narcissism

IS POTUS DEMON-POSSESSED?

Tom Ratkovich, , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Readers of this blog will know that I have prayed for Donald Trump’s salvation, and that he finds obedience to God’s will as prescribed in Scripture. I have, moreover, rendered myself incapable of casting judgment on his soul, noting that this is the purview of the Lord alone. Instead, I have endeavored to remain critical only of his malicious behavior. And I have speculated that the infatuation by his MAGA apologists is, in fact, a blinding by God – and a test for each of us of our own fidelity to the Lord. Only God knows if such speculation is valid.

But evidence is mounting that POTUS is not simply an unashamed and unrepentant sinner. Let’s be honest…we are long past the diagnosis of classic narcissism.  His relentless evil, hate, greed and self-exaltation can no longer simply be attributed to a debilitating mental disease. It seems far more probable that Trump is under a demonic influence.

In fact, it is quite likely, America, that the nation’s nuclear codes are controlled by a demon-possessed egomaniac.

I do not make this assertion lightly. I am exceedingly concerned that such a claim made with or without merit is one that the Lord will judge harshly. Consequently, I have prayed passionately for His guidance before putting it into the blogosphere.

The answer I receive repeatedly is this: “Speak, Tom. Donald Trump serves My purpose in testing those who claim obedience. Be strong in belief and use this time of tribulation to affirm My word. Illuminate hypocrisy and pray that those who look to Trump rather than Me to appease their fears will return to faith.”

I can do nothing myself, but I am blessed that the Lord may use me to illustrate His word and bring back the wayward.

Consider the behavioral parallels between POTUS and the characteristics attributed to malevolent spiritual forces described in the Bible:

  • Sowing Division and Discord: Satan seeks to separate man from God. He does so largely by separating man from man. It logically follows that Satan’s henchmen seek to do the same. Trump’s rhetoric, his tone and his lies are designed to foster division and hostility. What makes this especially demonic is his ambition to divide the CHURCH.
  • Deception and Falsehood: In verse 8:44 in the Gospel of John, Jesus calls the devil “the father of lies.” Scripture frequently associates deception with demonic inspiration. Trump’s lies are so self-serving, so pervasive and, to most, so blatantly false that he is assuredly under the influence of Satan – as, perhaps, are those who believe and perpetuate them.
  • Self-Exaltation: Biblical figures under malevolent influence frequently display persistent self-worship and a hopeless inability to accept responsibility for failure. Needless to say, POTUS’ unceasing boasts regarding his mental acuity, his physical fitness and declaration of unique capability (“I alone can fix it”) – despite all evidence to the contrary – provide testimony to such influence, as does his persistent propensity to shift blame for his poor decisions and outcomes. Most telling, Trump has exalted himself in social media to the status of God, a comparison only a servant of Satan would make.
  • Erratic and Volatile Speech: His verbal rants and middle-of-the-night social media posts excoriating anyone who does not bend the knee are not reflective of a man in control of his senses. That control apparently belongs to the evil one.
  • Mercilessness and Impenitence: Perhaps it is not entirely accurate to suggest POTUS is without mercy. After all, he has pardoned many who violently attacked our nation’s Capitol, who fund his campaign of retribution, and contribute to his personal and familial wealth. But God teaches us to extend mercy to our enemies. Trump’s behavior is the antithesis of such instruction as he seeks vengeance against all who defy him. And, like Satan, he repents of nothing.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

The great danger to our society, to our world, and to our church – is that we become so enamored with political power that placates our fears that we fail to recognize the evil associated with it. The Lord has equipped us for this struggle. He has graciously given us His word.

Of course, Scripture does not give us license to look into another person’s soul and pronounce a spiritual diagnosis, as barefaced as such judgment may seem. Could it be that what we are witnessing is simply the catastrophic consequence of unchecked pride, narcissism, greed, hatred and the corrupting influence of power?

I think not. I would argue that the evil perpetrated by the current administration is seeded by demonic influence. But Satan does not need to possess Donald Trump to accomplish destruction. He needs only to persuade millions of people who call themselves Christians to excuse lies, celebrate cruelty, embrace vengeance, worship power and place political loyalty above obedience to Christ.

That is where the real spiritual danger lies.

See also: TRUMP

He Can’t Help Himself

Tom Ratkovich, , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Donald Trump is not shy about professing his Christianity. He often surrounds himself with religious leaders who display their fealty – many of whom are active practitioners of the heretical prosperity gospel and declare POTUS to be the hand of God.

I am incapable of judging Trump’s heart and, thus, his faith. That alone is the realm of our God in heaven.

“Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5, NIV)

But I am quite capable – obligated, actually, as are we all – to judge the defiance to God’s word that is plainly on display and gives evidence of a cankerous soul.

The problem for POTUS – and for all of us given the political clout granted him by his sycophants, including those in the Supreme Court – is that while he professes his faith, he is entirely impotent in the face of his narcissism. That is, he is utterly incapable of taking any action that does not make him feel good about himself. Needless to say, this is problematic for the leader of our nation.

In a previous post, I argued that Trump appears ignorant of the wisdom proffered by Solomon in Proverbs 28 in which he warns against greed, dishonesty, corruption and pride in leadership. The king, Solomon, that is, praises honesty, compassion, justice, generosity and accountability.

Honestly, I don’t know if POTUS is a wise man. Whatever wisdom he may indeed possess is smothered by his lack of humility, his compulsion for vengeance and his indifference to the truth. He acts not on the basis of wisdom – and certainly not on God’s great command to love your neighbor – but on his enormous, uncontrollable self-worth.

This personality disorder has manifested in so many ways that are not only devastating to the constituents that Trump has pledged to serve, but to our democracy and way of life.

  • Nowhere is his narcissism on greater display than his prioritization of personal fealty over professional competence and institutional integrity. Many officials have been fired or sidelined for not showing personal loyalty, even when they were fulfilling their legal or ethical duties. Such behavior undermines legislative effectiveness and stifles candor.
  • Trump’s leadership is further compromised by decision-making that is impulsive, ego-driven and entirely self-serving. The cost: collaborative, evidence-based policymaking.
  • His rhetoric typically centers on grievance and personal slights, intensifying divisions and deepening the “us v. them” narratives that preclude national healing and unity. Witness his deranged holiday tweets.
  • Dangerously, POTUS has unpretentiously normalized falsehoods. He flouts truth in order to create a narrative that feeds his monumentally narcissistic character. And while the most blatant and notorious example is that of his knowingly false claims of election fraud, his ceaseless fabrications run the gamut from trivial to treacherous – from cheating on the golf course to denying credible government statistics, making false claims about immigrants, denying climate change, characterizing white supremacists as “very fine people” and pretty much anything else that comes out of his mouth.

A textbook example of Trump’s treachery is the recent firing of BLS chief Erika McEntarfer, guilty only of being the messenger to the disappointment of the Trump economy. Concerned that the monthly jobs report reflected poorly on his performance, POTUS immediately looked to scapegoat McEntarfer, knowing his minions would be fooled by his maneuvering. Trump not only cruelly upended the life of a civil servant, but compromised the integrity of future reports. He didn’t do this because of anyone’s incompetence or deceit – he did it ONLY to escape any accountability for bad numbers and to intimidate McEntarfer’s successor.

This is the man in charge of the nuclear codes. This is the man elected to care for our hungry and indigent. This is the man charged with caring for the afflicted. This is the man who is supposed to be a custodian of our planet. This is the man some believed would deliver world peace.

This is the man destined to be an example for our children.