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but in spite of that, to preserve his ministry support he must satisfy his right-wing constituency who by and large support Trump. He is in a captive orbit around "Planet Trump" with its enormous gravitational pull. He is therefore under duress to keep silent on Trump. |
I recently received a highly emotive circular email from right-wing evangelical Micheal Brown. This is how it starts:
Timothy, we are living in a critical moment in world history, a time when everything around us is shaking and the whole world could erupt in a massive, deadly war......It feels as if things are spiraling out of control...
Well, perhaps, but I'm always skeptical of this kind of scary introduction; my first thoughts are "What's he after? What's he selling?". After all, there have been junctures in history where political, social and economic turmoil could be interpreted as the precursor of the apocalypse: Opportunistic power-hungry charlatans are always alert to opportunities to heighten & exploit people's fears, sense of grievance and anger and help them find scapegoats to pin the blame on for their misfortune.
In his email Micheal stokes up the anger and anxiety as he raises those hot-button topics such as Iran, Hamas, fear of world war (Putin?), rampant criminality, looting and robbery. Yes, I agree, these are all nasty manifestations of the very worst of sinful humanity. But Micheal goes on to tailor his mail shot to showcase those highly emotive hate objects of the evangelical right-wing. Viz: practicing homosexual Christians & the pastors who support them, transgender rights, illegal immigrants and of course the current US administration i.e. the "radical left" (sic) Biden government who support transgender rights. These are the tactics Micheal employs to reel in those angry and scared right-wingers who are part of his support constituency.
But Micheal goes on to tell us that he doesn't think things have passed the point of no return and will not spiral out of control because,,,,.
....that is not what I feel in my own spirit!
I’m convinced that now, more than ever, the harvest is ripe and the table is set for a massive spiritual and moral awakening. I’m convinced that the Spirit of God is pushing back with more and more believers standing up to say “Enough is enough!”
And I’m convinced that today, after 50 years of preaching the gospel, God has brought me into the kingdom for such a time as this.
And the good news is that Micheal is calling on me to help him work out his calling...
I am consumed with a holy calling to help raise up an army that will take back the moral ground that was stolen from under our feet—an army full of the Spirit, grounded in the Word, with hearts of compassion and backbones of steel. And Timothy I believe you want to be part of that too! |
The hour is far too late for us to be playing games; too late for superficial Christianity; too late for man-pleasing, ear-tickling messages; too late to be running from confrontation and controversy. No! It is time to run to the frontlines, unashamed of the gospel. Time for us to lift the name of Jesus high without fear. It is time for a holy awakening. |
God is calling us to shake the nation with His message through The Line of Fire. That’s why I’m asking you to stand with us at this critical moment with a special year-end gift as we seek to blanket the nation. |
Just what "standing with us" means becomes clear enough in this paragraph...
Timothy, your generosity enables us to equip millions of believers, to empower thousands of leaders, to engage a sinning society, and to reach the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Your year-end gift will launch us into 2024 with the wind in our sails and a holy momentum in our hearts. Your gift is the difference! So please, ask the Lord today what He would have you do. Thank you for your faithfulness and your generosity.
...Need I say more? Micheal wants my cash to support his ministry, a ministry that by and large is directed to the Trump supporting Christian far-right and it looks as though he's not going to challenge them about their preference for an autocratic "King Trump". (1 Sam 8:7-18). What the Lord would have me do is write this post in protest at Micheal's naivety.
***
Full marks to Micheal for writing an email that's likely to emote his right-wing support base as he talks up the things aggravating the perceptions of this excitable constituency. But putting the world to rights in the far-right sense means to many US evangelicals installing Donald Trump as top-dog, the wannabe dictator. Trump and his followers are so far right that centrist democratic politics looks like Marxism and Communism.
Micheal complains that the "UN lacks the Moral fibre to condemn Hamas", which of course they should. But then look who's talking: Should I complain that Micheal lacks the moral fibre to condemn the corrupt Donald Trump who looks to be the biggest danger to Western democracies since Hitler and Putin? Trump is the elephant in the room that Michael continues to ignore in order to avoid upsetting his support base. Interestingly, I haven't yet heard Micheal express an opinion on Putin, Alex Jones, the Trump QANon cult and crank republicans like Marjorie Taylor-Green. Rather, his constituency want to hear him condemn homosexuals and transgenders who as a small vulnerable and often persecuted minority aren't going to be a major danger.
One other evil which Michael mentions is rising antisemitism. The antisemitism of Hamas led them to sow the wind and now they are reaping the whirlwind, a whirlwind which has had tragic consequences for many a Palestinian family, further inflaming antisemitism. But there is an ironic twist here: Micheal will find that the far-right is not free of antisemitism. After all, Hamas with its authoritarian traditionalist credentials would classify as far-right, not to mention those right-wing Rothschild conspiracy and replacement theories that do the rounds in the West.
Sorry Micheal old son but I think I'm going remain what you casually write-off as a "man-pleasing superficial Christian" and/or even a "radical leftist". ( *Gasp!* )
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Trump AR15 Militias: Make sure you've got some bullet proof
arguments if you ever meet this lot. |
Relevant Links
Here are some of my articles on Brown and Trump:
Further links elsewhere
1. GOP moving further right?
2. Even the Right are getting worried about Trump
3. Trump's second term about Revenge and Dictatorship?
4. Security Risks to UK if Trump elected
The threats feared include Ukraine being left exposed if Mr Trump seeks to appease Vladimir Putin over Russia’s invasion, as well as Mr Trump turning his back on the Nato alliance – which he has previously called “obsolete”.
Cross-bench peer Lord McDonald, who was head of the diplomatic service for five years, said: “The impact on the UK is potentially huge.”
“There’s nothing in my lifetime that comes close,” he added, referring to the potential defence and security challenges posed by an ally.
.....
Meanwhile, Sir Peter, who served as British ambassador to the US from 2012 to 2016, told The i that Britain “ought to be doing some serious homework”.
He added: “There’s not much point in saying, ‘We know he’s a monster, he’s unprincipled, he’s a misogynistic fraud and liar and destroyer of constitutions.’ The reality is: he will be there. We have to find ways of engaging with the US if Trump is elected.”
5. Nigel Farage Supports Trump
Nigel Farage: 'Remainer' Foreign Office that wants us back in EU claims a Trump victory could cause major security issue (msn.com)
Donald Trump lavishes praise on Nigel Farage during Iowa speech: ‘Honour to have you here’ (msn.com)
'I think the world needs Trump back' | Watch (msn.com)
6. Some people get the idea..
'We don't have kings in America': Conservatives bash Trump's 'total immunity' claims (msn.com)
