I'm finally beginning to understand why Evangelicals love Trump.

[Girard442]

One of the core parts of Evangelicalism is that people who aren't "born again" will go to Hell and be eternally tormented. This would drive away people who care for justice and fairness, but absolutely attracts people who thirst for brutal revenge against anyone who has ever offended them. Trump is a bully and a thug who nakedly lavishes rewards on people who show total fealty and punishes anyone who does not.

There you have it: kneel before me and be rewarded. Show any lack of loyalty and be brutally punished. They want their leader to be a thug. They see Trump exactly as you and I do but they like what they see.

[tetedur]

1. In a word: sadomasochism

[The Magistrate]

8. Unless They Are Actual Practitioners, Sir

That usage is on a par with teenage boys calling behavior they find lame 'gay'.

Mind, if you want a few exceedingly odd moments, hunt up somethng called 'Christian Domestic Disciple'....

[lagomorph777]

40. No, pure Sadism.

[gibraltar72]

2. As a recovering Evangelical

I can tell you they are programmed to follow every whim of the leader. Gods voice on earth. The leader is in a continual grift. So they hook up with Trump for a mutual grift. Leader praises Trump the flock blindly follow.

[jberryhill]

3. Congratulations

The part I like best is the part that boils down to "The less sense it makes, the more divine it is."

Because God's wisdom is so far superior to man's reasoning, then every insane piece of shit is simply too wise for mere humans to understand.

If you can get people to swallow that, then you can get them to do damn near anything.

[gibraltar72]

4. Give up your wordly belongings

They aren't important. Unless they are in my pocket.

[The Magistrate]

10. Indeed, Sir

Though in most of these instances the bait for the donation is the promise that what you give to the preacher, the deity will restore to you ten-fold. Because, as I actually heard a fellow say on the teevee, your giving money to him "authorizes God to perform a miracle for you!" I remain amazed to this day no thunderbolt struck him to a cinder the moment the blasphemous claim escaped his lips....

[gibraltar72]

11. That's a new grift I have memories and stories of the old ones.

Most centering on I am Gods voice on earth. You please him by doing what I say. Prosperity gospel is relatively new.

[The Magistrate]

13. And The Most Damnable Heresy Conceivable, Sir

I say that, by the way, as a hard old unbeliever....

[keithbvadu2]

46. The "prosperity gospel" pastors seem to do much better in the prosperity than the investors/donor

The "prosperity gospel" pastors seem to do much better in the prosperity than the investors/donor

[gibraltar72]

48. Ultimate Ponzi scheme.

[crickets]

54. +1

[keithbvadu2]

45. Rapture - give me your useless money

Rapture - give me your useless money

[gibraltar72]

47. Reagans interior secretary James Watt

Gave the oil companies our land because rapture anyway.

[Celerity]

5. No shock that people who are fervent believers in the biggest con in history are fervent supporters

of the biggest conman in POTUS history.

Rubes yesterday, rubes now, rubes forever.

[The Magistrate]

12. It Is An Old Element Of Doctrine, Ma'am

The deity employs even unbelievers to work his will, as a demonstration of his power and authority. When Cyrus of Persia overthrew Babylon and returned the exiled Hebrews to Judea, he was acclaimed as Messiah by many contemporary Temple priests. That he was a dyed in the wool pagan made no difference.

Neither David nor Jacob can be viewed as moral exemplars, on the record of their acts as told in scripture. Yet the deity showed them favor and exalted them for his own ends. It is in this style most religious adherents of the cheap thug look upon him, that their deity has raised up this ungodly person to work God's Will, as a display of His Power.

Perhaps the best way to demonstrate one possesses power is to use it whimsically and arbitrarily. A judge who rules against someone on a point of procedure in a lawsuit, and simply follows precedent and law in doing so, gets little thrill from doing so, but if he or she is conscious that really, the ruling came because the plaintiff wore a red scarf, there is a certain thrilling consciousness of power.


"Gospel believers have been warning for millennia against the anti-christ, and now when he comes along they vote for him."

[Girard442]

14. Me, I'd get a thrill if people were saying...

..."That's a brilliant interpretation of the precedent established by Tweedledee vs. Tweedledum and everybody is good with the verdict. Justice was done."

But that's just me.

[Celerity]

15. shame the 'deity' doesn't make Trump jam his tiny todger into a open wall socket

[The Magistrate]

16. That It Is, Ma'am

[Celerity]

17. Indeed it is Sir, stay safe!

[The Magistrate]

18. You Too, Ma'am

[safeinOhio]

6. Joe Hill said it best...

[I_UndergroundPanther]

41. Like it, I am more of

A progressive metal head, industrial,gothic and punk sort. I am 54..lol.But this song rawked. Thanks!

[Laelth]

7. Many of them ... yes. n/t

-Laelth

[Lars39]

9. For those of a certain age, it's the hair and flash...

the ill fitting suits.

[Johnny2X2X]

19. Trump is the perfect Christian to them

They revel in his lying, his stealing, and his racism and sexism.

Nothing about the Evangelical movement is at odds with the way Trump has behaved in his life. Tot he Christian Right women are property to be abused and used, Trump is a great example for them. Greed and cheating also not at odds for them. It's all about gaining power and money however you get there. The American Right believes poor people are poor because they're sinners, and thus the richer you are the more virtuous you must be.

People who question why Evangelicals support Trump haven't been paying attention to Evangelicals these last few decades, he's the absolute culmination of everything they've been preaching for decades. It's as evil and hateful of a group as ISIS is.

[not_the_one]

42. as evil and hateful as ISIS...

they should ALL be smitten, smote, smotificated, whatever it takes...

The height of irony is they can't see it in each other.

But, as stated, the god(s) do work in mysterious ways (so shut up and quit questioning the god entity).

It has also been stated that everything the turd touches turns to shit (pun intended ), and hopefully the same will happen to the evangelical/fundamentalist/christian movement. And the bible will given its proper place in our daily lives, as a door stop.

[yaesu]

20. They all love this "end times" stuff, they see tRump as making their dream come true, they want

this Earth destroyed, they want everyone to die so their beliefs come true. They are a terrorist cult.

[True Blue American]

25. I do not think

They even understand. Basically mean,revenge, me man, you woman.

[FiveGoodMen]

55. And what SHOULD we be doing with those who want to destroy the planet we live on?

[Initech]

21. We don't have to go to hell. We're currently living in it.

[underpants]

28. Hey!

Someone's had their coffee today. That's awesome. I'm stealing it.

[True Blue American]

22. I like this one!

Our young Music Pastor began to play this one morning. I had to come home and Google because I knew it but could not place it. Went over so well he added a fiddle player, had to repeat 3 times.

I had no idea it was so old!

[keithbvadu2]

51. 'We'll all be white in the heavenly light.'

'We'll all be white in the heavenly light.'

Subtle, eh?

[True Blue American]

53. The young Pastor used

right not white. I noticed that!

[Lonestarblue]

23. I see little difference between white evangelicals and the Taliban.

They both hate education for anyone but chosen males, they believe women should have no rights, they think jobs are only for males of their tribe, they want their personal beliefs to be the law of the land, and they want the government to dole out severe punishment of anyone who violates their beliefs.

[True Blue American]

27. Amen!

Mean,revengeful, bitter.

[underpants]

30. I agre - it's about male domination AND female subjugation

They want both.

[The Magistrate]

31. The Only Difference, Sir, Is the Degree Of Secular Power They Can Wield

Were these wretches in complete control of government apparatus, the laws they would enact, and enforcement of same, would be identical save for a few trifling details....

[keithbvadu2]

50. Religion and politics use each other to gain power and wealth.

[Hortensis]

24. Authoritarian follower types are what you're describing.

God's an ultimate authority, of course, and they tend to be drawn to religion, but it doesn't create them.

Btw, anyone in the mood for some really BIG, BAD badmouthing of just how terrible the worst of this type can be with bad leadership, and to get real chills at the possibilities, can read Prof. Bob Altemeyer's The Authoritarians. It's a fascinating (and entertaining) lay version of his scientific work, published free to inform the public of the great danger they present. We're seeing big signs now, but they still don't have a Hitler, Trump's too dysfunctional. He explains how and why hard-cores are viciously punitive, just a quick situation away from obedient murder, and will support anything their chosen leader does (my words).

Btw, Altemeyer's work has been supported by and been built on by the extensive research that has followed. These days, though, researchers hide their findings behind very different, obfuscating terminology and graphs to keep the right from turning on them en (highly organized) mass.

Downloadable here, and this site also has some articles about Trump supporters.

https://www.theauthoritarians.org/

[Buckeye_Democrat]

59. Yes, thank you! And right-wing authoritarianism was...

... the best predictor for Trump supporters back in January of 2016: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/donald-trump-2016-authoritarian-213533

Here’s an online test for the personality: https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/RWAS/

Check out some of the beliefs (agreement indicates a RWA personality):

Our country will be great if we honor the ways of our forefathers, do what the authorities tell us to do, and get rid of the "rotten apples" who are ruining everything.

This country would work a lot better if certain groups of troublemakers would just shut up and accept their group's traditional place in society.

And testing shows that they’re much more likely to accept lies from their leaders too:
https://psmag.com/news/why-so-many-trump-supporters-are-ok-with-the-presidents-lies

[Javaman]

26. I have a simpler explanation: spite. nt

[True Blue American]

29. Right!

Their whole life is based on spite,getting even.

[wcmagumba]

38. Like Larry David's the "Spite Store"...

without any humor. (this season's "Curb Your Enthusiasm".

The episode begins with a Today news story covering Larry’s spite store. Larry retells the story of his banishment at Mocha Joe’s. Larry tells the reporter that if Joe just apologizes, he’ll close up shop. In related news, Jonah Hill is operating a spite deli he created after finding a hair in his Irv’s Deli sandwich. And Hill had this “brilliant idea” all because of Larry. He’s not the only one. Sean Penn opened a spite store for rare birds! What is happening is sheer madness, and we are here for it.

[True Blue American]

52. Kind of like

No soup for you!

[beachbumbob]

32. refer to anti-christ and the Book of Revelations

there is your answer

[underpants]

33. Male domination and there was just too much change for them. They flipped out.

Literally went nuts. That's a clinical diagnosis.

First the most white of white elites faked badly. W go caught lying into a war and then Katrina THEN the collapse.
Black guy wins the Presidency
Gay is no longer not just scorned but actually celebrated
Women in charge of them and things everywhere
The bottom dropped out on them and the needed someone to some other than themselves.
Years and years of talk radio and Fox News's soft porn news withered them inside

They just lost it.

[moose65]

34. There's something to that..

The conservatives in my life have a really, really strong vicious streak in them. It's not just that they want people to be punished for crimes (especially black people) - they want them to have to SUFFER some horrible pain and disfigurement as well.

They have this same reaction when people cut them off in traffic or when someone slights them in the smallest possible way. Their anger is completely out of proportion to the event. And, they are SO predictable about it.

And, of course, most of them brag about how close they are to Jesus. It's fucking unbelievable.

[NRaleighLiberal]

35. so, a cult of damaged, insecure lemmings

[flying_wahini]

36. Well I told my sister I can't wait for the Rapture cuz Earth will be much nicer when they are gone.

[Duppers]

61. LOVE it. 👍

[dawg day]

37. Plus he's bringing on the apocalypse...

Way ahead of schedule. White xian "rapture" Evangelicals are something of a death cult already.

[randr]

39. They are hiding behind their Bibles

It is really a class war. Trump is punishing everyone they hate.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

43. This. Kick

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

44. No, it's that the Evangelicals are losing the culture wars

Same-sex marriage is not only legal, but accepted by most Americans. Gays are out of the closet for the most part. Women still have rights, as do non-whites. Abortion is still legal. The transgendered are gaining acceptance among the general populace.

Evangelicals don't like this. These are people for whom The Handmaid's Tale is not a distopia. They want white, Evangelical, straight men to be on top, and everyone else to be subservient to them. They want to write the laws to suit their views, which are frankly theocratic. They believe that Trump is their last, best hope of achieving this.

[mountain grammy]

49. The first evangelicals I ever got to know

are my husband's family.. at first I thought, wow, they're just Jesus freaks, but ok. Then my mother in law started sending me the "Spectator." Whaaaat? I showed it to my husband and said, are these the "Christian values" you were raised with? He said absolutely not! He said his mother was loving and good, but she did stand by while his father beat the hell our of him with a big leather belt a few times a week..

These people follow a warped belief, in my opinion. They're all trumpers of course, except for his aunt. You're post is dead on.

[jimlup]

56. Well also because...

they are just stupid.

Sorry but the gloves are off now that the country is on fire.

[VOX]

57. Congealed, tight-ass Christianity gives weak people a sense of power and spiritual one-upmanship.

Their “faith” has them judging others, using their belief as a weapon, and “thinking” that Gawd is their only authority, not government.

No one sounded the early alarm on these fanatics more than, ironically, Republican/libertarian Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ):
"The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both.”

“I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.' "
--Speech in the US Senate (16 September 1981)

"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them."
--Said in November 1994, as quoted in John Dean, Conservatives Without Conscience (2006)

"I think every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass."
--Said in July 1981 in response to Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell's opposition to the nomination of Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court, of which Falwell had said, "Every good Christian should be concerned." Time Magazine, (20 July, 1981)

[Martin Eden]

58. They are merely following the Gospel of Jesus.

Hate thy neighbor.

(That's Republican Jesus, by the way)

[BadGimp]

60. very insightful