When worship becomes an act of cruelty

Why are white evangelicals so conditioned for cruelty?

After all, the debacle that was Donald Trump’s first day in office included ending birthright citizenship, erasing transgender and intersex people, threatening to colonize our neighbors, lying about the 2020 election results, and pardoning more than 1,500 January 6 insurrectionists, many of whom assaulted police officers, while calling the criminals “hostages.”

The most notable pardon went to Jake Angeli-Chansley, the “QAnon Shaman” who led a prayer while donning Viking horns in the U.S. Senate chamber. After receiving word of his pardon, he wrote on X: “NOW I AM GONNA BUY SOME MOTHA FU*KIN GUNS!!!”

Officer Michael Fanone was beaten so badly while defending the Capitol that he lost consciousness and suffered a heart attack after Daniel Rodriguez shocked him with a stun gun while yelling, “Trump won!” Rodriguez received a pardon from Trump.

In an interview with CNN, Fanone said: “I have been betrayed by my country and I’ve been betrayed by those that supported Donald Trump. Whether you voted for him because he promised these pardons or for some other reason, you knew that this was coming, and here we are. Tonight, six individuals who assaulted me as I did my job on January 6, as did hundreds of other law enforcement officers, will now walk free. Six individuals who have threatened my life and who have made threats toward my family members as well as countless other January 6 defendants who have threatened me, because they see me as a spokesperson for law enforcement for this event. My family, my children and myself are less safe today because of Donald Trump and his supporters.”

He goes on to say his 76-year-old mother has been swatted and has had human feces thrown on her because he’s her son.

White evangelicals did this.

But trying to explain to white evangelicals how Trump’s language, policies and decisions are cruel is seemingly impossible. It’s as if we’re running on completely different operating systems and their system doesn’t have a code to recognize cruelty.

Of course, there are many theological and sociological reasons for this. But there’s one significant factor that was prominent throughout the inaugural events that often gets overlooked, but that plays a very crucial role in conditioning them for cruelty — white evangelical worship.

Make America Great Again rally

The weekend kicked off with a Make America Great Again rally on Sunday afternoon that featured Kid Rock singing the lyrics “It’s time for love and unity,” followed by “Let’s go, Brandon.” Then Jon Voight said we need to be “one nation under God,” while Megyn Kelly made fun of Kamala Harris’ “fake Spanish accent” and said, “It was like spending a day at Joe Biden’s southern border.”

And this doesn’t even touch on the comments later in the event by Trump and his sons. But all of this was preceded by worship.

Liberty University announced on Friday: “LU Praise, Liberty’s multi-ethnic gospel and worship choir, is scheduled to perform twice during the Make America Great Again Victory Rally at the Capital One Arena on Sunday afternoon, including a special collaboration with Billy Ray Cyrus on his song, ‘Some Gave All.’”

The televised portion of the event kicked off with the sound of a piano softly playing as if they were gathered together at a megachurch for worship. Angela Halili and Arielle Reitsma of Girls Gone Bible opened the event in prayer. “Thank you, Jesus!” they cried out. “Your kingdom come, Lord. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, in America as it is in heaven.”

The piano continued playing as they prayed that God would be glorified in everything that takes place at their event. They thanked God for “choosing President Donald Trump to be a vessel for your nation, as he carries the great responsibility of leading your people.”

Notice the word, “your.”

They prayed for power, wisdom and God’s spirit of counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord, and for an outpouring of love and healing.

“Would you soften the hearts of your sons and your daughters?” they asked.

People began settling in. Who could be against love, healing and soft hearts, especially when set to soft piano music and spoken in near whispers by two young, attractive blonde women? Of course, there’s nothing wrong with attractive women praying. But make no mistake. In the Fox News world of MAGA, aesthetics is part of the game.

They brought up 2 Chronicles 7:14 about God responding to prayer, humility, seeking God’s face, and repentance by healing the nation. They asked for God’s power and for a holy fire to rain down and produce purity and holiness.

“They asked for God’s power and for a holy fire to rain down and produce purity and holiness.”

Then with heads bowed, eyes closed, and hearts softened, they compared Jesus as the Lion and the Lamb to the United States as the lion and the lamb: “I pray that this would be the heart of America, powerful beyond belief, more powerful than any adversary and with a true heart of humility to serve one another and provide for the poor, care for the sick and bring justice to the oppressed.”

This language is convincing the MAGA worshipers both to pursue “power beyond belief” while thinking of themselves as bringing justice to the oppressed. And who do they think are the oppressed?

Trump and white evangelicals, of course. After all, they’re the ones who are supposedly persecuted.

So as the piano continued to heighten the tension and the women’s energy and voices rose, Girls Gone Bible shouted: “So President Trump, we set the name of the Lord upon you, and we declare that no weapon formed against you will prosper, that every tongue that rises up against you in judgment will be condemned! And if God be for you, who can be against you?”

‘Let Us Worship’

Then there was Sean Feucht.

“I am currently waiting in line to take a picture with a bald eagle on my shoulder in DC. We are sooooooo back,” the Let Us Worship founder posted on social media.

Feucht was back in town at the personal invitation of Trump, who thanked Feucht in October by video at their “Kingdom to the Capitol” grand finale worship event on the National Mall.

As Feucht noted the military presence in DC, he said, “The weapons of our worship are ready to praise over our nation’s capitol.”

“The weapons of our worship are ready to praise over our nation’s capitol.”

More than anyone else, Feucht has commodified “worship” as a political soundtrack for the MAGA world.

Then on Sunday, he participated in four worship services. At the first service, he laid hands and prayed over Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, and Brook Rollins, the nominee for secretary of agriculture. He reported, “What a truly historic day to have this many BOLD BELIEVERS serving in the top positions of government in our nation!”

During the second service, Feucht prayed God’s righteousness would be so instilled in the worshipers that they would “go forth in boldness.”

The third service was held at David’s Tent, a literal tent set up on the National Mall where evangelical worship teams from across the United States have been engaged in “worship” 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, since 2015.

Then the final worship gathering of the day was at Camp Elah, which is the 952-square-foot townhouse Let Us Worship purchased, named after the valley where David defeated Goliath, and strategically “just a smooth stone’s throw from the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court” in order “to take back territory for his kingdom.” Feucht posted video of the worshipers laughing and cheering to the song, “He Shall Reign Forever and Ever.”

Speaking truth to power

But not every moment of worship over the weekend was MAGA-fueled justification for the reign of Trump. The official inauguration service of prayer at Washington National Cathedral received mixed reactions.

The prelude included a number of traditional patriotic songs, such as “The President’s March,” “God of Our Fathers,” “America the Beautiful,” “Let Freedom Ring” and “God Bless America.”

Diana Butler Bass, who is a member of the Episcopal Church, wished they would have canceled the service altogether due to Trump.

“I can’t bear to watch DJT in the Washington National Cathedral. It makes me sick,” she posted on Bluesky. “They didn’t have to do this. It is a LIE that they have held such services for every president. In 1973, WNC refused to hold a service for Nixon. Instead, they had Leonard Cohen in concert — and no Nixon in sight. This is my denomination. I raised a huge national ruckus about this in 2017. They told me that they changed things. Not so much, it seems. I’m in lament.”

“In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”

But like many progressive Christians, Bass was thankful for the example Bishop Mariann Budde set in the pulpit.

With Trump and Vance having to sit quietly, Bishop Budde addressed them face to face: “Millions have put their trust in you. As you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”

Bass reflected, “I’m very glad that Bishop Marianne Budde used the pulpit to challenge and rebuke Trump. I figured she’d rise to the moment. And she did. And yet, the moment didn’t need to happen. Some things are both-ands.”

But Feucht was having none of it.

“THIS NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN,” he wrote on Facebook in all caps. “We were all cringing in the room along with the president with how outrageous this was! This is not a church and she is not a pastor. Time to ditch this tradition of attending this place during the inauguration.”

Republican congressman Mike Collins of Georgia went further: “The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list.”

Feucht kept going: “This is wokest church I’ve ever been to in my life!!! I cancel every word of Mariann Edgar Budde in Jesus’ name!!”

Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri mocked: “Transgender children ‘fear for their lives’ — because of Trump? Hahaha.”

“Wokeness must be completely eradicated in the churches of America.”

Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church of Dallas was present and said: “Attended national prayer service today at the Washington National Cathedral during which Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde insulted rather than encouraged our great president @realDonaldTrump. There was palpable disgust in the audience with her words.”

And Feucht added, “Wokeness must be completely eradicated in the churches of America.”

‘My brain can’t function anymore’

One of the common defenses people use regarding those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6 is that they simply got swept up in the emotion of the moment.

Referring to the Jericho Marches leading up to the insurrection, during which Christian Trump supporters marched around Capitol buildings while singing, yelling, blowing shofars and pretending to be ancient Israel taking Jericho, Rod Dreher wrote for The American Conservative: “You also need to think about how evangelical and charismatic worship has formed people to be susceptible to events like this. We were taught that the way you feel after hearing a great sermon, or going to a football game when your team wins, or being at a CCM concert, was what it meant to be walking in tune with the Lord. That feeling of ecstasy was a confirmation of everything you believed. We were formed to seek those experiences out, and to think of them as self-validating. Nobody ever taught us to apply discernment, and certainly not how to be skeptical of strong feelings, because they could mislead us. This sets Christians up to believe anything that gives them that rush that comes from being part of something collective and ecstatic.”

His observation echoes the words of Meggan Fletcher, a worship leader featured in a documentary for David’s Tent, where Feucht led worship on Sunday. In a documentary promoting David’s Tent, Fletcher admitted that after worshiping for two straight hours: “My brain can’t function anymore. And my spirit just has to take over, which is why it’s hard to explain it in words ‘cause it’s not really something that can be easily explained. It just kind of blows all the circuits in your brain. But it’s a really good feeling. Everybody should do it.”

A pro-life celebration of death

Now imagine a world where white evangelical worship causes brains no longer to function and spirits to take over, while singing words about violence against your neighbors, the Democrats.

In this world, death is no longer a cause for lament, but a reason to rejoice.

“Something crazy prophetic happened today for the pro-life movement!” Feucht announced with great anticipation.

Then Russell Johnson, the pastor who attempted to defend his invoking of theocracy to me on the National Mall, explained: “We just saw on the news to coordinate with the historic inauguration that’s happening in Washington, D.C., the president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, passed away today unexpectedly at the age of 67. And I think just reflecting on all of what president has done for the pro-life movement with the selection of pro-life Supreme Court judges overturning Roe v. Wade. All those types of things. This is a real significant and prophetic moment I think signifying for what the pro-life movement has in store over the next four years.”

“The end of Planned Parenthood! That’s what it signifies.” Feucht noted.

“Let’s go!” Johnson responded.

Then Feucht concluded “Come on, you can’t make this stuff up guys. God is working behind the scenes. Open your eyes, man. Things are happening all over right now.”

The video ends with Feucht grinning and saying, “Good.”

And their celebration of violence isn’t simply over the death of one individual. As I reported from the National Press Club in October, Feucht responded to Israel bombing Iran by saying, “Israel just sent missiles to Iran … and you’re in D.C. for it! Haha!” With the room breaking out into joyful worship over the bombs bursting in air, Feucht and Johnson led in prayer for God’s direction and glory and for God to protect Trump.

Leading worship at the Pentagon with an American Crusader

One could argue that Trump’s most concerning cabinet nominee is Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense. In his book American Crusade: Our Fight to Stay Free, Hegseth calls for the “utter annihilation” of the left. Then he adds, “Our American Crusade is not about literal swords, and our fight is not with guns. Yet.”

But as insurrectionists like the QAnon Shaman are freed this week and promise to “BUY SOME MOTHA FU*KIN GUNS,” one has to wonder how close we’re getting to Hegseth’s “yet.”

“BREAKING NEWS: 1500 J6ers have now been pardoned by Trump,” Feucht celebrated.

Then as the congregation mingled after the worship service at the Washington National Cathedral, Hegseth approached Feucht. The two men gave each other a big bro hug. Then Hegseth asked, “So Sean, what do you think about doing worship at the Pentagon?”

So let’s review.

We have a secretary of defense nominee who wrote a book called American Crusade and threatened to use guns in order to “utterly annihilate” the left. He’s teaming up with a worship leader who celebrates people dying and bombs being launched and who is calling for wokeness to be “completely eradicated.” They’re utilizing “worship” as a weapon that one of the worship leaders in Feucht’s movement on a documentary claims causes their brain not to function anymore and their spirits to take over. And they’re connected to mobs of marchers who like to play Canaanite Conquest Cosplay, but who think it’s totally real.

It makes Feucht’s Call to Worship on the National Mall 10 days before the election seem even more concerning. There he declared: “We are the army of God! … May God arise. May his enemies be scattered. May his foes flee before him. May you blow them away like smoke as wax melts before the fire. May the wicked perish before God. May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God. May they be happy and joyful. Sing to God and sing in praise of his name. Extol him who rides upon the clouds. Rejoice before him. His name is the Lord.”

Battle Hymn of the Republic

For anyone with historical knowledge paying attention, there was another musical clue this week that should not be overlooked. At the presidential inauguration, the U.S. Naval Glee Club sang an arrangement of “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

Now, if you grew up in a Baptist church, you’ve probably heard and sung this song dozens of times.

As they marched through the by-invitation crowd inside the Capitol Rotunda, the choristers sang the song that arose from the Union side of the Civil War in 1862 and since has become a staple when there’s a need to mix church and state.

In this year’s inaugural ceremonies, however, consider the lyrics in light of the violent cruelty being unleashed by Trump and his allies:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

Has anyone stopped their singing for a moment to wonder how this constant drumbeat of violence might be part of our national problem?

 

Rick Pidcock is a 2004 graduate of Bob Jones University, with a bachelor of arts degree in Bible. He’s a freelance writer based in South Carolina and a former Clemons Fellow with BNG. He completed a master of arts degree in worship from Northern Seminary. He is a stay-at-home father of five children and produces music under the artist name Provoke Wonder. Follow his blog at www.rickpidcock.com.

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