{"id":1150,"date":"2019-05-24T12:45:15","date_gmt":"2019-05-24T17:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/?p=1150"},"modified":"2019-05-24T12:52:27","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T17:52:27","slug":"gaslighters-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thelight.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/24\/gaslighters-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaslighters of God"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This source leans left so consider it for what it is but it does raise questions we are Christians should be asking if we are correct, critical thinkers.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Who believes we should call President Trump into account for some of his behavior?<\/div>\n
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Who will vote for him again?<\/div>\n
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Feel free to comment below…this is a safe place regardless of your opinion.\u00a0 Just remember to follow the ABCs we insist upon for civil discourse:<\/div>\n
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A – be accurate (if you make a claim please back it up from a reliable<\/strong> source.<\/div>\n
B – be brief<\/div>\n
C – be courteous (treat others as you would treat Jesus)<\/div>\n
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Have a great Memorial Day and God bless our veterans, our current people serving in our armed forces and all of America!<\/div>\n
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And Elohim Created Adam by William Blake, c. 1795<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A number of evangelical Christians tell us that Donald Trump\u2019s presidency is heaven sent, which indicates that they know God\u2019s will and can even speak for God. In reality, they are using God to gaslight their followers and other citizens into believing that Trump\u2019s presidency is divinely ordained \u2013 as is their own calling<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network<\/em>, House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, a Southern Baptist, said, \u201cI think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times and I think he wanted Donald Trump to become president . . . And I think he has done a tremendous job in supporting a lot of things people of faith really care about.\u201d A doubting Muslim from Minnesota, Rep. Ilham Omar, responded in disbelief, \u201cGod has a strange sense of humor.\u201d (\u201cRep. Ilhan Omar Reacts to Sanders Saying God Wanted Trump Elected: \u2018God has a strange sense of humor!\u2019\u201d<\/a> By CNSNews Staff.com Staff<\/em>, Jan. 31, 2019)<\/p>\n

Like Rep. Omar, writer Andy Ostroy<\/a> was skeptical of Press Secretary Sanders\u2019 divine discernment. He\u00a0tweeted:<\/p>\n

Hey @PressSec\u2026do ya think \u201cGod\u201d also wanted #Trump to be a pathologically-\u00a0lying, sexually-abusive, foul-mouthed, bullying racist serial philanderer who\u00a0mocks disabled people, attacks the Pope, cages kids, steals an election &\u00a0betrays his country? \u2013Andy Ostroy (@Andy Ostroy), Jan. 30, 2019)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Don\u2019t think about Donald Trump\u2019s divisive narcissistic autocratic personality. His campaign manager Brad Parscale certainly doesn\u2019t. In fact, he testified to Trump\u2019s divine calling on Twitter: \u201cOnly God could deliver such a savior to our nation, and only God could allow me to help. God bless America.\u201d (\u201cThe sanctification of Donald Trump,\u201d<\/a> By Andrew Restuccia, POLITICO<\/em>, 4\/30\/2019) It is about evangelicals \u201chelp[ing] \u2013 and being helped.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many Republicans and evangelicals share Brad Parscale\u2019s belief. \u201cA Fox News<\/em> poll released earlier this year found that 45 percent of Republicans believe that God wanted Trump to be president;\u201d and \u201cthat figure is even higher among evangelicals\u201d. (Ibid<\/em>)<\/p>\n

The belief that God wanted a man such as Trump to be president actually reveals these evangelicals\u2019 own biblically-legitimized, gas-lighting, authoritarian tendencies. As journalist Katherine Stewart writes, \u201cThe supposed paradox of evangelicals backing such an imperfect man\u201d is misleading. \u201cWhat we don\u2019t get is that Mr. Trump\u2019s supposedly anti-Christian attributes and anti-democratic attributes are a vital part of his attraction.\u201d Stewart says, \u201cToday\u2019s Christian nationalists talk a good game about respecting the Constitution and America\u2019s founders, but at bottom they sound as if they prefer autocrats to democrats. . . . Of course,\u201d she states, \u201cthere are those on the Christian right who have made a show of holding their nose while supporting Mr. Trump to advance their aims of stacking the Supreme Court or ending abortion. But,\u201d she adds, \u201cwe are kidding ourselves if we think continuing support for him is purely transactional.\u201d (\u201cWhy Trump Reigns as King Cyrus,\u201d<\/a> The New York Times<\/em>, Dec. 31, 2018)<\/p>\n

Ms. Stewart reports attending \u201cdozens of Christian nationalist conferences and events, and concludes, \u201cThe Christian nationalist movement today is authoritarian, paranoid and patriarchal at its core. They aren\u2019t fighting a culture war. They\u2019re making a direct attack on democracy itself. They want it all.\u201d And Trump \u201csatisfies their craving.\u201d (Ibid<\/em>)<\/p>\n

\u201cThey want it all\u201d \u2013 for themselves<\/em>. Their goal is to gain enough political power to impose their assumed God-revealed biblical truths on society. They are self-gaslighting authoritarian power seekers \u2013 who are about right belief, not just behavior.<\/p>\n

Many authoritarian-disposed evangelical Christian leaders are using God to gaslight Americans on behalf of Donald Trump\u2019s presidency \u2014 and of their own authority<\/em>. One such leader is Rev. Franklin Graham, who offered a prayer at Trump\u2019s inauguration and is one of the reported evangelical pastors who are \u201cspiritual advisors\u201d to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Graham held rallies in 50 states to whip up evangelical votes. He did not directly endorse Trump, but was clear about his preference. Reported also: \u201cGraham has defended the president on television and social media through the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., the crackdowns on immigrants and refugees, the Stormy Daniels scandal, and the slur against Haiti and Africa.\u201d (\u201cBilly Graham Warned Against Embracing a President. His Son Has Gone Another Way,\u201d<\/a> By Laurie Goodstein, The New York Times<\/em>, Feb. 26, 2018)<\/p>\n

In an interview with The New York Times<\/em>, Rev. Graham said, \u201cPeople say that the president says mean things. I can\u2019t think of anything mean he\u2019s said.\u201d He continued, \u201cI think he speaks what he feels . . . I think he\u2019s trying to speak the truth.\u201d Graham stated \u201cthat Mr. Trump\u2019s victory was evidence that \u2018God\u2019s hand was at work.\u2019\u201d Why? Because, as Graham said, \u201cMr. Trump has delivered for evangelicals on every issue \u2013 from abortion, to religious freedom to vowing to abolish the Johnson Amendment that inhibits churches from endorsing politicians.\u201d He added: \u201cIn my lifetime, he has supported the Christian faith more than any president that I know.\u201d And he rationalized Trump\u2019s blatant psychopathic behavior, arguing, \u201cThere\u2019s a difference between defending the faith and living the faith.\u201d Then this whopper: \u201cHe said the media has lied about Mr. Trump, but when asked whether Mr. Trump has told any lies, he said, \u2018I don\u2019t know of any.\u2019\u201d (Ibid<\/em>) Here is a classic example of self- deluded gaslighting.<\/p>\n

For Franklin Graham, it is about the imposition of assumed biblical truths, not the documented lies of a psychopathic president. It is about gaining power over people, not the give-and-take of participatory democracy.<\/p>\n

Another true believer in President Trump is gas-lighting Pastor Robert Jeffress, who spoke at Trump\u2019s inauguration and is among his top evangelical advisors. As reported, Jeffress \u201cled a \u2018Freedom Rally,\u2019 during which he praised Trump as God\u2019s choice for America and a church choir sang a hymn with the lyrics \u2018Make America Great Again,\u2019 which is now available for pastors to download for their own worship services.\u201d (\u201cTrump\u2019s top evangelical ally: God supports bombing North Korea,\u201d<\/a> By Tara Isabella Burton, Vox<\/em>, Aug. 9, 2017)<\/p>\n

What a gaslighter! When President Trump threatened to devastate an aggressive North Korea \u201cwith fire and fury like the world has never seen, \u201dPastor Jeffress \u201cbiblicalized\u201d the president\u2019s existential threat. \u201cWhen it comes to how we should deal with evil doers,\u201d Jeffress said, \u201cthe Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary \u2013 including war \u2013 to stop evil. In the case of North Korea,\u201d he continued, \u201cGod has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong-Un.\u201d (Ibid<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Following is Pastor Jeffress\u2019 authority in Romans 13: 1-6:<\/a><\/p>\n

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority\u00a0except that which God has established. . . . Consequently, whoever rebels against\u00a0the authority Is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will\u00a0bring judgment on themselves. . . . For the one in authority is God\u2019s servant for your\u00a0good. . . . They are God\u2019s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment to the\u00a0wrongdoer. Therefore it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because\u00a0of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you\u00a0pay taxes, for the authorities are God\u2019s servants, who give their full time to\u00a0governing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here Pastor Jeffress\u2019s weaponizes The Bible<\/em> by proclaiming it is the literally true word of God \u2013 a dangerous tendency of power-seeking biblical literalists. If one can use the Book of Romans<\/em> to justify \u201ctak[ing] out Kim Jong-Un,\u201d one can also use select Bible<\/em> verses to prevent abortions of even rape and incest victims and imprison doctors for 99 years for providing abortions. One can use certain biblical passages to discriminate against LGBTQ persons \u2014 as the recent General Conference of The United Methodist Church has continued to do. And with enough political power biblically-bound Christians can deny the civil rights of these deemed The Other and even criminalize homosexual behavior. With political power, evangelical autocrats can use select Scriptural teachings to impose Christian beliefs and practices on non-Christians to try to \u201cmake America Christian again.\u201d<\/p>\n

And one can use biblical beliefs to lie and invade other countries, as \u201cborn again\u201d President George W. Bush did with Iraq \u2013 with the support of a high majority of white evangelical Christians. So beware of the Trump administration\u2019s building of a \u201cdeterrent force\u201d against a \u201cthreatening\u201d Iran. Romans 13: 1-6-believing evangelicals, like Pastor Jeffress and Rev. Graham, are waiting in their pulpits for God\u2019s handpicked president to lead them to \u201charvest\u201d more Muslims for Christ.<\/p>\n

Such evangelicals have found American invasions a tried and true way of fulfilling Jesus\u2019 commandment in Matthew 28: 18-20<\/a>: \u201cAll authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.\u201d And America\u2019s political war mongers have found such Christians to be very accommodating \u201csubjects.\u201d When in Romans . . .<\/em><\/p>\n

And when in Israel. Secretary of State George Pompeo, while visiting Israel, used President Trump\u2019s assumed divine anointment to gaslight U.S. foreign policy. In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, Pompeo was told the biblical story of Persian Queen Esther\u2019s influence on the king that \u201csaved thousands of Jews from being killed.\u201d He was then asked, \u201cCould it be that President Trump right now has been sort of raised up for such a time as this, just like Queen Esther to help save the Jewish people from the Iranian menace?\u201d Pompeo, a reported member of a conservative evangelical Presbyterian Church, replied, \u201cAs a Christian, I certainly believe that\u2019s possible.\u201d He then commented on Israel\u2019s history: \u201cTo see the remarkable history of the faith in this place and the work that our administration\u2019s done to make sure this democracy in the Middle East, that this Jewish state remains.\u201d He concluded: \u201cI am confident that the Lord is at work here.\u201d (\u201cPompeo says \u2018it\u2019s possible\u2019 Trump was sent to save the Jewish people,\u201d<\/a> By Rebecca Morin, POLITICO,<\/em> March 22, 2019)<\/p>\n

What kind of a \u201cLord is at work here?\u201d The Human Rights Watch\u2019s<\/em> 2019 World Report<\/a> tells a different story about Israel\u2019s \u201cdemocracy.\u201d Following are excerpts:<\/p>\n

The Israeli government continued to enforce severe discriminatory restrictions\u00a0on Palestinians\u2019 human rights; restrict movement of people and goods into and\u00a0out of the Gaza Strip; and facilitate the unlawful transfer of Israeli citizens to\u00a0settlements in the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n

Israel forces stationed on the Israeli side of the fences separating Gaza and\u00a0Israel responded to demonstrations for Palestinian rights on the Gaza side with\u00a0excessive lethal force. . . .\u00a0Israel continued to maintain more than decade-long effective closure of Gaza,\u00a0exacerbated by Egyptian restrictions on its own border, with Gaza, limiting\u00a0access to water and electricity (households in Gaza received power between\u00a0four and five hours a day on average during most of the year) . . . . Israel also\u00a0restricted access to medical care and educational and economic opportunities.\u00a0Israel authorities continue to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank\u00a0and discriminate systematically against Palestinians and in favor of settlers,\u00a0in providing services, allowing freedom of movement, and issuing building\u00a0permits, among other actions . . .<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cAs a Christian,\u201d Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gaslighted the Palestinian people out of existence.<\/p>\n

Chief of the gaslighters of Americans is President Trump himself. At the 2018 Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention, Trump said, \u201cThis country is doing better than it\u2019s ever done before, economically . . . Just remember: What you are seeing and what you are reading is not what\u2019s happening. . . . Just stick with us,\u201d he continued. \u201cDon\u2019t believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news\u2019 . . . repeating a favorite attack of his while pointing to where members of the press were gathered.\u201d (\u201cTrump: What you\u2019re seeing in the news \u2018is not what\u2019s happening,\u2019\u201d<\/a> Justin Wise, TheHill<\/em>, 7\/24\/18)<\/p>\n

President Trump\u2019s greatest threat is a scrutinizing media exposing his countless lies. Thus he wants Americans to believe his alternative reality, and not what they are seeing on television and reading in the newspapers. At his many political rallies, and in his constant tweeting, he repeatedly says the media are \u201cfake news\u201d and \u201cthe enemy of the people.\u201d It is assumed that a major purpose of his many rallies and constant tweets is to repeat his lies often enough so that people will question their own reality and begin to believe \u2013 and support \u2013 him. His intent is the same in constantly saying, \u2018NO COLLUSION! NO OBSTRUCTION!\u2019 in response to the still sealed un-redacted Mueller Report\u2019s focus on his campaign\u2019s alleged ties to Russian influence on the 2016 election.<\/p>\n

Donald Trump\u2019s presidential candidacy was about gaslighting Americans. In his acceptance speech, he asserted, \u201cNobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.\u201d He wanted to nix Obamacare, promising, \u201cYou\u2019re going to have such great health care, at a tiny fraction of the cost, and it\u2019s going to be so easy.\u201d (\u201c\u2019I Alone Can Fix It\u2019 Becomes \u2018It\u2019s Not My Fault,\u2019\u201d<\/a> By Jonathan Chait, nymag.com\/intelligencer<\/em>, Aug. 25, 2017) He could make that promise because, \u201cNobody knows health care better than Donald Trump,\u201d he said. (\u201c18 Confusing Things Donald Trump Has Said About Health Care,\u201d<\/a> By Politico Staff, POLITICO<\/em>, July 20, 2017)<\/p>\n

What Americans got were tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations and more money for a bloated Pentagon. Some 27 million Americans remain uninsured. Fortunately Obamacare is insuring nearly 20 million. But the reported \u201cnumber of uninsured increased by more than a half a million in 2017.\u201d (\u201cKey Facts about the Uninsured Population,\u201d<\/a> Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, <\/em>Dec. 7, 2018)<\/p>\n

CNN has a video on \u201cAll the times Trump said he was the best dealmaker and everyone else sucked at dealmaking.\u201d<\/a> (Sara Burns, ) The video\u2019s bottom line: Trump declared, \u201cWe don\u2019t make great deals anymore, but we will once I become president.\u201d<\/p>\n

President Trump led everyone to believe had made a \u201cgreat deal\u201d with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un in the interest of peace. After returning from their summit in Singapore, Trump tweeted, \u201cEverybody can now feel much safer than the day before I took office. . . . There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea.\u201d (\u2018TRUMP\u2019S DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR ARE NOW WHITE HOUSE POLICY,\u2019<\/a> By Abigail Tracy, Vanity Fair<\/em>, July 2, 2018)<\/p>\n

Eight months later the second summit between Trump and Kim Jung-Un failed to produce progress toward peace. Trump\u2019s self- assumed \u201cforce of personality\u201c and \u201cconsummate dealmak[ing],\u201d the \u201cbeautiful letters\u201d he received from Kim, and even Trump saying, \u201cwe fell in love\u201d were not enough. Trump refused to reduce sanctions, and Kim refused to fully dismantle the North\u2019s nuclear weapons. Thus the report: \u201cIn the end, Mr. Trump flew back to Washington with nothing \u2013 no agreement on a peace declaration, and no ban on producing more nuclear fuel \u2013 meaning the North\u2019s arsenal will keep expanding while the two sides argue. (\u201cHow the Trump-Kim Summit Failed: Big Threats, Big Egos, Bad Bets,\u201d<\/a> By David E. Sanger and Edward Wong, The New York Times<\/em>, March 2, 2019) How safe do we feel now that Trump is in office?<\/p>\n

Then there is Iran. In 2015, President Obama signed a nuclear arms treaty with Iran, with five other participants \u2014 Great Britain, France, Russia. China and Germany. As reported, \u201cOn Aug. 31 [2017], the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed for the eighth time that Iran continues to comply with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) . . . known as the Iran deal.\u201d Trump railed against the deal as \u201cone of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into . . . and I don\u2019t think you\u2019ve heard the last of it. Believe me.\u201d (\u201cThe Myth of a \u2018Better\u2019 Iran Deal,\u201d<\/a> By Colin Kahl, Foreign Policy<\/em>, Sept. 26, 2017)<\/p>\n

The \u201cconsummate deal maker\u201d proceeded to withdraw from the Iran deal, calling Iran \u201cthe world\u2019s leading state sponsor of terror.\u201d His bewildering explanation: \u201cTo insure this corrupt dictatorship never acquires nuclear weapons, I withdrew the United States from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal.\u201d He also \u201cput in place the toughest sanctions ever imposed on a country.\u201d (\u201cTrump claims he\u2019s thwarting Iran. He\u2019s not.\u201d<\/a>), By Alex Ward, Vox<\/em>, Feb. 5, 2019)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This content was originally published here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n