Okay, let’s get to it: the takeaways for Evangelical Christians regarding the Trump victory. To be fair and balanced, let’s look at the positives and the negatives.
6 Positive Takeaways from Trump’s Victory
Takeaway #1: The Cultural Elite Lost and The Common Man Won
This is perhaps the most obvious of all. While ethnicity and gender still divide us, what became clear over the course of this campaign, and last night’s results, was that the one, social factor that divides Democrats and Republicans most obviously is that of class. The Democrats have clearly become the party of the coastal, urban, and celebrity elite. For the most part, the super-rich, the super-famous, and the “intellectual” creme-de-la-creme were overwhelmingly for Harris, while the middle class, the average Joe and Jane, and the rural American was for Trump.
People like Elon Musk, or Joe Rogan, or Dana White were outliers, rebels within the ranks of the cultural movers and shakers–celebrities breaking from the orthodoxy of their clique (like Trump himself). From a biblical perspective, this could be seen as a positive. While it is not the case that social class has anything intrinsic about it as it relates to moral values or to moral character, the biblical narrative, from the Old Testament to the New, does have a thematic arc that almost always favors the lower class of society, and is almost always critical of the upper class or social elite: be they political, economic or religious elite. And here, as an Evangelical, I must say that what some have called “Big Eva”– the religious elite among Evangelicals (David French, Russell Moore, et al.)–were indicted and exposed, yet again, by their social “lessers” in last night’s election.
I have to admit, on a personal note, that I do take some guilty pleasure in seeing both Hollywood and intellectual elites squirm. Unfortunately, I doubt any of them will make good on their promises to leave America.
Takeaway #2: The Rapid March toward Totalitarianism Has Been Curbed (For the Moment)
What people have failed to realize over the last four years is that the riots of January 6th, 2021 were not an insurrectionist takeover by powerful anti-government forces that just happened to fail (as people peacefully walked away after a wildly destructive temper-tantrum). Rather, it was an upswell of popular rage aimed at an increasingly totalitarian, and all-encompassing state apparatus and an explicitly partisan media. Trump has been seen, and rightly so, as the great deconstructor of a Democrat machine that has infiltrated every aspect of our education system, entertainment world (to include sports), even our families and our churches. Trump was viewed as dismantling that machine, and, to some degree, was in the middle of doing just that. The most fundamental political instinct of the average American, if there is one, is to be wary of government. But, Democrats love government. That was the heart of the matter in 2016.
One thing noticeable in the lead up to this election, was the constant drumbeat of Democrat supporters in claiming that Donald Trump would “destroy Democracy.” However, this is fantastical and imaginary to an incredible degree. After all, when pressed with the simple question “How?,” none of these claimants could respond with any plausible scenario. There is a grave and disconcerting irrationalism on the Left, one that would imbue the person, Donald J. Trump, with awesome, almost superhuman, powers. This is what many labelled “Trump Derangement Syndrome” or TDS. In the minds of many Democrats, these individual powers that Trump possesses can destroy democracy itself. It is as if there would be no resistance to him in the Republican Party at all, if indeed there were such an attempt, which, again, no one can describe anyway.
Conversely, when Republicans ranted in similar fashion about the death of democracy under Harris, it was not an ascription of such powers to the individual, Kamala Harris, who is correctly seen as little more than a figurehead. Instead it is simply a restatement of the intentions and activities of the entire Democrat political apparatus itself, and whoever actually is running it. The charge of destroying democracy by Republicans was an indictment of the whole Democrat party over the last several years. This started in the Obama era under the initiative to “fundamentally change America.” It has only continued since as we have seen the curbing of free speech under the Biden/Harris Administration, über-aggressive actions aimed at political opponents, as well as the machine’s willingness to “punch-down” to the level of the common man (e.g., basket of deplorables and garbage).
Takeaway #3: Legal Immigrants Should Benefit from Trump’s Win
For far too long there is one group of people that have been consistently neglected by Democrats, but that likely will not be by Trump: legal immigrants. Righting the wrongs of illegal immigration, which has nothing to do with the intrinsic value of any person, be they in the country legally or illegally, will validate the experiences, efforts and integrity of those immigrants who went through the process (of which I have many personal friends). Moreover, if some real protections and serious policies can be put into place to curb the flow of illegal image bearers of God across the border, then economic and social pressures in American cities and counties might be relieved, at least in part. It seems clear at this point that this problem of illegal immigration was perhaps the most telling policy issue of the whole election.
Takeaway #4: Trans-Insanity Will Stop, At Least For Now
The issue that exercised the silent majority the most: the insanity of Transgenderism. One statistic showed that 85% of Americans (Democrats included) do not want trans men in female spaces: in locker rooms, bathrooms, on the court or in the pool. Drag Queen story hours, legislators trying to give schools more rights than parents with regard to their children’s gender identity concerns, the gruesome realities of transgender surgeries, and the incessant push into every corner of social life by trans-activists have run their course. People may be dumb, but they are not that dumb. Nor does trying to shame people into believing on obvious falsehood work well as a political tactic. There is still common sense: something Trump and Vance started to run on late in the election, and that, on this issue at least, 85% of Americans still possess.
Takeaway #5: Israel and Jews will Be Better Off Under Trump
I will not charge any particular political figure or individual with anti-semitism, since the accusation is too casually thrown around. However, given what we saw over the last year on college campuses, two things are reasonable to assume: First, that American Jews should feel safer under a Trump Administration than a Harris one. I realize many American Jews, the majority in fact, are social liberals. However, at some point existential concerns rise up and outweigh concerns over social policy and preference. The shift toward a more explicit anti-semitism in the culture under the Biden/Harris administration was hard to ignore. I think it is safe to say it was palpable. It is doubtful that such blatant expressions of anti-semitism and antagonism toward the State of Israel will occur, at least to the same degree, under Trump as they would likely have continued to do under Harris.
The corollary to this is that once again a real support, and symbolically meaningful relationship, will be reestablished with Israel under Trump. If there is one thing we can say with almost certainty it is that the average MAGA supporter is also a strong supporter of Israel. This is especially poignant among Roman Catholic and Evangelical Trump voters. Ethnic Jews and Israel will be better off with Trump than Harris.
Takeaway #6: Cancel Culture is Over, Long Live Elon!
Another point that even MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough had to admit, providing significant evidence for its validity, was the toxic practice of “cancel culture.” Cancel culture engenders fear in the average college kid on campus, who now lives in a constant state of anxiety over saying the wrong thing in class, worries about possible academic ramifications and, even worse, of getting “doxxed” on social media. The attack on free speech, let alone free thought, has been rightly associated with the Democratic Party and the cultural elite that runs it. Under Trump, people feel that there will minimally be some kind of return to normalcy when it comes to the First Amendment. I mean, just look at Trump’s own speech! One thing no one seems concerned about, even those many Democrats, is that they won’t get to say what they want to say under a Trump presidency.
That said, the Democrats are clearly concerned that they will not get to control the narrative the way they are used to. They won’t be able to call things “Disinformation” that are not politically advantageous to them. This can be scary: for to lose control over the narrative is for the political idolator, i.e., for the one who sees politics as God, the worst of all possible outcomes. Rhetoric is the main weapon of the political idolator, since on the Leftist worldview, there really is nothing true to which words actually can refer to. It’s only about how words affect the emotions.
4 Negative Takeaways from Trump’s Victory
Unfortunately, in this particular case, there are significant worries about another Donald Trump presidency, ones that socially conservative Christians share in common. They are not trivial, and need to be addressed, and readdressed throughout the coming second term.
Takeaway #7: Trump Is the Most Liberal Republican President in Years
The next three takeaways can all, in some way, be reduced down to this one. The reality is, Donald Trump is not, nor ever has been, a genuinely conservative candidate. Most of my theological and political confreres were DeSantis supporters, and for good reasons. DeSantis is a principled, conservative Republican politician. One who I still think would also have beaten Harris. The fact that Amendment 4 did not pass in Florida, but similar amendments did pass in 7 out of 8 other states, evidences that. But MAGA supporters and social conservatives are not the same thing, even if the Left would lump them all together. At the end of the day, the Overton Window has shifted and what is called “conservative” or passes for a Republican platform today is not what was referred to a generation ago as “conservative” or what passed as a genuinely conservative Republican platform.
Just because Trump is clearly more conservative than the alternative, does not mean that Trump is conservative as such. Relative to Kamala Harris, or almost every leading member of the Democratic Party, to be “more conservative” is no great achievement. It is to be moderate, or, better yet, just mainstream liberal. This is why men like Musk, RFK Jr., Joe Rogan or Dana White were able to come over to the Trump side.
Takeaway #8: Trump is Not a Pro-Life President
In the lead-up to the election, real social conservatives, the ones who still recognize there is only one absolute, ongoing, moral atrocity in our society: abortion, were stunned at some of the omissions and admissions of both President Trump, and his vice-presidential pick, JD Vance. Trump’s wavering on the issue of viability, the removal of any pro-life language from the RNC 2024 platform, and Vance’s weak defenses of the ticket’s position on legal abortion, all compounded into one simple, and false, message: the value of a baby’s life is simply up to the will of the mother. But, to be candid, some of us are sick and tired about hearing about poor women, and would long to hear a single word or sentiment about the poor children living inside the women from both candidates. The thing is, we don’t expect to hear it from any Democrat, ever.
This shift Left on abortion may have been only political expediency, and time will tell if there is some genuine pro-life sentiment within the next Trump administration or not. One holds out hope for Vance at least. But probably, at most, the only thing for pro-lifers to hope for is an openness to continued dialogue on the life issues that might lead to legal fruit. But as far as worldview is concerned, which is what ultimately matters, it seems one has to admit that currently there is no pro-life party in America today.
Takeaway #9: Same-Sex Marriage Will Stay the “Norm”
We are quickly forgetting the root, or at least the trunk, of the very transgender insanity that potentially lost many Harris/Walz supporters. That is the nature of marriage itself. That nature entails that gender differentiation is real, and that it is necessary for the main function of the martial union, namely, the procreation of children. While conservativism can embrace the same-sex attracted person without hesitancy, a true conservatism cannot accept the concept or the reality of same-sex marriages. Marriage, being the fundamental, bedrock institution that establishes the foundations of a society that governments exist to manage, cannot be undone or changed without leading to inevitable social, and governmental, collapse.
But for Trump the idea and reality of same-sex marriage is clearly seen as something hermetically sealed and inviolable. It is doubtful, therefore, that there will be any talk whatsoever over the next few years about the need to repeal Obergefell vs. Hodge, and return marriage to its natural state. This, of course, goes hand-in-hand with the even more pressing need to increase birth rates.
Takeaway #10: Four More Years of Rambling Nonsense
Just above I criticized rhetoric, or its use. However, I should caveat that criticism. Rhetoric can certainly have its place, if one believes in truth. It is always desirable to present the truth in a powerful, memorable and motivating fashion. There is place for rhetoric, and all our truly great presidents were masters of the craft.
Unfortunately, this is something Trump simply cannot do. I do not think there has been a worse public speaker in the history of the presidency than Donald Trump. Some have argued that this is in fact one of his great strengths. But I simply don’t see it. A simple comparison between any Ronald Regan speech (ANY of them) and any Donald Trump speech (even his best, which was given at Mt. Rushmore on July 4, 2020), and you can see that rhetoric does matter. It matters especially when it comes to articulating a vision for the country that calls out the best in us.
Unfortunately, almost all of Trump’s rhetoric is riddled with words that barely reach the vocabulary level of an 8th-grader, and, as his critics rightly point out, is sloppy to the point of being easily exploited by a manipulative and ruthless media. Regan would have never given the media, even today’s media, a chance to exploit his speech. For Trump this has, and will continue, to lead to real problems, misperceptions, and even political losses. In my view, it was what lost him the 2020 election with Biden, namely, his horrible display of rhetoric in their first debate.
In sum, it could have been worse. However, we also cannot settle for this as the best. God willing, Trump and Vance can be the opportunity to right the American ship. But the fact that the ship is still way off course shouldn’t be obscured.
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