this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2024
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United States | News & Politics

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Just ahead of his headline spot at the CPAC convention in Virginia and the South Carolina primary on Saturday, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump delivered a speech to right-wing broadcasters Thursday night in which the former president vowed to hand power over to the Christian nationalist movement on an unprecedented scale.

Trump said during his speech at the annual conference of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) in Nashville, Tennesse that he would defend "pro-God context and content" on the nation's AM radio stations as he told the audience that religion is "the biggest thing missing" in the United States and warned, without evidence, that Christian broadcasters were "under siege" by the left and a "fascist" Biden administration.

"We have to bring back our religion," Trump declared. "We have to bring back Christianity."

Striking a Christ-like pose at one point with his arms outstretched as if on a cross, Trump mentioned his legal struggles, including multiple criminal indictments and civil judgements, and said, "I take all these arrows for you and I'm so proud to take them. I'm being indicted for you."

As Common Dreamsreported earlier this week, right-wing Christian Nationalists operating in Trump's inner circle are quietly preparing for the prospect of his possible reelection.

In his speech Thursday, during which he also promised to close the Department of Education so that Christian fundamentalists could take over school policy at the state level, Trump said, "If I get in, you're going to be using that power at a level that you’ve never used before."

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[–] 3425asdfqwer4@kbin.social 52 points 2 years ago (2 children)

It's shocking that people haven't gotten to the conclusion yet. We cannot coexist with conservatives, they will never work in favor of a healthy society. Start backing the solution or prostrate yourself for the orange god.

[–] adespoton@lemmy.ca 19 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I agree with everything you say except the word “conservatives”.

Conservatives need to have a voice in society in order to be receiving positive AND negative feedbacks at all times.

Trump isn’t conservative, and neither are his supporters; they don’t want to conserve anything, they want to live in an imaginary world where everything means what they want it to mean, regardless of reality.

They’re not fiscally conservative, they’re not legally conservative, they’re not politically conservative, they’re not even religiously conservative.

They want to create something new where they have absolute power and logic and reason can be ignored.

[–] jaaake@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago

You’re referring to an older definition of that word. It’s been co-opted by gun loving, immigrant hating, misogynists. I miss the days of debates being about the issues you mention. I would love it if I could discuss exactly those topics with someone that has a different viewpoint. Instead the topics are so broad and extreme that we end up talking about whether or not it should be legal to tell kids that slavery existed and affected how people were legally considered until very recently. Segregation was deemed illegal within the lifetime of the majority of senators.

See also: “True” Christians

Christianity has a lovely core message that is no longer focused on. Instead individual references take center stage to help justify the restriction of rights of those who are other. The fact that we’ve rolled back Roe V Wade is insane.

[–] Omega_Haxors@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Nah fuck that, conservatism has always been about maintaining oppressive bullshit. It can die along with its followers. We'd all be better off.

[–] TakiMinase@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 years ago

Abrahamists won't stop until everyone they hate are dead.

[–] gloss@discuss.tchncs.de 41 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Are they pretending that Christians are a victimized class in America again? They need that persecution fetish to fuel their bizarre revenge fantasies, but in reality no one gives a shit about them. Maybe that's why they are so mad.

[–] hangukdise@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

The public and politicians needs to understand that "Christian" in the context of MAGA is just shorthand for "marginalized white non-catholic Americans who mostly lives away from the Pacific and Atlantic coasts" who got screwed by a severe deterioration of living standards as globalization only harmed their livelihoods (although allows them to buy cheap stuff that, in the end, does not make it for the lack of long term life prospects for them and their communities).

America has a way of not caring for communities and livelihoods in the midst of economic changes and the electoral influence of MAGA is the ultimate symptoms of this culturally-ingrained and supported lack of care. And Dems also have no plans or policies for them, so it is a one way ticket to political extremism.

[–] Nougat@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

globalization

You dropped these:

((( )))

[–] Dead_or_Alive@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago

You’re simplifying the problem. I agree with part of your description of “Christians” as being marginalized by globalism. But you are downplaying the problem by making them seem out of touch with the times. The Industry I work in is very right leaning and MAGA. It is dominated by small and mid sized businesses. Of that I’d say 40% or more of owners actively call themselves Christian, the others generally keep to themselves on their religious beliefs.

The owners who identify and wear their Christianity on their sleeve are typically the sleeziest people you will ever do business with. They are all over the country, they are wealthy and they donate to Republicans in large numbers. They believe they have the right to dictate how they should do business and by extension how their employees live. They resent interference of the government in how they do business or how they treat their employees.

I imagine it is the same in other industries that have strong small business models. These people are not marginalized or weak.

They want to dominate and dictate their own local fiefdoms just like any of the billionaire oligarchs that you read about in the news.

[–] EncryptKeeper@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Yyyyup. Evidently our Catholic president is attacking Christianity, according to them.

[–] quinkin@lemmy.world 40 points 2 years ago (1 children)

So where are we in the timeline at the moment?

Early 1933 I'm guessing, certainly not up to mid 1934 and the Night of the Long Knives yet.

[–] orclev@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Hmm, so do you think the brown shirts are being played by the GOP or the Christian nationalists, or some other group under the MAGA umbrella? I could certainly see an argument either way there although I kind of lean towards it being the Christian nationalists. Trump has never really cared in any meaningful way about Christians, he just finds them to be an incredibly gullible group that are easy to manipulate and freely donate to those that know how to push their buttons. On the other hand the GOP are actually political rivals that could pose a longer term threat to him, but they're also connected to powerful people that Trump would want to get on board, or at least keep from interfering. Other than keeping the public pacified I don't see a longer term benefit to Trump from the Christian nationalists once he's in power.

[–] CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I dunno pandering to an already somewhat insular group is pretty much hitting the jackpot when it comes to establishing the basis of in groups and out groups.

[–] orclev@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I suppose the other side of this would be realizing Trump is a complete moron and just about everyone in this thread has probably put more thought into this than he ever would. Based on that, Trump will likely do what he has always done and decide who to attack based on who most recently kissed his ass and who insulted him/made him look bad/failed to accomplish what he wanted/disagreed with him/makes a convenient scapegoat. Based on that metric the Christian nationalists are probably safe, but most of the GOP is definitely in the line of fire.

[–] JimmyBigSausage@lemm.ee 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

He has to be elected first and that ain’t gonna happen.

[–] orclev@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)

We can certainly hope. Things will be very bad if he does get in though. He knows this is his last real shot and if he fails this time best case scenario is he goes bankrupt, worst case he rots in prison. He's going to be desperate in a way he wasn't last time.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 years ago

The desperation might be what sinks him, or so we can hope

[–] iAmTheTot@kbin.social 36 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Why any actual God fearing Christian would think that Trump is a pious man is beyond me.

[–] Pilgrim@beehaw.org 9 points 2 years ago

It's more of an identity than an actual belief system for most people.

[–] Omega_Haxors@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

He resembles what they see in Christianity perfectly, and if we're being honest, what Christianity has always been.

[–] mellowheat@suppo.fi 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

There's a milquetoast version of Christianity that's quite benevolent and popular by numbers, but because they almost never do crazy shit, it doesn't get shown a lot. Like for instance Church of England or scandinavian protestant churches.

[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 3 points 1 year ago

The USA has free market Jesus, something most other countries never had for as long as America. Since religion was decoupled from the state, religion could be whatever put butts in seats.

[–] itsgroundhogdayagain@lemmy.ml 34 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] JimmyBigSausage@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

That’s what they want. I am not afraid of cheese turd the rapist and his proud boys.

[–] Flumpkin@slrpnk.net 30 points 2 years ago

Full on fascism. "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - for ever."

[–] fubo@lemmy.world 17 points 2 years ago

The Rantichrist

[–] DogPeePoo@lemm.ee 13 points 2 years ago

He also said to drink bleach, soooo…

[–] nutsack@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

religion sucks ass

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

After saying this he proceeded to chuck Sam Jackson out a window.

[–] Mango@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

The only point of power is to abuse it.

[–] Zuberi@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 year ago

Oh well, was fun while it lasted.

[–] LocoOhNo@lemmus.org 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

And thus setting in stone that there will be a Christian jihad by what is the American Al-Qaeda in this country.

Prepare yourselves for the inevitable, folks. None of us are safe from these lunatics. If you have a friend or family member that is LGBTQ+ start thinking of ways to hide them.

We're entering the state backed terrorism part of this exercise.

[–] protist@mander.xyz 5 points 2 years ago

Donald Trump promises a lot of things and keeps none of them, so...

[–] roguetrick@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

WHAT? 9000?!?! There's no way that can be right.

[–] Zoop@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago

Hahaha I'm so happy that someone else's mind went there, too!

[–] Nerrad@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago
[–] therealjcdenton@lemmy.zip -3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You gotta hand it to him this is genius, immoral but still genius

[–] Bobmighty@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nothing genius about it. Every far right huckster does it. It's standards ass script for those morons.

[–] therealjcdenton@lemmy.zip 0 points 1 year ago

You mean every political huckster, but yea whats disappointing is people fall for it