It has always been a matter of some curiosity as to why evangelical Christians support former President Donald Trump despite his erratic behaviour.
According to a report in The Economist there’s a reason for this. A survey conducted by Denison University political scientist Paul Djupe says that some 30% of Americans believe Trump “was anointed by God to become president”.
The Economist traces the origins of this belief to Lance Wallnau who declared himself a prophet and managed to convince a bunch of people that Trump was God’s personal choice for the White House.
Wallanu thinks that Trump will restore Christians as the nation’s rightful political rulers.
God anointed Trump
“Adherents believe that God wants them to build his kingdom on Earth. Hindering them are demons, who govern vast swathes of the planet. To use a metaphor favoured by Mr Wallnau, these demons control seven mountains, each symbolizing a sphere of life: family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business and government.”
The article also connects Trump’s role with the deadly riots at the United States Capitol on Jan 6, 2021 where Trump supporters broke into the Capitol and sent lawmakers fleeing.
The report states, “Prophets battled the evil spirits embedded in the Capitol by praying, their voices amplified on a PA system. Protesters blew shofar, ram’s horns which they believe can summon the forces of heaven. Many protesters brandished flags emblazoned with the words, ‘An Appeal to Heaven,’ the apostles rallying cry for a Christian conquest of America.”
While most Americans do not believe God has a say in presidential elections, according to a Pew Research Center survey in 2017, one in seven adults in the United States do believe that there is a God or a higher power in the universe that knows everything that goes on in the world, and six-in-ten people believe that God has the power to direct or change everything that happens in the world.
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