Understanding Evangelical Support for Christian President Donald Trump
In the era of Christian President Donald Trump, nothing has been more vexing to political analysts than the steadfast support of “moral majority” white evangelical Christians for an incompetent President with a long and sordid history of lying, divorce, corruption, and sexual assault. Moreover, white “family values” Christian Republicans threw their support behind Roy Moore, a credibly accused pedophile, exasperating reporters who assumed Christians oppose child molestation.
The incorrect conclusion that white evangelical Christians are hypocrites boils down to the incomprehension of one essential truism — Christian authoritarianism relies on adherence to correct belief, not upholding upstanding behavior. Evangelicals will forgive all manner of crimes and misdemeanors so long as the “sinner” believes their misdeeds are sins. Alcoholics can get drunk, murderers can kill, racists can discriminate, adulterers can cheat, rapists can rape, pedophiles can abuse, violent abusers can attack, thieves can steal, the powerful can corrupt, and liars can lie so long as they confess that those behaviors are sinful. There is no limit to how many sins can be forgiven so long as the perpetrator does not proclaim the sin is morally acceptable to the Biblical God. The sinner must confess their sins and ask for forgiveness from the Biblical God. Jesus paid the price for all their sins on the cross and the stain of sin was washed away by his blood. By confessing sin and asking for forgiveness, evangelical Christians believe they are assured eternal life in heaven with the Biblical God.
Most Americans on both sides of the political spectrum think alcoholism, murder, racism, adultery, rape, pedophilia, domestic violence, theft, corruption, and lying are wrong. Evangelicals refuse to vote for liberal politicians for two very simple reasons. Liberals will not condemn abortion and LBGTQ relationships as sinful activities. According to their understanding of divine law, all life begins at conception and sexual relations should only occur within the context of marriage between one man and one woman.
Evangelicals believe the Bible is inerrant and consequently all public policies should be based on Biblical teachings. At their core, evangelicals embrace the Biblical teachings as the ultimate authority over scientific discovery, humane reflection, reason, and common sense. They would prefer living under a rigid and cruel theocracy than a sensible democracy, preferring the laws of a Biblical God to laws based on the will of people.
The “inerrant” Bible does not prohibit abortion nor is it ever discussed as a practice. Exodus 21:22 is the one passage that references premature birth resulting from violence “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the husband demands and the court allows.” Violence resulting in premature birth is categorized as a property crime against the pregnant woman’s husband. This verse directly follows verses 20-21 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.”
Despite Biblical silence on the topic of abortion, evangelicals interpret the Bible in a way that equips them to argue abortion is “murder,” “child killing,” “infanticide,” and “genocide.” Politically, they paint pro-choice politicians as “baby-killers” and argue liberals persecute them by supporting candidates that reject their moral opposition to abortion in all cases. “Protecting babies” and respecting the “sanctity of life” then becomes priority one for the evangelical vote, not because anti-choice Christian politicians support policies that reduce the need for abortion, but because they condemn all abortion as sin.
Theologically, evangelicals believe abortion and homosexuality are no different from any other “sin” they believe goes against the will of God. A woman can have dozens of abortions and be forgiven so long as she confesses her “sin” and asks for divine forgiveness. Similarly, evangelicals believe that people can have sex with people of the same sex for years on end so long as they confess those sexual experiences are sinful and ask God to forgive them for the sin of same sex erotic intimacy.
Liberals find evangelical sanctimony outrageous, yet often fail to understand how evangelicals rationalize their political agenda. Evangelicals are well aware the policies they favor endanger public health and safety. Evangelicals want abortion to be illegal which they know makes abortions expensive, unsafe, and, in some cases, lethal. Evangelicals encourage parents to reject their children who are sexual and gender minorities and oppose same sex marriage, knowing these positions elevate suicide and HIV transmission rates. They reject gun control, knowing full well unfettered access to firearms elevates gunshot injury, homicide, and suicide rates. Evangelicals insist they are doing the will of God by supporting policies that cause unnecessary pain, suffering and death. In their minds, humane policies infuriate God so much He will banish anyone who supports them with eternal damnation to hell. Evangelicals are “not of this world” but belong to the next, where they are convinced God will reward them for their loyalty to His laws.
Christian President Donald Trump defends Nazis; supports arming teachers with lethal weapons; breaks up the families of undocumented immigrants; praises Vladimir Putin; threatens the free press; insults his opponents undermines his cabinet; appoints unqualified officials; defends abusers; lines his pockets with income from his real estate holdings; practices nepotism; jeopardizes national security; decreases funding for education, health, safety, and environmental protection; denies climate change; ignores experts; neglects veterans; and more. Despite all that, he will retain the support of his most loyal base — anti-abortion homophobic white evangelical Christians because he will oppose abortion in all cases.
Evangelicals know nothing Christian President Donald Trump is doing in office will reduce unintended pregnancies. They also know nothing Christian President Donald Trump does in office will reduce the number of LBGTQ people in the world who form committed relationships. They simply know they can count on their divinely selected leader to appoint judges who will make abortion less safe, less affordable, and more dangerous. In so doing, they will appease the Biblical God they worship and adore, securing a place in heaven for all of eternity.
