'He was sent to us': at church rally, evangelicals worship God and Trump

[Judi Lynn]

Richard Luscombe in Miami
@richlusc
Sat 4 Jan 2020 01.00 EST



Donald Trump participates in a prayer before speaking at an Evangelicals for Trump Coalition Launch at the King Jesus International Ministry in Miami, 3 January 2020. Photograph: Tom Brenner/Reuters

Friday’s rally recognized Trump’s need to retain the loyalty of the evangelical voting bloc that propelled him to victory in 2016


They came to pray with their president, though in truth many came just to worship him. Donald Trump’s Friday launch of his so-called “coalition of evangelicals”, an attempt to shore up the support of the religious right ahead of November’s election, had the feel of any other campaign rally, except this time with gospel music.

An estimated 7,000 “supporters of faith” packed the King Jesus international ministry megachurch in Miami to hear the word of the president, and decided that it was good. The Maga hat-wearing faithful cheered Trump’s comments on issues calculated to resonate with his churchgoing audience, including abortion, freedoms of speech and religion, and what he claimed was a “crusade” from Democrats against religious tolerance.

“My administration will never stop fighting for Americans of faith,” Trump said at the conclusion of an often freewheeling 75-minute speech. “We will restore the faith as the true foundation of American life.”

Trump also gloated about Thursday’s military strike that took out the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani in Baghdad. “It was flawless strike that eliminated the terrorist ringleader,” he said, insisting the killing would save the lives of “hundreds and hundreds of Americans.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/03/trump-florida-evangelical-rally-king-jesus

[patricia92243]

1. Can you imagine what Trump is thinking. Something like "these are a bunch

of blithering idiots. But as long as they vote for me...."

[Bob Loblaw]

13. Looks to me

like he's scanning the crowd for grabbable "lady parts" while they all have their eyes closed.

[dalton99a]

19. +1. It's obvious

[Dawn Oday]

31. Isaiah 43.11

I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

[bearsfootball516]

2. What a cultish picture.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. I find this very disturbing. Like Jim Jones kind of disturbing.

Some of these evangelical preachers have the same kind of control over their flock that Jones had.

[CurtEastPoint]

6. They look like they are taking a dump with those expressions except DUMP himself: smirking.

[3Hotdogs]

8. My favorite was a D.U photo of constipated Pat Robertson, praying over whatever he was praying over.

I believe he was praying for a hurricane to miss his church.

And, Goddam, the hurricane missed his church, just like he prayed it would.

[Merlot]

18. Of course hurricane missed the church. What it didn't miss was trailer parks.

It's not a coincidence or "act of god" it's simple weather.

[gab13by13]

3. If by god, they mean Putin,

then yeah god/Putin got Trump elected.

[Dunnjen]

4. Eyes open nt

[Bob Loblaw]

11. They all have their eyes closed

in prayer except for him. I hope they counted the gold candlesticks and frisked him before he left.

[CurtEastPoint]

7. I am certain "King Jesus" (and Baby Jesus) are weeping over this crap.

[bullimiami]

9. MASS INSANITY.

[magicarpet]

10. Reality TV pResidency,...

.... with a Jesus cherry on top for the Fascist Christian garnish.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. Oh FFS

[BKDem]

14. 1. Fuck these people.

2. Cancel their tax exemption.

[bitterross]

15. These people want him to start the end-times.

I'm afraid they may get what they want with him starting the end-times. I just don't think they're going to get the outcome they expect. They believe in a bunch of mythology that came about in a small region of the Middle East thousands of years ago. There is no more reason to believe in that mythology than there is to believe in the Roman and Greek gods and goddesses. Or the Hindu ones, or any other ones.

They may get their Tribulation, but I don't think they're going to get their Rapture.

[AZ8theist]

17. I don't worry about that...

There's no money to be made in Armageddon. So rest assured, Doturd isn't interested.

[AZ8theist]

16. These people are:

FUCKING IMBECILES.
FUCKING IMBECILES.
FUCKING IMBECILES.
FUCKING IMBECILES.
FUCKING IMBECILES.

[Blue Owl]

20. Sad

In every possible way...

[OldBaldy1701E]

21. I have a simple action for those insane people

I laugh at them. Loudly. It drives them crazy. I don't engage in any way with them, I just laugh, shake my head, and walk away. Now, on the rare occasion, those insane people feel they should try to physically interfere with my life when I do this. That is when I smile and mention that I have no problem summoning a demon right this moment to protect me. If they insist on continuing to harass me, I start saying wild chants (totally made up), and making wild gestures, and suddenly will grab whatever image of that child I can find and start screaming, "HE IS HERE! HE IS HERE!". (This one only works if you happen to be standing near a newsstand or some kind of imagery of the President). Now, I have only done this two times, for as you can see there has to be several things lined up for it to have the proper effect. I really need to get someone to record this the next time I find myself in this position. I try to avoid these insane people at all times, even to the point of when I was homeless many years ago, I would rather starve than seek help from any religious organization. The chance of having to laugh at hand that fed me was too great.

[Corgigal]

22. He wouldn't let these

Dumbasses wash his cars, if he didn’t need their votes and cash.

If we’re really unlucky, he will prove it to them.

[SWBTATTReg]

23. I just love this ridiculous assertion that 'he was sent to us'...weren't all of us sent here, to ...

fulfill some sort of nebulous task(s) or such, that God wanted us to accomplish?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not making fun of those who do believe in this concept (I do in a way, that each of us has something to give, while each of us are here on this beautiful planet).

[Dawn Oday]

24. Foursquare originals rolling over in grave.

My grandparents helped Aimee Simple Mcpherson and the Angeles Temple become the Foursquare Church. My grandad was a graduate theologist of Biola College. I attended many services but as I was getting better at making my own decisions, I realized the fantasy of these people. Women, would stand up and speak in tongues Usually when there was a lull in the sermon. Timing, a tic o tic of timing I learned of ministers having sex with church secretaries. My granny also a minister via the mail. Was the most racist person I had met and this bothered me because of their teaching of love and understanding. But Grandpa. although publishing a book on Ephesians never demanded we believe. Since then I have learned of liars, adulterers, child molesters, greed, hate, ignorance. Have your beliefs, but I do not have to abide by them. Just a random view of televangelists should give a clue as they promote the selling of tchotchkes, Holy water, sermons, anointing oil. and now flags and Trump propaganda. I remember when Oral Roberts said he was going to be called home if he didn't get two million dollars. I remember my grandparents giving our inheritance away. This is not a generalization as I also know many Christians that believe the love, humility, kindness, as called for in the New Testament. I consider myself as a Deist as I believe in a "Higher Power" just as the people who wrote the Constitution. Not those that wrote newspaper editorials. It's all about the Benjamins my friends.

[Lars39]

25. I was around part of this cult yesterday.

They are happy that general got killed, and see Trump as some kind of savior that is going to bring on the end times.
What was particularly jarring was seeing the grandfather with his younger grandsons doing this verbal high fiving.
The two older grandsons aren't in the religious southern baptist Fox bubble, and they're more informed politically.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. This has been said elsewhere many times but deserves repeating: The reason God sent us Trump

is that he ran out of locusts.

[broiles]

29. +1

[ZZenith]

27. Are we certain this isn't from some cut-rate wax museum?

[LastDemocratInSC]

28. These people are used myth dealers.

[Mersky]

30. "He was $ent to u$."

Bleh.

[BeckyDem]

32. Sad, dangerously so.