MAGA Is The New Religion In America Not Pride

Why This Post? I Despise Gaslighting and Hypocrisy

I have observed an increasing number of right-wing individuals like Ben Shapiro attempting to provoke their supporters by referring to PRIDE as America’s new religion. This claim is absurd. I say this as someone who has argued that certain extreme left/woke individuals exhibit quasi-religious behaviors, but that’s a separate conversation. PRIDE itself, and the gay rights movement in general, is far from being a religion. It is a movement striving for equality in various aspects of life, such as marriage, healthcare, and criminal justice. It’s important to remember that until the 2003 Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas, gay men were imprisoned for engaging in consensual sex.

A Little History

Pride initially emerged as a civil rights movement, aiming to draw attention to the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. Today, it serves as both a movement and a celebratory event, an even gayer Mardi Gras. It acknowledges and celebrates the significant progress made on gay rights issues in our country, while also recognizing that there is still work to be done. It acknowledges the existence of a segment of society that seeks to roll back rights, from gay marriage to the decriminalization of consenting gay adults having sex. And it provides an opportunity to cut loose and have fun with parades, costumes, entertainment, and more. So, PRIDE encompasses many aspects, but it certainly does not resemble religion.

If one insists on arguing that PRIDE is a religion, then MAGA is unquestionably a religion, and a toxic one at that! In such a comparison, PRIDE would be more akin to “Tibetan” Buddhism, while MAGA is comparable to Christianity during the dark ages when Christians believed that cutting the tongues out of blasphemers was the best way to end the plague.

The Real New Religion In America

Over the years, I have had numerous disagreements with conservatives, ranging from genuine policy disputes such as taxes and healthcare to more troubling elements rooted in bigotry, like the Southern strategy. However, MAGA is different—it is built on a foundation that resembles religion more than politics.

• Donald Trump is the prophet. He is the singular figure in the MAGA movement. Trump has been deified in life far more than Reagan in death. Reagan symbolized conservatism; Trump IS MAGA.
• Revealed Truth from a prophet: Trump didn’t just come down the escalator with a bad orange hairdo; he brought with him a message to spread. A gospel, if you will, and quickly cultivated a following to spread his word, and boy, did they. His followers wore the MAGA hat with as much devotion as a cross around their neck.
• Disciples and a devout following: Trump has his disciples like Rudy Guiliani and the wack job pillow guy Michael Lindell, along with a host of other deplorables who’ve gone to extreme lengths to help him. Aside from the disciples, he has a large and devout following. I don’t just mean people who agree with him on policy, but the people who are literally weeping at the criminal charges he is facing because they feel their savior is being persecuted.
• Church Service: A Trump rally resembles a religious revival event far more than a generic political rally. Few pastors rile up a congregation like Trump. His audience is almost spiritually captivated listening to him live.
• Fanatics: Need I say more than January 6? A legitimate insurrection inspired by their fanatical devotion to MAGA. They are threatening even more violence if their dear leader is held accountable for any of his crimes.
• Blind Faith: Lastly, these people are willing to believe the most unbelievable claims without demand for any evidence. It came from the prophet’s lips, so it must be true. Any Republican who tries to present evidence counter to Trump’s narrative is immediately deemed a blasphemer and excommunicated.

This is yet another example of the right attempting to gaslight the public. They know that PRIDE is harmless, and some are aware of how dangerous the MAGA movement can be. However, they would rather win with Trump than risk losing with a moderate candidate. So, they engage in classic projection by labeling PRIDE as a religion.