“Have you ever asked God for forgiveness?”
“That’s a tough question. I don’t think in those terms…I’m a religious person…I go to church…Norman Vincent Peale was my pastor…”
“But have you ever asked God for forgiveness?”
“I’m not sure I have…I just try to do a better job from there. I don’t think so. I don’t bring God into the picture.”
“Do I do things that are wrong? I guess so.“
Hmmm. Find this disconcerting? Watch the below 4-minute clip to understand these comments in context, and to see that I fairly edited them for you.
I never dreamed my book would end up so relevant for this election year! Donald Trump could be considered the poster child for the positive thinking mindset taken to its logical ends – especially as revealed in this clip.
Difficulty seeing your need for forgiveness. Difficulty admitting sin. Obvious issues with pride and self-deception. A self-centered and self-sufficient attitude with an emphasis on personal success.
My book discusses these very things, and how the positive thinking movement undermined Christianity by subtly infiltrating it – distracting us from Christ.
Several articles have connected the phenomenon of Donald Trump as presidential candidate to…Norman Vincent Peale, positive thinking, Joel Osteen, the prosperity gospel and the like.
From The Washington Post: How the prosperity gospel explains Donald Trump’s popularity with Christian voters. Like Joel Osteen, Trump’s brand is rooted in his own success. Excerpt:
“Osteen and Trump share the same core prosperity precepts, holding that God pushes them and their discerning followers undeviatingly upward to greater success. ‘Don’t put limits on God’ is the mantra of Osteen’s preaching — which means, in turn, that you shouldn’t put limits on yourself and your worldly achievements. This may be why Trump appears to bristle instinctively at the notion of seeking the Lord’s forgiveness — his preferred image of the deity, too, is as a single-minded enabler of success.”
From First Things: Donald Trump, Man of Faith. Excerpt:
“Trump…heard the sermons of Norman Vincent Peale, a man whose philosophy would become Trump’s own…The two men began to trade public compliments. Peale, always generous in his assessments of human nature, said that Trump had a ‘profound streak of honest humility.’ Trump, not exactly showing that humble streak, said that Peale ‘thought I was his greatest student of all time.’ In a certain sense, Trump was right. Peale has had no more perfect disciple. Peale distilled the optimism and self-sufficiency of the American character into a simple creed.”
From theologian Michael Horton in Christianity Today: The Theology of Donald Trump. Excerpt:
“Let me suggest that the slender thread connecting Trump to the church is…Norman Vincent Peale. Blending pop-psychology and spirituality, Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking (1952) remained on The New York Times bestsellers list for 186 weeks. Nicknamed ‘God’s Salesman,’ Peale was criticized for trivializing Christianity. Reinhold Niebuhr said that he ‘corrupts the gospel,‘ and that he helps people ‘feel good, while they are evading the real issues of life.’”
Positive thinking took the 20th century by storm and engulfed every area of our lives – including our churches.
Learn more in my book, Positively Powerless.
It will help you detect the false gospel of positivity and re-connect to your true source of power: the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Think of it as a practical book on everyday Christian living, and how the subtle but pervasive influence of positive thinking shifted our focus and undermined us in our lives of faith.
Glad to see you read Michael Horton
I’m late replying. Thanks for checking out my blog. I’ve read a couple books by Horton: Christless Christianity and Putting Amazing Back into Grace. I also have his Pilgrim Theology but have not read it yet.
Hi Laura, thank you for sending me this link to your post. You are on point that Donald Trump is self-centered and prideful. His idea of sin and falling short of the glory of God seems to be quite different from yours and mine. That said, as you know God uses people from all walks of life to accomplish His work. The book of Esther never once mentions the name “God.” But we know God chose beautiful Esther to become part of King Xerxes’ harem and the king summoned her at night. Later she would became one of his wives, his queen. Esther chose to lie and not reveal her true Jewish heritage at first. Not until she realized only she could save her people from being slaughtered did she tell her husband who she really was. Because she was beautiful Xerxes found favor in her. God placed her in this position to save her people. I believe, like Esther, Donald Trump has been placed in this position to save our country. America is literally slipping towards hell as we turn our back to God. Trump is not a Sunday school teacher, but he is the correct and only bold, brass, in-your-face republican who has a chance to win against corrupt Washington elites, even facing opposition within his own party. Any more liberal Supreme Court Justices placed into office for the rest of their lives are sure to push America faster and further away from God. I really believe at this time, Christians’ only hope of standing firm for God and our conservative values is to vote Donald Trump as president of these United States. I do enjoy reading your posts. Again, thank you for sharing!
I disagree strongly, but thanks for sharing your views on why Trump should be president.
Understandable. No problems with anyone disagreeing.
Pingback: Pinocchio was a poor motivational speaker… | Enough Light
Wow. A ‘believer’ who doesn’t need forgiveness. No wonder so many think he’s the ‘saviour’ of the United States. I am just shocked that he remained unchallenged on the not needing forgiveness part. Forgiveness and the need for forgiveness are the FIRST part of following Christ. I am reminded of the words of Jesus about even the elect being led astray if such a thing were possible. Only a narcissist could ever seriously see themselves as not needing forgiveness.
As for the rest of us – praise the Lord for prayer! We’re going to need it.
Hi Sandy, I remain perplexed by the conservative Christians who so endorsed Trump. Let me clarify a bit. I can understand how some felt that since all the choices were bad, that Trump was “the best” option even though he was problematic too. They voted for him reluctantly, praying that all would work out. I get it.
What I am perplexed by is…Christians who voted for him so enthusiastically, unable to even admit Trump’s problems. They defended him vehemently, not even willing to acknowledge his inappropriate behavior and speech.
So many Christians lost or damaged their Christian witness by the way they so fully got behind Trump – almost portraying him as our savior – as you note. The unbelieving world sadly notices these things, and notes the contradiction between what Christians are supposed to believe and what they endorse.
Yes, prayer…
Pingback: No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton, book review | Enough Light