Source: RNS
(RNS) In the aftermath of this presidential election, I can’t help but see striking similarities between what happened inside the religious cult of my childhood and what played out for us in the political cult of personality.
Here was the larger-than-life leader drawing followers to himself despite the facts of his poor character, lack of experience and even despite the fact that media, pundits and pollsters claimed he wouldn’t — couldn’t — win.
But no amount of scolding, derision or facts from outsiders could sway his followers. Indeed, this perceived persecution by the “liberal media” only reinforced their worldview.
The same thing happened when I was growing up inside a religious cult.
facts didn’t matter. What we believed mattered, and our beliefs were what made the facts the facts. Doctrinally, our beliefs closely mirrored present-day Southern Baptists, but practically speaking, the facts were whatever our leader said they were and no amount of scolding, derision or “facts” from outsiders could sway us. Indeed, we perceived such chiding as persecution and it only reinforced our worldview.
After all, we had God. And that fact trumped everything.
So, when Donald Trump won the election — much to the consternation of many media types — everyone scrambled to figure out just how this had happened. I know how this happened. It happened because this election wasn’t about facts. It was about a religious worldview.
Prominent evangelical leader Franklin Graham was quick to explain. “None of them understand the God factor,” he wrote on Facebook, referring to the “secular media.” And on Twitter: “I believe God’s hand intervened Tuesday night to stop the godless, atheistic progressive agenda from taking control #Godfactor.” According to Graham, the most important factor to a majority of American voters was God and when Christians went to the polls, “God showed up.”
Categories: America, The Muslim Times, USA