Christian conspiracy theorists are citing a Bible verse to explain why Trump survived. They haven't read their own book.

Jul 19, 2024

Over the past week, a number of Christian conspiracy theorists have looked to the Bible to explain why Donald Trump survived the assassination attempt against him. As if only God can explain why Trump merely had his ear grazed by a bullet instead of something far more lethal.

They’ve latched onto Ephesians 6:11, a verse in the New Testament, that reads “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

That verse was cited by Trump campaign Deputy Director of Communications Caroline Sunshine, whom I posted about yesterday, who said the bullet supposedly hit Trump at 6:11pm local time and therefore the verse represented “divine intervention.” She’s not alone. A number of MAGA cultists have latched onto the same idea, referring to the verse as “fucking amazing,” posting a drawing of an angel standing behind Trump (“WOAH!!!&rdquo, claiming the verse proves we saw a “miracle with our own eyes,” and insisting this means “there are no coincidences.” Republican Congressman Cory Mills told people to go read the verse “and you will understand exactly why he has been saved and why we continue to move forward.”

There’s even apparel endorsing this supposed link with profits going to help the family of the guy who was murdered by the would-be assassin’s bullets. (That feels like cold comfort, actually.)

(Follow above article link to view original article with photos/PDFs.)

In any case, none of these bothered looking anywhere else in the Bible.

They saw the verse they liked and they ran with it.

Because there’s really no reason to go to Ephesians to find the verse. In fact, there are other chapters and verses that fit the 6:11 description yet tell a very different story.

Why not the very first book of the Bible? Genesis 6:11 describes the world during the time of Noah: “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.”

Ezra 6:11 is all about how to build a temple for God and the consequences for screwing up the design plan: “… I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble.”

In Proverbs 6:11, Solomon explains that anyone who’s lazy will immediately experience poverty and scarcity. Those afflictions will infect the lazy as quickly as thieves and those with weapons: “… Poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.”

In Jeremiah 6:11, God says clearly, “This city must be punished; it is filled with oppression.”

In Ezekiel 6:11, God says wicked people will die by the sword: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Strike your hands together and stamp your feet and cry out ‘Alas!’ because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the people of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague.”

Amos 6:11 is all about how God will punish disobedient Israelites: “For the Lord has given the command, and he will smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits.”

And in Micah 6:11, we’re told God will punish the liars and cheaters because, after all, “Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?”

Some online commentators have tried to justify pointing to Ephesians because Trump was shot at 6:11pm Eastern time. 6:11E! But there are other verses that could fit that description too, like I mentioned.

But this is how easy it is for conspiratorial Christians to cherry pick a verse from the Bible. Had Joe Biden been the target, they may be pointing to some of these other verses. If Trump was killed, same thing. There’s no rhyme or reason to any of it. But when you’re looking for any possible sign from God to explain a tragedy, you’ll grasp at anything.

I don’t begrudge people who so desperately want to find that meaning, but at the very least, it’s irresponsible for journalists to let Trump’s campaign staff get away with this explanation without any kind of pushback.

By the way, law enforcement officials have put a wrench in this whole theory anyway. According to them, the shooting occurred at 6:12.

Ephesians 6:12, in case you’re curious, is all about destroying evil leaders among us (and in the heavens): “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”