Don’t Call God

By Eddie D. Gillis

t’s sems that when election time rolls around, two things voters are sure to hear, “send money so we can win this fight”, even though that candidate might be leading by fifty points, and God “is on our side” as you send the money. We know that there is never enough money to spend on ads even though practically everyone knows who is running and most minds are made up before votes will be cast. Nonetheless, there has long been a tendency for many candidates to invoke God because just by mentioning God, a certain segment of the population will respond. There is a so-called “Great Re-Awakening of America” tour in parts of conservative America to convince voters that “God is on their side” and that those candidates are “God sent”. The two biggest names involved in this “tour” is ex-president Donald Trump and Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis. Four years ago, many religious leaders on the right said that Trump “was sent” by The Almighty, that he was the right man for the times. Yes, Trump came on the scene at the right time when America under former president, Barack Obama had gone through eight years of an economic boon. Yeah, nothing like coming to save America when the nation had recovered from what was an approaching depression that threatened to wreak havoc on the nation. Funny, when Obama arrived in 2008, none of those religious conservatives said that he was a “God send”. As a matter of fact, since they couldn’t get Mr. Obama linked to any scandals, they attacked his religion and went so far as to call him the Antichrist”. Remember the time Mr. Obama gave the eulogy for those slain African-Americans in South Carolina, where he not only spoke like a man of God, but he also sang “Amazing Grace” at the end? Not one commented who drape themselves in flag with a gun in one hand and a bible in the other. Nonetheless, Donald Trump has captured, many have said, the evangelical right and that is shown by the numbers at his rallies across the nation.

Trump may be difficult to dethrone by any politician, perhaps that may be why some who want to take his place, may be hoping that one of the numerous lawsuits filed against him, will take him down. Many in the political world are looking forward to 2024, are hoping that person is the Florida governor. DeSantis is smart enough not to announce any kind of intentions to run, he’d rather let the media do the talking for him. He knows that as of now, going head-to-head with Trump would be political suicide. DeSantis also recognizes something that Trump has and that is the full support of far-right conservatives in Congress/the states and the religious right. So, instead of going toe to toe, DeSantis will present himself as the alternative of a man sent by God in order to woo those conservative votes. There will be others who will follow, including Mike Pence (remember him?), meaning that they “all were sent by God” for one job.

As mentioned earlier, DeSantis seems willing to let others prop him up with the religious right alternative to Trump, by accepting an ad that said in part, on the “eighth day of creation”, God needed a “protector”. So in order to “be protected”, God made a “fighter”, with the finger seemingly pointing to DeSantis. The ad goes on to say that “God said that He needed a “fighter”, take the arrows and stand firm before the oncoming attacks, while showing various looks of DeSantis in everyday life. That’s odd. The ad never said anything about “putting on the whole armor of God” and where did the “eighth” day of creation come from. Isn’t that mocking God, as if He “needs” our help. Where was Jesus in the ad? Are they saying that Trump and DeSantis are the only two that “can save” America? That God is going to “send” two, conservative voters have to choose one? One may be hard pressed to consider that Trump and DeSantis are the “Two Witnesses” that the Book of Revelation mentions. We can be sure that once the votes are tallied and the true winners are announced, don’t be surprised if God takes a back seat, as there in all likelihood would appear that God doesn’t need to send any more protectors. At least one won’t hear DeSantis or Trump taking any credit for “answering the call” if control of Congress doesn’t revert back to Republicans. It shows how some can see it as “convenience” to invoke God to further their agenda, perhaps forgetting that what they do “is only temporary”. Trump, true to form, is calling DeSantis “Ron Sanctimonious”, which to critics of the governor, seems a little bit of the truth. God knows what He is doing, as His plan/will, and who he will send, is only known to Him. So when one hear someone say that Trump or DeSantis is “God sent”, ask them who told them so. If it’s not in line for Jesus’ time on earth, it’s probably not true. Remember, the world is watching. So is God.