Pastors are leaving their congregation after losing their churchgoers to QAnon

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

On the morning of the Capitol riot, Vern Swieringa told his wife during a walk with their dogs: "Something is going to happen today. I don't know what, but something's going to happen today."

The Christian Reformed Church pastor from Michigan had been watching for months as some members of his congregation grew captivated by videos about the QAnon conspiracy theory on social media, openly discussing sex trafficking and Satan-worshipping pedophiles.

He had watched as other spiritual advisors, including the self-proclaimed "Trump Prophet" Mark Taylor, incorporated wild and dangerous QAnon beliefs into their sermons on YouTube, and as organizers of the Christian Jericho March gathered in Washington, DC, days before the insurrection, urging followers to "pray, march, fast, and rally for election integrity."

So when hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol hours after his premonition, Swieringa was shocked, but not surprised.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pastors-leaving-congregation-losing-churchgoers-160213365.html

This is their God

[TDale313]

1. I don't think it's hyperbole to call this a cult at this point. n/t

[tiredtoo]

11. Been a cult for 3-4 years now. NT

[Leith]

2. No surprise, really

Not to insult anyone, but religion IS believing something without evidence. It's called faith.

Congregations have been groomed for this since the first primate screamed at lightning.

[riversedge]

3. brainwashed--yes, a large part of his congregation is brainwashed by RW media. yes. they are.

[EarlG]

4. This is definitely a thing

Further reading:

May 14, 2020: QAnon Is a New American Religion

August 26, 2020: Evangelicals are looking for answers online. They’re finding QAnon instead.

November 6, 2020: A Conspiracy at the Heart of It: Religion and Q

December 26, 2020: Column: God help us: Politics is the new American religion

March 10, 2021: America Without God

[Baitball Blogger]

5. Churches were a big part of the brainwash that gave Bush II the support he needed

to invade Iraq, so, I don't feel sorry for those pastors. Terrible thing when churches reinforce jingoism.

[Grins]

6. More reasons to hate religion... NM

[Mary Mac]

9. No true Christians have been in church lately.

Hello COVID. These guys are fake Christians.

[Mariana]

13. Of course. Only non-Christians would behave that way. nt.

[tiredtoo]

12. Religion, the root of all EVIL! NT

[Evolve Dammit]

7. Guess their "word" wasn't enough for the flock to care about being a real Christian?

Q-Anon is so much more exciting after all.

[SunSeeker]

17. The only people I know who actually follow the teachings of Jesus aren't Christian.

[Evolve Dammit]

27. Ain't that the truth. The abridged Bible says "Don't be a dick." (10 Commandments rolled into one)

[spike jones]

8. "Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire n/t

[sarcasmo]

10. Leave one cult for another cult.

[soldierant]

14. The article is from yahoo news. I shudder to think

what the comments are going to be like. I expect I may take a short look, but a deep dive is unlikely.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

19. Yahoo no longer allows comments

Things probably got too heated.

[soldierant]

26. I noticed I couldn't find any.

I'm sure that's for the best for everyone.

And I didn't follow the story one more step back to busuness Insider, so I can't speak to them.

[progressoid]

15. "One in four white evangelicals believe in QAnon"

Another survey by the conservative American Enterprise Institute found that more than a quarter of white evangelicals believed in QAnon, and that three in five believed that President Joe Biden's win in the 2020 election was "not legitimate." Those rates were the highest in any religious group.

Sadly, I know people like this.

[empedocles]

18. Hmmm

[Mariana]

30. More like, one in four white Evangelicals *admits* they believe in QAnon.

I bet it's a lot higher.

[progressoid]

32. Yeah,

Someone from my hometown posted some BS about election fraud on Facebook back in December. I just laughed it off. But then other people I know started chiming in about how the truth will come out on Jan 6th, and to be patient because there's a plan! etc.

These people were run of the mill right wing assholes not long ago. Now they have moved into craycray town. It was sad to see and frankly a little frightening.

[sop]

16. "Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers

as useful." - Seneca the Younger

[monkeyman1]

20. religion don't belong in politics period !

[Initech]

21. This is what happens when you mix crazy with crazy.

[monkeyman1]

24. so f#&king true

[bucolic_frolic]

22. They could sell a lot of those statues if they included a plenary indulgence

Why is Donnie wearing Hot Pants and Flip-Flops and holding Tinkerbell's wand?

I mean there are just incongruencies here

[monkeyman1]

25. target practice !

[They_Live]

23. (evil laugh)

Ha ha ha! My plan is working perfectly!

?

[lagomorph777]

28. Anti-American Idol

[Wounded Bear]

29. One should be careful who they sell their soul to...

[Mariana]

31. Most of these moderate preachers said and did exactly nothing

while the preaching of many of their fellow Christian clergy became ever more hateful, vile, and insane, as well as political. Did they really imagine the crazy shit their colleagues were spewing was never going to spread and infect their own congregations?