Small Wars Blog

The Gospel of Jesus in the Time of Trump

Dr. Darrell Puls

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1, NIV).

I seem to always have trouble with this verse. Some translations have it as “all governments are appointed by God.” Are the translators getting this right? Has something been lost or altered in translation from Hebrew to Koiné Greek to modern English? It is an established fact that no language can be perfectly translated into any other, and here we have a double translation. Are the “authorities” or “governments” civil or church? Big difference. And I just can’t see the Apostle Paul embracing the Roman governments that were killing Christians right and left—eventually himself included!

To accept this verse at face value and apply it to civil government means that God-appointed Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and many others to slaughter untold millions of people. Almost everyone will agree that these men were evil, even satanic in their intentions and actions. Would God appoint evil people to power positions with the express intent of carrying out the worst evil the world has seen against millions of innocent men, women, and children? Some theologians will argue that God was working through secondary sources and, therefore, is absolved. As a friend used to say, “That dog don’t hunt!” If I recruit, arm, and transport robbers to the bank and then drive the getaway car, I am working through secondary sources, and by the foregoing logic, I am innocent. Try telling that to a judge and jury!

Or does God allow us to choose our governments—and pay the consequences for our foolishness?

Hitler was the democratically elected Chancellor of Germany. The whole world paid the price.

Most Christians have no idea of the role the German churches played in this debacle. The reality is this: several prominent German theologians and religious scholars played pivotal roles in bringing Hitler to power. Paul McGlasson writes in his 2019 book, Choose You This Day, “They held positions of highest prestige, universally honored. There were able and dedicated pastors among the German Christians who felt that the call of Hitler must not and could not go unheard in the very churches which they served. In short, many German pastors were dedicated  Christian leaders who believed that Hitler had been sent by God to lead the German nation forward according to the divine will.”[1]

Rather than focusing on the words and works of Christ, these men worked for the restoration of German grandeur and power, and Hitler's promises of peace, power, and prosperity were a clarion call to action. Never mind the brownshirts and Kristallnacht.

Which brings me to evangelical Christians and Donald Trump. But let me be clear about something: I am an “exvangelical.” I left the evangelical movement in the 1980s when it was becoming increasingly politicized and seeking power through politics. The good news of Jesus is about loving your neighbor and not labeling him as liberal, conservative, fascist, pacifist, or anything else. It’s about service, not power.

Approximately 80% of evangelicals supported Donald Trump in the 2024 election despite his personal immorality, profanity, serial affairs, habitual lying, vengefulness and schoolyard bullying. Why? According to the Pew Research Group analysis,

One explanation for white evangelicals' attachment to Trump is that they see him as a political ally. The Pew survey found that 63% of white evangelical Protestants believe their side has been "winning politically" under the Trump presidency. That's a dramatic turnaround from 2016, when less than one in four white evangelicals saw themselves as on the winning side.

Nine in 10 white evangelicals say they want the Bible to have "at least some influence" on U.S. laws, according to the Pew findings.

"Two-thirds of them go a step further," notes Greg Smith, the associate director of religion research at Pew. "They say that if and when the Bible conflicts with the will of the American people, the Bible should have more influence on the laws of the land."

White evangelical Protestants are particularly likely to hold this view. Two-thirds of white evangelicals say it is very important to have a president who stands up for their religious beliefs, about double the share who say it is very important for a president to have strong religious beliefs. And white evangelicals say Trump fits the bill: Fully eight-in-ten white evangelical Protestants say that the phrase “fights for what I believe in” describes Trump “very well” or “fairly well,” including roughly half who say this describes him “very well.”

Moreover, white evangelical Protestants overwhelmingly feel that the Trump administration has helped (59%) rather than hurt (7%) the interests of evangelical Christians. And three-quarters of white evangelicals say they agree with the president on “many,” “nearly all” or “all” important issues facing the country.[2]

Oh, yes… and they are not bothered about his pathological lying, immorality, abuse of power, or aspirations towards dictatorship.

Germany enthroned Hitler because he promised a return to glory and power after the humiliation of the Versailles Treaty ending WW1. There is a strong parallel in Trump’s messaging about making America great again. Self-delusion is a powerful thing when we feel powerless and believe things are spinning out of control; it helps us accept what we would otherwise reject.

Something wants Trump in power, but I’m not too sure it is God. It seems the evangelicals have ignored the Faustian lesson of making deals with the devil. They have embraced a philosophy of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” That never ends well.

[1] McGlasson, Paul. 2019. Choose You This Day: The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Politics of Trumpism. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock.

[2] https://www.pewforum.org/2020/03/12/white-evangelicals-see-trump-as-fighting-for-their-beliefs-though-many-have-mixed-feelings-about-his-personal-conduct/?utm_source=adaptivemailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20-03-12%20religion%20and%202020%20election&org=982&lvl=100&ite=5702&lea=1272618&ctr=0&par=1&trk=.

 

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You Can Do This Work!

I did not set out to be a peacemaker. Instead, it sought me. It's not an occupation so much as a way of life. Over the decades, I became increasingly aware of the emotional and spiritual damage these fights cause. As a result, I've trained hundreds of mediators and negotiators for the courts, businesses, corporations, and many others. I realized something important in writing these books: training in certain techniques is useful, but not mandatory. The books are self-directing by illustrating every technique in enough detail that the path forward becomes clear. We need more Peacemakers!

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Learn why you possess the unique abilities to do what I do. This section explores the universal principles of conflict resolution and personal growth, empowering you to believe in your capacity to make a positive impact. Gain insights into your own experiences and how they shape your approach to conflict, and how you can use what you already know to become an effective peacemaker.

Protect Yourself and Your Intellectual Property

Well, Small Wars is out, and the wolves are in full attack mode. Within 24 hours of its publication, I was receiving a steady stream of hyper-complimentary emails from so-called book marketers telling me how much they believe in me and my writing, how important the book was, and seeking a book promotion “partnership”.

A few days before Small Wars was published, I began receiving proposals to promote my 2020 book, Let Us Prey (Rev. Ed.). It’s a very long story, but suffice it to say that I caught the authors in several lies and challenged them as scammers. I expected that to be the end of it, but they admitted they had lied and falsified their data and still proposed promoting the book! Now, I’ve been wandering around this planet for going on 78 years, have worked as an interventionist in innumerable conflicts, have the scars to prove it — and have learned to approach every such proposal with great skepticism.

Did you know that between 60-85% of all unsolicited email is from scammers? Here are some ways to tell if you are being scammed:

  • Suspicious Sender Address: The email address does not match the company name, or is a slight variation (e.g., support@paypa1.com instead of paypal.com).
  • Urgent/Threatening Tone: Messages demanding immediate action to avoid account suspension or to claim a prize.
  • Generic Greeting: Phrases like "Dear Customer," "Valued Member," or "Dear Sir or Madam".
  • Hover-to-Reveal Links: Hover your mouse over a link (without clicking) to see the actual URL. If it differs from the link display, it is likely malicious.
  • Unexpected Attachments: Emails containing invoices, receipts, or shipping documents you were not expecting, which may contain malware. Do not open them.
  • Poor Grammar/Spelling: Professional organizations typically do not send emails filled with errors. 

WARNING: A New and Very Dangerous Scammer Toolset:

The scammers attempting to rob me used some new and very sophisticated methods: Artificial Intelligence.  AI programs (ChatGPT, Grok, Microsoft Azure, Asana, Gemini, Claude, etc.) are easy to use and often free (for now).

AI analyzed the book and highlighted the most emotionally charged parts.

AI then composed detailed and personal cover letters designed to make me think they had done what they said, which they had not. The letters were highly flattering and sophisticated; the grammar, spelling, diction, and background were all perfect – too perfect! They are designed to manipulate your emotions, pulling you into their web. Their ultimate goal is to steal every penny you have before you realize it.

How to Protect Yourself:

  • Verify Directly: If an email seems suspicious, do not reply or click links. Instead, go directly to the company's official website or call their verified phone number.
  • Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Set up MFA on your accounts for added security.
  • Report Scam Emails: Use your email provider's reporting tools (e.g., "Report Phishing" in Gmail or Outlook) and report to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
  • Don't Rush: Scammers rely on fear to make you act without thinking. 

Common Scams:

  • Account Suspended/Problem with Payment: Pretending to be a bank, Netflix, or Amazon claiming a billing issue.
  • Unexpected Package Delivery: Claiming you missed a delivery and need to pay a fee or confirm information.
  • "From" the Boss/CEO: Spoofed emails asking for gift cards or wire transfers. 

Source: Federal Trade Commission (.gov) +4

Protect yourself from phishing

Phishing (pronounced: fishing) is an attack that attempts to steal your money, or your identity, by getting you to reveal personal information -- such as credit card numbers, bank information, or passwords -- on websites that pretend to be legitimate. Cybercriminals typically pretend to be reputable companies, friends, or acquaintances in a fake message, which contains a link to a phishing website. Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation