How synchronistic that I already had this scheduled to post today in light of yesterday's sickening insurrection.
I came across a blog post before Christmas in which a Southern non-believer, who is surrounded by evangelical Christianity, ruminates about Trumpism and the believers who have enabled him. It is not a hit piece and not about non-belief but contains observations by one who lives within that society, which includes his family and friends.
What I hadn't fully realized before I read the post is that as a broad group Evangelicals, or at least the ones where he lives, really believe in Trump and his goodness and disbelieve just about everyone else.
I had thought that they somehow excused his mendacity in a wink-wink, nudge-nudge sort of way, or were willing to forgive all in their love for the unborn as opposed to the born. While that might also be true, they do somehow, in their self-reinforcing bubble, believe that Trump is a good Christian and that the anti-Trumpers are of the devil (my words).
Here is the post if you're interested. It is not terribly long, even though the link is: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/godlessindixie/2020/12/13/trump-laid-bare-the-gullibility-of-the-church/ .
I am posting a few snippets because if you're like me, you just want to keep going through your own blogroll without being sidetracked, but I think it might also be worth your time to click.As a Southerner, I could point to dozens of neighbors and family members who sincerely believe he is a man of deep faith who never lies and is driven by love of his country in everything he does.
As long as their favorite sources of information keep repeating the belief, none of them will ever learn that Trump’s surviving legal team had no real evidence of voter fraud ...
His followers immediately adopted his distrust toward the throng of epidemiologists and virologists ...It’s difficult to get my head around that much death, but this is really happening, and yet thanks to their trust in Trump, millions of Americans don’t believe it’s real.A compassionate church would have led the way in advocating for saving the lives of the most vulnerable among us by simply wearing masks and limiting gatherings, but their “pro-life” commitments only extend to the unborn (yet another obsession created for them by a political party).Hollywood, and basically all of the news (except NewsMax and OAN now) somehow undetectably manipulated the election in order to stop Trump from breaking up their global child-trafficking ring.
It is unbelievable what is happening in the states right now - I cannot even use the word united in front, for they are no longer united. My friends & relatives living the states are in a state of shock & fear.
ReplyDeleteThere is no basement ...
Yours is the first blog I'm reading this morning. Thanks for this. I pity those Christians who have been sorely mislead. They will continue to be if they don't try other sources of information.
ReplyDeleteI'd not heard that about the Nashville bomber. No wonder tRump made no comment.
I feel sad, sad for the good people in the United States, including those gullible ones who don’t know the difference. I heard an excerpt from a call-in show on C-SPAN yesterday. A woman called in crying, asking the host if her president had lied to her, crying to break her heart because she had voted for him. It is hard to understand.
ReplyDeleteOne time, as teachers, we had to know a lot of information. Now the information is at our fingertips but critical thinking must be taught to our children so they won’t be as vulnerable to such influence. Knowing what to eliminate from your computer feed is critical these days.
Yes, these people are part of a brain-washed managed mob. It's very similar to how cheerleaders get their team's followers to go nuts wanting their team to win in any sport. It is why I am very uncomfortable in crowds...that people can be manipulated in scary ways...and a huge group/mob is even more likely to have become a monster.
ReplyDeleteThank you for giving us a bit more insight in to how Trump gets all these followers, even if it is through somebody else's eyes first.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard for us in Europe to understand how he gets so many followers who are so dedicated to (obsessed with) him. And I fear that even after Biden takes over, the trouble isn't over yet.
I have a passing friendship with several people who are diehard Trumpers and I never can understand how they worship that man without seeing his faults. Likewise I have friendships with many others who think Biden is the second coming of Christ and can't see his many past faults either.
ReplyDeleteI guess when a person appeals to your sense of hope after four years of someone you dislike, it is apparently fairly easy to forgive them of their sins. Out here in the middle of the political spectrum, I often wish I could wear a set of blinders so I could overlook things and live in bliss for awhile.
I live in a county where people have these beliefs. I cannot even begin to understand their logic.
ReplyDeleteI tend to think there is a faction of folks who want/need to specifically follow someone utterly without thinking. This faction does not like to think or reason through ideas/issues. I think tRump gets his followers from that group and they do not think beyond their blind support.
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One of his rabid supporters on the news the other night made this very plain. "Whatever he says, we know it's true" and "He will look after me and my family." Sure sounds like the mindless follower of a cult leader, to me. -Kate at Stubblejumpers C.
DeleteIt is comforting and secure to wear those blinders. I wish I could at times. Because evangelicals are trained to trust and believe on faith and not facts or proof, they are perfect fodder for someone like Trump, who says what they want to hear and essentially brainwashes them.
ReplyDeleteThere was a Congressman on GMA today that didn't believe that Trump had anything to do with the riot.
ReplyDeleteBlinders sure do get in the way, don't they.
What some of these people fall for it utterly unbelievable. The Nashville bomber should be certified mentally ill.
ReplyDeleteWell, AC, you and I have been blogger friends for 16 years so you know I'm not shy when it comes to giving my opinion of Trump. He is and has always been evil to the core but the fact that he has such a huge audience is very disheartening and due to the fact that he tells them what they want to hear. I pray that our new administration can head us back on a better path or we are doomed as a country.
ReplyDeleteThat "insurrection" yesterday was well planned and funded in advance. There were thousands on thousands of them. They even had tee shirts with matching slogans. I think even Trump does not realize the monster he has created. It may eat him.
ReplyDeleteNone of this was surprising. When someone like Trump is let off the hook over and over again his entire life and allowed to cheat, manipulate and lie his way through life...and the Senate let him stay...how can any of this be a surprise to any of them. And we know his blind followers will never see the truth of any of it as long as they are fed the same lies they want to believe.
ReplyDeleteI have never understood why they want to believe him? But then I have never liked blinders.
They are depressed. They want a hero. They will believe anything they want. Sadly, the Republicans want to emulate his strategies to buy up his base. It is awful.
ReplyDeleteEveryone knew. The cops were in on it. The stupidity and ignorance is astounding. What is more worrisome are the Canadians who marched that day in Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto.
There are plenty of rightwingnuts up here too, sadly. We're shocked and dismayed by many of our friends and neighbours. Very disheartening. -Kate
DeleteSo true, alas. I live in an area full of these folks.
ReplyDeleteIt's really unbelievable to think so many of these people are actually this delusional.
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