I'm hardly the first to muse on the irony of how the Right expressed constant concern over Obama and how the Left made him into a messianic figure. I took it as a fiery expression of zeal for someone that was not George Bush - people have already forgotten how much he was despised near the end of his term. Regardless, whatever happened with Obama surely pales in comparison to the way Trump is viewed by his most devoted followers. And devotion is the correct word as many have crossed the line and for them Trumpism is far more than a political platform or a style - it's a religion.
Since his entry into politics nine years ago there are many that hailed him as saviour, treating him as a messianic figure for their American Zion. They hang on his every word and criticism of his person is viewed as blasphemous - an attack on God's anointed.
With the assassination attempt we now see the religious element gaining traction. Many of supporters now wear a bandage on their ear - is it sympathy or is it more like a stigmata equivalent? There's no doubt that many within his camp, especially the Christo-Trumpist variety have drawn these parallels - his sufferings and persecutions (sic) are compared to Christ. For some the blood on his ear is being compared to the anointing of the High Priest in Leviticus - clearly another messianic allusion. It's never specific or thought out but all the imagery is there and it was on full display during the RNC Convention. For the Trumpite movement - Trump is chosen by God.
The various hireling pastors and others that support him and this kind of thinking tend to dance around the issues as many know they are flirting with heresy. I recall watching an interview with a Trumpite 'pastor' who dodged some of the issues and problems surrounding the 'Trump Bible' but instead just said that he was baffled that any Christians would have a problem with a president promoting the Bible and encouraging people to read it - an argument that is no argument but one that deliberately misses the point. Such men are not shepherd but wolves - even serpents.
There's a growing cultus surrounding relics - the firefighter that was killed at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally has been turned into a kind of martyr-saint. And clearly for many within the Christian Right (and especially in Trumpite circles) soldiers who die in battle, police who die while on duty and the like are akin to saints - with a direct ticket to heaven. So it is for this firefighter as even now they're talking about building some kind of monument to him. As I have previously argued he was a fool to bring his family to the rally as they are wicked events and always (at least to me) contain a probability of violence - and from multiple angles. He's frequently called a 'godly man' - well, not if he was at a Trump rally. The only Christians at Trump rallies leave in horror and repentance. The rest are functional apostates that should be disciplined by their churches.
But he has become a martyr-saint and in a utterly bizarre ritual his firefighter gear was put on display up on the stage and Trump venerated it - even kissing the guy's helmet like it was some kind of relic or icon.
And while there are some actual hymns or CCM-type songs performed at Trump rallies, there are the quasi-religious stand-bys like 'God Bless the USA' with its well known 'I'm proud to be an American' line. I remember the drill sergeants utilizing the song during basic training or boot camp. After being beaten down for weeks they then try to brainwash you and rebuild you up into the kind of person they want you to be. That includes a lot of patriot propaganda which included watching video montages of Americana with the Greenwood song playing in the background. It was powerful, everyone had their arms around each other's shoulders, singing along, and many were openly weeping. It's a religious moment and these songs are hymns to this American religion, which happens to borrow extensively from Christianity.
In fact the rallies themselves have a worship-like character to them. Please note that I did not say Christian worship but something akin to what will resonate with American Evangelicalism and it diseased understanding of the concept.
The opposition aren't political opponents that also love America but have a different take. Rather, they are evil agents, representatives of the darkness and Satan. They are waging war against the holy kingdom - the United States.
Trump is messianic but it's something more than that. He's a guru of sorts, the dispenser of all wisdom, expert on all things, the master - and they hang on his every word.
Some have argued Trump is a Cyrus for our age - a non-Christian friend to the people of God that supports them as they attempt to re-establish their kingdom. Of course these folks would hardly understand that Cyrus was in one sense a type of Christ - an anticipation of the coming gentile age, a liberator king with a worldwide dominion. But of course he wasn't actually the Christ. In fact he was also presiding over an empire depicted in Daniel and Revelation as bestial and born of the satanic chaos. As with all types he failed - because he wasn't actually Christ.
But to just appeal to Cyrus and through an exercise of mutatis mutandis transform Trump into the same - that's quite a leap indeed and rather unconvincing to say the least. The question is begged on so many fronts it's hard to know where to begin.
And how can it be anything other than a blind faith when Trump's followers remain zealously devoted to him regardless of any revelation regarding his character and the abundant facts and evidence concerning his life, policies, and ideals? They worship him - it needs to be said openly and understood. This is idolatry and it is being enabled by many more that find him distasteful but useful and as such they are eager to stand by their man.
Trumpism is essentially a religion and like other false religions it wouldn't concern me but for the fact that it has infiltrated the Church in the form of Christo-Trumpism. Is this just a widespread error, a style, a movement? I argue it's a cult. I argue the Church has been infiltrated by a cult that is deeply anti-Christian and yet appropriates terms and concepts long utilized and cherished by Christians. Under Trumpism the meaning changes, the ethics are something quite different - often totally opposed to the New Testament.
And
this is a problem - a glaring problem that most pastors refuse to
address. Many are part of it while others don't want to address it
and risk losing half their congregation - or worse. They need to face
the reality that maybe their congregations aren't what they think
they are.
We can debate whether or not pastors need to spend
time on culture war issues but this isn't a culture war question -
this is an ecclesiastical, ethical, and doctrinal one. A cult has
infiltrated the Church and nothing is being done. It is a religious
movement and yet it's not Christian.
How would they react if they suddenly discovered their congregations were full of Watchtower members or Muslims? Both religions proclaim Christ but their Christ is not the Son of God revealed in Scripture. It's that serious and quickly we're being left with little in the way of options. Nationalism was always another religion and it has long been present in the Church and has done a great deal of damage. I don't want to make light of that and the evil of those who have long promoted it and yet this is something different - something very ugly, even frightening, a kind of rapid moving mass apostasy that will result in bloodbath. I hope not and a lot of things could happen but I know this - the Church will have to reckon with this and the ramifications are going to be around for a long time.
Nationalism and Right-wing politics have functioned as an ecumenical foundation that has brought together Evangelicals, Catholics, Mormons, Restorationists, Confessionalists, and more. This other loyalty tended to operate alongside Christian profession - certainly a damnable heresy. This is different. Trumpism subsumes Christianity and completely transforms and subordinates it. It is a cult and it's takeover is happening right before our eyes.
Where are the shepherds? There are very few. They're mostly hirelings and wolves sold out to mammon. God help them - they will have to answer for what has happened during these days. And Trump is but part of a larger terrible equation.