scary maybe. Stupid probably... but "demonic"? Give me a break. Is this Art Bell/National Inquirer time for the WaPost that they find one report on facebook and make it a headline?
But GetReligion, a blog that discusses how the press doesn't understand religion, read the entire facebook story and summarizes it thus:
That sounds about right. anger and hatred are demonic.
Here is my question: My reading of this lengthy Facebook post is that the pastor is saying (a) that he found the religious overtones of the rally overblown and even disturbing (I say, "Amen, brother") and (b) that he felt the presence of evil in the bitter emotions unleashed during the clash between anti-Trump demonstrators and some, but not all, pro-Trump people.
Pep rallies with enthusiasm can be a civil type of religion, but usually ordinary people know the difference.
Pep rallies and political rallies could remind pentecostal types of "worship" because they equate "worship" to emotions. (not so much for Catholics, since our "worship" is the mass and faith is a choice and worship is not based on our emotions... luckily for Catholics since often the mass is...emotionally boring).
so enthusiastic rallies can be seen as worship, be they political or for the local sports team.
As for "civic religion": That is an old American idea that was inherited from the British: and one reason there was a first amendment, since Catholics and other were discriminated against in the UK and colonies in colonial times.
So why the headline? Because it lets those who don't read the details to say: See Trumpites are evil.
Duh.
compare and contrast: Democrats enthusiastically applaud a woman who brags she aborted her baby so she could be successful.
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