If you want to know where Trump gets the idea that he's the chosen one

[lunatica]

Watch the limited series The Family on Netflix. He’s been told he’s chosen.

[RockRaven]

1. It just as easily could have been Harry Potter or The Matrix. With his attention span,

and his very good... uh... brain, I'm not convinced he could articulate the difference between the three.

[lunatica]

3. Have you watched The Family?

They aren’t a made up fantasy full of magical powers. They are very real and have been very influential in our political history since Eisenhower. They believe god puts specific people in power. They’ve told Trump he is chosen and Trump believes it to his core.

[RockRaven]

6. Lighten up, it was a joke. And no I haven't watched it, but I read Sharlet's book years ago.

Yes it is f-ed up. Yes it is dangerous. Doesn't mean we cannot be irreverent about it or The Dotard.

And, imo, Trump does not believe it to his core -- he does not seem to have any deeply held religious beliefs. This stuff might align or overlap with his narcissism/ego gratification, but that is not the same as a theological conviction.

[lunatica]

8. I wasn't sure if you were joking

Please accept my apologies!

I don’t think he’s religious at all actually, but he does believe he’s superior to his core. He believes his fundamental base believe it and that’s all he needs in order to run with it.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. On The Money

[lunatica]

4. It explains how he thinks an insult to him is an insult to the US

He’s basically saying, “Je suis l’etat.” just like Louis XVI.

He isn’t just deranged. He’s deranged in a very specific way, being told by others what he’s always wanted to hear.

[TlalocW]

5. I read the book by Jeff Sharlet when it came out

And heard a podcast about it, and while informative, their take on it was that the documentary needs to stop pretending that the type of Christianity believed in by the people in the Family is some sort of outlier while looking for good, true Christians to refute them. They're not. If not the majority, they're a very good sized plurality of today's Christians, and we've got to recognize that.

I'm sure it will raise my blood pressure (because the book pissed me off), but I'm sure there's new info in it that would be valuable to know so I'll probably watch it.

TlalocW

[Bettie]

7. They are definitely typical

white evangelicals.

[lunatica]

9. I felt more vindicated in what I think is happening

than pissed off. After watching it a lot of things make much more sense.

I’m a true believer in knowing your enemy. I feel I know them much better now. It’s so much better than being stumped and bemused over what he and they say. I have a better understanding of them.

Like you though I’m pissed off about it.

[TlalocW]

13. That's funny because

I remember getting that book and another book about the religious right at a Hastings and running into a woman I knew who asked me why I was buying those books, and I replied, "Know your enemy."

TlalocW

[lunatica]

16. Wars have been won based on that tactic.

[abqtommy]

10. tRUMP WAS chosen..., by Pooty-Poot!

[lunatica]

11. That too.

He’s by far the chosenest of all!

[Wawannabe]

12. I caught a glimpse of this

And have been wondering WTF?
I couldn't watch of course...stupid is as stupid does.

[appalachiablue]

14. Rafael Cruz declares son Ted Cruz the annointed one, 2013

https://crooksandliars.com/karoli/rafael-cruz-declares-son-ted-cruz-anointed-

[lunatica]

15. Yeah. God's anointing is a real thing in politics.

It explains a lot if we take this phenomena seriously.

Those of us who think rationally are the enemy they’re determined to defeat.