'How were we so easily fooled?' Top evangelical leader calls for reckoning in the wake of Trump

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

A top evangelical leader is calling on his fellow Christians to question how they came under the authoritarian sway of President Donald Trump.

Ed Stetzer, head of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, tells NPR that he was very disturbed to see so many self-professed evangelicals taking part in the deadly riots last week at the Capitol building that were designed to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
............
He also said that he's been disturbed at seeing how many evangelicals have made Trump a part of their religious faith, which is essentially idolatry.

"If you asked today 'what's an evangelical?' to most people, I would want them to say: someone who believes Jesus died on the cross for our sin and in our place and we're supposed to tell everyone about it," he said. "But for most people they'd say, 'Oh, those are those people who are really super supportive of the president no matter what he does.' And I don't think that's what we want to be known for."

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-evangelicals-2649923733/

Too late. The Mark of Trump Worshiping Christo-fascist fool is forever branded on their foreheads, a 666 tatoo in bright Republican red.

[Roland99]

1. Because these sheep lack any self awareness or empathy

[SheltieLover]

5. Zero discernment, either!

Wth????

[olegramps]

41. It is a short distance from faith healing to believing in Trump propaganda.

I have many relatives in the South. Some live in northern Georgia near Dalton. I have close relatives who attend tent revival healing that actually believe that the have seen blind people and the lame cured. It would be useless to argue with them. It is little wonder to me that this category of people who support this nonsense with their attendance and money easily believe in the propaganda that they consume on a daily basis spewed by radical right wing extremists. It will take years to overcome since it is believed wholeheartedly by the younger people who have little exposure to disavowing this claptrap as absolute crap.

[llmart]

81. I lived in the South for ten years.

My home was about a 20-minute drive from the PTL Heritage USA so-called theme park. We used to take family and visitors there (I'm a northerner) just to show them how wacky it was. I worked with mostly southerners and there were a couple of them who were evangelicals. They'd talk about going to these tent revivals and some of the stuff that came out of their mouths was appalling and amazing at the same time.

Also, they were not very welcoming to this northern woman. On the surface they were "friendly" in that they would smile and say "hey", but they always were reaching in your back pocket to get your money. I was dubbed behind my back as that uppity white woman from the North because I dared to eat with an African American woman in the lunchroom. This was in the 80's.

[Raven123]

2. "and I don't think that's what we want to be known for." That ship has sailed

[Merlot]

72. And we definitely don't want the collection plate to suffer.

[luv2fly]

3. Just a different form of brainwashing

If you're susceptible to one, it makes sense you are susceptible to more.

Any feigned shock is disingenuous. That anyone who calls him or herself a Christian who followed this man is beyond me.

[mnmoderatedem]

4. possible answer. Because you're fucking idiots?

The Access Hollywood tape came out BEFORE the 2020 election, yet trump was still Mr Evangelical to you. And NOW you ask why you were easily fooled

[SheltieLover]

9. Bing, bing, bing, we have a winner!

[Mr. Steve]

67. Voltaire said it before

He who can make you accept absurdities can make you commit atrocities

[Evolve Dammit]

85. good quote. And they swallowed every cast hook, line and sinker. Welcome

[MoonchildCA]

73. You mean the 2016 election?

[MyOwnPeace]

6. 'How were we so easily fooled?'

Just NOW he's asking? That question is one that should have been in their sermons about 5 minutes after Donnie came down the escalator!

[Vinca]

7. They haven't made Trump a part of their religious faith, he IS their religious faith.

Just as Jim Jones lured his marks to the jungle to drink poison, Trump lured his cult to DC to sacrifice their lives in his name. He sure as hell won't be there when they lose their jobs, go broke hiring lawyers and spend time behind bars.

[llmart]

64. He wasn't even there when they marched to the Capitol.

He said he would be and of course, he wasn't. You have to be pretty darned stupid to believe anything out of his mouth after all the lies he's told, but to actually believe he would be right there with him is amazing.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. So now he's disturbed. Is this a recent revelation?

[olegramps]

47. Yes; accompanied with thunder and terrifying lightening.

[Arkansas Granny]

57. I guess his next statement will be "The devil made me do it.".

[Iliyah]

10. Yes, I wan't to know how . .

easily evangelists were fooled because the way I saw t-rump, he is pure evil. Oh wait, that all mighty green helped them ignore it.

[exboyfil]

11. It's called critical thinking skills moron

Also try to avoid magical thinking.

Finally what does the Bible say about abortion. It's in there and it isn't pretty.


Numbers 5 NIV
16 “‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the Lord. 17 Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the Lord, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse—“may the Lord cause you to become a curse among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell. 22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.”

“‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”

[jaxexpat]

53. The "Numbers" racket, eh?

Very appropriate in a census year. May the next have fewer people drunk on bitter water.

[Pachamama]

12. Maybe these asshole Evangelical "Leaders" should not only practice what they preach, but read...

...the scriptures about following a false prophet and the coming of the anti-Christ and see what they have done....

[BeyondGeography]

13. Sure, Mr. Billy Graham Center

The flock has been going all-in with the worst Republicans have to offer since Billy Graham threw in with Wallie Criswell in the 50s.

[mitch96]

14. I believe they knew EXACTLY what they were doing.. Selling their belief system to the devil to get

what they want out of this prez. Pro lifers judges on the courts to push their agenda. period. Now they are going to try to change course of their narrative by saying "oh how could we have been duped by this charlatan".
I call bullshit. Like McTurtle and his stacking of the courts and Putin getting massive intelligence on th US, they used tRump for their ends and now tossing him to the side..
Look at what they wanted and how did they get it.. All points to tRump..
YMMV
m

[drmeow]

77. exactly nt

[SamKnause]

16. Apparently you like to join cults and 1 was just not enough, you decided to join another.

[alittlelark]

17. They believe in sky wizards.

[Cirque du So-What]

26. If you can believe that stuff

it’s not hard to believe in gawd’s chosen one leading ‘murica to glory, smiting her enemies along the way. It’s also no surprise that they believe the ‘prophecy’ of QAnon-no matter how insane it seems.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

42. It's part of the foundational belief system

"Joseph, I'm pregnant, but I swear I didn't cheat on you"
"O.K., sounds reasonable to me Mary"

[mopinko]

18. funny. wheaton college is in dupage co. that board has turned purple the last 2 cycles.

wonder if he noticed that.

[Marcuse]

19. Fools are easily fooled by definition.

Better to link to the NPR host site than to the Raw Story parasite.

[link:https://www.npr.org/sections/congress-electoral-college-tally-live-updates/2021/01/13/955801878/how-did-we-get-here-a-call-for-an-evangelical-reckoning-on-trump|

[hatrack]

20. Too late, you fucking fool

Angling for the Susan Collins Concern Award?

[Girard442]

21. YOU WEREN'T FOOLED YOU DIRTBAGS!

Trump was always exactly who he appeared to be. You loved him because he gave you money and power. Now the money and power is going away and you're left standing neck-deep in shit as you inevitably would be.

[JI7]

22. You weren't fooled. You are a Racist Grifter like he is .

[Botany]

63. Trump is the same person now (except for an elevated stress level) that he has always been.

5 kids with three different wives, multiple documented cases of sexual assault, many bankruptcies,
4 or 5 thousand law suits (either for or against), racist actions, hanging out with a child sexual
abuser/trafficker, drug use, and a failed businessman.

[Goodheart]

23. Mr. Stetzer is dangerously close to losing his religion, too.

I say this because I know the answer to his question. He accepted trump as his political savior for the same reason he accepted his spiritual "savior". People such as himself accept propositions on emotion (faith) rather than on facts. They decide what makes them feel best (which generally revolves around ratification of themselves) then shoehorn evidence in support of their conclusion. It's the cart driving the horse. "Facts" based on belief as opposed to belief based on facts.

[ariadne0614]

34. The absurd belief that their skin color makes them inherently superior feels so good.

What they see in Trump is their own reflection. Raising him up and keeping him in a position of power is essential for maintaining their own sense of superiority and privilege. Allowing him to be knocked off his pedestal by a free and fair election is an existential threat. Sharing power with "their inferiors" is anathema. The closer America gets to a real democracy, the more threatened they become.

[Goodheart]

49. Well said.

[ariadne0614]

93. Thanks. Your thoughts inspired mine! n/t

[Silent3]

24. Because the same personality traits that make you religious fundamentalists...

...make you vulnerable to irrational beliefs, enforced conformity, taking pride in believing things other people think are crazy, etc.

[stopbush]

25. Christianity is all about treating make believe as fact and moving the goalposts when needed.

Jesus said:
“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.“ (Matthew 16: 27, 28)

Geez. Jesus didn’t return to his followers who were living at the time like he promised, did he? A normal person might say that not delivering on such a fundamental promise is a good reason to disregard the whole “Jesus was god” thing as a bunch of hooey. Yet billions believe the claptrap because...?

Because all religious belief is transactional and situational.

[Captain Stern]

27. The easy answer......Fools are easily fooled. Heck, that's what makes them fools. n/t

[JHB]

28. Mr. Stetzer, have you asked that question for things your fellows believed BEFORE Trump?

Which religious group hounded Proctor & Gamble because they thought its moon logo was a satanic symbol?

Whose adherents breathlessly gossip urban legends like "Did you know that KISS (the band) stands for Knights In Service of Satan?"

Need I go on? I can, for a very ling time.


'How were we so easily fooled?' Maybe because being easily fooled is baked into the very culture of the evangelical community.

[gradmaster]

29. Blinded by abortion

They support Trump only because he says he's against abortion. And don't let them tell you that they are pro-life! They are not! They believe in the death penalty, they are anti-immigration, many are racist, they are anti-Muslim, and anti-Semitic. The only "life"issue important to them is abortion. I don't think of Evangelicals as Christians. I think of them as fanatics.

[left-of-center2012]

30. Easily fooled ?

Trump told the world that he is a racist, p**** grabber, tax cheat, adulterer, etc.

And now evangelicals are saying:
"Golly, gee,
We didn't know."

[Eugene]

31. Fooled? No. They saw what they wanted to see in Trump.

Trump brought them power and influence. They were perfectly happy to overlook his strong resemblance to an Antichrist.

May it take the rest of their lives to wash off the Trump stench.

[Johnny2X2X]

32. The first half is wrong too

As a former Christian, they're supposed to know you by your love and your good deeds, not by being a loud mouth who won't stop telling everyone about their faith.

[bullwinkle428]

33. Let me give you a hint : It's called LACK OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS!!!

[BSdetect]

35. Believe in the absurd and later commit atrocities - Voltaire said it better but you get the drift

[Traildogbob]

36. Maybe

Stop buying those fucking pillows. He stood on the insurrection stage ranting God sent Trump and intended him to serve a minimum of 8 years.
Gods will! So go fight for gods will.
Maybe say something condemning him and that tongue talking Paula White in the White House.
You have a loud damn megaphone. Shout it!

[mwooldri]

37. IMO they didn't read/study the Bible well enough.

Particularly the words that in some Bibles that are written in red. i.e. the words of Jesus. No words about homosexuality nor the right to bear arms... but plenty of words about helping the poor and healing the sick and some words about overturning the "money changers" in the temple. Don't just pick a single sentence (or verse) and focus on that. Read the whole book (as the Bible is a library of books and letters). Realize that Jesus said the Old Testament is for history and is useful for guidance but it is not the new covenant.

IMO these "evangelicals" erred from the "Word of God" a long long time ago.

[niyad]

38. You were not fooled. You knew exactly whet he was. I remember a group of you saying that his

Morality, or lack thereof, did not matter. All you cared about was what he could do for you in forcing your narrow (and woman-hating) views on a secular nation.. You thought he could hand you your longed-for theocracy. You thought you could control him, and be in control of us. We understood you perfectly, you disgusting, lying hypocrites.

[Harker]

39. One word answer... complicity. n/t

[Maeve]

40. Because you wanted to be

You wanted a messiah to lead you and you followed a fool.

[malthaussen]

43. "Fooled" my ass. The word is "complicit." n/t

[lindysalsagal]

44. Bad news.

The whole effing Bible is bs, too. Wake the hell up!

[lagomorph777]

45. You WANTED to be fooled.

[raccoon]

46. When you have your head up your ass, it's easy to be fooled. Nt

[Hotler]

48. The Christian right is neither. nt

[AllaN01Bear]

50. hem, some of these non christians scamming millions from their

members and esp , the so called televangalists like the 700 club need to go

[DFW]

51. They were fooled because the saw and heard what they wanted to. That's the how.

The big question is: WHY did they want to see and hear that?

[EarthFirst]

52. Is that right?

[twodogsbarking]

54. I don't trust Trump

or Ed Stetzer.

[TrogL]

55. Because you're authoritarian followers

It’s what you do. It’s your defining characteristic. I’ve been telling you that for 20 years.

[Autumn]

56. None of you were "so easily fooled". You leapt into Trump worship with open eyes seeking power

and control and led your sheep in with you. Fuck you and if there is a hell may you all burn

[JT45242]

58. Because Christian fundamentalism is about being told whom to hate because they are hellbound

Let me start by saying that I grew up in a fundamentalist denomination that does not allow women to speak in church (they cannot read scripture, lead a prayer, give a sermon, serve communion, etc). I went to Abilene Christian University for a year. So, I know what this fundamentalism is about.

The religion is based on being told exactly what to believe, who is acceptable, what rules are important etc.

Like all fundamental movements it is AHISTORICAL. IT takes Jesus out of his historical context and does not allow the teachings to be interpreted through a new lens as time changes.

From a young age, I was taught that I should convince my friends who went to other churches, especially Catholic churches or ones with instrumental music, to to convert to our church so that they would not go to hell. Gays...going to hell, unless they stop being gay. People who cheat on their wives, going to hell if they don't repent. A lot of everyone not like me is going to sent to hell. No real talk of Christian charity...no emphasis on Jesus teaching whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me. So, no soup kitchens, food pantries, coat drives for poor people. More importantly, they tell you to believe what is precahed and not to delve into the Bible to make your own interpretations (that would be heresy)

Here is a guy who claims to hate the people I have been taught to hate if I was still in that branch of Christianity. He hates Muslims (they are going to hell), he makes fun of jews (they are going to hell), he hates mexicans and other brown people (they are catholic and going to hell).

It is hard to leave. I loved dearly my church friends even when I no longer agreed with their theology. I understand Jimmy Carter struggling to leave his denomination because he loves his congregants but can no longer abide by false teachings at the denomination level.

Fundamentally, Christianity is supposed to be about two great commandments -- Love God to the best of your ability and Love your neighbor -- everything else is above our paygrade.

I switched to a mainline denomination that teaches acceptance of all. Works on issues like affordable housing, cofounded a food pantry with other mainline churches in our area.

Unfortunately, fundamentalism leads to people being easily duped because they are taught never to question. Never to think for themselves. Never to look for the contradictions. Trump was the perfect vehicle for their message of hate.

[mwb970]

59. 'How were we so easily fooled?'

Most of us have been asking this for five years now.

[Oscarthegreat]

60. Why?

Because they badly wanted to be fooled. They craved a phony messiah and found him.

[PatrickforO]

61. There are germs of truth in every faith, but many of these evangelicals have

thrown all that away to worship Trump instead.

[Orrex]

62. Because they lust after power uber alles

And they will align themselves with whatever vile abomination best flatters their agenda.

[lonely bird]

65. They were not fooled at all

This is what and who they are. They seek political power, period. They seek to impose theocracy.

[BlueNProud]

68. Four years of looking the other way is not being "easily fooled"

easily fooled is losing 10 bucks to the 3 card monte guy in Times Square. What your saying now is just crazy after your savior went too farr even for the fundy hypocrites.

[dalton99a]

69. Goddamn lying assholes.

[Lonestarblue]

70. They weren't fooled. They thought to use him for their own political power.

The rank-and-file white evangelical had few thoughts other than what and who their ministers told them to vote for. But evangelical leaders knew exactly what they were doing. They just didn’t expect Trump to be as bad as he is, but they didn’t much care what he did so long as he gave them what they wanted, which he essentially did: right-wing “Christian” judges (many of whom believing in white supremacy, segregation, and the need to roll back LGBTQ and minority rights) in the federal courts and the Supreme Court. Amy Barrett was their dream come true because she represents their extremist religious views supporting patriarchy and male dominance.

Katherine Stewart wrote an article for the NYT a couple of days ago about Josh Hawley’s extremist religious views and those of the national groups that essentially want to replace the Constitution with Biblical law. They believe that any means of achieving Christian dominance are necessary and okay, evidently including insurrection. It somewhat helps to explain Hawley’s decision to try to overturn the election because evangelicals know that some if not all of their achievements under Trump could be reversed by Biden—for example, enlarging the Supreme Court to weaken the influence of the religious extremists on the Court. Here’s the link to her article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/11/opinion/josh-hawley-religion-democracy.html?searchResultPosition=1

She has also written a book called “The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism.” I bought it but haven’t had time to start reading it yet. Should be interesting to learn what we’re up against because their beliefs are fueling white supremacy and some of the right-wing crazies who are willing to die or go to jail to attack democracy.

[Alacritous Crier]

71. It's been obvious what they are doing since day 1...

[flying_wahini]

74. Tax the churches. It's time.

[Initech]

75. Because churches have been led by power hungry, greedy assholes for the last 50 years?

It wasn't that religious leaders bought into the idea of Trump, but rather, they sold it. And they sold it in such a way that people who didn't follow them were godless heathens who are on a one way ticket to hell if they didn't support who the church voted for 110%. It's that "you're with us or against us" attitude from the Bush era multiplied by 1000%.

The church is run by greedy assholes who are out for that sweet sweet tax free money and totalitarian, authoritarian power. They'll peddle any loser to their masses as long as they say and give them what they want. It doesn't take a philosophy or political science major to figure that out.

[Cinnamonspice]

76. Well, thank you Ed Stetzer.

"He also said that he's been disturbed at seeing how many evangelicals have made Trump a part of their religious faith, which is essentially idolatry."


YES, YES. A thousand times, YES.

I have watched evangelical friends of mine fall down the rabbit hole and it's scary.

My second cousin kept sending my mother videos of him talking about God at rallies, so they do see Trump as one of them even though he once said he never asks for forgiveness of sins (something you need to be a Christian). I debate evangelicals about Trump and they take it personally. They act like I insulted their mother when I insult him or something.

And yes. They also flock to him for the abortion issue. They call him the most "pro-life" president ever for all the judges he has appointed. That's only because he was in the position to.

[Iggo]

78. First, stop lying. You weren't fooled.

Well, yeah you were. But not about Trump. You knew exactly what a piece of shit human being he was and is. But you thought, “This is our guy. He’ll get us what we want.” In that you were fooled. But don’t act like you didn’t know exactly who and what Trump was the whole goddam time.

[world wide wally]

79. Because you won't accept the fact that Jesus was NOT a republican

[gibraltar72]

80. As a recovering Evangelical I think I can say

you are 90% of the way there when you believe in magical thinking. That other 10% is just too easy of a step. Rational thought is just something that they aren't taught. They are taught to believe and not question. See how that works?

[Ferrets are Cool]

82. "WE" weren't.

Just you and your cult members, dumbass.

[bucolic_frolic]

83. They dupe people every Sunday then don't understand why their flock is gullible

People surrender their hard-earned money to charlatans so they can lobby Congress for more tax-exemptions.

'I don't know why people are so dumb!'

Oh, really?

[patphil]

84. A 666 tatoo in bright Republican Red!

When you lay down with Satan, you have to expect to get burned.

Evangelicals embraced Trump with full knowledge of how bad a person he was. They thought they could use him to get what they wanted, and didn't care about the cost.

So now they are worried about their image? A bit late don'tcha think?

[Jetheels]

86. In a recent Thom Hartmann

He explains how the evangelicals made a deal w the devil long time ago, with GWBush. About real estate taxes. Lotta the big preachers became millionaires and billionaires.
Anyway,
If ya didn’t know who he was after the Hollywood Access tape,
If ya didn’t know who he was when the stripper third wife’s naked photos were splashed across the internet,
If ya didn’t know when he mocked disabled people,etcetc. Your just a liar saying how did we not know.
You did know and you gave him your seal of approval.
Quit trying to cover your arse.

[Scalded Nun]

87. He sells lust for power, hatred and greed. They sell...wait a minute...the same thing.

I do not know why these evangelical leaders say they are confused. It is the same bile they have been preaching for centuries.

Their so-called confusion now stems from not wanting to be tied to Trump and his evil. They also know their followers are so blindly ignorant of reality that they might just pull that off.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

88. Worried about your collection plates, eh?

[wryter2000]

89. Because

Their leaders were/are more interested in power than Jesus.

[Ingersollman]

91. They

weren't fooled. They didn't care. As long as they got power from the dolt45. It's all about the power, not the faith.

[Nitram]

92. Morons. They made a Devil's bargain in exchange for sympathetic right wing judges.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

94. Roisin Ni Fiachra, I was thinking public branding with a scarlet "T".....

for anyone who ever voted for tRump.

The way they've behaved in the past, they would see it as an honor and even pay for the tattoo.

We here all know how they were so easily fooled. When you're narrow-minded, single-issue voters who only listen to Faux News and your grifting preacher, you are very easily brainwashed and fooled.


KY............

[Marrah_Goodman]

95. You helped create this, you ass

You and all the other mega churches. Your guns, your racism, your greed. All of it, caused this.

[southerncrone]

96. Modern day Christians always going the way the wind blows!

Hypocrites!

[Takket]

97. fooled? they weren't fooled at all............

drumpf is the epitome of the leader the evangelical political movement (it is not a religion) has ALWAYS wanted. They weren't fooled. They got exactly what they wanted.

[Blue Owl]

98. Oh, must have been...

https://giphy.com/gifs/snl-saturday-night-live-snl-2016-3oriOaLBINGcizAdJm