The Road from Jonestown to MAGA Christian Nationalism
In July 2024, during former president Donald Trump’s second attempt at re-election for President of the United States, Trump took center stage at the massive Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte. Political themes were mixed with religious themes supporting an argument that Satan and his demonic forces had invaded the United States Government. Overlooking his numerous criminal convictions and alleged sexual immorality, participants in the Christian/political revival claimed that “Trump stands for Christian principles.” Along with the Christian leaders at the rally was Rev. Hung Jin “Sean” Moon, pastor of the Rod of Iron Ministries, which had earned the nickname “MAGA Church” after Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. Son of the Unification Church “Moonies” founder Sun Myung Moon, “Sean” and his congregants were known for their open adoption of politics as “theology,” using political themes as the context from which to associate passages from the Old Testament. This practice, very common among Christian Nationalists, had drawn media attention for “MAGA Church” congregants who “[worshipped] with AR-15 rifles by their sides.”
In July 2024, during former president Donald Trump’s second attempt at re-election for President of the United States, Trump took center stage at the massive Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte. Political themes were mixed with religious themes supporting an argument that Satan and his demonic forces had invaded the United States Government. Overlooking his numerous criminal convictions and alleged sexual immorality, participants in the Christian/political revival claimed that “Trump stands for Christian principles.”
Along with the Christian leaders at the rally was Rev. Hung Jin “Sean” Moon, pastor of the Rod of Iron Ministries, which had earned the nickname “MAGA Church” after Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. Son of the Unification Church “Moonies” founder Sun Myung Moon, “Sean” and his congregants were known for their open adoption of politics as “theology,” using political themes as the context from which to associate passages from the Old Testament. This practice, very common among Christian Nationalists, had drawn media attention for “MAGA Church” congregants who “[worshipped] with AR-15 rifles by their sides.”