How My Once-Apolitical Church Became the House of Trump

[Zorro]

Politics never came up at church. Then suddenly, this year, we were in a “spiritual battle?” Congregants were sharing “The Plandemic” on Facebook? The election was rigged?

It started with the prayers. He’s our president, after all, so the call to pray for Donald Trump seemed harmless enough. The nondenominational, charismatic church I’d been attending had never been political—that wasn’t our focus. We had a multi-racial, socio-economically diverse congregation. A food bank. A prison ministry. A large banner on the side of our modest brick building read: “Experience God’s Love.” And I had.

In March of 2020, with the outbreak of COVID-19, services went online. In May, our governor, Arizona’s Doug Ducey, allowed formerly shuttered businesses to reopen. Places of worship (though technically having been free to meet all along) could resume limited in-person services. I opted to watch online from the safety of my home.

As the election drew nearer, I noticed a change. Sermons took an increasingly martial tone. We were in a “spiritual battle.” Dark forces had been unleashed upon our nation. Prayer warriors must “lock shields” and “keep up the offensive.” The pastor likened himself to Paul Revere, a patriot “sounding the alarm.” Yes, love was important, but we weren’t supposed to just “sit around and sing kum-ba-yah.”

For too long, he said, the church has been twiddling its thumbs. Enough of this namby-pamby stuff. We were in a fight for our nation’s future. It was good versus evil. Good in the form of those who would take a stand against abortion. Evil in the form of those in favor of it. Although we were not explicitly told to vote for Donald Trump, it was hard to miss the messaging. A Latina fellow congregant asked me, “Is it wrong to be a Democrat?” “Of course not!” I answered. Jesus never gave his followers a political litmus test; on the contrary, he said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-my-once-apolitical-church-became-the-house-of-trump

[msongs]

1. pastor is doing what will bring in the most $$$$$$$$. with these people its all about $$ nt

[keithbvadu2]

2. Political Christians rather than Christians of faith.

[uponit7771]

6. +1

[Thomas Hurt]

3. Does your religion inform your politics or does your politics inform your religion...

[redstateblues]

4. I imagine Jesus is not pleased to have these white nationalists pretending

to follow him.

[Laffy Kat]

5. Why aren't they paying taxes? nt

[arthritisR_US]

7. Exactly!