In a CNN interview, a famous pastor who supports President-elect Donald Trump found himself in an awkward situation when confronted with a video the latter shared on his Truth Social platform. The video, made by a fan and dubbed ‘God Made Trump,’ provoked a serious debate among church leaders, especially in Iowa, ahead of crucial caucuses.
During the conversation, host Poppy Harlow presented a video and asked Pastor Travis Decker about his reaction. Decker attempted to disassociate Trump from the video, stating that the Republican leader did not make it himself. “He has very clearly stated behind the scenes that he is the, uh, you know, that he has the fear of God,” Decker said, as reported by Raw Story .
“You know, he’s not there yet, as far as I’m concerned. I would love to see him…grow more of a conscience in a lot of areas, but I think he has a proven track record of being a good president, especially on abortion.” The video went viral and sparked criticism for depicting Trump as a heavenly person chosen by God to restore the nation.
“GOD MADE TRUMP” pic.twitter.com/l03fK9SSfC
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 5, 2024
According to The New York Times , the clip, which replicated the voice of late conservative radio presenter, Paul Harvey, portrayed Trump as a shepherd to mankind, drawing comparisons between the President-elect and biblical terminology. The video, which received millions of views, sparked backlash, particularly among Iowa’s Christian leaders.
I guess the TRUMP WORSHIPING MAGA pastor forgot commandment number four… Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20 Not Trump’s one commandment…ME…ME…ME…ME ME. https://t.co/viA4r1cpWW
— Ricky Lamont 💙 (@RickyLamont1970) January 15, 2024
Pastor Joseph Brown of Marion Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, Iowa, voiced major concern over the video’s use of biblical terminology to explicitly connect Trump and God. Brown, a Trump voter in 2016 and 2020, declared that he would not vote for Trump again. His comments echoed the anxiety of Iowa’s influential Christian population, which includes more than three-quarters of Christians and 28% of evangelicals.
Matthew 24:11 “And many false prophets shall rise and deceive many.”
— Never Give Up – Never Back Down 🌊❄️ (@ThereseMary76) January 5, 2024
Religious leaders’ opinions, such as Brown’s, have a significant weight in Iowa, which is known for playing an important role in defining the political landscape as a result of the state’s early caucus. Historically, evangelical voters have had a significant impact on Iowa’s primary elections. Having said that, concerns about how such videos would impact Trump also flew out of the window after he won in the Iowa caucuses.
The creator of the “God made Trump” video says he doesn’t read the Bible or go to church but believes Trump has “God-tier genetics.” We’re transitioning from Trump as God’s instrument to Trump replacing God. Always wondered what it was like to watch the birth of a new religion. pic.twitter.com/jX2X0gBwpx
— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) January 17, 2024
Nonetheless, Tim Lubinus, executive director of the Iowa Baptist Convention and a supporter of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, raised worry about idolatry among Trump fans. He noted that some followers appeared to blindly back the business mogul, verging on unnecessary idolatry behavior, a sentiment seemingly shared by other religious leaders in the state at the time. Still, Trump, despite his infrequent attendance at church services, was able to earn the support of a substantial segment of the nation’s faithful, notably non-traditional, non-churchgoing Christians.
This article originally appeared 10 months ago.
