AN INTERESTING QUESTION....

[Ms. Toad]

8. People have been asking that quesiton since 2016.

The short answer is that there are those who live their faith - and don't support Trump - and those who like the rigid rule-based structures and selectively read the new testament - who support Trump.

For them, the appeal is to the superficial law and order he represents. I participated in a faith-diverse focus group on religion. One of the questions asked was what would happen if all of the churches suddenly vanished. My answer was "nothing." But a substantial number of people in evangelical churches (generally small, non-denominational) was that there would be murder and mayhem. My initial reaction was that they were being sarcastic, but the rest of the conversation indicated they weren't. They actually believed that it is churches (and I think the threat of hell) which controls the behavior of those around them. It makes no logical sense - since church attendance is entirely voluntary. And I don't think that they would say their own tendency to bad behavior is kept in check by the existence of churches. But they focus much more on the don'ts of the old testament (which Christ didn't abolish) than the dos of the new testament. Because they are not internally motivated by good - and believe humans are inherently weak and give in to temptation absent external controls, Trump's talk of law and order - and consequences - apeals to the retributive/don't form of Christianity, with the threat of hell as punishment for those who stray.

I know lots of people who actually try to follow the example of Christ who are all about love, forgiveness, acceptance, and tolerance - and they find Trump disgusting.