After the elections, a video surfaced on the internet of some elite evangelicals laying hands over Donald-Trump prior to the election night praying and speaking in tongues for him to win the race to the White House. I only came across this video after the elections. This gingered my curiosity as a journalist to analyze the voter turn out from the christian evangelical religious group. Hardly had one dug deep it seemed to really think about who the people are behind the numbers in support of the new president-elect Donald Trump.
Now, the words these ministers said in prayer are so important to take note of because it will help give a better sense and clarity to the thinking or the reasons behind their backing for the new PEOTUS.
One of the evangelicals prayed saying, “He not only says what he believes but was willing to put himself in jeopardy for what he believes that will help us economically and spiritually and every way in this Nation, so today we pray for Donald Trump, yeah pray for his family and his associates ,we pray that what he has heard today from those who have spoken into his life he will consider. Lord I pray that you will bring into his life a strong African-american who can stand with them and represent that community so that his voice will be heard even a stronger when they’re important. Whatever it is you’re going to do to bring around, get the right people as he looks for this campaign we ask you to give him directions and give them hope and Lord thank you for allowing us to be here for this special moment perhaps we’ll look back on this day and remember that we stood together and we prayed over the next president of the United States. “
Another prayed, “Father you said in your Word, yes any man that lacks wisdom let him ask of God (inaudible…)let him ask in faith nothing wavers and any man that waivers is like the blowing wind on the water, let not that man think he shall receive anything from the Lord. No man can be successful as president of the united states without your wisdom and so we ask you today, yes to give this man your wisdom boldly, only make sure and certain that he hears. Yes manifest yourself to him and we thank you and praise you for a bold, strong and obedient man…”
Another prayed, “Jesus, only two nations that have been a relationship with God are Israel and the United States of America. Father God in YESHUA’s name if you bring this man to the Oval Office I speak blessing over this man… speaks tongue…Father for the sake of you and your kingdom because of your love of Donald Trump. Donald Trump the Lord bless you and keep you yeah the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious the Lord lift you up. Father you gave Solomon wisdom to govern your people , Father if you exalt this man to the highest office in this land we pray for wisdom and your glory would be seen in this Country”
And a female evangelical Paula White who is Donald Trumps’ Spiritual adviser rounds up the prayer saying, “We secure him right now by the blood of that no weapon formed against him shall prosper and any tongue that rises against him will be condemned according to the Word of God and even as we lay hands on him right now let your hand be laid upon him let him have a greater counter with you a greater encounter with a spirit of God that according to Ephesians 1:17 and 18 the eyes of his understanding would be in light that he may know what is the hope of the riches of the glory of inheritance of the Saints that any veil would be removed and his eyes would be open to see the glory and greatness of God all the days of his life, he will live well. I secured him, I secure his children, I secure is calling and his mantle in Jesus name Amen.”
President-elect Trump had ran his campaign as the whole world knows on some really strong comments that has therefore translated to the immediate fear hence the protests in cities around the country post-election win. People have taken him literally on his words about how he would preside the nation from the famous building of the wall to the ban on all muslims, the LGBT equality issue, planned parenthood and abortion laws, healthcare aka Obamacare and a host of others acclamations. In addition to all these, one can also add the bullying, harassment in public areas, racial tensions that has spurred from the sort of campaign Mr. Trump ran. The white supremacist group KKK according to sources NPR and the Washington Post also had endorsed Trump during the campaign. The Ku Klux Klan’s newspaper The Crusader brands itself as the premier voice of the white resistance according to both sources, the clan put out this statement during the campaign “While Trump wants to make America great again, we have to ask ourselves, ‘What made America great in the first place?’” the endorsement reads, according to the Washington Post “The short answer to that is simple. America was great not because of what our forefathers did — but because of who our forefathers were. America was founded as a White Christian Republic. And as a White Christian Republic it became great.” Washington Post and NPR notes in the article that Trumps campaign at that time, made it clear they did not want such endorsement and led out a statement denouncing hate in any form saying “This publication is repulsive and their views do not represent the tens of millions of Americans who are uniting behind our campaign.”
The KKK itself said they had used this opportunity of Trump’s campaign to recruit new members as the establishment was dying. Based on the sort of campaign ran which had a lot of isms (sexism, racism…) one would think that this religious group would have abstained from the Trump campaign but according to PEW research which is a highly trusted research center in the world, the backing of the christian group, Catholics and evangelicals couldn’t have been any bigger for Mr. Trump’s’ campaign. The backing of this religious group played a key and pivotal role in the ensuring for certainty he wins the race to the White House. The PEW Research details more about their findings here but to highlight the picture, “ Those who supported Republican candidates in recent elections, such as white born-again or evangelical Christians and white Catholics, strongly supported Donald Trump as well. Groups that traditionally backed Democratic candidates, including religious “nones,” Hispanic Catholics and Jews, were firmly in Hillary Clinton’s corner.”
Trump is, of course, the Future President of the United States, and at such a time where protests have been going on, there is need more than ever for a more UNITED states, a call for unity. This is no big secret that majority of Christians, not just white evangelicals, or the KKK but across the world Christians from Africa and elite pastors from the continent stand behind Trump. The big question to review is WHY and does understanding ‘why’ help people move forward in unison or does it bring further division?
A part of me almost refused to write this article because I questioned my intent and its impact, media seemed to have failed us once in some way during the election coverage and now post-election, I don’t want to add to the chaos as a journalist but rather attempt in every possible way to present ideas with the best of intent in the hopes that gives opportunity to all sides or stakes to be heard. Mainstream media made it chaotic to keep track of what is fact and what is opinion. I’ve read several blogs and almost majority of comments suggest that the media failed them. It begs me to question how we can present ideas with an added layer of just a bit of consciousness. Could media have done a better job at presenting ideas of christians, muslims and the individuals behind the votes? If statistics shows that majority of christians and evangelicals voted Trump, is there something missing that this religious group knows or perceived that the rest of the world is not aware of about Donald Trump?
Yes, majority of Christians according to statistics voted for Trump, based on this historic election race that has done a good job to expose a side of America that revealed hate, divisiveness, sexism, bigotry, xenophobia and so on, in some way from both parties that ran, trying to vote as most people put it was like being stuck between a “rock and a hard place” or others referred to as “having to pick between the lesser of two evils”; and yet majority Christians chose a side and lent their full support, which was for Trump. Is there something more they have seen or know about Donald Trump and how he will govern as the President that puts them at ease? If they do, perhaps more Christians should take to the table and help the rest of the world understand better how they can give the president-elect a chance in a way that promotes peace and renounces hate. Why are more Christians not speaking openly about this? There was a silent majority. As one article about this put it, four out of five white evangelicals voted for the Republican nominee, according to exit polls. How did people of faith reconcile the teaching of Christ with the tough rhetoric of the reality star and real estate mogul?
