MY THEORY ON THE CORE OF TRUMP SUPPORT

Daily I agonize over how millions in our country have been so easily duped, fooled, tricked and yes, brainwashed by Donald Trump.

The Trump core also identifies with and populates  the anti-vaccination contingent.

Please allow me to develop my theory here.

Much of the original Trump support and now, disinformation about covid, comes from the religious right, evangelicals mesmerized by con artists like Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker, Robert Tilton, Jimmy Swaggart, Jerry Falwell, Jr., etc.

These charlatans, while preaching "the Word,"  bilked millions of dollars from their TV audiences, buying themselves multiple jet planes, huge cathedrals, mansions and a Hollywood lifestyle.

Copelands "Motorcycle Ministry" on Eagle Mountain Lake

During the last ten years before my retirement in 2004, we lived on Eagle Mountain Lake, west of Fort Worth and it was difficult not to notice the Copeland's huge cathedral, personal mansion, state of the art motorcyle track and jet runway just across the lake, perhaps five minutes away on my son's Alumacraft boat.

Since they were neighbors, it was also hard not to watch the Copelands on the PTL network, along with the other flamboyant TV preachers using scripture to con their followers out of hard earned money.

"Do you have $1000?" they would say.

"Well, just plant the seed and watch it grow tenfold."

That is: send us the money and God will reward you ten times over.

Robert Tilton

Robert Tilton, of "Success in Life Ministries," was one of the slickest, raking in over $85,000,000 annually in the 80's and 90's before being caught in several scandals.

Tilton, who would pretend to be overcome by the Spirit and talk in fake Hebrew, was bold enough to ask for $5,000 and $10,000 "love offerings."

In 1991, hundreds of envelopes addressed to Tilton's ministry were found in a Fort Worth dump, with the checks pulled out, but the prayer request left inside not acted on.

Tilton, caught red handed stealing money, soon popped up on TV again, only to be sidelined again by an IRS charge of fraud in 2016.

Remember Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?

Jim was sentenced in 1989 to 45 years in prison for several forms of fraud, but served only 8 years and was soon back in the "ministry."

Again this year Bakker was in the news with a large settlement for selling a fake covid cure called the "Silver Solution to his congregation.  A court ordered him to pay back $156,000 to his congregation for the phony elixir.

These phony religious shysters had something else in common; their unflinching support of Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 and their belief that the 2020 election was rigged.

Jerry Falwell, Jr., whose religious institution donated millions for Donald Trump ads and whose wife was a leader in the "Women for Trump" organization, said about Trump:  "He's been raised up by God who places all people in authority."

Also, this comment from Falwell:  "The wisdom of God has been functioning in Donald John Trump."

Jim Bakker said about Trump:  "You know what?  Trump is a test whether you're even saved.  Only saved people can love Trump."

Donald Trump refers to scandalized Jimmy Swaggart as "Brother Swaggart."

Here's a video of Kenneth Copeland laughing derisively at the mere thought that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. The video is 2 minutes long. I dare you to watch it to the end :

If, as polls show, 68% of Americans admit to watching these televangelists as least "some times," these shows have millions of viewers.

It is my belief that a large core of those who view this religious programming are, just like the televangelists themselves, Trump supporters.  They believe Trump is "God's choice" and nothing, certainly not imprisonment, will change that view.