pro-family.
Sixth, virtually all evangelical leaders I know wish that Trump would not call people dogs, that he would not be so nasty and demeaning in his tweets.
They like the fact that he fights back. They like the fact that he takes on the media. But they often groan over the way he does it, and I can say with confidence that quite a few evangelical leaders have urged him to reconsider some of his methodology, even if their words fall on deaf ears.
But, as one black evangelical said during the primaries (this was quoted to me by a colleague): "I'm not voting for his morality or his spirituality. I'm voting for his constitutionality."
Seventh, Stewart forgets that most of us voted for Trump because we were voting against Hillary. He was not the first choice for most of us. And yes, given the circumstances, we do believe he was elected with God's help.
But since he has been elected, the Hillary-type forces (by which I mean the liberal media, the Democratic Party, and the leftist agenda) have only become more extreme. More anti-Christian. More anti-democracy. More anti-freedom.
Should we now hope that Trump is removed so that these forces come to power? And would the resistance to Mike Pence be any less intense?
In reality, Stewart has things upside down, since it is really the radical left that wants to take over the nation and rob us of our liberties. And evangelicals see Trump, with all his massive flaws and blemishes, fighting against this hostile takeover. And for that we are glad.
What's so unchristian about that?
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It's listed under "Perspectives" on OneNewsNow.com with this disclaimer;
I rarely click on the seed source anymore, now that so many others are checking to see if the swill of the day is MBFC approved.
extreme fringe xtian churches are shedding members like a tree sheds leaves in the fall
Those three made the article totally unreliable
You forgot persecution complex, whining, and total lack of any facts ... but then, what else would you expect?
that's the flour, milk, and eggs of these daily turd loaves.
Evangelicals by their very definition feel they are called to shove their god down everyone else's throats. So of course they feel persecuted when they are not allowed to do that. Of course, they also believe that their faith alone gets them into heaven, so they have a get out of hell free card - therefore they can be as immoral as they want, as hateful as they want, and it won't matter in the long time. That's also why they project their immorality on to atheists and such; since they think that way, they assume everyone else does.
the seeder has admitted on this forum that regular evangelical church attendance is treatment for spiritual sickness
bullshit. prove it.
How are they being persecuted?
Apparently, religious persecution occurs when they aren't permitted to trample the secular and religious rights of everyone else in their mythological zeal.
How is it possible that they are being persecuted when conservative Christians are more than 40% of the population?
I just do not see how someone wishing them "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" or asking them not to put up nativity scenes on public land that my taxes will have to go towards the upkeep is persecuting.
In their mind, the US Constitution is subservient to their conservative interpretation of the Bible. They think that this is a Christian county and we are all to either believe as they do or leave. The fact that they abhor 95% the teachings of Jesus is not supposed to be noticed.
And we're supposed to just tolerate Christian indoctrination in public schools
They would prefer that we didn't have public schools where facts are taught, but instead, that tax money would be used to further the goals of their Christian madrassas.
Are you still upset because your myth cannot use public schools are a recruiting ground and for propaganda reinforcement? Kids who want to pray in public schools still have the ability to pray, but they or their teachers cannot coerce others to take part in their illogical action of talking to themselves.
Why do you need to pray when you claim that your god is both omnipotent and omniscient? Would you like me to explain this to you?
It's too bad it took so long for people to realize that prayer and bibles in public schools are unconstitutional.
They will probably tell you that they prayed about it and their god said that it wasn't unconstitutional.
(10 years ago that would have been Onion-esque satire but I am expecting to hear that same claim from Fox News within the week. A bleach blonde bimbo will say it with a straight face and a drug-induced smile)
The Constitution needs to be a living document or it would have been unworkable before the Civil War. The fact that we have a SCOTUS that rules on constitutional interpretation makes that living Constitution a fact.
You and other conservatives use the phrase "activist judges" when the rulings don't go your way.
the days of allowing non-secular scum roam free range across the wall of separation are over
Lol. Have you heard of Associate Justice Kavanaugh? Or Amy Coney Barrett?
You are so fucked...
Because nothing is ever illegal until someone complains, right? >sarc<
Not even close. Someone ( a theist no less) complained about prayer and bibles in school being unconstitutional and the SCOTUS agreed.
You mean ruling in a way you disagree with?
Is an alcoholic who grabby hands the best representative of your religious beliefs?
If you're looking to overturn Roe, Amy Barrett isn't your choice,
*snort* if the idiot who wrote this article truly believes God put Trump in office, then why doesn't he think he put Obama in office? Or Pelosi? They only give their god credit when it does something they agree with, and they assume it hates everything they hate. Religious fanatics are so irrational. If there were a god, it would likely be smiting its most devout followers for their false prophecy.
Silly katrix! God is a republican!
Well, the biblical description of God ... narcissistic psychopath, thin-skinned, smiting things at random when he gets pissed off, hypocritical, forcing himself on women, acting juvenile, generally being amoral ... does sound a lot like Trump!
which is why he let the wealthy conservatives tack his kid up after he turned into a socialist
ouch
Good observation.
Nothing stings more than getting down to the facts of the matter.
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Raising up? He came down...on a escalator.
So no matter what he does or says they will never waiver in their devotion. A devotion that is supposedly against their religion to bestow on another human being.
Not even if proof comes out that trmp paid for 8 abortions for his mistresses?
That would be comical seeing them squirm around that one.
so trump bearing false witness on a daily basis after associating with evangelicals is acceptable then? just how many do-overs does an evangelical get in this life without fear of punishment from their deity?
They won't accept less than $20.00 from their worshipping minions.
How or why would you seek forgiveness from something that only exists in your beliefs?
Yeah, and on X-mas, Santa magically becomes reality when presents are found under an X-mas tree.
That is just sad, HA. I really feel sorry for anyone who really believes in fairy tales.
Wy do you hate Vishnu, Thor, Zarathustra, Cronus, and Horus?
But you hate my FSM god.............
Children say the same thing about Santa Claus and the Easter bunny.
Once again, you are incorrect.
When have they fought for the religious rights of anyone but Christian conservatives/evangelicals?
Why should they stick their religious noses into the policies of another country when religion is an inherently divisive and dying idea? Maybe ISIL should claim that they are merely defending the religious rights of conservative Sunnis to recreate the Caliph? If your god is truly omnipotent then why does he need the help of sinful mortal man to assist his believers?
That is a religious belief. Many scholars believe that the idea referred to the fall of Rome.
Heretic! You cannot be a Christian and a Pastafarian in good standing. We have dracianian policies of dealing with people like you who defame the FSM.
What they said their mission was and what they actually did are likely very different.
What persecuted religions have they advocated for in the US?
What are examples of religious bigotry and persecution in the US?