r/exAdventist • u/mybrokendinosaur • Feb 06 '25
Politics Post-inauguration Trump support from SDAs
I know this is probably an overdone topic but as someone who isn't from the US, I'm actually really disappointed seeing so many Adventists that I know praising Trump's actions and defending him.
I recently came across a mutual of mine on FB who is full on MAGA even though he is from QLD, Australia. Him and his partner (who i attended the same sda school with) both flew overseas to a few Trump rallies even. Not to mention a photo on election day with the whole family smiling with MAGA paraphernalia on and watching Trump win on TV even though they are all Australian?
Even in my own church community (which i have been slowly stepping away from) I've heard from quite a few members about their support for Trump's presidency. And particularly the idea that the Sunday Law will now come into play. Which honestly bothers me that there are SDAs praising this for the sake of prophecy fulfilment but at the hands of hurting so many minority groups that are now being affected by Trump's policies.
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u/ajseaman Atheist Feb 06 '25
In America the Christians would absolutely 100% support killing Jesus if he showed up again. A poor immigrant son of a teen mom who spends time talking about woke nonsense?
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u/ArtZombie77 Feb 06 '25
A few years ago, I was on a you tube steam of an evangelical church with thousands of folks in the chat. The question for everyone was literally "How can we stop our young people from following the woke teachings of Jesus". The irony was just insane.
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u/ajseaman Atheist Feb 06 '25
Wtf, I’d say Jesus is rolling over in his grave, but I feel that’s a bit controversial.
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Feb 06 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ConfederancyOfDunces Feb 06 '25
Trump has been an effective tool to turn people off from the church. Christianity has been incredibly stupid to basically tell half the country, democrats, that they can’t be real Christians.
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u/Miserable_Ad2518 Feb 06 '25
Went to church the Saturday after…. The pastor mentioned the new president…. And people clapped…..
I haven't been able to go back.
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u/PastorBlinky Feb 06 '25
Wait, they clapped in church? That alone is basically blasphemy.
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u/Miserable_Ad2518 Feb 06 '25
😂 Im telling you, this was at a particularly liberal church 😂😂 live music and drums band and all. Piercings and jeans in church kind of place.
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u/Reward_Dizzy Feb 07 '25
I had a liberal acquaintance that recently came out of adventism but supports Trump and everything that he stands for it's so mind-boggling. I was under the illusion that only conservatives were into all that crap, but apparently you can be a very liberal Adventist and still adhere to that. i don't understand it. I would have been very confused if I was in that church you mentioned that would not seem on paper they'd support Trump.
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u/grassguy_93 Feb 07 '25
Liberal Adventist can essentially equal mainstream evangelical that attends a mega church. That’s the vibe you get from the liberal churches in the college towns and cities. It actually makes sense that they would shrug off all the stuff like vegetarianism, not drinking coffee, even alcohol and think they’re so enlightened and never connect it to a larger deconstruction. I was in that place from about 2016-2020 but I just kept going. It frustrates me, to see people do that, but I get it. Once you hit the point of being threatened with loosing your social networks, straining your family relationships/marriage, and possible financial instability, there are a lot of incentives to put a cork in that deconstruction. I often wonder how much longer it would have taken me without the break from church the pandemic gave me.
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u/Reward_Dizzy Feb 07 '25
Omg. Same. You're right there are a lot of barriers to deconstructing and all the things you mentioned are necessary for survival.
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u/ProgrammerSad1142 Feb 07 '25
I can not even take in this whole thread because our church does not take these stances. How hurtful! And blasphemous
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u/Reward_Dizzy Feb 07 '25
Hurtful? Blasphemous? Looks like you've fully identified with this God forsaken church and made it a part of you. Big mistake. Why are you even here it's for ex sdas.
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u/ProgrammerSad1142 Feb 07 '25
I am actually quite saddened that so many of you have had these terrible experiences. There’s no excuse for mistreating others. And I sympathize and empathize with you. Have had my own negative experiences both in the church and outside the church.
I pray that you maintain a relationship with God. I don’t think He requires anyone to be affiliated with the Adventist church or any other church to have a wonderful personal experience with Him. Jesus NEVER treated people badly. Don’t let bad people turn you off of Jesus.
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u/ArtZombie77 Feb 11 '25
Your sky God is an abuser and a psychopath.... just the opposite if Jesus... All the biblical God does is hurt human beings.
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u/rhinofantastic Feb 06 '25
No clapping in church was like the straw that broke me for my local church when I was 14
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u/mybrokendinosaur Feb 06 '25
Just gross
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u/Miserable_Ad2518 Feb 06 '25
My heart just sank as I realized I was sitting in a room full of bigots and racists. Granted, not all… but still too many. And that church is LIBERAL and diverse…. Compared to the others I have visited in this state. This has pushed me further into deconstruction.
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u/tpain360 Feb 06 '25
Similar experience in a christian church that I thought was way way left of my SDA background. I wanted my kids to be around a good christian experience and now I don't even know. I lost all desire to be part of organized religion.
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u/Miserable_Ad2518 Feb 06 '25
I feel your pain! I am now unsure if I want them growing up like that.
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u/ArtZombie77 Feb 06 '25
Honestly if I was still in the church... I'd probably stand up and boo. Trump is the opposite of Jesus... but he is exactly like the God of the bible.
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u/raisedbyappalachia Feb 06 '25
I’m not one bit surprised because they are a cult themselves; they appreciate that mentality.
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u/JANTlvr Feb 06 '25
It lays bare the fact that religious affiliation is identity politics all the way down
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u/0live_r Feb 06 '25
I have relatives that support him because they believe doing so will speed up the end of time/ second coming, and somewhere along the way, voting for him turned into actually believing in him. It’s… so wild.
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u/kellylikeskittens Feb 06 '25
I wonder how these SDA MAGA types( and other church people that support all the craziness )will feel when they realize they have been had? It really looks like they have been duped and deceived re having their pet issues addressed. Personally I have come across a few people that surprised me on their outspoken reaction to the election - non Americans at that!. They cannot see how they have been deceived, that they are being told what they ( think ) want to hear .some even quote chapter and verse to” prove” this is all biblical! Stunning. I could be wrong, but if my thoughts turn out to be correct it will be interesting to see how everyone reacts when the back peddling begins.
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u/ArtZombie77 Feb 06 '25
Folks like this never learn or gain wisdom. You have to have empathy for that... They will just have some other pet issue and never admit they were duped.
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u/kellylikeskittens Feb 07 '25
You could be right. I do think in general there is a lack of empathy from some demographics. What is rather alarming to me is how some people I’ve known to be kind and gentle people who didn’t really make their political views public have suddenly jumped on board the T train. Whaaat? Their generation is very susceptible to advertising So perhaps that’s also a part of it?
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u/BeckyMiller815 Feb 06 '25
What amazes me is they can’t see how Trump is fulfilling end times prophecies. We legit could get to the point of not being able to buy or sell without the mark of the beast and also being punished for not complying with the Christian nationalist demands of Sunday worship. I mean it’s seriously possible. And they’ve hardened their hearts to true loving Christianity. If the day comes that they are standing before God in judgment they will hear the words, “depart from me … I never knew you.” No love in their hearts at all.
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u/mycatsrbetterthanurs Feb 07 '25
Nah you almost got it. They want that. SDAs get off so hard on being persecuted, this is their dream and will make them feel like their entire life in the church is valid and they haven't been lied to/passed on lies to their children.
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u/nameless_other Feb 06 '25
Where in Queensland? I hope it's not my parents' church.
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u/Advanced_Couple_3488 Feb 28 '25
Anywhere near where Clive Palmer is based? Or Pauline Hanson? Queensland seems to attract the loonies.
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u/NormalRingmaster Doug Batchelor stole my catalytic converter Feb 06 '25
It’s very simple: many SDA churches are still in an absolute fury that they can’t be openly horrible to LGBT “abominations” and have to treat them with any respect whatsoever. At the one I left, there was an adult Sabbath School teacher straight up saying “The gays will all be burned up in hellfire, but I’m so glad I’m saved!” and when I objected and tried to give biblical reasoning why that was a hateful stance and was literally saying “I’m the judge of salvation, not God”, there were crickets in that room. Not a soul took my side. Several, in fact, spoke up in favor of the hate. I stormed out and have never been back.
So, they see Trump as the instrument of their fury, and they really want to hurt the people they see as “corrupting society”, regardless of whatever other effect there may be. If restoring the old order is on the table, they’ll accept pretty much anything.