Donald Trump is not a Christian, but he knows what the religious right needs to hear...

[guillaumeb]

Donald Trump is not a Christian, but he understands what white Protestants long for, says historian Matthew Bowman, author of Christian: The Politics of a Word in America, just out from Harvard University Press....

So I was interested in documenting the multiplicity of voices, and demonstrating that “Christian” is a contested concept. But also I wanted to look at how it was the religious right became so powerful.

An interesting interview, but the title is somewhat misleading because this is about the many ways that Christianity has been and is being defined.

To read more:

https://religionnews.com/2018/04/19/donald-trump-is-not-a-christian-but-he-knows-what-the-religious-right-needs-to-hear-says-historian/

My personal view is that I impose no litmus test, and I accept however anyone defines themselves.

[Hokie]

1. Was discussing Trump with my friend who lives in Austrailia last night

Last edited Fri Apr 20, 2018, 01:41 PM - Edit history (1)

He nailed it. Trump is a psychopath. He tells groups exactly the things that they want to hear and will play well with his base. He has no empathy for other human beings. Psychopaths are arrogant and manipulative.

5 Traits of Actual Psychopaths

[guillaumeb]

2. And he is a con man.

A con man knows what his audience wishes to hear, and tells them what they wish to hear.

[Act_of_Reparation]

9. Ooooooooh... you mean like the Pope.

[Voltaire2]

3. What religion is he?

[Major Nikon]

5. Presbyterian

...allegedly. Nobody can prove there isn't a 666 mark behind his ear due to the hair extensions.

[Voltaire2]

6. Last I heard Presbyterians are Christians

Although if you roll things back 400 years, it would depend who you asked.

[Bob Loblaw]

8. In my experience

You could ask some evangelicals now and they might not consider Presbyterians to be Christians

[Major Nikon]

10. Many protestants dont think Catholics, Lutherans, and Mormons are Christians

[guillaumeb]

14. My last statement was quite clear.

[Major Nikon]

4. With an obvious fallacy in the title, there's little expectation it's going to get better

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman

Trump isn't just viewed as a Christian, he's a successful Christian who says exactly what lots of other Christians desperately want to hear.

[Mariana]

7. An awful lot of Christians seem to think Trump is doing it exactly right.

Who can prove that they're wrong?

[Major Nikon]

11. Mueller

[Mariana]

12. They'll call it persecution.

That would tend to reinforce their views, if it had any effect at all.

[Major Nikon]

13. At some point they will turn on him

When he is no longer in a position to do anything for them.

[guillaumeb]

15. Agreed.

[nmgaucho]

17. no words...

Link to tweet

[guillaumeb]

18. Not a bucket.

One can only imagine.