All posts tagged: Christians

When Trump’s satire hits too close to home for American Christians, Antichrist claims emerge

When Trump’s satire hits too close to home for American Christians, Antichrist claims emerge

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — Is Donald Trump the Antichrist? That question has been on a lot of people’s mind in recent weeks — mainly due to the president’s nonstop social media feed, which included posting an Easter message that used the f-word and a mocking “Praise to Allah,” an ongoing feud with Pope Leo XIV and an AI-generated image of Trump as Jesus, which critics and followers alike denounced as blasphemous. It was on the mind of conservative author Rod Dreher this week, according to The Wall Street Journal. “Not saying Trump is the Antichrist,” Dreher said. “But he’s radiating the spirit of Antichrist, no question.”   Guessing identity of the Antichrist — a term that comes from the New Testament letters of 1st and 2nd John — has been around almost since the beginning of Christianity. Among more recent candidates are Franklin D. Roosevelt, Benito Mussolini, Ronald Reagan and Vladimir Putin. In the 1990s, some evangelicals argued that Saddam Hussein could be the Antichrist, in part based on claims he was attempting to rebuild ancient Babylon. Dallas …

Trump posts bizarre image of him and Jesus embracing as MAGA Christians rage at President | World | News

Trump posts bizarre image of him and Jesus embracing as MAGA Christians rage at President | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

Donald Trump has posted an image of him and Jesus appearing to embrace despite mounting anger from Christians. The post on Truth Social was captioned: “The Radical Left Lunatics might not like this, but I think it is quite nice!!! President DJT”. The new photo was originally posted on a page on X called “Irish for Trump” alongside the caption: “I was never a very religious man .. but doesn’t it seem, with all these satanic, demonic, child sacrificing monsters being exposed … that God might be playing his Trump card!” The latest post comes just days after President Trump sparked international fury by posting an image depicting him as Jesus, dressed in robes and using divine power to heal a man. It was later taken down from the platform amid a backlash. Mr Trump claimed he never intended to liken himself to the son of God and insisted it was supposed to depict him as a doctor. A significant number of Christian voters helped Mr Trump secure his presidential election victory in 2024. But …

Column: Faith lessons don’t belong in public schools, and Christians know that

Column: Faith lessons don’t belong in public schools, and Christians know that

Published by Sam Flores

We had so much going on this week, with the new season of “Euphoria” coming out and the president threatening to wipe out a 2,600-year-old civilization, that it’s easy to miss things like the latest attempt by conservatives to reshape the U.S. into a theocracy. Not satisfied with shoehorning Bible stories into its English curriculum and the push to display the Ten Commandments in public classrooms, the Texas Board of Education is now considering adding Bible verses to the required reading list for students. Among the scriptures the board is considering are Psalm 23, the story of Jonah and the whale, and Lamentations 3, which talks about keeping your faith in God in good times and in bad. In fact, compiled together, the scriptures that officials are considering read like pages torn from “Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul.” Which, as a Christian, I appreciate — however, as an American, I vehemently oppose. For one of the country’s largest providers of public education to consider requiring students to read Bible verses feels like a grenade …

As Jerusalem holy sites reopen, Jews, Muslims and Christians flock to pray

As Jerusalem holy sites reopen, Jews, Muslims and Christians flock to pray

Published by Sam Flores

JERUSALEM (RNS) — Thousands of Jews, Muslims and Christians flocked to the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday (April 9) to pray at the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the day after a two-week ceasefire was announced in the war between the United States, Israel and Iran. On Feb. 28, Israeli authorities closed all three holy sites to everyone but the clergy who work there, out of fears that Iranian missiles or a siren-triggered stampede could harm large numbers of worshippers. Some Muslim and Christian leaders had demanded that Al-Aqsa and the Holy Sepulchre be open to the public, despite there being no bomb shelters in the immediate vicinity. But on Thursday, for the first time in 40 days, Old City merchants opened their shops in the hopes of making a few sales, while local people and some tourists appeared more interested in reaching the holy sites than buying jewelry or souvenirs — which included hats with images of President Donald Trump and the words “Make Israel Great Again.” …

Easter came to empty pews in Jerusalem. For Palestinian Christians, Orthodox Easter may be no different.

Easter came to empty pews in Jerusalem. For Palestinian Christians, Orthodox Easter may be no different.

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — By any measure, the Holy Week in Jerusalem was eerily quiet as a result of restrictions imposed by Israel against large gatherings due to the U.S.-Israel war in Iran.  On Palm Sunday, the Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, was barred by Israeli police from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the church where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead. And on Easter Sunday (April 5), the cardinal and other Catholic leaders performed Easter rites to empty pews at the Holy Sepulchre, which remained closed to the public. Holy Thursday and Good Friday celebrations were also held without the public.  As Orthodox Christians prepare to celebrate Pascha, the Orthodox Easter, on Sunday (April 12), Palestinian Christian communities are concerned about how Israel’s control over Jerusalem’s sacred sites and restrictions on Palestinians’ ability to leave the West Bank will impact their ability to live out their faith. “It’s such an important event in the life of the community. It’s degrading our ability to live our Christian life and to provide a …

The far-right Christians pushing Trump’s war — to bring on the apocalypse

The far-right Christians pushing Trump’s war — to bring on the apocalypse

Published by Sam Flores

On March 9, Donald Trump posted a nine-year old video on Truth Social that seemed to reveal his worsening political desperation. The video is a compilation of clips of charismatic Christian prophet Kim Clement, spliced together from 2007 appearances in California and Arizona. (Clement died in 2016.) The clear implication is that Clement was identifying Trump as God’s choice for president. Now some MAGA leaders may be taking the prophecy show on the road. Trump has been scrambling to justify the war against Iran, and some military commanders, up to and including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have told troops that it is a “holy war,” part of God’s larger plan for America and the world. The late Prophet Clement and others like him are part of a growing and politically connected movement within charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity called the New Apostolic Reformation. Its leaders, apostles and prophets say they are empowered and informed by direct revelations from God, and they are seeking religious and political dominion over society. (Although the NAR, by design, does not …

American politicians talk about persecuted Christians abroad – but here’s what happens when those Christians migrate to the US

American politicians talk about persecuted Christians abroad – but here’s what happens when those Christians migrate to the US

Published by Sam Flores

(The Conversation) — Two months ago, Terez Metry arrived at a Department of Homeland Security office in Nashville with her husband, a U.S. citizen, expecting a routine step in beginning her green card application. The couple had prepared documents for a Form I-130 petition and anticipated an interview about their marriage. But the appointment took a different turn. Instead of leaving together, immigration officers detained Metry and transferred her to an immigration detention facility in Alabama. Metry’s family had fled Egypt during the Arab Spring – the 2011 wave of uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa – and came to the United States when she was a teenager. Their asylum claim was denied, and Metry was unaware that a removal order had been issued when she was 13. She is now 28. Metry is a Coptic Christian. Copts belong to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world and make up about 10% of Egypt’s population. A majority of Coptic Christians live in Egypt. They face discrimination and periodic violence; they are …

Opus Dei: Spain under influence of ultra-conservative Catholic movement – Reporters

Opus Dei: Spain under influence of ultra-conservative Catholic movement – Reporters

Published by Sam Flores

To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again REPORTERS © FRANCE 24 Issued on: 27/03/2026 – 13:27 12:31 min From the show Reading time 1 min The ultra-conservative Catholic organisation Opus Dei was founded a century ago in Spain. Today, it’s an international movement with around 90,000 members. In its home country, it has managed to infiltrate all spheres of modern society, from schools to hospitals. Despite serious allegations against it, Opus Dei remains a powerful force in Spain. FRANCE 24’s Maude Petit-Jové, Mathilde Lopinski, Emile Roger and Sarah Morris report. Source link