On October 21, 2024, Donald Trump attended the “11th Hour Religious Leaders Gathering” in North Carolina, which aimed to unite evangelical pastors and Christian leaders to gain their support and unite them into a voting bloc. Ben Carson, a Seventh-day Adventist, participated in this “praise and worship” service that blended faith and politics in a way that raises serious concerns about the separation of church and state.
At this event, Donald Trump said that the hand of God preserved his life so he could make America great again. He claimed that it was time for Christians to take back their country because Christianity was the soul of America, not a threat. At different times the crowd would shout “Jesus, Jesus” and “USA, USA” as Donald Trump urged Christians to get out and vote.
While religion plays a significant role in the lives of many Americans, using it as a political campaign tool allows faith groups to be exploited for their own political ends. This undermines the nature of the church, because spiritual leaders are supposed to represent the kingdom of God and not allow this kind of mingling in which religious beliefs are being used to gain votes in political campaigns.
Political campaigns and worship services are inherently incompatible because they serve fundamentally different purposes: one seeks to gain power and influence over a nation, while the other is a spiritual devotion meant to honor God. When political leaders use worship as a platform for campaigning, it always corrupts the sacredness of faith and manipulates religious sentiment for political goals. Such displays open the door to a dangerous union of church and state, which history shows often leads to persecution of those who hold minority or dissenting beliefs.
According to biblical prophecy, the union of church and state is a precursor to the mark of the beast, where political authorities impose false worship and seek to control conscience, leading to the persecution of God’s faithful people who stand for religious liberty and biblical truth. This kind of mingling erodes the freedom of individual belief and signals a path toward authoritarian control under the guise of religious authority.
“The union of the church with the state, be the degree never so slight, while it may appear to bring the world nearer to the church, does in reality but bring the church nearer to the world” (Great Controversy, p. 297.1).
“The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God’s forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law, and their evil work will recoil upon themselves” (Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 1168).
I have been both honored and tasked by Eric Trump and Doctor Ben Carson with organizing this 11th Hour Faith Leaders Meeting hosted by the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump and Doctor Ben Carson.
If you are a faith leader or pastor we want you in attendance.… https://t.co/Tq7tF6WyRy pic.twitter.com/uiKNKhC9Uf
— “Watching Yuval Noah Harari & BRICS” Clay Clark (@TheClayClark) October 2, 2024
0
0
0
The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet’s words: “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. GC 592.
Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
For the upcoming elections, I hope the Communists are defeated by the Semi-Americans.