1/ Trump has evangelical advisors who are—and we cannot overstate this—looking forward to the end of the world. Let us explain…
2/ According to many evangelicals, the Book of Ezekiel prophesies that Russia will join with Persia—now Iran—and its Arab neighbors to attack Israel. This battle would bring on the Rapture: God will take good Christians to heaven, and everyone left on Earth will suffer and die.
3/ Some evangelicals say they believe Trump is carrying out God’s End Time plans to bring about the return of Christ—beginning with war with Iran. bit.ly/2GkO8V4
4/ Not all or even most evangelicals believe in the literal truth of these sorts of prophecies, but those who do subscribe to this apocalyptic world view seem to be overrepresented among Trump’s religious supporters and advisers.
5/ Trump has surrounded himself with evangelicals who believe in this sort of biblical prophecy, and his administration regularly reflects that language back to them in its messaging. bit.ly/2GkO8V4
6/ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is a master of such messaging. A few days after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, he said: “We will continue to fight these battles. It is a never-ending struggle. … until the Rapture.” bit.ly/2GkO8V4
7/ Many saw Trump’s controversial decision to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as an appeal to evangelicals, who believe the move fulfills a biblical prophecy necessary in securing the Second Coming.
8/ The White House has hosted a steady stream of religious extremists since Trump took office, including San Antonio televangelist John Hagee. Hagee has been calling for war with Iran for more than 15 years.
9/ Among other things, Hagee has said that gays caused Hurricane Katrina, referred to the Catholic Church as the “great whore,” called Hitler a “half-breed” Jew, and said that Hitler was part of God’s plan to get the Jews back to Israel. bit.ly/2GkO8V4
10/ This is telling: Trump announced the killing of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani just hours before appearing at the launch of his campaign’s Evangelicals for Trump coalition in Miami.
11/ As religious historian Diana Butler Bass put it, “When Iran gets into the news, especially with anything to do with war, it’s sort of a prophetic dog whistle to evangelicals.”
12/ All of this begs the question, should people with this vision of the End Times have so much power in the White House? bit.ly/2GkO8V4
13/13 Read @smencimer’s deep-dive into some of the key figures in Trump's influential inner circle of evangelicals: bit.ly/2GkO8V4
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