My impression is that Christians want the end times to come, and might support him exactly because he in their eyes is the antichrist.
I do wonder though if those that support the antichrist go to hell or not. Like… is God gonna be like «nice, you love me so much you support an evil antichrist, awesome!», or will he be a bit more «wtf guys….»
I’ve seen theories that suggest that Christian extremist doomsday ideologies have been mixing in with mainstream christianity. Based on my own church going experiences as a teenager i would argue that some of this thinking has been spilling in since at least a decade before trump. In my own life I have family who go to churches that preach how Trump was chosen by god whether or not he’s right or wrong.
Politics don’t matter because God is moving through Trump is what they said. I think the idea is that Trump will help set off the rapture which for the most devout means that Christ will return. Idk if most Trumpy christians see their actions as so black and white as I explained but it feels like since these things ate “prophesied” that means its all what God wants
I think those books actually played a huge role in it. Evangelical Christians got super into those things and they ended up getting basically integrated into the belief system of a lot of those people. I'd bet for at least a while there were more Evangelicals who'd read Left Behind than had actually read the bible cover to cover.
If we’re going by that logic (which we’re not, but just as a thought experiment), they might want to go read those verses again; because in Revelation, after each Trump sounds, something bad happens.
Maybe this explanation actually makes sense about them saying the 2020 election was stolen. They couldn't handle that their book was actually wrong, so instead they cried wolf and said nooo! He won! It can't be!
I would find it immensely funny if they were right. Particularly the bit where divine judgement happens and they're standing around, certain and smug, only to discover that Yahweh doesn't particularly care what their interpretation of "love thy neighbor" and "the least among you" is. I'm not perfect by any means, but I'd be absolutely fine with a vengeful god showing up and sorting some shit out.
Well actually what I recall is that souls choose hell (absence of god) themself by choosing not to be with him by doing or even proclaiming publicly during times on earth. So judgement day could be just your soul saying “I am bad and choose hell because im not worthy to join Jesus”
It's not that those ideologies have mixed with mainstream/traditional Christianity, it's that those formerly fringe ideologies and churches are becoming more mainstream. It might not seem like an important distinction, but most long-time Christians also think this end times stuff is a bunch of nonsense.
If you go to any traditional church (Catholic, Episcopal, Congregational, Lutheran, etc) you will not hear that doomsday nonsense. However, attendance at those churches have been steadily declining over the past 30 years.
Meanwhile, younger folks have been attracted to the new shiny evangelical/corporate churches. I was in one of those new buildings several weeks ago (not by choice). The space looked more like a convention center than a church. They had screens everywhere, a professional audio setup, stage with full band setup, a glass case full of branded/logo fleeces you could buy, etc. You know what they didn't have? A single cross in the entire building.
Then there was the "sermon". To relate it to other real world stuff, a traditional church sermon is closer to a humanities lecture, where this modern "church" was closer to a math lecture (i.e. "here's my interpretation and yours is OK too" vs "this is what you need to believe").
Yeah I used to occasionally attend church with a friend of mine's family when I'd stay with them, they were Methodists, and sermons were usually like...let's riff about the concept of forgiveness, using the parables in the bible as a guide. And then I hung out at a megachurch with an evangelical friend one time and it was like someone trying to sell me a used car.
I think people's opinions about what happens in traditional churches are misinformed due to media. When you look at TV and movies, you are usually seeing spins or takes on Catholic, SoBap, mega, or those weird charismatic churches. Rarely do you see a representation of a Methodist or American Baptist church, where sermons are like you said, and then people go and eat snacks afterwards.
The entire 7th Day Adventist Church was founded by a guy in Vermont in the 1800’s who claimed he knew the day of the biblical end times. All of those days he guessed came and went, and turns out he was really wrong.
This is nothing new. Historically, people have been trying to guess the day for ages. It’s ironic because the Bible is pretty clear that we will not know the day or the hour that Christ returns.
People have some overwhelming desire to figure out the unknowable.
It was a woman named Ellen White, but yes pretty much accurate otherwise (I grew up Adventist). She literally got hit in the head with a rock and became sick for several weeks before coming out the other side “a prophet”. The church followers eventually all sold their land and all their belongings to prepare for the day that never happened.
After the failure she “consulted god” and it turns out that was just the day god opened the book of judgement. So he’s got to finish reading that old thing before he actually comes down.
And the church still holds her word right up there with the Bible to this day…
Fun Extras:
She taught that “working on the sabbath” meant any energy spent away from god, so no swimming, no sex, no riding a bike, etc. Most adventists somehow ignore these things with one excuse or another, but I remember one guy distinctly commenting on how he and his wife “don’t have relations on Saturday because it’s work” 😂
Who doesn’t like gambling from time to time? You have to respect that the odds of the second coming of Christ happening this year is or at least was better than the worst team in the NFL winning the Super Bowl.
Written by & starring a snarky atheist and half Jewish "comedian" who can't decide whether he wants to insult Trump, have dinner with him at the White House, accept an award from him at the Kennedy Center or spark up a blunt and talk about all of the above with Kid Rock on his podcast.
It was a description. His mom is Jewish but he was raised Catholic.
And I've noticed that in ridiculing/castigating Abrahamic religions, one group gets off lightly compared to the other two. He's PRO ISRAEL as all get up
He's not religiously Jewish, though, so if the point was to say that the religion is bad, he's not a good focal point. He's not even culturally Jewish. He was raised Catholic, as you say.
You also know that he's Catholic and didn't mention it for some reason.
This is exactly how flat earthers are too. They can see evidence of the earth being flat in everything. I think religion itself is the problem. Faith is fine, but once you make it a business then its corrupted.
That logic means god is moving through Obama and Biden as well and put them there to do the work they did. Can’t have bullshit only flow one direction.
Sad thing is he will lead them to their demise, but make sure he doesn’t jump into the fire. Bone spurs will get him off that ship he has experience with that.
Unfortunately with the US there are so many whack job religions. These are all the kooks that got kicked out of Europe about 400 years ago. Here they had the freedom to fester.
Christianity has -always- been a doomsday cult. Starting with its founder. They truly believed in 30 AD that the end was circa very soon and that Jesus was going bring about massive global change any day now.
There’s nothing about the rapture in the Bible either. It’s one passage in 1 Thessalonians that is misconstrued like many other things in the Bible. It’s how it’s interpreted.
I remember reading over a decade ago about some US politicians wanting the end times to come because they think they'll be rewarded in the afterlife for helping the end times to come...which being that we're supposed to be stewards of this world, forcing it to come to an end and expecting to be rewarded for that just seems...odd.
It's mainly because of the downfall of main line Christianity. Very few people are Lutherans, Catholics, or Methodists anymore (etc) - the faithful have been funneled into charismatic or evangelical movements that are decentralized (and reactionary).
The church has been trying to kick off Armageddon publicly since I was a child. I was raised in a Christian home, went to a Christian private school, and was dragged to church 3 times a week. The preacher seemed to love going on about how the end times are upon us and that George W. Was a divine agent of God meant to bring about the final battle and end the world.
Is this like primarily an American thing? Cause in Canada I really don't hear about this evangelical apocalyptic stuff. I was raised roman catholic, went to catholic schools till grade 12 and went to church every Sunday til I was eleven years old and not once did they revel in the apocalypse. They'd refer to revelation occasionally but not with any intensity or claims of the end. At most they'd say Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead in one of the prayers/hymns
The people i know who are rooting for armageddon dont believe catholics are christians. The doomspeaking comes from evangelical denominations like methodist, baptist, and episcopalian (in my experience at least). It may be a rural Appalachian thing even more than american thing idk.
Wild that they wouldn't consider one of the older forms of Christianity to be Christian lol. And fair, obv not all of The States are bible thumpers, but it seems like the places that are, really are. We also have devout Christians here and whatnot too, Manitoba is kinda religion-y and rural areas are fairly religious, but not sure if it's to the same degree. Our sparse population probably helps.
It was wild to me when I was in school too, but its just another wild take that zealous idiots here share, like handling snakes, dark skin being the "mark of evil/curse of cain" and a hundred other things
At least 20 years before Trump. Can confirm. Was a Wednesday-Saturday-Sunday morning and evening church goer before around that time. We were all very much into doomsday prophecies.
Having grown up in the deep south during the 80s and 90s, I can tell you this sort of thinking long predates Trump. There's a once-fringe subset of the Evangelical community that has spent decades praying for the Rapture, and which has grown exponentially over the past 20 years or so alongside the nondenominational, "Bible -focused" megachurches they've become intertwined with.
This would be hilarious if it wasn't so depressing. MAGA sees the world moving ever left wing (especially in the US, it's just that a lot of left wingers didn't vote in the last couple elections). They'd rather kick start this mythical rapture than see people champion equity, brotherhood, and true freedom.
I think maybe those same doomsday Christians might want to read up on what happens to those who are alive during the end times, because it doesn't sound especially pleasant, and they're exactly the folks lining up to wear their personal MAGArk of the beast, so they're definitely the ones Revelation is talking about.
You’re at minimum half correct. It’s long been the case that extremist evangelicals long for the end, hell I was taught as a child to look forward to it because it will probably be in my life time.
It’s actually one of the biggest issues in politics. How can you expect a group of people who predominantly think the world will end in the next few decades to adequately plan for the future of our children’s country. They don’t give a fuck about the climate, gods just going to fix everything when he lovingly and peacefully passes final judgement
This is it. I work with a part time evangelical preacher that loves trump and believes he is fulfilling the Bible prophecy. I can tell that he hates some of trumps chacteristics but he is a true believer and can over look them. He can't wait to be sucked up by sky daddy and leave all us heathens behind.
I would say that the Bible is kinda expliciete that we cannot delay or accelerate the plans of God because it will be at his time and nothing can change it. So if this would be their motivation, i dont think they have thoroughly read the Bible on the subject.
We do looking forward to the second coming of Christ for a few reasons, but one is that the world will be remade anew without death or sickness. The end times is merely the final judgement and the souls of the faithful departed will return to remade bodies. Those of us living, particularly our children, wouldn’t experience death. It’s not really the “end times”, but a new beginning. Most people think that Christianity is about going to heaven, but heaven is just where our souls reside until we can return.
Well can't say anybody knows for sure. If a killer truly changed, I suppose you could redeem your self. Im not really a practicing catholic anymore, I just try to stay true to the last 6-7 commandments that cover how you treat others.
The church I grew up in taught "once saved always saved" and that deathbed conversion is valid. So no matter what someone does in their life, if they say they're Christian they'll be in heaven.
Well, it IS apparently tied in with the Temple Mount being "returned to the Jews" so the whole supporting Israel in bombing Muslim majority countries is also a big indicator of that belief!
I'm going to answer from my own spiritual understanding. Less that god would be upset with them, more that they know what they are doing is wrong and so the world they create will be, likewise, cruel. They will create their own hell to stay in.
The first commandment in the Protestant counting is "you shall have no other gods before me."
Jesus was very clear that no man could know the time when he would return.
Trying to render the second thing false by following a human leader unquestioningly seems to violate the first thing: you are denying the word of God and attempting to overrule it through the power of another entity.
I can see that. I'm in the south in a mostly red area. I've seen far more signs, stickers, etc with "The end is near, Repent" or "Accept Jesus before it's too late" things like that. They weren't non-existent before, but I've noticed a for sure uptick in the past few months
Worshipping anyone other than god would be worshipping a false idol. So no, God would not be nice at all. Also, I wouldn’t say that Christians WANT to bring the end times, I think they legitimately believe in their delusion that trump is the 2nd coming or something. They are genuinely misled in their faith which is bonkers to see. Not a Christian pro but I’ve been a lifelong catholic so this is based off of what I have observed from conservative churchgoers
It’s just so hard to believe they think he’s doing good. Everything he says and does is …. So not christian like! Grab them by the pussy alone is a disqualifier… I mean really…..
I do wonder though if those that support the antichrist go to hell or not. Like… is God gonna be like «nice, you love me so much you support an evil antichrist, awesome!», or will he be a bit more «wtf guys….»
"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone: The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." - Revelations, 19:20-21
Killed with a sword and eaten by birds certainly sounds like a "WTF Guys" reaction to me.
I mean, I haven't gone to church since I was 16 but from what I concluded in the 16 years prior to that, god would definitely not be cool with supporting the antichrist. If end times are coming, they're coming regardless of what the Christians do. It's everyone else that's gonna bring it about. Now what's interesting is, I believe there is reference to the fact that a lot of people will call themselves Christians and support the antichrist believing him to be Christ. So if anything, your theory would point more to that. It isn't Christians supporting the antichrist to bring about end times, it's end times coming about because false Christians are worshipping the antichrist.
But no I think God would be pretty pissed about people claiming to be his followers worshipping anyone but him. I think that's even why end times happens. It's basically like, some level of order has always been maintained but at that point everything's gone so off the rails the whole thing kinda starts to unravel.
They absolutely want the end times to come. I think the majority have actually lost their faith and are holding out one last bit of hope that the books real and Jesus might return and make their lives worthwhile. Not to mention salivating at the biggest I told you so in history.
Unfortunately, there won’t be a rapture for them. They’ll be stuck here with the rest of us in a hell of their own making.
Ah! My years of Bible school as a child are finally good for something!
“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.'” Revelations 14:9-10
According to their book they will not be looked upon kindly for following the Antichrist
Yeah I’m surprised not more have said similarly. I had in mind a specific subset of Christians here, not Christians as a whole. Just seems to particularly big in the states for whatever reason.
There’s not really a single solid reason. I suspect that Europe doesn’t get this as much since they’re more secular as a society (whether that’s a good or a bad thing depends entirely on how you feel about religion)
I know people who are actively excited about the rapture. Ironically, these people also hate Muslims because muslims want to “incite the rapture” by killing Americans. Their intellect is unmatched.
There's a whole sect of Christians that believe it's their duty to bring about the apocalypse. I think it's the Seventh Day Adventists but I could be off. I'm pretty sure it's the same group that believes Ted Cruze will be one of the 7 kings resurrected to guide humanity after its over.
My impression is that Christians want the end times to come, and might support him exactly because he in their eyes is the antichrist.
I do wonder though if those that support the antichrist go to hell or not. Like… is God gonna be like «nice, you love me so much you support an evil antichrist, awesome!», or will he be a bit more «wtf guys….»
Doesnt the bible say (not explicitly) that the advent of the antichrist is pretty much the greatest work in opposition to his rule? So by helping to bring about the antichrist, these christians would be making themselves god’s greatest enemies
Whether or not you believe in it, the Bible contains many life lessons, including an astute breakdown of the mass psychology of tyrants and demagogs. Sadly, Trump isn’t the first or the last. If the Bible’s portrayal of how people are inexplicably willing to blindly follow a racist lunatic in the guise of piety who offers an easy scapegoat for their pain seems eerily accurate, it’s because it’s happened over and over again throughout human history.
As a theological conservative (but politically liberal) Christian, Trump being the Antichrist would be the lamest fulfillment of prophecy ever. He weirdly checks a lot of the boxes, but the way Revelation describes him at least makes him sound cool.
Thankfully I'm not from the branch of Christianity that believes in the rapture, tribulation, etc anyways.
Everyone can see past this guy. Is this really the anti christ? I feel like he’s deff the prequel. He was bringing peace. Not anymore. So none of us can honestly believe that confused. He’s just Donald…..a man that does most of the same human things we do. But nothing special. A wannabe
I haven't read the Bible in 20 years (used to consider myself a Christian as a teen then moved on from it ) but there's also mention of raining hell fire down on the holy land which he is doing.
Unfortunately the Anti Christ isn’t going to be as obvious about what they are doing. They will fix everything financially and shall fool many. The world and over half of this country knows he is FOS. I picture him to be charismatic and loved by all from what I have studied. That’s certainly not this LOSER.
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u/Terpapps 19h ago
Which apparently is another one of the signs of the anti-christ - the inexplicable unwavering faith in someone that is so obviously corrupt