My opinion is that he does think of himself as a Christian. They’re welcome to him, of course, and I certainly hope he isn’t a closeted atheist as he seems to embody the worse traits of the human race. His idea of being a Christian obviously doesn’t resemble most peoples idea of what being a Christian means. I don’t think he really knows much about religion in general and has latched onto a few superficial ideas and has no intention of adhering to anything he finds the least bit inconvenient. No regularly going to church, no tithing, and plenty of adultery. I do think he sees through the prosperity gospel scam and admires his fellow con artist. All a matter of conjecture from things he’s said. Maybe it is just one big con to get votes and he doesn’t believe in a deity and has just latched on to the gullibility of those who do. Any ideas?
I apologise for resorting to Godwin’s law. BUT I think Donald Trump is a Christian in the same way as Adolf Hitler was a catholic.IE when it suits his purpose of the moment…
-And sadly, No I don’t think it’s much of stretch to compare Trump with a fascist dictator. Perhaps THE limiting factor for Trump is a fairly robust US constitution, designed to prevent a king/dictator gaining power
IMO - he is too stupid to not believe he is one. If he wasn’t when he got into office, he is now.
The man does not have the cognitive ability to think his way around Pascal’s Wager.
Or has the self awareness of an oleander.
Trump is on record as saying he doesn’t recognise his need for Jesus’s forgiveness because he hasn’t done anything wrong, which is as hilarious an understanding of any sort of religion much less Christianity. He might even dismiss Jesus as a loser and a sucker for getting himself crucified; what could possibly could have been in it for him? Sad.
How can we assess a con man, a liar, one with no moral directives? Personally, I think he doesn’t give a crap about religion, unless it benefits him in some way. And tragically his position as a fake christian was very important in his political success.
What really concerns me is the many who sincerely believe he was sent by god.
I suspect Trump is an atheist. Any indication that he is a believer is just another way for him to con people into supporting him and gaining admiration of others–even if he knows its false.
I also think Trump is incapable of any kind of introspection and has probably never even reflected on anything even remotely philosophical. I believe he is so narcissistic and hung up on how to scam and con people into praising and worshipping himself that he spends no time thinking on anything else. He’s such a vapid and shallow person. He seems so empty.
When you can’t believe a word someone says it makes it impossible to know what they really believe. Trump does seem the perfect leader for the dooms day cult that makes up a lot of Christianity. Hell, I can’t even decide if some of the prominent Christian leaders are actually believers. Some are obviously just con men or women, but others seem genuinely to have fallen for the ideology. The prosperity gospel has certainly worked for the mega church leaders. A pyramid scheme might seem real to those at the top.
Since the detail of Christian doctrine is wildly contradictory, and changes from place to place, and from person to person and according to the general moral views of the time, then beyond professing to be a christian, I’m not sure how one would measure the validity of the claim?
The fact that some Christians have strong opinions on what constitutes a christian, doesn’t help of course, as those opinions are subjective, because there is no definitive objective set of beliefs that can be cited in the bible or elsewhere.
Even the definition of the word isn’t that helpful, precisely because the bible makes contradictory claims about the character Jesus, and his attitude to Mosaic and old testament law for instance, which seems starkly at odds with much of the claims assigned him in the bible.
Christian
nouna person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Christianity.
Suitably vague, the word “or” used there instead of and, suggests that as an atheist who was baptised as a child, even I qualify.
That is how the Spanish gets around anyone attempting to leave the church (thus reducing how much tax money the church skims off). Even if you become an atheist, and profess to being an atheist, some of your tax dollars will still go to the church.
Oh that sucks. No one out sneakys the church for money grabs. Mean while the u.s. supreme court is busy giving the church more privileges that endanger everybody. They just ruled it’s against their religious rights to expect them to follow the same guidelines as every else.
The question is Trump a Christian is getting into no true Scotsman territory.
We cannot read Trump’s mind, so have no idea of knowing what he believes. His and anyone else’s behaviour does not show if that person is or is not a Christian.
To claim Trump [or anyone else} is not a Christian or not a ‘true’ Christian is a no true Scotsman fallacy. Being a Christian is about belief, not behaviour. Just as well, the majority of say US Christian would be turfed out of their churches.
For Catholics, there’s a test; The Nicene Creed.
“Nicene Creed as altered in 381
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (æons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; from thence he shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. In one holy catholic and apostolic Church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.[18]”
Wow, wow, wow, hold the bus, there are invisible things? So do Catholics get like special glasses to see them or something, like the 3d glasses you can get?
So the fucker made Covid then, and malaria, and child cancers? What an egregious cunt.
No special glasses. Such things are seen through the eyes of faith or not at . A glaringly obvious piece of sophistry which believers ignore .
My fav is having a god who is the creator of all things. Christians then tie themselves into knots trying to explain the existence of evil and suffering. No luck in the last 2000 years. I’d say perhaps better luck in the next 2000, but I’m not confident Christianity will survive that long. I guess it depends to what degree the plight of the ignorant and gullible have nots improves.***
While I’m in the general area, YHWH is claimed to be omnipotent but cannot control the devil. Why doesn’t god just smite him ? Judaism says the devil is the creation and servant of god.
***OF course I’m assuming the human race somehow survives for the next 2000 years. My perception is that proposition is far from certain. IE We continue to foul our own nest and have yet to learn not to kill each other.
Trump does not have the intelligence to not be a Christian.
I’ve wondered at just how smart Trump actually is. Some of the brightest people I know are devout Christians, though on the whole it seems to mostly appeal to the uneducated. Trump couldn’t have been anywhere near the top of his class as he claims because he wasn’t on the deans list. Besides, he’d be flaunting his records instead of hiding them if he was at the top. He’s a very talented con man, that’s for sure, and his charisma and ability to read what his base wants is astounding. His endless repeating of lies and refusal to back down even when proven wrong has been a very effective strategy. When criticized or caught in a lie he can be counted on to double, and triple, down. He does surround himself with smart people and finds the smartest psychopaths to help him with his agendas. He often doesn’t seem to know the things your average 12 year old would know and has zero common sense, but I think his money has often shielded him from consequences. I wonder who his role model or mentor is. I think that sleazy lawyer Roy Cohn might have had a hand in shaping Trump.
LOL, I am dealing with a sleazy con man right now. School is closed on Monday because the idiot can not afford to pay the electric bill. He has been out trying to find investors to invest in his dying school and rescue him from the million dollar debt he has accrued.