The Secular Trinity – With a Twist

[Carborendum]

Sociologically, the so called “Secular Trinity” has been Wealth, Fame, & Power.  In today’s world, I can’t think of anyone who embodies these three in one person as much as Donald Trump. 

• His wealth is still considerable despite his loss back in 2020.  He has since recovered and then some.  Yet, among Billionaires, he’s a lightweight (Ranks #319 in Forbes 2024 list).
• His fame is now finding its ways into all nations.  I have listened to broadcasts from other nations and they are talking about him a LOT more than what I recall from 2020.
• His political power is already making waves throughout the world with his words alone, not yet backed up by governmental authority.  Imagine what he will be able to do once inaugurated.
  • I am wary.  That can be both good and bad.

At the present time, he is the lightning rod of hatred from the left.  This is good, as it tends to distract from the power that got him there.  While the right seems to enthusiastically accept him as political leader, he simply doesn’t satisfy the religious needs of the people. 

One would think that this means that people would become more religious.  Nope.  Why?  Because most creedal religions only care about the Benjamins.  The professors of religion are afraid to offend people if they call a sin a sin.  So, they don’t tell them.  They provide only the teddy bear version of Christianity and hope that is enough.

This tactic doesn’t really work.  Historically, people want to hear the truth.  They tend to feel the truth, but don’t know how to articulate it.  They come to church to hear that truth articulated.  When they can’t find it in church, people leave and are then left to ask “Whither is truth?”

Politics certainly isn’t the place to find it.  And if religion doesn’t satisfy that need, where can we look?  Where DO we look in this day and age?

In the digital age, we look to “influencers” and people who are willing to buck the establishment and appear to be “untouchable” by the powers that be.  People have thrown stones at them and tried to crucify them.  And they keep moving.  And they need to articulate that truth that we intuitively feel.

Trump doesn’t satisfy that need.  There is a different trinity that has been his support.  They prepared the way for him.

• Musk
• Peterson
• Rogan

Musk certainly provided financial assistance but not as much as you might think. (Trump's entire campaign spent around $350 million +/- vs. Kamala’s $1Billion+ and went into debt an additional $20MM).  But more valuable than that was that he opened up X.  Today, the participation on X has lost a lot of liberal platforms and influencers.  The users are now proportional to the approximate political makeup of the US at large.  Once people were free to say what they wanted, they saw what they needed.  And they voted accordingly.

Additionally, Musk is an influencer.  He tweets very infrequently for such a famous figure.  But what he does tweet becomes viral with ease.

Peterson was the biggest voice saying to people that it is ok for men to be strong.  It is ok for women to want to be mothers first.  In fact, those are ideals that we should be aspiring to.  He also re-invoked the idea into the public consciousness that it is not only rational and logical to believe in a higher power, but that such belief is essential to the emotional and political stability of society.  Much of his work (even from the 12 Rules for Life) speaks heavily to our religious sensibilities.

Rogan was a translator.  Both Musk and Peterson tend to use high level vocabulary and phrasing.  Rogan has a way of presenting these messages in everyday speech.  And his popularity on podcasts is among the top podcasts in history.

And all three of them are heavily involved in the political scene.  So, contrary to tradition, I’m dubbing these three as the current Secular Trinity for conservative religious/political people.

Do NOT misinterpret me.  I’m not saying that we should start worshipping them.  Quite the opposite.  All three of them are atheists*.  And they certainly aren’t looking for adoration.

I tend to believe that the conservatives in this nation desperately seek some sort of leadership on the spiritual front.  And they just aren’t getting it from churches.  So, they look until they find something that fills that hole.  These three atheists are giving it to them.  Is this a good thing?

Argument For:  The things they say are the truth that the people have been looking for.  They are able to articulate what they already feel and sense is true.  Now they’re finally hearing it.  Apparently, there is something in what they are saying that resonates with the religious masses that churches simply refuse to give.  It is a great relief to hear this.  And they want more of it.

Much of what they are saying is the Psychological, Practical, and Spiritual food that the nation/world needs to understand right now.  These men are probably set in place by God just as many men throughout history (e.g. Galileo, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, King James, George Washington, Alexander Doniphan).  All of these men were never baptized, never received the Holy Ghost, were never ordained to the priesthood, and probably don’t quite live gospel principles.  But they were specifically placed on the earth to reach people that prepared the way.

Argument Against:  All of these men were never baptized, never received the Holy Ghost, were never ordained to the priesthood, and probably don’t quite live gospel principles (except, perhaps, Peterson).  They are not prophets as we believe our Apostles are.  We need to look to the Prophet and focus on the constant guidance of the Holy Ghost to give us further light and knowledge. 

While we seek out of the best books words of wisdom, we need to look to the Lord for religious truth as a foundation.  Only from that sure foundation can we fill in the nooks and crannies with the wisdom of man – hopefully inspired by God.

EFFECT ON THE CHURCH

I’ve seen statistics talking about how our Church (in fact all churches) are losing membership in droves.  But I’ve seen other statistics that say such surveys are biased, focusing on certain areas where the numbers are worst, without considering the places where it is growing.  I’d believe that the truth is probably somewhere in between.  And the stats seem to say that the CoJCoLDS is still growing, albeit at an anemic rate compared to historical norms.  And we’re seeing people returning to church after they’ve had their records removed.

I believe one reason why we’re still growing is that we’re still willing to say what a sin is.  Sure, we’ve softened language.  We’ve emphasized forgiveness and tolerance.  But when it comes down to it, a sin is still a sin.  And we don’t say otherwise.

We need to forever tell the truth, with gentleness and meekness, and with love unfeigned to enlarge the soul, while reproving with sharpness as the Spirit Dictates.

 

*I know that Peterson has made statements that many are taking to mean that he has accepted Christianity as “the true faith.”  I’ve heard him say a lot of statements that would lead one to believe that if they were looking for it.  But he is very careful about his words.  And he is always invoking symbols.  He seems more accepting the symbols of Christianity than accepting the philosophy of Christianity and the literal reality of Christ.

Edited December 9, 2024 by Carborendum

[LDSGator]

Like I mentioned before one of my good friends down here is a pastor. He made the excellent point that he thinks this anti-establishment feeling in politics will fill over to religion and be yet another dart in the balloon of organized religion.  

[zil2]

3 hours ago, Carborendum said:

And the stats seem to say that the CoJCoLDS is still growing, albeit at an anemic rate compared to historical norms.

I can't find it, which suggests it wasn't a GC talk, but I remember someone talking about Jeremiah 16:16 and saying that as the second coming approaches, our missionary work will change from fishing (which back then consisted of casting in a net and pulling out lots of fish at once) to hunting (going after people one at a time).

Quote

Jeremiah 16:14 ¶ Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

15 But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.

16 ¶ Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

IMO, this is the reason for slow growth - we're having to hunt for the lost sheep, one by one, rather than casting in a net and bringing back many.