1/
I read this essay from @DavidAFrench with great interest.
I am a pentacostal. These are my people and I know them well; I have my degree in Biblical Studies from @Estoncollege which is the College of my denomination: the Apostolic Church of Pentacost.
frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/the-seeds-of…
I read this essay from @DavidAFrench with great interest.
I am a pentacostal. These are my people and I know them well; I have my degree in Biblical Studies from @Estoncollege which is the College of my denomination: the Apostolic Church of Pentacost.
frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/the-seeds-of…
2/
First, some things I agree with.
He is right that there are almost no elite theologians or Christian cultural commentators that have any idea what my people believe "on the ground."
He is right about that. However, this is not something that typically bothers us. However...
First, some things I agree with.
He is right that there are almost no elite theologians or Christian cultural commentators that have any idea what my people believe "on the ground."
He is right about that. However, this is not something that typically bothers us. However...
3/
It does grate on me when various elites sneer without bothering to understand what it is we believe.
Most have not read a single book by Simon Chan or Gordon Fee but will claim to know what we believe. (Fee gave me my Greek New Testament FWIW)
It's very frustrating.
Next...
It does grate on me when various elites sneer without bothering to understand what it is we believe.
Most have not read a single book by Simon Chan or Gordon Fee but will claim to know what we believe. (Fee gave me my Greek New Testament FWIW)
It's very frustrating.
Next...
4/
He is right that it is hard to differentiate between a fringe movement which can be nutpicked, and a large movement of genuine concern.
I sympathize with people who see something bad and don't know if it is fringe or widespread. It difficult to judge.
He is right that it is hard to differentiate between a fringe movement which can be nutpicked, and a large movement of genuine concern.
I sympathize with people who see something bad and don't know if it is fringe or widespread. It difficult to judge.
5/
So I want to acknowledge that French does get some things right.
The issue I take with this essay comes from two passages. I'll highlight the first and then comment in the tweets that follow.
So I want to acknowledge that French does get some things right.
The issue I take with this essay comes from two passages. I'll highlight the first and then comment in the tweets that follow.
6/
These passages make two seperste but connected points about what motivates MAGA pentacostals:
1. Trump is a part of a divine plan and when Trump wins the Church and America win.
2. A focus on leftist excesses creates fear and a desire to "hit back" which feeds extremism
These passages make two seperste but connected points about what motivates MAGA pentacostals:
1. Trump is a part of a divine plan and when Trump wins the Church and America win.
2. A focus on leftist excesses creates fear and a desire to "hit back" which feeds extremism
7/
With all respect, this gets close at times, but misses the point.
I think I can illustrate what motivates pentacostal political engagent by taking a look at Stephen Colbert.
I know this seems odd but trust me, this will make sense...
With all respect, this gets close at times, but misses the point.
I think I can illustrate what motivates pentacostal political engagent by taking a look at Stephen Colbert.
I know this seems odd but trust me, this will make sense...
8/
I watched a week ago as many in "respectable" evangelical circles heaped effusive praise on Stephen Colbert for his answer when discussing his Catholicism with Dua Lipa.
Apparantly, they thought this was excellent.
I did not, and I would like to explain why...
I watched a week ago as many in "respectable" evangelical circles heaped effusive praise on Stephen Colbert for his answer when discussing his Catholicism with Dua Lipa.
Apparantly, they thought this was excellent.
I did not, and I would like to explain why...
9/
Compare what Colbert said there, with this bit of cruelty directed at Sarah Palin.
Note his contempt for Palin, and (language warning) the delight he gets from treating her like like shit. Now lets discuss how this explains what Motivates MAGA pentacostal political engagement
Compare what Colbert said there, with this bit of cruelty directed at Sarah Palin.
Note his contempt for Palin, and (language warning) the delight he gets from treating her like like shit. Now lets discuss how this explains what Motivates MAGA pentacostal political engagement
10/
You see, the elite/educated/bluecheck people LOVED Colberts answer to Dua Lipa. Why? Because to them that sounds lovely and winsome and articulate. Basically, "look at how smart and sophisticated he sounds."
I do not share this view.
To me his answer sounded lifeless...
You see, the elite/educated/bluecheck people LOVED Colberts answer to Dua Lipa. Why? Because to them that sounds lovely and winsome and articulate. Basically, "look at how smart and sophisticated he sounds."
I do not share this view.
To me his answer sounded lifeless...
11/
In the light of his needlessly Cruel treatment of Sarah Palin (who isn't even running for office)
over a cringey facebook post, his answer felt flat, forced, and fake.
As I watched him meander through that answer the though that struck me was a quote from Thomas Goodwin...
In the light of his needlessly Cruel treatment of Sarah Palin (who isn't even running for office)
over a cringey facebook post, his answer felt flat, forced, and fake.
As I watched him meander through that answer the though that struck me was a quote from Thomas Goodwin...
12/
Who said "Heaven would be hell to me without Christ.”
In that light, I think heaven will be hell for Stephen Colbert, because Sarah Palin will be there and Colbert will have to see her be loved by Christ forever and that will be hell for Colbert.
Are we getting the point...?
Who said "Heaven would be hell to me without Christ.”
In that light, I think heaven will be hell for Stephen Colbert, because Sarah Palin will be there and Colbert will have to see her be loved by Christ forever and that will be hell for Colbert.
Are we getting the point...?
13/
I'll try another angle:
There is no credible, thoughtful, strong, meaningful voice in the public sphere that connects with the blue collar, everyday American.
The public sphere has been hollowed out of meaning, and there is no authentic Chirstian witness.
None.
So...
I'll try another angle:
There is no credible, thoughtful, strong, meaningful voice in the public sphere that connects with the blue collar, everyday American.
The public sphere has been hollowed out of meaning, and there is no authentic Chirstian witness.
None.
So...
14/
Many so-called elites **LOVED** that Colbert clip. They thought it was marvelous.
They don't realize that his sort of message falls flat both because of his cruelty to people like Palin, but also because that style of communication falls flat with most of Americans...
Many so-called elites **LOVED** that Colbert clip. They thought it was marvelous.
They don't realize that his sort of message falls flat both because of his cruelty to people like Palin, but also because that style of communication falls flat with most of Americans...
15/
It isn't even the message itself. If someone who was not horrifically cruel said that exact thing, it would still fall flat and for exactly the same reason: it doesn't communicate anything meaningful to most Americans in a way that connects with them.
This is just a fact...
It isn't even the message itself. If someone who was not horrifically cruel said that exact thing, it would still fall flat and for exactly the same reason: it doesn't communicate anything meaningful to most Americans in a way that connects with them.
This is just a fact...
16/
You can hate Trump and Palin all you like, but they knew how to speak to regular people, and regular people are worth reaching.
I don't care that Colbert is good with words, and Trump and Palin are not good with words.
That doesn't matter to me in the slightest....
You can hate Trump and Palin all you like, but they knew how to speak to regular people, and regular people are worth reaching.
I don't care that Colbert is good with words, and Trump and Palin are not good with words.
That doesn't matter to me in the slightest....
17/
That there is no one the public sphere who can communicate the gospel message to regular people is a great shame.
That blue check elites, who
***P R I D E***
Themselves on their education have not figured out how to do this is an indictment of Christian educstion...
That there is no one the public sphere who can communicate the gospel message to regular people is a great shame.
That blue check elites, who
***P R I D E***
Themselves on their education have not figured out how to do this is an indictment of Christian educstion...
18/
In the absence of the educated Christian elite to reach regular people and inject some authentic spiritual meaning into the lublic sphere, the space opened up for anyone at all who could speak to those people. That turns out to be people like Palin.
In short...
In the absence of the educated Christian elite to reach regular people and inject some authentic spiritual meaning into the lublic sphere, the space opened up for anyone at all who could speak to those people. That turns out to be people like Palin.
In short...
19/
The public sphere has been spiritually hollowed out, and there is no authentic Christian witness in public...we get Colbert instead.
So in thst light, pentacostals afe on a spiritual quest. They want something to open the door to those who they feel can inject authentic...
The public sphere has been spiritually hollowed out, and there is no authentic Christian witness in public...we get Colbert instead.
So in thst light, pentacostals afe on a spiritual quest. They want something to open the door to those who they feel can inject authentic...
20/
Spiritual meaning.
They see nihilistic wokeness taking over, they see social decay, and they see Trump willing to speak to them in a way they understand, and they see him as willing to do something about to decay and rot.
Love it or not, that IS was is happening...
Spiritual meaning.
They see nihilistic wokeness taking over, they see social decay, and they see Trump willing to speak to them in a way they understand, and they see him as willing to do something about to decay and rot.
Love it or not, that IS was is happening...
21/
And they see Trump as cracking open the door to the culture, so they can shine a light into the darkness.
If blue-check evangelicals don't like that, they should figure out how to speak to regular people, and how to inject some hope and spiritual meaning into the culture...
And they see Trump as cracking open the door to the culture, so they can shine a light into the darkness.
If blue-check evangelicals don't like that, they should figure out how to speak to regular people, and how to inject some hope and spiritual meaning into the culture...
22/
Finally, let me just say this....
I don'y typically flex my follower count, but the fact that I have a silly name and a goofy blue bird picture and still rscked up almost 100k followers is an indictment of evangrlical culture, and of the entire edifice of evangelical...
Finally, let me just say this....
I don'y typically flex my follower count, but the fact that I have a silly name and a goofy blue bird picture and still rscked up almost 100k followers is an indictment of evangrlical culture, and of the entire edifice of evangelical...
23/
Cultural engagement.
The only reason my account gets noticed is because it is an oasis of meaning that is clearly and effectively communicated that sits in a desert of elites constantly trying to impress other people with high verbal acuity.
That's it....
Cultural engagement.
The only reason my account gets noticed is because it is an oasis of meaning that is clearly and effectively communicated that sits in a desert of elites constantly trying to impress other people with high verbal acuity.
That's it....
24/
Finally, let me just say that I do not think the threat of wokeness is overstated.
The nihilism and relativism thst is latent in the postnodernism at the heart of wokeness will only further hollow out our institutions and the west in general. I do not think that the...
Finally, let me just say that I do not think the threat of wokeness is overstated.
The nihilism and relativism thst is latent in the postnodernism at the heart of wokeness will only further hollow out our institutions and the west in general. I do not think that the...
25/
Threat to our civilization from wokeness and leftist appeasement of wokeness is overstated.
And I think the ultimate answer is spiritual renewal. I am, after all, a pentacostal.
The elite class wants public winsomeness and sophistication but regular people crave revival...
Threat to our civilization from wokeness and leftist appeasement of wokeness is overstated.
And I think the ultimate answer is spiritual renewal. I am, after all, a pentacostal.
The elite class wants public winsomeness and sophistication but regular people crave revival...
26/
Pentacostals are trying to fill that void, and Trump said he's on their side. He speaks to them and their concerns, and he does so in a way they understand.
If elites don't like it, they can learn to speak to regular people, and they can learn to do so by listening.
/fin
Pentacostals are trying to fill that void, and Trump said he's on their side. He speaks to them and their concerns, and he does so in a way they understand.
If elites don't like it, they can learn to speak to regular people, and they can learn to do so by listening.
/fin
PPS/
I wrote this on my phone, so it's full of typos. For that I am sorry.
I wrote this on my phone, so it's full of typos. For that I am sorry.
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