Brian Kaylor Profile picture
Jan 20 41 tweets 20 min read
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/
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/
Local clergy in Nashville area have spoken out against ReAwaken America as a perversion of the Christian faith: newschannel9.com/newsletter-dai…. We had similar alternative witness in Branson: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/ministers-co… 4/
After I criticized ReAwaken America ahead of the Branson stop (missouriindependent.com/2022/11/04/mis…), Roger Stone called me a "Marxist pastor" (wordandway.org/2022/11/10/how…). But I'm not sure Stone knows what Marxism or Christianity actually are about. 5/
This is 1st ReAwaken America since #Trump announced 2024 prez run. RAT events have been very pro-Trump (see my photo essay from Branson: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/scenes-from-…). RAT speakers regularly predict Trump will return to White House "in 2024 or before." Eric Trump will again speak.
Another new dynamic for this ReAwaken America Tour is that regular (& popular) speaker Mike Lindell is mounting longshot bid for RNC chair against Ronna McDaniel. I suspect that will come up in his speech & maybe others in Nashville this weekend.
As usual, ReAwaken America organizer Clay Clark starts by declaring Jesus is King, Donald Trump is president (& won in 2020), & Michael Flynn is America's general. This is the liturgy for this religious-political movement.
As usual, ReAwaken America opens with co-option of Jewish symbols mixed with Pentecostal rhetoric & beliefs. It sometimes feels a bit like this amalgamation could spawn a new religious movement.
Before going to partisan speeches mixed with anti-vax rhetoric, conspiracy theories, & QAnon stuff, ReAwaken America opens with worship music as if this is a church service. This shouldn't be overlooked. By baptizing the event as worship, the political rhetoric is set as from God
ReAwaken America host pastor Greg Locke now preaching. He's regular on tour. Rose to prominence by refusing to follow #COVID health rules & pushing #Trump election conspiracies (tennessean.com/story/news/rel…). Unfortunately, embracing partisan conspiracies can be church growth strategy
At ReAwaken America, Greg Locke claims Constitution is based on Bible. Has he read the Constitution? #ChristianNationalism
Greg Locke literally demonizes Democrats. But this kind of rhetoric is common at ReAwaken America events (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-new-sata…)
Popularity of Simone Gold at ReAwaken America events describes the event quite well: she's a COVID-denier, anti-vaxxer who was imprisoned for role in Jan. 6 insurrection & accused by nonprofit of lavish personal spending (rgj.com/story/news/pol…) .
At ReAwaken America, Simone Gold assures crowd they are here "for such a time as this." That verse is commonly claimed in politics today: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/for-such-a-t…
Pastor Mark Burns, a regular at ReAwaken America, gets the crowd excited about idea of #Trump as 47th president - and says they want that because they believe in Jesus.
Mark Burns demonstrates how #ChristianNationalism mixes religious & patriotic liturgy (& he uses it to lead up to prophesy that #Trump is coming back).
In upside-down world of ReAwaken America, people are dying from vaccines, not COVID. Like in presentation from Sherri Tenpenny, one of worst spreaders of COVID disinformation (religionnews.com/2021/09/14/the…). The conspiracies & anti-vax claims hurt their witness when they talk about God
"Prophet" Amanda Grace, a regular on the ReAwaken America Tour, invokes the "armor of God" to describe the religious & political changes needed in nation. This "armor of God" rhetoric is common at RAT events & politics more broadly these days: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/taking-off-t…
While ReAwaken America is happening, clergy & @FaithfulAmerica are nearby offering an alternative witness. @liamsadams of @Tennessean is on site:
.@FaithfulAmerica & local clergy have been offering an alternative witness to ReAwaken America events across country, like at the previous event in Branson, Missouri: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/ministers-co…. Glad to see them doing this again in Tennessee.
A pastor & a Turning Point USA faith representative compare Biden to Hitler, joke about death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, & compare sacrifice of founding fathers to that of Jesus,
People peddling fake COVID cures (instead of those vaccines they think kill people) are a staple of ReAwaken America events. And some, like Stella Immanuel, are popular with the crowds that come to these events.
Kash Patel tells those at ReAwaken America to seek & tell the truth. You know, while he lies for Trump about Jan. 6 & much more.
Kash Patel just said Donald Trump will show up at ReAwaken America event at Trump Doral in May.
When Michael Flynn speaks at ReAwaken America events, he always throws out crazy conspiracy theories I've never heard before. Then he asks who has heard of it & people cheer. There's weird subculture he's tapped into. Unfortunately, he mixes God into it (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-sermon-m…)
As Eric Trump often does at ReAwaken America Tour events, he calls his dad to talk to crowd. People at the church chant, "We love Trump!" Next RAT event is scheduled for Trump Doral. Despite reports of Trump losing support, it's not true at RAT.
Mike Lindell speaking at ReAwaken America. He's always popular at these events. He keeps promising he's about to prove the 2020 election "fraud," but the date keeps moving back.
Lindell gets cheers as he mentions his RNC chair run. He adds he plans to win, says God wants him to run, & attacks media for not covering his candidacy. If he loses will he claim fraud?
Mike Lindell at ReAwaken America is praising efforts to change elections in Missouri & praises Mo. Secretary of State @JayAshcroftMO, who he recently met with:
kansascity.com/news/politics-…
#mokeg
Mike Lindell just said at ReAwaken America that every reporter has his personal number. Huh, I feel left out! Did I miss the last meeting? What's up, @realMikeLindell? My DMs are open.
Day 2 of ReAwaken America kicking off at Greg Locke's church near Nashville. If you need a lighter look at #ChristianNationalism in this event, my holiday gift guide included many of the best (worst?) things RAT speakers sell:
publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/holiday-gift…
Shofar blowing to start day at ReAwaken America (as usual). They say this will bring Holy Spirit into the event. They frame the instrument as weapon for "spiritual war."
Jackson Laymeyer, a regular preacher at ReAwaken America, is touting his new effort: "Pastors for Trump" (rollingstone.com/politics/polit…)
Sean Feucht, the musical Forrest Gump of #ChristianNationalism, leading worship songs at ReAwaken America. (More on Feucht: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/when-worship…).
.@washingtonpost debunks new viral claim about Hunter Biden (washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/…). Eric Trump made big deal of this false claim yesterday at ReAwaken America. But they won't correct it. Just one more lie in the name of God at the event.
People are lining up at ReAwaken America Tour for "prophets" to pray over them. As I saw at last RAT event, the lines were long & several people fell to the ground after being touched (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-reawaken…)
Roger Stone now speaking at ReAwaken America Tour. He previously called me a "Marxist pastor" for criticizing RAT (wordandway.org/2022/11/10/how…)
As she regularly does at ReAwaken America events, "prophet" Julie Green claims to speak from God to promise God is on side of MAGA & will overturn elections. This time she also claimed God said US is "the light," a blasphemous idea. #ChristianNationalism.
Greg Locke is always popular at ReAwaken America events, but he seems to really relish being in extra spotlight as host this weekend. He's back on stage again wrapping things up.
As another round of the ReAwaken America Tour closes, thanks for following along here. Also be sure to sign up for my newsletter A Public Witness:
publicwitness.wordandway.org

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More from @BrianKaylor

Jan 18
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 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/
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
Nov 4, 2022
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. Image
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…
Read 44 tweets
Oct 21, 2022
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)
Our reports on previous ReAwaken America events have covered Flynn's #ChristianNationalist vision (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/one-nation-u… & publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-sermon-m…), demonizing of political opponents (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-sermon-m…) & use of militant rhetoric (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/taking-off-t…).
Read 41 tweets
Jun 15, 2022
Last night, @bartbarber defeated @tomascol in #SBC22 president election. And it wasn't close. What happened? Let's consider some reasons Ascol & @BaptistNetwork failed in attempt to push SBC further rightward.
🧵 1/
1. Barber was establishment pick, thus had institutional momentum on his side. And solidly conservative, claims of SBC going "liberal" or "woke" didn't fit. Even Ascol praised him as conservative & merely suggested he wouldn't fight enough against those allegedly not. #SBC22 2/
2. Ascol is best known for decades for his work to make SBC more Calvinistic. Although SBC has moved some in that direction, it's still minority & often controversial position. Although not main reason he lost, it probably didn't help.
#SBC22 3/
Read 6 tweets
Jun 14, 2022
Motions made at #SBC22 to investigate finances of North American Mission Board & salaries of various executives. Another wants to attack President Litton on plagiarism (but isn't really a proper motion).
More motions at #SBC22 to eliminate executive sessions for @SBCExecComm (not going to happen for legal reasons) & release of nominees for EC to be released earlier. Another motion targets churches that have a "woman pastor of any kind."
More motions at #SBC22 include push to investigate Southeastern Seminary (amid complaints by @BaptistNetwork supporters) & pushing contact info of trustees of various institutions
Read 9 tweets
Jun 14, 2022
First couple of rounds of voting at #SBC22 have gone against @BaptistNetwork that's trying to push SBC further rightward. But those votes also are not good predictors of what will come today. Let's consider what happened yesterday & what's maybe happening today. 🧵 1/
.@SBCExecComm elected new officers yesterday. Candidates who voted to waive attorney-client privilege in sex abuse investigation defeated those who opposed. But many CBNers who opposed waiving privilege resigned in protest last fall. apnews.com/article/politi…
2/
CBN candidate for prez of SBC Pastor's Conference, Voddie Bauchum, lost close vote (religionnews.com/2022/06/14/sbc…). Although well-known, he's not actually SBC member. And he skipped part of Conference to attend CBN counter event. Significant baggage working against him for this role 3/
Read 11 tweets

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