I became an evangelical in the 1970’s and at that time the major tenets of evangelicalism were the belief in the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible, the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the conviction that the Soviet Union, and later Russia, was anti-American, anti-Christ and an existential threat to democracy and Christianity.

Russia played a major role in evangelical eschatology; Russia and the anti-Christ would battle with Jesus and his angels in the final battle of Armageddon.

Republican politicians demonized liberals as commie-loving traitors who were undermining democracy.

How things have changed, the script flipped during the dictator-loving Trump administration. Republicans and many evangelicals laud the homophobic Vladimir Putin as a patriotic leader who is fighting for the survival of Christian values.

At this crucial juncture in history when Putin has invaded Ukraine and the fate of Eastern Europe hangs in the balance, Republicans and white evangelicals are heaping praise on the courage and genius of Putin.

Evangelicals have shown their true colors, they value white authoritarian regimes more than democracy and freedom.