Trump Says “Biggest Pastors” Believe His Feud with Democrats, Media Is Fueling a Great Revival

Even as a NeverTrumper, I didn’t take Trump to mean that he was spearheading a Spiritual revival. Rather that certain conservative Christians are being “electrified” which I take means mobilized to support Trump and fight back against the liberals and media-especially with talk of impeachment. There is some truth to this, but like many other things he says, alot of embellishment and exaggeration too.

“Even as a NeverTrumper..”

You mean there’s two of us here???? :-D

I wasn’t a “Never Trumper”, especially after the primaries made clear that it was “The Donald vs. Hilliary”, but there’s more than two here. Look around, DL, you’ll figure out who soon enough.

This article is a great example of a proverb I’ve seen about politics. The left, as well as others who despise Trump, generally take him literally, but not seriously. Trump’s supporters take him seriously, but not literally.

And on the light side, when I saw the phrase “biggest pastors”, my instant thought was “yes, a lot of our spiritual leaders seriously need to go on a diet.” Which is a not that much worse criterion for deciding who’s the “biggest” than church attendance, book sales, or whatever. The statement was probably pure Trumpian hyperbole, but it does illustrate our culture’s infatuation with “bigness”, and the hazards thereof.

Although making this thread a never Trumper roll call is probably a bit off topic. :)

Me, too.

Six

And most of those of us who are not “Never Trumpers” are, at most, “Reluctant Trumpers” given the other choices. While there might be a few really enthusiastic Trump supporters here, I haven’t seen many, and I’ve seen none who think we need to back everything Trump, get behind a “Trump ‘revival’ ”, or think he’s the greatest president, or great Christian, or even someone of great character, etc., etc.

I’ll admit there’s a certain, let’s say, guilty pleasure, that some of us are tempted to feel seeing someone actually willing to get down in the mud and fight back with all the mud that is slung our way, but that doesn’t translate to thinking that this is the kind of person I feel would make the best type of leader. At the moment, however, I’ve got no one better (that actually has a serious chance) to get behind. Until that changes, “reluctant Trump” as my voting philosophy is around for the foreseeable future.

I’m convinced that Trump’s willingness to fight back is why his base is so enthusiastic about him. They’ve never seen a Republican do this before. Democrats have been fighting dirty for decades, starting with “borking” Bork, if not before, and Republicans have largely taken it on the chin and refused to retaliate. Finally, someone is willing to “give as good as he takes” and the fight seems winnable. Maybe. It’s still lopsided, with government devotees and mainstream media fighting tooth and nail. Until now, it’s seemed impossible to defend against such a steady onslaught, and lo and behold, a President who might, just might fight back and prevail. He’s not sophisticated, principled, nor clean. But maybe that’s the only kind who can duke it out with the unprincipled progressives. It may not be a completely fair fight, but amazingly, Trump is holding his own. So far. And that’s why so many like him. Finally, a Goliath who is willing to face down a whole swarmy army.

I’m convinced that Trump’s willingness to fight back is why his base is so enthusiastic about him. They’ve never seen a Republican do this before. Democrats have been fighting dirty for decades, starting with “borking” Bork, if not before, and Republicans have largely taken it on the chin and refused to retaliate. Finally, someone is willing to “give as good as he takes” and the fight seems winnable. Maybe. It’s still lopsided, with government devotees and mainstream media fighting tooth and nail. Until now, it’s seemed impossible to defend against such a steady onslaught, and lo and behold, a President who might, just might fight back and prevail. He’s not sophisticated, principled, nor clean. But maybe that’s the only kind who can duke it out with the unprincipled progressives. It may not be a completely fair fight, but amazingly, Trump is holding his own. So far. And that’s why so many like him. Finally, a Goliath who is willing to face down a whole swarmy army.

I think Republicans have a short memory about their presidents who fight back and prevail. Reagan fought the democrats, even causing a record 8 government shutdowns and he did it in a much more winsome way. He didn’t resort to the constant low-brow, slanderous, dirty, lying, political fighting that we find ourselves in and where conservative Christians seem to justify it because “the unprincipled Democrats” did it first. Even as I say this, I have no problem with the “hold-your-nose” Trump voters because Hillary was just as big, or you could argue a bigger nightmare than Trump.

On winning 2020…. At the moment 51% of Americans want him both impeached and thrown out of office. The usual approval rating polls don’t add up very well for him either.

[Aaron Blumer]

On winning 2020…. At the moment 51% of Americans want him both impeached and thrown out of office. The usual approval rating polls don’t add up very well for him either.

Definitely not betting on him winning easily. However, the polls were so wrong last election, I’m not really paying any attention to them any more. They pretty much seem to express the opinions of those who are willing to answer polls, and that’s not likely a very representative sample.

Two things I don’t get these days:

1) Why people that say that Trump is “fighting back” don’t reach the conclusion that he is the epitome of what he is supposed to be fighting. He is the perfect swampy politician: dishonest, ineffective, corrupt. I can’t think of any politician more dishonest, corrupt and ineffective actually.

2) Why roles are reversed. Most of the avid Trump supporters in evangelicalism are older and more conservative. Normally, they are the ones pontificating how worldly evangelicals (especially younger ones) are. Yet they excuse or at least rationalize away Trump’s character and all that he represents. It is the young (liberal) crowd that is offended by his behavior.

Or to put it another way, my wife and I went to a Carrie Underwood concert last night. It seemed fine to me. Maybe some of her lyrics are bad. I wouldn’t really know because I could not understand her lyrics last night. But otherwise, it was just a good, wholesome (if loud) show. I wonder why many that defend Trump would have a problem with me going to see Carrie Underwood because (God forbid) she has drums but would not have a problem with me watching the Trump rally which was occurring at the same time, filled with lies, hate, and cursing.

On Wed, an older man in the congregation did what he usually does, and said we need to pray for our country and our president because “forces” are trying to destroy everything. He means Democrats are evil, and Republicans (those who have accepted President Trump as their Lord and Savior) are right.

I was the closest I’ve ever been to making political statements that night. Instead, I smiled politely and ignored the prayer request. This Christian America perspective is increasingly seen among those 60+ for whom Saint Reagan is very special. I can’t wait for this perspective to die in the church.

[GregH]

Two things I don’t get these days:

1) Why people that say that Trump is “fighting back” don’t reach the conclusion that he is the epitome of what he is supposed to be fighting. He is the perfect swampy politician: dishonest, ineffective, corrupt. I can’t think of any politician more dishonest, corrupt and ineffective actually.

2) Why roles are reversed. Most of the avid Trump supporters in evangelicalism are older and more conservative. Normally, they are the ones pontificating how worldly evangelicals (especially younger ones) are. Yet they excuse or at least rationalize away Trump’s character and all that he represents. It is the young (liberal) crowd that is offended by his behavior.

1. How would our conclusions about his character change things? First, there are plenty of other politicians out there at least as corrupt and dishonest, though presented in a way to hide it and make it seem more respectable. As to effectiveness, it will take at least a few years of history to decide that. Of course Christians should want someone honest and not corrupt. Most of us voted for one of those. Our choices didn’t win the primaries. Now that he’s what we have, we want him to attempt to carry out some of the things he promised, and we want him to succeed at that. He may not be anywhere near the best ambassador for the U.S. that could be (I’ve compared him to Samson personally), but as he’s now the leader, I’m going to pray for him and his salvation, and pray that God would allow us to live our quiet lives in godliness and honesty. In the meantime, Samson will win some and lose some against the Philistines, until God replaces him. And yes, I will cheer when the Philistines lose, even if our champion sometimes doesn’t seem much better than the opposition. That’s not praise for our leader — it’s praising when evil has to temporarily take a step back.

2. This one is pretty easy for me to understand. History. People my age and older have seen more than the young people, and we don’t like the way things have been trending overall. Trump is actually attempting to put some brakes on some of that. Young people rarely see much history. Trump is uncouth, and certainly appears unsophisticated compared to suave politicians like Clinton, Obama, or even Bush. Bush’s character was much more acceptable than Trump’s, but he did little to fight against the mud being thrown by the other side, and some of the things he did accomplish (like the Patriot Act or the Iraq war) are not all positive either. (And BTW, the young think Bush is terrible too.)

It’s interesting to me that Trump’s behavior is supposedly what is putting off the young, when there are plenty of those out there just as corrupt (or more) but just hide it better. That would indicate to me that it’s all appearance, and as long as the politician provides what the young want (like free college and health care), and appear to adhere to current PC doctrine, it won’t matter to them whether their leaders are corrupt. If they fail to provide those things, they will be turned on, just as they turn on sports figures and celebrities who all of a sudden are not woke enough or run afoul of current thinking. Trump is all things evil to them, he isn’t suave and sophisticated, AND he opposes what they think. Of course they will be offended.

Who wouldn’t love to have Ronald Reagan back again! But there was only one of him. He did fight back with a fair degree of success, and did so in a gracious, humorous, and effective manner. Trump is no Reagan, but he’s the first since Reagan who has been willing to engage the left in battle and persevere, something neither Bush seemed willing nor able to do. The left has been able to operate with minimal opposition for a long time. Trump is fighting back. That, I believe, is the primary reason he is so lated by Progressives, and loved by many Conservatives. Yes, it’s a “hold your nose” type of appreciation, but for many, that’s better than the rolling over and giving up mentality they’ve seen for too long.