As we know by now, the only reason Donald Trump’s presidency hasn’t completely cratered is that the religious right seems to be blindly loyal to him. While Trump struggles to get out of the 40s when the nation as a whole is asked if they approve of his job performance, white evangelicals apparently think he walks on water. Depending on the source, anywhere from 73 to 78 percent of white evangelicals give his presidency a passing grade.
A good chunk of that support likely comes from people who only support Trump because they have been told the anti-Trump resistance is driven by witchcraft, demons, and the devil himself. One of the people responsible for driving home that message doubled down on it late Wednesday night. He thinks that anyone who says they are resisting the Donald are actually resisting the Almighty.
Lance Wallnau was one of the earliest religious right leaders to rally to Trump. He is one of the leading voices of the New Apostolic Reformation, an overtly fascist offshoot of the religious right that believes it can bring about the Second Coming by taking the world. A number of major NAR figures were among Trump’s earliest fundie supporters, in part because they, like Wallnau, believed Trump would open the door for them to carry out the “Seven Mountains strategy”–an effort to take over the forces that influence our culture and pave the way for Jesus’ return. Wallnau has spent the last three months warning his followers that one of those mountains, the media, is using witchcraft to turn Americans against Trump.
This context is necessary in order to understand a Periscope video Wallnau posted late Wednesday night, while taking a break from one of his conferences. People for the American Way’s Right Wing Watch got a clip.
About eight minutes into his chat, Wallnau wondered why the “church fathers” of today aren’t willing to “articulate…the defense Christian worldview in the face of paganism.” He believed that was sorely today in order to combat “a modern-day pagan culture” in this country.
What’s driving this culture? Well, according to Wallnau, it’s due to “the defection of righteous voices” in academia, entertainment, media, and politics. As a result, Wallnau argued, Christians have ceded four of the “Seven Mountains” in the midst of “a life-and-death struggle” for our country. For those of you keeping score, the other three mountains are business, family, and religion.
Wallnau warned his followers that the enemy is going to continue to “blaspheme (and) slander.” As evidence, he cited Hillary Clinton publicly declaring that she had joined the resistance to Trump. Specifically, she is launching a PAC that will funnel money to groups standing up to Trump. Wallnau had a warning for Hillary and anyone else opposing Trump.
“These people aren’t part of the resistance. The only thing they are resisting is God.”
Wallnau was speaking in code. As we know by now, the religious right has its followers convinced that Trump is God’s candidate–so therefore, if you oppose Trump, you oppose God himself.
Really, Lance? So if we call out a guy who has openly declared war on the media, the judiciary, and the First Amendment, we oppose God? If we call out a man who finds it acceptable for public servants to plant fake news and threaten private citizens, we oppose God? If we call out a president who continues to peddle groundless claims about being wiretapped even after they have been debunked, we oppose God? If we stand against a man who disregards his most basic duties as a husband and father so he can fire off 140-character tirades, we oppose God? And on, and on, and on.
Wallnau is trying to warn both Christians who regret voting for Trump, as well as the public at large, against joining the resistance. However, his feeble attempt at an explanation only proves that he has bowed before the Orange Calf. It’s all the more reason why we must persist and resist until this president is either forced to resign, is impeached, or is defeated for reelection. And it’s all the more reason why Wallnau and the other religious right leaders who enabled Trump must go down with him.
(featured image courtesy Lou Engle’s Facebook)
