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Brian Kaylor

Dec 19, 2021 • 18 tweets • 18 min read • Read on X

@firstdallas

Watching @firstdallas online. #Trump giving Jesus run for money in comments. Some seem really excited about Advent of Trump back in White House.

@firstdallas

@firstdallas After instrumental music, "service" starts with announcement of #Trump & standing ovation/cheers as @robertjeffress ushers Trump in. So much for James 2 saying not to give special treatment to some visitors.

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress Wait, who is being worshiped today?

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress .@robertjeffress just welcomed the "hundreds of thousands of people" watching the service online. Counter says 9,949.

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress In welcome, @robertjeffress recognizes #Trump with over-the-top praise of #Trump as greatest president. Crowd gives Trump another standing ovation. Jeffress says Trump will speak at end as "climax" of service.

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress Considering all the ovations #Trump has received already, I wonder if he's confused who the congregation is singing about...

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress At start of sermon, @robertjeffress again mentioned #Trump is there, which sparks 3rd applause already for Trump.

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress While mentioning that Caesar Augustus was most powerful man in world, @robertjeffress notes that only 1 person in room knows what that's like. Pretty significant self-own as Jeffress just compared Trump to Caesar. Hope they don't start chanting "We have no king but Caesar!"

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress .@robertjeffress uses #Trump in sermon illustration. This new Caesar is getting some real love in "Christmas" sermon

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress .@robertjeffress now telling story of being with #Trump in Oval Office. Trump definitely in running for person with most references in this "Christmas" sermon.

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress As @robertjeffress gives altar call, he mentions that #Trump will speak soon. Even the call to get saved includes a Trump reference?!

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress Immediately after altar call, @robertjeffress launches into another introduction of #Trump. Credits Trump with getting people say "Merry Christmas" again.

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress Another standing ovation for #Trump as he comes to pulpit.

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress #Trump is listing a bunch of political complaints about direction of country. Merry Christmas?

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress #Trump complaining about how people criticized his White House's #Christmas decorations. Cause that's the reason for the season!

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress #Trump says our nation needs a savior right now. And he leans into #ChristianNationalism by discussing U.S.'s "miraculous founding." Thanks people for "believing in our country."

@firstdallas

@firstdallas @robertjeffress #Trump gains applause as he declared "America First" and pledges to "Make America Great Again." Congregation chants "USA! USA!"
God, help us.

@firstdallas

I knew the "service" today at @firstdallas would be bad, which was why I wrote a satire about it Friday: wordandway.org/2021/12/17/for…
But this morning both @robertjeffress & #Trump were so much worse than I expected.

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More from @BrianKaylor

Brian Kaylor

@BrianKaylor

May 12, 2023

ReAwaken America starting at Trump Doral. This traveling carnival of extremism & conspiracies has long backed Trump as God's chosen, but now they're at 1 of his properties. I attended 1 last year; this political movement borrows liturgy of church:
publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-reawaken…

Michael Flynn opens ReAwaken America at Trump Doral with claims about nation built on Judeo-Christian beliefs (as he's done before: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/one-nation-u…). And he says liberals don't believe in God & don't have souls (such demonization's common: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-new-sata…)

Michael Flynn claiming during ReAwaken America at Trump Doral that those on the left don't have souls is dangerous dehumanizing rhetoric. He's painting this as a battle between God's people & soulless creatures.

Read 31 tweets

Brian Kaylor

@BrianKaylor

Mar 20, 2023

A rally in Mo. Capitol to push anti-trans bills is starting with hour-long worship service with contemporary Christian praise songs. #moleg

Main organizing group behind rally last year held event at Mo. Capitol saying God wanted gerrymandering:
publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/jesus-and-ge…
Charlie Kirk's Turning Point also here with materials & someone who will speak along with state lawmakers & Mo Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft

#moleg Sen. Mike Moon, sponsor of key anti-trans bill, speaking at service/rally. He invokes story of Esther as people prayed before she went before king. He adds that they are all here "for such a time as this." (This political use of Esther is common: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/for-such-a-t…)

Read 5 tweets

Brian Kaylor

@BrianKaylor

Jan 20, 2023

Latest round of ReAwaken America Tour is starting in Nashville. This traveling MAGA variety show of extremism & conspiracies co-opts Christians symbols & rhetoric, as I reported from last event in Branson:
publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-reawaken… 1/

ReAwaken America events have embraced #ChristianNationalism (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/how-most-chr…), demonized opponents (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-new-sata…), & pushed for violent view of spiritual warfare politics (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/taking-off-t…). 2/

@liamsadams

This time, ReAwaken America is meeting at church of 1 of the popular, regular speakers (Greg Locke). @liamsadams previewed this round for @Tennessean:
tennessean.com/story/news/rel… 3/

Read 41 tweets

Brian Kaylor

@BrianKaylor

Jan 18, 2023

@beauunderwood

Seeing more attention to role of religion & #ChristianNationalism in Jan. 8 violence in #Brazil. Important to understand this (like in Jan. 6 in US). @beauunderwood & I first detailed last week how Christian symbols & leaders showed up in Jan. 8 mob: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/christian-na… 1/

@beauunderwood

@beauunderwood Also last week, @ardenthistorian wrote about religion & Jan. 8 for @RDispatches (religiondispatches.org/coups-of-a-fea…). And @BradleyOnishi & Dan Miller talked about it on @StraightWhiteJC (open.spotify.com/episode/4xkiAE…). 2/

@RNS

Now @RNS has piece by Brazilian reporter Eduardo Campos Lima on pastors arrested during Jan. 8 violence & evangelical support for Bolsonaro & even a coup:
religionnews.com/2023/01/17/chr… 3/

Read 4 tweets

Brian Kaylor

@BrianKaylor

Nov 4, 2022

@WordandWay

In Branson at ReAwaken America Tour. Will be writing about it for @WordandWay. Been covering tour from livestream for a year but this will be different.

@MO_Independent

Wrote about ReAwaken America in @MO_Independent today:
"Missouri leaders should condemn this weekend’s Christian nationalist rally in Branson"
missouriindependent.com/2022/11/04/mis…

@WordandWay

We've also written several pieces at @WordandWay newsletter A Public Witness, including in:
Oct: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/how-most-chr…
Aug: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/taking-off-t…
July: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-sermon-m…
June: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-new-sata…
And last Nov:
publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/one-nation-u…

Read 44 tweets

Brian Kaylor

@BrianKaylor

Oct 21, 2022

@WordandWay

Next iteration of ReAwaken America Tour starts today in Pennsylvania with speakers like Michael Flynn, Eric Trump, Roger Stone, Doug Mastriano, Greg Locke, & Mike Lindell. We've been covering RAT for a year in @WordandWay's newsletter A Public Witness (publicwitness.wordandway.org)