Reading a prepared speech from his two new best friends — those teleprompters — Donald Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric to what many will see as dangerous levels. He’s openly declared war on “the establishment,” media, the “Clinton Machine” and the women accusing him of the very sexual assaults he was caught bragging about on a hot mic in 2005.
Most disturbing to me was the messianic messaging and the speech’s dark, apocalyptic, final battle of “good vs evil” theme.
The first of these not-too-subtle allusions came in the midst of his ranting over his perceived persecution.
They knew they would throw every lie they could at me and my family and my loved ones. They knew they would stop at nothing to try to stop me. But I never knew — as bad as it would be — I never knew it would be this vile. That it would be this bad. That it would be this vicious.
Nevertheless...
I take all of these slings and arrows gladly for you. I take them for our movement so that we can have our country back
Holy Orange Trump on a cross! He’s suffering for you dear flock. Believe him. (Believe in him?) Not much later, he continued the religious theme, talking about his own descent into Hell and ultimately how he is the conduit to Heaven:
Many of my friends and many political experts warned me that this campaign would be a journey to Hell. They said that. But they're wrong, it will be a journey to Heaven because we will help so many people
We’ve got suffering. We got what seems to be some parts borrowed from the Apostles’ Creed. But what is a messianic narrative without death and resurrection?
In my former life, I was as much an insider as anyone else. I knew what it was like and I still know what it's like to be an insider. It's not bad. It's not bad. Now I'm being punished for leaving the special club and revealing to you the terrible things that are going on having to do with our country. Because I used to be part of the club, I'm the only one who can fix it. I'm doing this for the people and for the movement and we will take this country back for you and we will make this country great again.
He has known temptation. He has died and been resurrected. He has selflessly suffered and now he returns to lead the forces of the light in the ultimate battle of good versus evil.
He is the lamb and the lion.
Trump stitched it all up (or should I say Steve Bannon?) with this bit about being the only conduit to this “great” (heavenly) America that he promises.
Only he, Donald J. Trump, can “fix it,” and so it is he who is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Donald Trump.
Ugh.