J.D. Vance on Saturday hosted by self-proclaimed prophet and political extremist Lance Wallnow, who claims Kamala Harris is practicing witchcraft and writes that the United States is headed for a bloody domestic conflict. give a talk at an event.
The campaign announced earlier this week that the Republican vice presidential nominee would participate in a “town hall” as part of his “Courage Tour,” a pro-Trump tent revival tour during a stop in Monroeville, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Wallnau, who hosts tours and broadcasts speakers on online shows, with hundreds of people attending in person and sometimes tens of thousands virtually, is the author of the Seven Mountains, which commands Christians to seek leadership in seven key areas of society. ” is a supporter of the order. – Church, education system, family, media, arts, business, government.
He is also a leader in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a movement characterized by modern apostles, especially nondenominational charismatic churches that embrace faith healing and believe that the Holy Spirit can speak directly through believers. It’s here to stay. Tongues and forms of prophecy. These religious spaces also often practice “deliverance services” and “spiritual warfare” to cleanse people from demonic entities.
Carrie Gaspard-Hodgewood, a scholar whose research focuses on such groups, says that practitioners who participate in NAR are not just individuals who are believed to harbor malignant entities; He pointed out that they were engaged in a unique form of “spiritual warfare” in which they fought against the powers of the Even entire geographical areas.
“Spiritual warfare is the belief that the devil is inhabiting and controlling everything from vast geographic spaces to cultures to the White House and the Supreme Court,” Gaspard-Hogewoud said.
Extremism researchers worry that spiritual warfare, which by definition takes place in the supernatural realm, can be dangerous if interpreted too literally. On January 6th, spiritual warriors who participated in the Jericho March rallied at the Capitol to protest the election results and waged a kind of spiritual warfare on the National Mall. Wallnow himself predicted that Trump would win the 2016 election, and denied it in 2020 when he didn’t win, but he stopped in Wisconsin on his Courage Tour. He doubled down on his position.
“January 6th was not a riot, it was election fraud!” Wallnau shouted to the roaring crowd.
In his book, “God’s Chaos Candidate: Donald J. Trump and America’s Unraveling,” Wallnow also writes that the United States will face a potentially bloody conflict “for both believers and the nation.” He wrote that he believed he was heading into a “fierce trial.” In his book, in which Wallnow claims to have met Trump multiple times, he writes that the United States is entering a “melting pot” that includes “a ‘clash’ of ideologies to determine the winner of the war; In many cases, this will also include weapons. Power conflict.”
The Courage tour made stops in Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Georgia.
The tour’s participation by Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, highlights the Trump campaign’s growing alignment with religious right movements that seek to subordinate the U.S. government and society to Christian doctrine. did.
A typical day on a Courage tour includes faith healing and music in the morning, followed by a series of speakers preaching about the plight of secular society and supporting opposition to LGBTQ+ acceptance. Pro-Trump groups such as TPUSA Faith and the America First Policy Institute are touring, handing out pamphlets and posting signs on stands outside the tent.
Vance’s speech marks the first time the Trump campaign has officially linked up with the tour. Asked for comment about Vance’s participation in the Courage tour, Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt did not directly comment on Wallnow or Vance’s participation in the event. “Neither President Trump nor any of his supporters have engaged in any alleged ‘insurrection.’ ”
Wallnau did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Republican Party has long enjoyed support from conservatives, especially evangelical Christians. In 2016, Trump, a high-profile billionaire who has faced multiple sexual assault accusations and gone through two divorces, announced that his presidency represented the Christian right through conservative judicial appointments. They managed to maintain their alliance by guaranteeing that they would Trump fulfilled his promise and ushered in an ultra-conservative Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, delivering a stunning victory for abortion opponents.
Since 2020, a surge in efforts by evangelical leaders to separate the church from MAGA politics could threaten this alliance. If Trump can attract these voters and get enough conservative Christians at the polls, he could win back the White House.
Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral votes, could be a make-or-break state for Harris and Trump. Some polls show Kamala Harris holding a narrow lead over Trump in the state. Other polls suggest the candidates are effectively tied.
Vance’s participation on the Courage tour may alienate some people. Perhaps the campaign is betting on strengthening its support among right-wing Christians locally rather than risking appearing at events with extremist overtones.
