Suckered by Trump's Soft-Soaping

Trump and some of his Evangelical enablers.

In the following post Ken Ham runs a video of his where he criticizes Donald Trump's concept of Christianity.....

https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2024/09/15/trump-opens-up-about-mortality/

I probably agree with Ken's criticisms, but I don't want to focus on his comments in this post. For a start it is no surprise to me that Trump hasn't grasped the heart of Christianity, and it ought to be no surprise to Ken and his followers: Understanding and responding to the Christian message is predicated on a revelation of one's own powerlessness in the face of the temptations of sin and pride - the two words with the "i" in the middle. But self-centeredness, bordering on narcissism is so extreme in Trump's case and so much part of his identity that we find him constantly lying, bragging, praising himself and engaging in the character assassination of his political opponents & those who don't show him the loyalty he thinks he deserves. Therefore, you'd really know about it if Trump truly grasped the meaning of Christianity and had a real change of heart. But nevertheless, Trump is still an expert at soft-soaping American evangelicals by telling them what they want to hear. Trump-tripe is too often swallowed hook, line and sinker among gullible North American evangelicals & conspiracy theorists: See here for example:

Views, News and Pews: Trump Soft Soaps American Evangelicals (viewsnewsandpews.blogspot.com)

Criticizing Trump with his planet sized ego for his flawed concept of Christianity is no big deal and is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. But as always seems to be the case with Trump's evangelical enablers they skirt round the herd of ravenous T-Rexes in the room. This is what Ken says in his post....

Well, the video I’m going to share below, which was recorded on the final evening of our 40 Days and 40 Nights of Christian Music Festival, held at the Ark Encounter, isn’t about whom to vote for in the election. There are only two realistic options, and Christians need to vote to minimize evil and maximize righteousness. We won’t be voting for a perfect person, but we need to judge the worldview of all such public figures against the authority of God’s Word, pray for them, and vote accordingly. That’s my view on the upcoming election.

This affected attempt to appear non-political won't do Ken. Well yes, it's a human being you are voting for so trivially, almost by definition, you won't be voting for a perfect person! What you should be addressing Ken are those T(rump)-Rexes in the room I talked about in my last post where we see that policy is being trumped by personality; Trump's world view is summed in one word: "Trump!". As is quite clear to me and many others this election isn't political business as usual and is ultimately about saving democracy from far-right dictators-in-waiting, like for example Putin sympathizer and Trump supporter Steve Bannon; so, we know who Mr. V. Putin, tyrant of Russia, favours in this election.  But Ken, we can also make a pretty good guess who you are voting for: The fact is Donald Trump's self-centered world view suits you down to the ground because as we have seen in my last post, Trump, as is his wont, is telling North American evangelicals about the kind of world view they like to hear of: Namely, that a Trump regime will look after their ministry & business interests. But Ken old son, don't be surprised if His Trumpness changes His mind on that matter at His pleasure.

It's worth comparing Ken's criticism of Trump with the spiritually vicious attacks he's launched on Christians who don't believe his Genesis literalisms and therefore implicitly threaten Ken's AiG based business interests. Ken can criticize Trump's very obvious misunderstanding of the gospel as much as he likes but the fact is clear that Ken, like so many other North American evangelicals, has been suckered by Trump's expert soft-soaping. 

RELEVANT LINKS

1. Trumpite fascist state?

No one has ever been as dangerous to America as Trump — it can happen here | Opinion (msn.com)

Trump has also promised to go after journalists — echoing Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong, he calls us “enemies of the people” — if he’s reelected. Sadly, that may explain the reticence so many reporters and their publications have for calling him and his rhetoric out for what it is.

I frankly have little doubt that if he’s elected he’ll do everything he can to break people like me. And you, if you’ve ever posted against him on social media: both Putin and Orbán, Trump‘s explicit role models, imprison people who post against them on Facebook or other media.

2. Ken's religious extremism

Quantum Non-Linearity: Evidence of Ham’s Religious Extremism

3. Is it really going to be this bad?

The Godfather rules OK?

'Plundering and degrading': NY Times columnist sounds bleakest warning about Trump allies