It’s axiomatic that white evangelicals worship Donald Trump, but let’s examine why this is the case:
White evangelical ministries, for the most part, aren’t hierarchical organizations like the Catholic Church where the local parish priest has to answer to his archbishop, cardinal and of course the infallible pope. Franklin Graham, Pat Robertson, Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar aren’t restrained from their wildest impulses by a board of deacons, they answer only to themselves. They justify their most outlandish pontifications, by claiming that the Almighty is speaking through them.
It’s in white evangelicals’ DNA to worship an authoritarian figure like Trump, who disparages the coequal Judiciary and Congress and pretty much does damn well as he pleases.
Evangelical leaders aren’t challenged by their followers because they preach the inspired an infallible Word of God, never mind that Christianity is a Byzantium religion with thousands of denominations, each one with their own unique interpretation of scripture. Trump speaks with the authority of a televangelist, and his sycophants accept everything he says as the Gospel truth even though he’s a pathological liar.
Evangelicals have a binary world view: Christians and sinners. Likewise Trump supporters have a binary belief system: There’s them and then there’s everyone else: liberals, feminists, abortionists, homosexuals, globalists, climate change fanatics …
Evangelical ministers are prone to making crazy promises, “Give to my ministry and I will build the biggest cathedral, the largest university in the world”, all for the glory of God of course. “Give us your tithes and offerings and we will convert the heathen lands of China and Russia”! Trump supporters swallow the buffoon’s incredible claims like: I will build a beautiful 30-foot concrete wall from sea to shining sea.
Evangelical ministers strip their followers of their money and self-respect and in return provide them with a superficial faith that doesn’t sustain them in difficult times. Ditto Trump.