When worship becomes an act of cruelty

This article originally appeared at Baptist News Global on January 22, 2025.

Why are white evangelicals so conditioned for cruelty?

After all, the debacle that was Donald Trump’s first day in office included ending birthright citizenship, erasing transgender and intersex people, threatening to colonize our neighbors, lying about the 2020 election results, and pardoning more than 1,500 January 6 insurrectionists, many of whom assaulted police officers, while calling the criminals “hostages.”

The most notable pardon went to Jake Angeli-Chansley, the “QAnon Shaman” who led a prayer while donning Viking horns in the U.S. Senate chamber. After receiving word of his pardon, he wrote on X: “NOW I AM GONNA BUY SOME MOTHA FU*KIN GUNS!!!”

Officer Michael Fanone was beaten so badly while defending the Capitol that he lost consciousness and suffered a heart attack after Daniel Rodriguez shocked him with a stun gun while yelling, “Trump won!” Rodriguez received a pardon from Trump.

In an interview with CNN, Fanone said: “I have been betrayed by my country and I’ve been betrayed by those that supported Donald Trump. Whether you voted for him because he promised these pardons or for some other reason, you knew that this was coming, and here we are. Tonight, six individuals who assaulted me as I did my job on January 6, as did hundreds of other law enforcement officers, will now walk free. Six individuals who have threatened my life and who have made threats toward my family members as well as countless other January 6 defendants who have threatened me, because they see me as a spokesperson for law enforcement for this event. My family, my children and myself are less safe today because of Donald Trump and his supporters.”

He goes on to say his 76-year-old mother has been swatted and has had human feces thrown on her because he’s her son.

White evangelicals did this.

But trying to explain to white evangelicals how Trump’s language, policies and decisions are cruel is seemingly impossible. It’s as if we’re running on completely different operating systems and their system doesn’t have a code to recognize cruelty.

Of course, there are many theological and sociological reasons for this. But there’s one significant factor that was prominent throughout the inaugural events that often gets overlooked, but that plays a very crucial role in conditioning them for cruelty — white evangelical worship.

Make America Great Again rally

The weekend kicked off with a Make America Great Again rally on Sunday afternoon that featured Kid Rock singing the lyrics “It’s time for love and unity,” followed by “Let’s go, Brandon.” Then Jon Voight said we need to be “one nation under God,” while Megyn Kelly made fun of Kamala Harris’ “fake Spanish accent” and said, “It was like spending a day at Joe Biden’s southern border.”

And this doesn’t even touch on the comments later in the event by Trump and his sons. But all of this was preceded by worship.

Liberty University announced on Friday: “LU Praise, Liberty’s multi-ethnic gospel and worship choir, is scheduled to perform twice during the Make America Great Again Victory Rally at the Capital One Arena on Sunday afternoon, including a special collaboration with Billy Ray Cyrus on his song, ‘Some Gave All.’”

Podcast hosts of “Girls Gone Bible”, Angela Halili and Arielle Reitsma, speak before President-elect Donald Trump arrives at a rally ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration, Sunday, Jan. 19, in Washington. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The televised portion of the event kicked off with the sound of a piano softly playing as if they were gathered together at a megachurch for worship. Angela Halili and Arielle Reitsma of Girls Gone Bible opened the event in prayer. “Thank you, Jesus!” they cried out. “Your kingdom come, Lord. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, in America as it is in heaven.”

The piano continued playing as they prayed that God would be glorified in everything that takes place at their event. They thanked God for “choosing President Donald Trump to be a vessel for your nation, as he carries the great responsibility of leading your people.”

Notice the word, “your.”

They prayed for power, wisdom and God’s spirit of counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord, and for an outpouring of love and healing.

“Would you soften the hearts of your sons and your daughters?” they asked.

People began settling in. Who could be against love, healing and soft hearts, especially when set to soft piano music and spoken in near whispers by two young, attractive blonde women? Of course, there’s nothing wrong with attractive women praying. But make no mistake. In the Fox News world of MAGA, aesthetics is part of the game.

They brought up 2 Chronicles 7:14 about God responding to prayer, humility, seeking God’s face, and repentance by healing the nation. They asked for God’s power and for a holy fire to rain down and produce purity and holiness.

“They asked for God’s power and for a holy fire to rain down and produce purity and holiness.”

Then with heads bowed, eyes closed, and hearts softened, they compared Jesus as the Lion and the Lamb to the United States as the lion and the lamb: “I pray that this would be the heart of America, powerful beyond belief, more powerful than any adversary and with a true heart of humility to serve one another and provide for the poor, care for the sick and bring justice to the oppressed.”

This language is convincing the MAGA worshipers both to pursue “power beyond belief” while thinking of themselves as bringing justice to the oppressed. And who do they think are the oppressed?

Trump and white evangelicals, of course. After all, they’re the ones who are supposedly persecuted.

So as the piano continued to heighten the tension and the women’s energy and voices rose, Girls Gone Bible shouted: “So President Trump, we set the name of the Lord upon you, and we declare that no weapon formed against you will prosper, that every tongue that rises up against you in judgment will be condemned! And if God be for you, who can be against you?”

‘Let Us Worship’

Then there was Sean Feucht.

“I am currently waiting in line to take a picture with a bald eagle on my shoulder in DC. We are sooooooo back,” the Let Us Worship founder posted on social media.

Continue reading at Baptist News Global.