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Tim Coffey's avatar

These people who only trust Trump have been conditioned for 30 years to distrust anything from the MSM. All Trump is doing is taking advantage of the infrastructure Limbaugh, Fox and others have built over that duration.

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John's avatar

This same thought has occurred to me

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Grumpy Liberal's avatar

Maybe 10% were trained, but the other Republicans trundled along first because the wanted to win, and now because they see no way out.

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KO in LA's avatar

And we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that this was a deliberate strategy to discredit the media so that, as he told Lesley Stahl early in his term, people would not believe negative stories about him. I mean, if you want to build a cult and attempt to seize power, it's not a bad strategy, eh?

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Kevin Robbins's avatar

He is their Christ.

Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and have followed You.”

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Sko Hayes's avatar

He's BETTER than Jesus, MAGAs think Jesus is a weak, beta male these days.

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Kim M Murphy's avatar

Dr. Russell Moore says that other evangelical pastors complain to him that when they quote from the Sermon on the Mount that their parishioners hate it and call it “weak.”

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KMD's avatar

Evangelicals now prefer the Old Testament, especially the Pentateuch - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy- because those books contain a lot more "smiting" of people for breaking rules & not a whole lot of love or forgiveness of others!

There's also the uncomfortable fact that Jesus was pretty darn " woke"! (See Matthew: 5-7, otherwise known as The Sermon on the Mount.) Evangelicals much prefer "smiting" to love.

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TW Falcon's avatar

A lot of them are also pretty fond of the book of Revelation. Waiting for the end times and the Rapture.

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Kim M Murphy's avatar

My Bible is the Old Testament. I’d like the evangelicals to find their own bibles.

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Tara Bartee's avatar

I don't think the evangelicals have the stuff it takes to be a Jew. How could those Midwest pig farmers do without their pork chops? They also don't understand that you aren't admitted to the faith just by walking into the synagogue. Christians denying or revising Christ are not Christians.

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Ellen Thomas's avatar

Don't leave out the constant drumbeat from Republican politicians.

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Tim Coffey's avatar

Yes, that too.

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Tracey Henley's avatar

This, exactly.

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Aug 21, 2023
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Kim Isenhart's avatar

What do you mean by ILOBS? I’ve never seen that acronym before.

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Aug 21, 2023
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Michael Valentine's avatar

Why not say so in the first place then we don't have to ask !

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JM's avatar

Oh I like that!

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Colleen Kochivar-Baker's avatar

Trump is also uniquely 'gifted' to form this cult as his is the virtual embodiment of the massive insecurity that underlies the MAGA movement. Trump let's them cover that personal truth with hate of others. Projection and stage presence are his secret sauce.

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Aug 21, 2023
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Colleen Kochivar-Baker's avatar

Well, Trump is their savior/champion, so they are not his equal by definition. He is way bigger than their little lives and they are just so blessed to have him turn his eyes towards them.

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Aug 21, 2023
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Colleen Kochivar-Baker's avatar

Rural America is bigoted but the servility is different than in India. It's freely given and not based in class or religious thinking. It's more about hero worship and you can see it with Hollywood celebrities, athletes, rock stars, or anyone who becomes wealthy on what is perceived to be their own talent and skill set. They embody the American dream. The Trump phenomenon would never have taken hold in rural America except for Trump starring in the Apprentice.

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Tim Coffey's avatar

What do your eyes and ears tell you?

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Tim Coffey's avatar

You're correct, of course. I used Limbaugh as an obvious marker, although the same can be said of right wing radio during that period as well.

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