On NPR this morning, they were discussing how Trump who isn't at all a practicing Christian got such a large Christian following. Their hypothesis was that although Trump was not a good Christian, he has been deified as a man who will do good things for Christians by Christian leaders who used to be conisered to be on the far end of the fringe, but now have larger followings.
I on the other hand, as they played clips from Trump's speeches, noticed that his tone, inflections, rythms & pacing of his speech patterns seemed to mimic those of a preacher, even if he wasn't delivering a religious message, but a political one, the patterns seemed of his speech seemed to mimic those speech patterns of a minister. I think his using those familiar speech patterns tends to let them accept more of what he says, because they are conditioned to accept what preachers and ministers say when they talk in those same ways, even if he isn't talking about religion at all.
What do all of you think?
His appeal to Christians is a combination of One and Four, and I wish your survey allowed us to vote for more than one theory there.
Religious, political, military and other leaders have to be charismatic. And as much as I can’t stand Trump (nor any of the other figures mentioned), many people do. Add to that Trump saw easy picking in the Evangelicals and promised them unheard of freedoms to legislate their religious beliefs while he was draining the Treasury. Something no other candidate would offer them. But the only way to be a successful con man is to be able make people believe the most unbelievable lies. And pawning himself as a religious convert is one of his bigger ones.
The guy across the street has a flag that looks Exactly like a trump flag, color, layout, size.
It hangs too steeply to read until the wind blows and it Actually says
"Vote Jesus 2025"
"Make America Great"
Scary weirdos! (Him and drump and jeebus)
I think Trump gave the evangelicals a voice on the political stage in return for their support.
And they sold out their religious beliefs and the legitimacy of their religion, in return for short term political power.. Hopefully it's only short term..