After the prosperity preachers laid their hands on Trump in prayer and political support at the Evangelicals for Trump rally January 3, 2020, he said this: “I really do believe we have God on our side. I believe that.”
As you know, there are a lot of Christians who believe it too. Just last week, Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas squeezed in to the frame for photos of the preachers who were there with their hands on Trump’s shoulders. He prayed: “We thank you O God, and we come to you in the name of Jesus. … We thank you that you have raised up a man, Donald J. Trump, to be a warrior for the word of God and the wisdom that comes from God. Thank you for protecting him, for keeping your hand of blessing on him, and we pray as you raise him up once again to be our president that you would give him strength and wisdom and joy in the journey.”
With our pastor out of town last Sunday, I was asked to pray in the service for the election this week. I don’t remember exactly what I prayed, but I assure you, it wasn’t that!
Does Trump actually believe God is on his side? I am not convinced he even believes there is a God. If he does, he doesn’t seem to have included in his theology the concept of accountability to God in the final analysis. How about his religious courtiers? Do they believe God is on his side? It seems so. I wonder if the guys who tried to yank the ball out of Mookie Bett’s glove in game 4 of the World Series believed God was on the side of the Yankees. Evidently, he was not.
If you ask me, I think it’s blasphemy for Donald Trump — or any political leader — to suggest that God is on his side or favors his candidacy or political party. It is tantamount to being bestowed with the divine right of kings, which would be the exact opposite to the principles upon which the United States was founded not to mention to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He seems to think of himself as a monarch, and makes no bones about acting like one on his first day in office were he to be elected again.
Surely, you’ve heard Abraham Lincoln’s words, “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
It doesn’t seem to me that the God of the Bible is on Trump’s side and manipulated the election in 2016 (and 2020 if you believe the Big Lie) when he blatantly promotes racial bigotry and division, dehumanizes immigrants, and demeans and exploits women, including his own three wives. Is that what you think is the kind of person with whom God sides?
Was God on his side when he was found guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. Did God side with him when he cheated on his taxes, denigrated a disabled person at his rally, instigated the insurrection on January 6, asked the Georgia Secretary of State to “find 11,000 votes” for him to win in 2020? Was he on his side when Trump mocks his rivals with names like “Tampon Tim,” “Governor Newscum,” “Birdbrain Haley,” “Pocahontas”… How about when he pantomimed performing oral sex on his microphone at a rally in Milwaukee? Or when he called Kamala Harris “mentally impaired” and that she was “born that way”?
Someone may counter with “Anyone can be forgiven.” I couldn’t agree more. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive…” Forgiveness is conditioned upon acknowledgment of sin and confession, which is something Trump said openly that he never does.
God on Trump’s side?
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13-14)
barney wiget 
Without trying to compare Trump with Hitler, I’m not, it’s the behaviour of religious leaders I’m interested in here. Germany, 1933 many Germans supported the Nazi ideology, the protestants largely supported Hitler and the Nazis and a move to create a new church called the German Christian movement combining the church with the state. My one comparison of Hitler and Trump is that Hitler publicly was a Christian, but behind doors he saw Christianity as a weakness. Religious leaders in the USA being so close to an ungodly man like trump is definitely the wrong way. Trump is nothing more than a tool in God’s toolbox, should be respected as a leader, prayed for but not praised.
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Thanks for sharing. I couldn’t agree more.
God help us all!
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hi Pastor Barney,
I attended your church while at UCSC many years ago. I learned to lift up my hands to the Lord in the dark little shop used for Lighthouse Christian Fellowship and care more about my relationship with Him than what anyone else thought of me. Thank you for starting Lighthouse and pastoring. May God grant favor even now to you!
I am thankful for your sharing of some of the things and horrible atrocities of cancer you experienced years ago in your book which I bought. .My Husband also went through cancer – and I am thankful you are both well now.
I asked a congregant in our own church – a wise, prayerful woman who did not know that she was deeply hurting one of her closest church friends with her oft-used freedom to speak brazenly for one of the candidates and not the other. I had seen this pain silently born by her friend who was an immigrant and not voting as may be expected. So I finally asked her if she knew the deep sadness in not having freedom to share or have discourse that others close to her may feel. (Friends)
This wise woman, said something I still ponder: “There will never be discourse because there is too much pride on both sides.” She seemed ready to follow that path, though she still wanted her hurting friend to reach out. I encouraged the friend to share – the last I checked, even though Trump won – they still had not been able to talk.
isn’t the real government on His shoulders? How do we listen to God, and hear that no political leader will ever be truly worthy of leading – unless they admit they need God? Where is the real power and powerful love?
our pastor wisely counseled leaders to be aware that people hear from many different sources, which have data that cannot be verified easily or quickly. So, we do not promote any political rep in church. We go deeper into praying for our leaders. And even for the elections. Else, data that is incorrect or improperly shared may lead to foolish arguments. Hitler was mentioned – who I have heard used the Protestant backing to persecute Catholics, while Protestant mega churches seemed to be growing under him I do not know, but think it good to research. Carl Barth saw many liberal theologians fall away – from Scripture and God I am told. Again, I am preparing to research this further to see if there are any trends then and now. But, I pray that I can hear clearly, in God’s Word, what He says to me – and even how to vote.
God bless you!
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