Showing posts with label Evangelicals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evangelicals. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Wolf In Sheep's Clothing (Donald Trump)

A question on people's mind as they watch the chaos of the current administration is, "How can evil be accepted as good by so many?" They also wonder, "How can lies be seen as truth?" When trying to answer a question we tend to dig deep and try to come up with some kind of profound answer. In reality, we can look to the simplicity of childhood to answer the seemingly unanswerable. 

A majority of people are familiar with the children's story about the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, an Aesop's fable. In the story, a wolf disguises himself as a sheep and the shepherd kills him. The story is an example of a fable, which is a story with a hidden lesson. The idiom "wolf in sheep's clothing" is used to describe someone who seems friendly but may be harmful. In the Bible, Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns against "false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves".

The phrase "Wolf in sheep's clothing" is an idiom that refers to someone who appears friendly or harmless on the surface, but in reality, they have a sinister or malicious nature. They hide their true intent from others. With Donald Trump entering the third week of his presidency, many are coming to the conclusion that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. But that is not true for everyone who voted for him. At a first look, Trump's proverbial "sheep's clothing" was Christianity, and he wore it amongst the Evangelicals. Those outside of the Evangelical faith seemed to notice his wolf tendencies.

Donald Trump has lived his entire life in the headlines. He has been known as a mover and shaker in the business world. There is very little about his life that has not been written about and expounded on by Trump himself in hundreds of interviews. Donald Trump loves to talk about Donald Trump. If you comb through all of the magazine and tabloid articles, you will not read about Trump as a Christian, that is, until he wanted to become president.

Donald Trump was raised in his mother's Presbyterian faith; his father was a Lutheran. He attended Sunday school and was confirmed in 1959 at First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica. He said in 2015 that he attends Marble Collegiate Church, a Reformed Christian congregation in Manhattan; the church said in a statement to CNN that he "is not an active member". He said that he was a Presbyterian and a Protestant in 2016. Trump has officially run as a candidate for president four times, in 2000, 2016, 2020, and 2024; he also unofficially campaigned in 2012 and mulled a run in 2004.

A survey during Trump's first presidency showed that 63% of Americans did not believe he was religious, despite his professed Christian affiliation, and that only 44% of Americans believed that Trump was a Christian. But according to research data on the 2024 election, Trump's victory was largely due to the Christian vote. According to exit polling data from NBC, Trump expanded his margins for Christians identifying as “Protestant or other Christian” and Catholic. Of voters identifying as “Protestant or other Christian,” 63% went for Trump and 36% went for Harris. Trump made a bigger jump with Catholic voters against Harris, who is a Baptist. Exit polling shows Catholic voters broke for Trump by 58% to 40% for Harris. 

A majority of white Christians supported Trump in 2024, just as they did in 2020. White Christians identifying as “Protestant and other Christian” went for Trump 72% to 26%; in 2020 they supported Trump by 72% to 27%. White Catholics supported the Republican ticket 61% to 35% in 2024. In 2024, white born-again and evangelical Christians made up 27% of the electorate and voted for Trump 82% to 17% for Harris. A presidential candidate, identifying as a Christian, would have a large voting base. How easy is it for someone to IDENTIFY as a Christian and BLEND in and become like a Christian?

Evangelicals say they support Trump because of his stance against abortion and Transgender Rights. They believe his political platform aligns with their Christian faith. They fully embrace Trump's slogan of Make America Great Again, a time when the family unit mattered, and society's morals were more palatable. Or at least, this is what they say publicly. But many researchers say the same thing that motivates secular people motivate religious people and that is POWER. White Evangelicals are fearful their power is slipping away. How you may ask. The answer is right before your eyes.

Public Religion Research Institute found that America is not only becoming less white, but also less Christian. As we came to the end of the 2010s, Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI, reported that only 42% of Americans identify as white and Christian. Such demographic shifts have produced great trepidation on the part of many white evangelicals. Trump has capitalized on white evangelicals’ fear of losing power and prominence in an increasingly diverse society.

The sheep's clothing Trump put on was NOT Christianity to win the Evangelical vote. Trump clothed himself in the skin of FEAR. He walked among them expressing the same fears the Evangelicals speak about. Let's use ABORTION as an example. The stance against abortion has more to do with halting the LOW birthrate of white babies, than the Bible. If Republicans cared about babies, they would not be slashing Medicaid many mothers and newborns rely on.

Abortion rates have been declining in the United States for decades. In 1981, the abortion rate was 29.3 per 1,000 women aged 15–44. In 2005, it was 19.4 and was at an historic low. A survey of women who obtained an abortion in the United States between June 2021 and July 2022 found that 26 percent were Hispanic, while 33% were white. This statistic shows the distribution of women in the U.S. But this will not increase the number of white babies born. If abortions across the board are illegal, then the Hispanic and Black population will also increase in births. This is significant since in 2022, 39.5% of abortions were performed on non-Hispanic Black women, compared to 31.9% for non-Hispanic White women.

Donald Trump's embrace of the Pro-Life cause is a win for Evangelicals, but their fear of being obsolete remains. So, what else allows the WOLF to walk among the SHEEP. The answer is RACISM.

On the public stage Trump has not hidden his racism towards almost every ethnic group except White people. His desire to mass deport immigrants are sweeping up people who just look Hispanic. His revocation of DEI laws closes the door to many Black people having an opportunity to have high paying jobs. Attacking DEI also affect women who work outside of the home as caregiver, something traditional Christians would like see women returned to. If White Christians don't have the NUMBER to remain relevant, then they must have the POWER at all costs, hence Donald Trump 47th president.

But you may say Trump didn't deceive them, he just gave them what they wanted. But he PRETENDED to be like them, Godly. What or who is a person willing to pretend to be Godly? What kind of person would have no FEAR misrepresenting themselves as Godly knowing it was a lie? The answer to this question is what the REST of us have to FEAR. A person who has no boundaries to what they are willing to do to achieve their OWN power is a major THREAT. I know you're saying I can't say Donald Trump is not a Christian. Are you sure about that because the Bible says differently.

"Ye shall know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit" (Matthew 7:16-20). Fruits, which are a common metaphor in both the Old and New Testaments, represent the outward manifestation of a person's faith, thus their behavior and their works. Evangelicals tell us to OVERLOOK Trump's character and his offensive behavior. Not biblical at all.

Romans 16:17-19, "I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their OWN appetites. By smooth TALK and FLATTERY, they deceive the MINDS of NAIVE people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

Trump is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and I do not believe he has revealed his TRUE nature yet. We don't know who is under the sheep's skin. With the U.S. no longer siding with the UN and being the leader of the free world, Trump's deception on the American people has not been exposed yet. 

For those who did not vote for Trump, they believe they have not been deceived. They are not as shocked by Trump's actions since being in the White House. But in a sense, we were all fooled. We believed no one would DEFILE the highest office of one of the greatest countries. Yet, here we are. We let our guard down on our freedom and supremacy on the world stage. We didn't believe a WOLF would walk among us without SOMEONE protecting the sheep. We believed, at least, one of the sheep would sound the ALARM for all of the other sheep to protect themselves.

Well, we had sheep sounding the alarm, but other sheep stepped up to PROTECT the wolf. Let's look at another little story, The Scorpion and the Frog, so simple even a child can understand it. It will be my final thoughts about Donald Trump.

  • The fable is about a frog who carries a scorpion across a river. The scorpion stings the frog, even though it's against the scorpion's own interests.
  • The scorpion explains that he couldn't resist because it was in his nature. 
  • The fable teaches us to know someone at their core and make judgments based on that. 
  • It also teaches us to be cautious of those who have a history of harmful behavior, as they may be likely to repeat it.

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Donald Trump Our Savior?

After watching a portion of an ID crime series, The Curious Case of the Doomsday Cult, I began to wonder how people can become deceived by false interpretation of the Bible or leaders. How can people who are seeking God's word, knowledge, and truth, get the Bible twisted in so many crazy and even evil ways? I mean, shouldn't there be some kind of built in protection ensuring true understanding of God's word for those trying to learn about and worship God? 

It is a scary thought knowing there is a possibility someone dedicated to God and Scripture can become a danger to others through a false understanding or interpretation of the Bible. In the series I was watching, preacher Sheryl Ruthven, a self-proclaimed prophet, beguiles her followers into subservience and uses them to settle personal scores. As her beliefs grow increasingly bizarre, she demands her congregation adopt cats, believing the animals’ souls will save them in the impending apocalypse. Her manipulation drives followers into intense isolation, financial ruin, and bizarre rituals, tearing families apart and exploiting loyalty – all under the promise of salvation. Three of the most infamous American cult leaders of the twentieth century were Charles Manson, Jim Jones, and David Koresh. They used the Bible in a perverted way.
In the same vein, I wonder how Christians can view Donald Trump as some kind of SAVIOR? They use the Bible and prominent characters from the Bible who did great things for the Lord and who were also FLAWED like Donald Trump to uphold Trump's questionable behavior and character. This uplifting of a man who to many, is the opposite of how a Christian is to behave, leave many onlookers scratching their heads at the Christian embrace and support of Donald Trump. They wonder is the Christian community reading and understanding their Bible?

Last year, on the Christian show FlashPoint, TV evangelist Hank Kunneman described “a battle between good and evil”, adding: “There's something on President Trump that the enemy fears: it's called the anointing.” Reverend Franklin Graham is one of America’s best-known evangelists and the son of Billy Graham, arguably its most famous preacher. He is one of the Trump believers, convinced there is no doubt that the president-elect was chosen for this mission by God. I ask what mission? Can I see the mission statement? Does the God given mission of Trump include Elon Musk firing federal employees? 
According to the PRRI’s survey (Public Religion Research Institute), of 5,027 adults, white evangelical Protestant voters were the strongest backers of Trump over Harris by 72% to 13%. White Catholic voters also backed Trump, with 55% supporting him and 34% aligned with Harris. White “mainline” non-evangelical Protestants showed a similar split. The results from Michigan showed a clear lurch towards the Republican Party by Muslim voters in the state. Analysis also shows that more Latino Catholics voted for Trump than expected, when previously they have tended to lean Democrat. Will there be rending of clothes and gnashing of teeth of Christians due to their choice?

How can there be one sector of Bible readers believing one thing when it comes to political leanings and another section believing something different even though they both claim to be Christian and use biblical scripture to support their beliefs? Believe it or not, both are truly people seeking to be good Christians faithful in prayer, worship and studying of the Scriptures. How could any of them go off the rails?
During my study of the book of Romans in the Bible I stumbled upon the answer and it is the law of sin. Have you heard of such a law before? It is explained in depth in Romans 7.

Paul, the author of Romans, is saying the Law given to Moses by God that all believers of God had to follow, made the person aware of sin. The Law outlined everything that was bad or evil in God's eyesight and should not be done. Now a person could IDENTIFY sin clearly. It was a SIN because it was NAMED a sin. 

The LAW OF SIN says SIN seizes the opportunity of you becoming aware of what is defined as a sin to produce in the person a DESIRE to do the sin (Romans 7:8). Knowledge of SOMETHING makes you want to do THAT something. Christians have been using this rationale to keep sex education out of schools. If children learn about it, then they will want to do it.  Even knowing all of Trump's lawsuits and felonies, people still voted for him excusing his crimes. One might say, they want to do the same things. They want to be LIKE Trump. UNLEASHED and UNTOUCHABLE. Bulldozing those who dare to make a negative comment. Trump exhibits a long list of vices, sins if you will, defined. Do people desire the same (misogyny, racism, sexual abuse, bullying, lawlessness, compulsive lying, greed, vengeance, calls to violence, threats, boastfulness). All of these adjectives, nouns, and verbs have been attributed to Donald Trump and people still say, "He's, our man."
Romans 7:11 goes on to say that sin DECEIVES the person aware of sin. Paul said then you find the law of sin at work, "When I want to do good, evil is right there with me (Romans 7:21)." It is through Jesus who cleanses a person from their SIN nature that they no longer operate in the law of sin, "when they want to do good, they do evil (Romans 7:24-25)." Accepting Jesus into your life releases the believer from being a slave to sin and allows for the believer to be a slave of God. So, a person can be free from the deceit of sin. But you must be all in for God. Why do I say this? Read on.

The Bible warns that out flesh will always want things that are not good for us. The Bible verse 1 Corinthians 15:31 says, "I die daily". The phrase "die to the flesh" appears in other Bible passages, such as Romans 8:13, Colossians 3:5, and Galatians 5:16. The phrase "die to the flesh" means to deny the selfish desires of the flesh and instead follow the leading of the Spirit. In my opinion, it is to daily self-check, constant monitoring of the desires the flesh can have that keeps misinterpretation of Scripture at bay because the Christian is to want no more or no less than what God wants.
Most misinterpretation of Scripture just comes from lack of studying. Misuse of Scripture happens when people are trying to live as Christians under the Law of Moses (Old Testament) and the New Covenant of Christ (New Testament) at the SAME time. But most often, people misinterpret, misuse, and abuse the Bible due to personal agendas that have more to do with fleshly desires. Religion has always been used as a shield to for evil.

Right now, it seems people are just wanting to be the one who WINS. The Right want to beat the Left and vice versa. MAGA want to beat the Liberals. It is like my grandma used to say, "You're cutting your nose off to spite your face." This RIGHT-FIGHTING is causing all kind of self-harm. First of all, the Christians are one body. Division harms the whole. The Right and Left are all Americans. Division harms the whole. This is the FLESH or SIN becoming the driver, making an opening for DECEPTION on a massive and grand scale.

With most religious leaders gone wrong, there is a GREIVANCEA primary grievance of religious cult leaders is often the perception of unfair scrutiny and persecution from society, including law enforcement and the media, which they feel unfairly targets their beliefs and practices, often leading to restrictions on their ability to freely exercise their religion, even when not engaging in illegal activities.
I'm not saying people who support Donald Trump are part of a cult. But they have been likened to a cult. If at any time I am involved in something, and the word cult comes up in any way around it - I'm probably going to ease back off it. Because people in a cult NEVER BELIEVE they are in a cult!!!

Individuals define themselves in part by the beliefs they hold and the faiths they share with others and sometimes people CREATE that body of same believers. The power of the Trump Cult (media and others have labeled) should not be underestimated. It is supported by moment by moment contact with other like-minded people. It is fed by these people keeping their faith alive through the wonders of the internet. Social media (Especially X now) have been called an ‘echo chamber’ playing back what any person involved has expressed themselves. But it goes a step further because those repeating the beliefs are regarded as being ‘just like me.’ That reciprocity is one of the key features that makes persuasions authoritative.  An aspect well understood by scammers.
I have been writing that I believe Evangelicals are getting it wrong by supporting Donald Trump. From their pulpits on Sunday mornings, they continue to bring up a Bible verse supporting why they support him as a rescuer from the evils of Democrats/Liberals. Pastors say it is a battle for the family, children, country which we all care deeply about. All I can say is time will tell. But one thing is for sure, a person can be seeking the Lord and striving to do their best to serve Him and still get the Scriptures twisted and lead others astray.

Thursday, February 8, 2024

The Sky Is Falling

 WHEN THINGS GET CHAOTIC IN THE WORLD, PEOPLE TEND TO SAY WE ARE LIVING IN THE END TIMES!!!

    Christians, especially EVANGELICALS, have been told there will be an ending of the world as we know it and it will be a violent end. There will be signs for the Christian to know when the End Times begin and how it will end. But most Christians do not seem to know the SCOPE of the SIGNS given in the Christian Bible. Armed without facts, we have people proclaiming "The sky is falling." Are you familiar with the children's tale? 

    One day Henny-penny was picking up corn in the rickyard when—whack! —an acorn hit her upon the head. "Goodness gracious me!" said Henny-penny, "the sky's a-going to fall; I must go and tell the King."

    Just like Henny-penny, people make OUTRAGOUS claims when they are struck in their head (mind) with the unexpected, such as our chaotic government.

    In my lifetime alone, I think social media has been telling people to get right with God because we are living in the end time probably four times. The latest time social media has proclaimed we are living in the end times is when Donald Trump became president. People have and are proclaiming he is the ANTICHRIST because of his character and how he can sway people to believe things that are not factual. Because of his ability to advocate for things that are considered mean, racist, authoritarian, vengeful, and for self-gain and admiration, people believe he must be the antichrist. But, people have gotten it WRONG before and they are like the boy who cried wolf. Do you know this children's tale?

    One day, the shepherd boy got really bored while sitting idle on the hillside and watching his flock of sheep grazing out there. So, he came up with an idea to amuse himself. Suddenly, he cried out loudly for help, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is raiding my sheep!”. Hearing that, the villagers came running towards the hillside and found out there was no wolf. The shepherd boy successfully fooled the villagers and laughed out loud heartily to the villagers’ dismay. The villagers became really angry and told the shepherd boy not to call out for help when there was no wolf in reality. 

    After a few days, the shepherd boy again called out for help, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is raiding my sheep!”. And, to his amusement, the villagers again rushed to the hillside to help him drive the wolf away. But they discovered that they got fooled by the shepherd boy for the second time in a row. They generally became very upset and angry. They warned the little boy not to raise a false alarm ever again.

    The story ends with a wolf actually coming. The boy cried wolf and the villagers ignored his cry for help because he had did it before and there was no wolf. The wolf ate the sheep and in some versions of the story, the wolf ate the boy.

SO WHY DO PEOPLE CONTINUE TO POINT TO AN ANTICHRIST AND SAY THE END TIMES ARE AT HAND?

Early Christians tended to emphasize the coming of the one great Antichrist. The Revelation to John refers to this figure as “the Beast from the Abyss” (11:7) and “the Beast from the Sea” (13:1). In the most sustained account of his appearance, 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12, he is called “the man of sin” and “son of perdition.” He will come at a time of a general apostasy (disbelief in God), deceive people with signs and wonders, sit in the temple of God, and claim to be God himself. Finally, he will be defeated by Jesus, who will destroy him by “the spirit of his mouth” and “the brightness of his coming” (2:8). It is clear from these excerps from the Bible, the antichrist is AGAINST God not just in DEEDS but also in WORDS.

    The Christian tradition tells us to be on the lookout for the Antichrist, who will appear shortly before the big finish. Vast amounts of Christian ink have been used to try and work out WHEN he will come and just HOW we might identify him when he does.

Here, then, are five things to know just in case. Five things to know about the Antichrist (theconversation.com)

1.    The Antichrist was the perfectly EVIL human being because he was completely OPPOSITE to the perfectly GOOD human being, Jesus Christ.In The Christian New Testament there are only THREE passages that mention the Antichrist, all in the letters of John (I John 2.18-27, I John 4.1-6, 2 John 7). They suggest the end of the world should be EXPECTED at any moment.

2.    The antichrist would be brought up in all forms of wickedness by MAGICIANS and WIZARDS. He would be accepted as the MESSIAH and ruler by the Jews in JERUSALEM. Those Christians whom he could not convert to his cause, he would TORTURE and KILL. He would then RULE for SEVEN years before being defeated by the angel Gabriel or Christ and the divine armies, prior to the resurrection of the dead and the Final Judgement.

3.    By the year 1400, another narrative of the Antichrist had arisen. Now he was no longer the TYRANT OUTSIDE of the Church but the DECEIVER within it. In short, he was the POPE or even the institution of the papacy and the Church themselves. This was the position on the Antichrist adopted by Protestants at the time of the 16th century Reformation. Martin Luther (1483-1546) was convinced that he was living in the last days. For him, the Pope fitted all the criteria for the Antichrist. The Pope, he declared, “is the true end times Antichrist who has raised himself over and set himself against Christ”.

4.    Within conservative Christianity over the last century, Antichrists have MULTIPLIED. “The Antichrist” has become a general category available for application to an array of individuals, collectives, and objects as the demonic “other”. American PRESIDENTS are well represented. When it comes to accusations of being the Antichrist, usually from the conservative religious right, Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama have all been mentioned. Donald Trump is gaining popularity as a worthy candidate. with ethics scholar D. Stephen Long suggesting he represents: “not a single person but a political pattern that repeats itself by taking on power to oppress the poor and the just”. Marks of the beast, which is 666 (followers of the antichrist will have) have even been discerned to be goiven by the use of supermarket barcodes and pet microchips. ðŸ‘€ðŸ‘€ðŸ‘€ 

    The concept of human microchipping is relatively simple. It involves implanting microscopic integrated circuits under the human skin, commonly the gap between the thumb and forefinger. These chips can serve a range of purposes, including identification, contactless payments, and more. For many of us, the idea of having such a chip implanted in our body is an appalling one, but a 2021 survey of more than 4,000 people across the UK and the European Union found that 51% would consider it.

   Neuralink is Elon Musk's neural-interface-technology company. It's developing a device that would be embedded in a person's brain, where it would record brain activity and potentially stimulate it. Neuralink first became publicly known in 2017 when The Wall Street Journal reported on its existence. The chip Neuralink is developing is about the size of a coin and would be embedded in a person's skull. From the chip, an array of tiny wires, each roughly 20 times thinner than a human hair, fan out into the patient's brain.

5.     According to the Christian tradition, the Antichrist will finally be defeated by the armies of God under the leadership of Christ with the Kingdom of God (on earth or in heaven) to follow. 

DO CHRISTIANS HAVE A CLEAR DEFINITION OF THE ANTICHRIST THEY LOOK FOR TO COME SIGNALING THE END TIMES? YES.

    For those believing we are living in the last days and Donald Trump is the antichrist, here is a clear biblical description of the antichrist and how you can recognize him. Primary Sources | Apocalypse! FRONTLINE | PBS

    Just as Our Lord and Redeemer foresaw Bethlehem for himself as the place to assume humanity and to be born for us, so too the devil knew a place fit for that lost man who is called Antichrist, a place from which the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10) ought to come, namely, the city of BABYLONBabylon, a small port town situated on the Euphrates River, grew to become one of the most prosperous cities within Mesopotamia. Today, Babylon is located within modern-day Iraq, roughly 50 miles south of Baghdad.

    The Antichrist will be born in that city, which once was a celebrated and glorious pagan center and the capital of the Persian Empire. It says that he will be brought up and protected in the cities of BETHSAIDA (the ruin of et-Tell is said to be Bethsaida, a ruined site on the east side of the Jordan on rising ground, 2 km (1.2 mi) from the sea) and COROZAIN ( It stood on the Korazim Plateau in the Upper Galilee on a hill above the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 2.5 mi (4.0 km) from Capernaum in what is now the territory of modern Israel.the cities), that the Lord reproaches in the Gospel when he says, "Woe to you, Bethsaida, woe to you Corozain!" (Matt. 11.21). 

    The Antichrist will have magicians, enchanters, diviners, and wizards who at the devil's bidding will rear him and instruct him in every evil, error, and wicked art. Evil spirits will be his leaders, his constant associates, and inseparable companions. Then he will come to JERUSALEM and with various tortures will slay all the Christians he cannot convert to his cause. He will erect his throne in the Holy Temple, for the Temple that Solomon built to God that had been destroyed he will raise up to its former state. He will circumcise himself and will pretend that he is the son of Almighty God.

    He will first convert kings and princes to his cause, and then through them the rest of the peoples. He will attack the places where the Lord Christ walked and will destroy what the Lord made famous. Then he will send messengers and his preachers through the whole world. His preaching and power will extend "from sea to sea, from East to West" (Ps. 71:8), from North to South. He will also work many signs, great and unheard-of prodigies (Apoc. 13:13). He will make fire come down from heaven in a terrifying way, trees suddenly blossom and wither, the sea become stormy and unexpectedly calm. He will make the elements change into differing forms, divert the order and flow of bodies of water, disturb the air with winds and all sorts of commotions, and perform countless other wondrous acts. He will raise the dead "in the sight of men in order to lead into error, if possible, even the elect" (Matt. 24:24). For when they shall have seen great signs of such a nature even those who are perfect and God's chosen ones will doubt whether or not he is the Christ who according to the scriptures will come at the end of the world.

    He will arouse universal persecution against the Christians and all the elect. He will lift himself up against the faithful in three ways, that is, by terror, by gifts, and by prodigies. To those who believe in him he will give much gold and silver. Those he is not able to corrupt with gifts, he will overcome with terror; those he cannot overcome with terror, he will try to seduce with signs and prodigies. Those he cannot seduce with prodigies, he will cruelly torture and miserably put to death in the sight of all.

    "Then there will be tribulation such as has not been on earth from when the nations began to exist up to that time. Then those who are in the field I will flee to the mountains, and he who is on the roof will not go down into his house to take anything from it" (Matt. 24:21,16; Dan. 12:1). Then every faithful Christian who will be discovered will either deny God, or, if he will remain faithful, will perish, whether through sword, or fiery furnace, or serpents, or beasts, or through some other kind of torture. This terrible and fearful tribulation will last for three and a half years in the whole world. "Then the days will be shortened for the sake of the elect, for unless the Lord had shortened those days, mankind would not have been saved" (Matt. 24:22).

    That is an indepth description of the antichrist, his purpose, and his capabilities, leading to the destruction of the WORLD. The end times is not what occurs just in America. The antichrist will not present himself first in America. 

    I'm not familiar if there are people in the areas named for the antichrist's birth and life as he ages and as he becomes in power that peoclaim an antichrist. It seems to be a religious American phenomenom. 

    Nostradamus predicted three antichrists, Nepolian, Hitler, and One Still to Come. According to Nostradamus’ 1555 text “Les Propheties” (“The Prophecies”), 2024 brings continued global strife, royal turmoil and humanitarian disaster. While his writings are vague, bear in mind that he has been credited with foreseeing the rise of Adolf Hitler, the Sept. 11 attacks, and COVID, to name a few. “The dry earth will grow more parched / And there will be great floods when it is seen,” wrote Nostradamus.

He also predicted extreme weather events and world hunger: “Very great famine through pestiferous wave,” to be precise.

Pope Francis could soon be replaced, according to the astrologer’s predictions.“Through the death of a very old Pontiff / A Roman of good age will be elected / Of him it will be said that he weakens his see / But long will he sit and in biting activity,” he wrote. Pope Francis, who turns 87 on Sunday, has been having health issues, and recently had to skip the U.N. climate conference because of lung inflammation and breathing problems.

Nostradamus predicted “combat and naval battle”, and said that a “Red adversary will become pale with fear / Putting the great Ocean in dread.” Some think that the “Red adversary” could be referring to China.

    Nostradamus writes that in or around 2023, “The antichrist very soon annihilates the three. Twenty-seven years his war will last. The unbelievers are dead, captive, exiled. With blood, human bodies, water and red hail covering the earth.” Nostradamus is quite certain that war shall start in the East as the result of an alliance formed between Russia and the West, which shall cause China's leader to reassess his situation and allies. 'One day the two great leaders shall be friend; their great power shall be seen to increase. The New Land (America) shall be at the height of its power and the man of blood shall reassess his allies.

So you have prophesies of DOOM from other sources beyond the Bible. More than Americans look for the antichrist. 

    For the Christian, being prepared for when the antichrist comes into power and the end times are present, they will be RIGHT with God which is the important thing at all times. Sounding the alarm is a nice thing to do, but if the predictions/prophesies are correct, there will be a multitude of people lead astray and sounding the alarm will not be effective. 

SO WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN TO DO IF THE ANTICHRIST IS IN POWER?

GET RIGHT WITH GOD.

Please buy my book The Politics of Prayer which speaks about how to live when politics and government is corrupt. Please like, share, commen, and follow this page. Thank you.

Friday, November 10, 2023

Trump, Evangelicals, and Wealth

One thing you cannot escape is Trump in the news daily. The former president finds himself swamped in criminal charges. Even with all of his legal problems, people love and support him, especially Evangelicals. How can this be? Christianity teaches against sin which includes lying, corruption, mistreatment of your fellowman, adultry, and many more actions Trump has been accused of doing. Yet, the religious community continue to support him and seemingly even encourage his antics. Trump's potential to be elected president once again has many people on edge and scratching their head wondering who would want a "criminal" (illegedly) for a president?

While I was attending Seminary, we quickly glossed over a parable which seemed to imply it is okay to use your wealth in a way to gain favor from people even if its unethically done. WHAT? I couldn't believe what I was reading and all the professor could say was, "This is seen as a controversial passage scholars have been unable to agree on its true meaning." But what was clear was this one sentence, "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:1b-9).

Scholars cannot agree exactly what was taking place in the parable. Was the manager decreasing the amounts the master's debtors owed their master gaining favor from the debtors so they would welcome him when he no longer had a job? Does the parable teach to use your position in life to gain personal favor from people even though the way you do it is wrong? Time to look at the parable in the Bible.

In Luke’s Gospel, many of Jesus’s parables are grouped together. In chapter 15, we find the “lost” parables, where Jesus talks about misplaced coins, lost sheep, and wayward sons. In chapter 16, Luke puts two parables together: the Parable of the Shrewd Manager and the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man.

The parable of the shrewd manager reads like this:

“There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg- I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

“‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.

“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

“‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

“The master (Jesus) commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:1b-9).

There it is. The manager was cheating his boss out of money to gain favor from people he soon would be on the same level with as far as economics were concerned. The parable is specifically talking about using position, authority, and MONEY, to gain favor from people.

Many are confused how and why Evangelicals support and encourage Trump. There is no doubt Donald Trump uses his position, authority, and money to gain favor from people. He has been likened to a mob boss in doing a favor to get a favor. While campaigning for president, he makes favorable, sometime obsurd, promises to his base of supporters. Donald Trump not only uses his worldly wealth to gain friends, he uses threats too.

Some Christians choose to interpret this parable as meaning it is fine to use shrewd tactics to gain godly outcomes as evidenced by the verse in the parable, "For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.," They see Donald Trump, a sinner, doing bad to bring about good. He is backed by Evangelicals with a clear heart because of his overturning of Roe v Wade, and favoring other causes dear to them and their Christian faith. He doesn't have to be good or use ethics to bring about desired Christian outcomes in their minds. He is crooked for Christ.
The above parable seems to show that OUTCOMES are more important than means one uses to achieve the desired outcome. This is a parable many are not familiar with and you can see why. When I first read it I could not believe cheating was being sanctioned, making friends held as important in such a way, and self gain at any cost being encouraged. Even if the passage is trying to say it is more important to have friends than to worry about money, it wasn't the manager's money to use to gain friends. The Bible is clear, greed is a sin and the love of money can impede your entrance into heaven, but this is a parable about dishonesty.

It is evident Trump's wealth is his value in his eyes. He lies about his monetary value all the time and is currently standing trial for inflating at times and deflating his monetary value at other times. Every chance he gets he asks his followers to contribute to his defese or campaign even when they have no idea how the millioaire is going to use the money sent to him. Maybe they believe they are giving their money to a kingdom cause and when it is gone, they will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. But Evangelicals support Trump. Go figure.


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