One mystery in the Donald Trump phenomena is his appeal to evangelical Christians. After all, Trump hasn't exactly led a pious life: even if you don't find his politics abhorrent to Christian principles, he is a casino magnate on marriage number three. And he runs a beauty pageant.
The cynical might argue that America's conservative Christians have become so focused on their few chosen issues (abortion, gay marriage, trans bathrooms) that they'll enthusiastically support anyone who can forcefully push those issues, whatever their other faults. But even that argument didn't add up. In that area, his religious bona fides turn out to be, well, not all that bona. In his acceptance speech, he spoke positively on gay rights, albeit as a pretense to demonize immigrants. He defended a trans woman's tight to be in a beauty pageant. And he's another in the long line of Republican politicians who had a pro-life revelation conveniently before a national run.
I'm not saying evangelicals wouldn't support him, I just thought they'd fall in love with a more hard-core social conservative like Ted Cruz first, then reluctantly back Trump a la Bernie to Hillary supporters. So why are they so enthusiastic?
It hit me recently that the appeal could be faith. Faith is, of course, kind of important in religion. But for many people today, their religious faith is somewhat amorphous and tinged with doubt. For instance, they won't think of the Bible as literally true. And that attitude is not unlike how most people look at politics: they have basic values, but acknowledge that the world is complicated and politics will always be an inexact science.
But if you're used to a religious belief based on absolutes, politics won't deliver the certainty you're used to. And that's where Trump comes in: The one thing he does have in common with American evangelicals is a lack of ambiguities. So that's my explanation, that Trump presents a message of certainty that youcan have faith in.
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