The former president is still feeding the Christian right’s persecution complex

In recent campaign stops and on social media, Donald Trump has reprised lies aimed at inciting his Christian-right base against Joe Biden. These tirades, centered on the false charge that the Biden administration is persecuting Christians, aren’t just Trump’s typically dubious claims. Much like Trump’s lies about a stolen election, they are designed to immerse his loyalists in a grievance-laden alternative reality in which Trump alone can rescue them from an evil government threatening their freedom.

In a Dec. 19 speech in Iowa, for example, Trump pledged, “As soon as I get back in the Oval Office, I’ll also immediately end the war on Christians. I don’t know if you feel it. You have a war. There’s a war.” Speaking just after the Colorado Supreme Court disqualified him from appearing on the state’s GOP primary ballot, Trump tied this “war” to his own legal woes. “Under crooked Joe Biden, Christians and Americans of faith are being persecuted and government has been weaponized against religion like never before. And also presidents like never before,” he added. “I always say Al Capone was treated better than I was treated.”

Trump has promoted the theme of Christian persecution in the past, but is elevating it again as these legal issues mount. His clear purpose is to deflect attention from his own criminal liabilities by insinuating that the same Biden administration he falsely claims is unfairly targeting him for prosecution is similarly persecuting religious Americans.

  • VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf
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    10 months ago

    So basically he wants an American version of the Iranian “Morality Police” torturing and killing people for not adhering to their archaic dogma.

    And they thought “Y’all Quaeda” was a joke…

    • Optional@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Never did. It’s just astounding all the republiQan women are like, “oh yeah of course absolutely” and then actually fucking do it.

      • VikingHippie@lemmy.wtf
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        10 months ago

        Well given that two of those judges are men who feel they have the right to sexually abuse women, one is provably as corrupt as can be and one’s a fucking HANDMAID, that’s hardly a shock… 😮‍💨

      • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        It’s kinda interesting in a morbid sorta way for me. In a Christian theocracy the prots win. They outnumber the Catholics. Historically the groups that most suffer under theocracy are the ones that are most similar. You are better off being a Hindu in a Christian country vs the wrong kind of Christian.

        So what happens the day after the Jerry Falwell types take over and their temporary anti-abortion alliance crumbles?