In fact, according to commentators familiar with the Bible Belt, where evangelicals are concentrated, their support of Trump had mostly to do with placing economic concerns over morality. In interviews, many who voted for Trump said they deplored his behavior but defended their vote, claiming he's a successful businessman and will provide them with jobs. Perhaps to justify their hypocritical choice, many added that Trump would be their ally in defending Christianity in American life--a bizarre expectation when he has never had any active participation in religious activities and when first asked, could not even name a favorite bible verse. In sharp contrast, Hillary Clinton's active affiliation with the Methodist Church dates to her childhood and continues today. Her extensive religious activities include taking bible classes as a sixth grader and teaching Sunday School as an adult.
We might ask evangelicals: What happened to the principle of faith? Has religion become just a thin veneer of self-righteousness that is betrayed by actions? Sunday sermons are rife with the celebration of the story of Job, who despite unrelenting tragedies never lost faith. But in the face of economic hardship tied to societal shifts, many evangelicals promptly abandoned faith and religious principles--and also lost faith in America as the land of opportunity. They opted instead for the promises of a fake messiah.
Popular television preacher Joel Osteen champions faith in the face of adversity, stressing that hard times are only a sign that "God will intervene." His stadium audience of 43,000 beams, inspired by his message of hope. His 10 million television viewers, no doubt, are similarly moved But are they imbibing his message or is Osteen talking to himself? Once outside, many in his flock apparently can't run fast enough to abandon faith to join in the worship of "the Golden Calf," in return for the fake promise of fake jobs that will not materialize in the new work world and global economy.
Another dangerous addition to the fake society occurred during the 2016 presidential campaign. Social media took on a new sinister role as the conduit for outright fake news--like the totally fabricated story that Hillary Clinton was allegedly connected to a child porn ring. This and other fake news in the closing days of the presidential campaign went viral across social media. They were emblematic of this new trend, made easy by social media that can be used to instantly communicate with vast audiences. Since almost two thirds of American adults get news from social media, fake news can effectively become real news; this is reinforced by a growing fake society that has little respect for facts or fact checking . "Alternative facts" in the "post-truth" era are elevated to equal if not superior status to real facts: "If it sounds good and I like it, it must be true." In the fake society there is little distinction between fantasy and reality. And if fake news can swing an election its output is not likely to slow down.
In one sense, Donald Trump is the most honest politician ever. He ceaselessly tells us exactly who he is. But those who supported him chose to ignore the graphic displays of his dishonesty and incompetence--facts about him that have been know for decades. Former Mayor of New York City Ed Koch had his number back in 1990, when he endorsed the comment of a former deputy mayor : "I wouldn't believe Donald Trump if his tongue were notarized."
In the fake society, though, notaries are not needed; certified facts don't count. Uncertified alternative facts rule in the fake society.
Sadly, neither the Republicans nor Democrats have significantly helped dislodged workers adapt to the technological revolution and global economy. Neither party has come up with a way of providing comprehensive educational and retraining programs to help these suffering workers participate in today's work world. And neither party has found a way to provide adequate safety nets for secure living for all working families.
As long as we fail to address the fears and insecurities underpinning the fake society, fake leaders will continue to take center stage to cheers and worship. This real danger poses a real threat to our democracy and the America envisioned by the founders of our Republic.
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