Tag Archives: Pew Research

When Spreading “the Good News” Comes at Too High of a Cost: Understanding White Evangelicals Faustian Deal with Donald J. Trump

A recent Pew Research Center poll reveals that the foremost priority of White evangelicals is advancing their religiosity “by any means necessary.” Trust me when I say that nothing else matters to such folk. The alluded to seriousness has facilitated their agreement to what can be best termed a Faustian Deal that they believe allows them to spread “the Good News” in unprecedented ways; they’ve forgotten that the Devil always gets what’s due to him one way or another.

When White evangelicals were polled if they thought the term “morally upstanding” was an appropriate characterization of Donald J. Trump, 15% of them answered affirmatively, while 45% of like-minded individuals thought the characterization fit him “fairly well.” The perspective of White evangelicals stands at odds with the majority of Americans, 66% believe the above term fails to fit the embattled U.S. President.

White evangelicals appear motivated by a dubious set of beliefs that explain their draconian viewpoints and deplorable actions. According to White evangelicals,

  • America is a nation founded by “Whites.”
  • America is a nation founded on “Christian principles.”
  • America was founded to serve the interests of “Whites.”
  • The Holy Bible, meaning their interpretation of scripture, is the foundation of this nation.

The above beliefs form the tumultuous battlefield that political battles in this diversifying nation occur. Buoyed by a set of beliefs, philosophies, and conclusions that bolster their claims to ownership of this nation, White evangelicals are the very personification of the axiom that “all is fair in love and war.”

I will tell you that there was a time when I believed that White evangelicals were crazy; however, I eventually realized that they were merely following the footsteps of their ancestors by fanatically advancing a self-serving version of White Christian Nationalism. It is this realization that helped me realize that support for Donald J. Trump does not sit atop their priority list; despite their public espousal, even White evangelicals realize that Trump is morally challenged every moment of his life. That space is reserved for the championing of White Christian Nationalism.  Trump is merely an extraordinarily reliable tool that paves a path for the espousal of a White Christian Nationalist philosophy that serves as the most reliable means of extending white world supremacy.  

The same Pew Research poll mentioned above reported that the seemingly unbreakable tie binding White evangelicals to Trump were the unmistakable belief that they are currently winning the battle to spread a White Christian ethos under his administration. Of course, this is a stark reversal from an Obama administration that paved a path for the LGBTQ community to make tremendous strides toward center stage. The Pew survey reveals that 63% of White evangelical Protestants believe that they are “winning politically” under the Trump administration.

In many ways, it is ironic that as Americans reject Bernie Sanders’ Democratic Socialism for a greedy avaricious Capitalism, White evangelicals have grasped for religion in a way that reminds me of one of Karl Marx’s most reverberating observations. While larger cultural and economic forces stand as ominous threats to an increasing number of Americans, White evangelicals have predictably grasped for religion as their “balm in Gilead” to assuage all that is wrong with this nation. Marx summed up this moment when he wrote,

“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.”

At the present moment, White evangelicals are the most acceptable voice of a larger White Nationalism movement whose foremost demand is that this nation addresses their needs before all others. If the alluded to population had their way, there would be no separation between “church and state.”

In fact, the sub-discourse behind Trump’s ascension proves that evangelicals of every Race/ethnicity want their President to serve as an advocate for Christian ethos and principles. The reality that Trump’s public stance is a charade matters little to White evangelicals.

Why should it?

After all, the goal of warring factions of Americans is to win the never-ending cultural wars that lead to an increase in politico-economic power. Despite the protestations of progressives, White evangelicals are not only winning under the Trump administration but also eager to provide the embattled President with a second term if it means a continuation of their “winning streak.” After all, any White Christian Nationalist will tell you that this nation was formed to serve the interests of Whites and no one else.

May God bless America!!!!!!  

Dr. James Thomas Jones III

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