Someone has put forth the idea that support for Donald Trump and the America First program is just a cult.  Since we remember the 909 who died under the direction of Jim  Jones, the idea of a cult leaves us unsettled. 

One of the first to study what happens with crowds was a Scottish journalist by the name of Charles MacKay.  He wrote on the madness of crowds (1841).  What would a crowd do that an individual would never think of doing?

More recently, a Belgian psychologist (Dr. Mattias Desmet) developed the theory of Psychology of Mass Formation, or even Mass Formation Psychosis, which also deals with the madness of crowds.  Why do people join in crowds?  Often they feel there is safety in numbers.  Dr. Desmet has written a book on the subject: The Psychology of Totalitarianism.

But what if the crowd is wrong?  It has happened many times in history that the majority was wrong, and much damage resulted from its actions.  The Bible even tells us what happens when men follow a crowd to do evil (Exodus 23:2).

But many still feel that Trump is just leading a mob to disaster.  The question is, “Why do we support Trump?”

Throughout history, great men have done great evil (Hitler).  But God has used great men to do good (Patton).  The principle is developed best in the book of Judges.  Whenever Israel would drift into great sin, God would judge them; they would suffer, and cry out to God, and He would raise up a deliverer.  It happened time and time again.

God used great men to bring us out of World War Two.  I believe that Trump is a great man whom God will use to help restore America.

The question can be asked: “Why do we support Trump?”

I think many support Trump not because they believe in what he is trying to accomplish, but because he agrees with them.  He is down to earth and close to the hearts of many Americans, and much of what he wants to accomplish just makes good sense.

Although anything is possible, it is important that we keep our minds open so we know if Trump may be running in the wrong direction.

One thing that is in his favor is that we got to see what he did in just four years.  Now we have a man in office who is determined to undo all the good that was accomplished during the Trump administration.  This is a disaster.

The Biden administration have made it their one goal to undo all the good that Trump may have done.  They have involved him in several serious lawsuits.  They have determined to keep him off the ballot and hope they can put him in jail before the election.  (The Supreme Court ruled: he stays on the ballot.)

When Trump left office, the price of a gallon of gasoline was about $1.86.  During the past year, the price exceeded four dollars.  Some places, it was even higher.

Trump supported the construction of the Keystone XL oil line, but Biden canceled it the first week in office.  Biden has made it clear that he wants to stop the use of all fossil fuels, to control climate change.  First off, they have no idea what causes climate change.  Carbon dioxide is a vital plant food.  And finally, they have no idea of the over 6,000 things made from fossil fuels, most of them from plastic.

Although he had to fight the battle all through his four years, Trump was finally able to build part of the border wall.  Biden stopped work on the wall and has even sold off some of the materials purchased for the construction.

The real tragedy is that the border guards are upset because they are not permitted to do their jobs.      

Both Biden and Trump went to the border.  Biden went where there were few illegal aliens; Trump went where there were many and held a border press conference for 44 minutes.  This press conference included Brandon Judd, head of the National Border Patrol Council, and Greg Abbott, governor of Texas.

The Biden administration tells us that the border is completely secure, yet we continue to see pictures of thousands headed for the border.  Thousands of illegal aliens (and aliens, and more aliens) cross the border every day.  The only one doing anything about it is the state of Texas.  Texans have put up concertina wire, continued building the wall, and called out the National Guard.  The Biden administration is trying to stop them, so we will see who blinks first.

The Biden administration has kept the border open and invited the world to enter.  We have no border, and a country without a border is not a country.  We even care for these illegal aliens after they get here.  Several have pointed out that Chicago provides as much as $9,000 for each migrant.

The Biden administration gave us all some “free” money, but now we are paying for that money with significantly higher prices.  Biden simply provided the money he gave away by printing more money, and this is pure inflation.

Biden has also supported trans issues, which are totally against science.  No child is able to understand what long-term effect his decisions may have.  Giving a child puberty-blockers means he will never develop sexually.  At 24, his body parts will be the same size they were before taking the drug.

Surgeries are even worse.  It is hard to understand how any medical doctor can cut off the sex organs of a boy or girl in the mistaken notion that these children are changing their sex.  Medically a person’s sex is evident at conception and cannot be changed no matter what may be done.  Every cell in the body contains the code for a particular sex.

While it is certainly important to elect the right people to office as president, vice president, senator, representative, and governor, the real need is to elect the right people for state departments of education and local school boards.  For nearly one hundred years, our schools have become more and more Marxist in viewpoint.  Few teachers would confess to being Marxist, yet our kids graduate believing that the state is the answer to every problem.  Who can blame the teachers when the teacher colleges, the teacher unions, and the textbook companies are generally Marxist in viewpoint?

The point is that those who graduate with an attitude against individual initiative and in favor of more government will soon be voting.  If we ever hope to see our country back on an America First program, we are going to have to once again take control of our schools.  One person has said the job is hopeless and the only solution is to remove our children from the public schools.

Trump is truly on the right track, but if he runs off track, and the America First program becomes a cult, surely, we will notice it.

Jim Hollingsworth is a graduate of Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida, with a Master’s degree in biblical studies.  He has been a Christian School principal, a pastor, a geological technician, and a building contractor.  Jim and Mary Ann Hollingsworth have seven grown children with fifteen grandchildren.  They are presently living in Hayden, Idaho.  The author receives mail at jimhollingsworth@frontier.com.

Jim has written nine books.

Climate Change: A Convenient Truth
Cortez: A Biography
The Ancient Culture of the Aztec Empire
Abortion Compassion
Romans: A Commentary
Galatians: A Commentary
Ephesians: A Commentary (with the publisher)
Philippians: A Commentary (with the publisher)
A Republic: If You Can Keep It (published at Amazon.com)

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.