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MAGA Seduction: Resisting the Debasement of the Christian Conscience
"How did we begin by serving a man who hung naked on a cross, but end by serving Donald Trump?" Written by Patrick Kahnke, a retired evangelical pastor, life-long Republican, and pro-life activist, MAGA Seduction presents a compelling case for why Christians must reject our association with President Donald Trump.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2020
147 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 22, 2020
Character matters. Christians need to stand up for what it right. Turning the country Christian through political means will not be successful because in compromising politically we damage our witness. Trump’s actions do not line up with Christian values. Instead we should look to Jesus as our example.
October 10, 2020
Every Christian should read this. This is a book that confirms many of my thoughts. While I am not in total agreement with all of the author's theological statements, he is basically preaching to the choir. I am not able to reconcile being a Christ follower with being a Trump advocate. The Lord is sovereign and we can never say that we don't deserve punishment. Since time immemorial, we have a huge propensity to follow false shepherds.
October 1, 2020
Required reading for serious Christians
This book could have, maybe should have, started with Chapter 5. That’s where the author starts delving into theological principles and contrasting them with Donald Trump’s actions. He convincingly makes the case that Christians are hurting the church, their faith and the causes they champion by aligning with Trump. The first four chapters mostly rehash Trump’s transgressions. If that’s what you want to read, there are better books available.
This book could have, maybe should have, started with Chapter 5. That’s where the author starts delving into theological principles and contrasting them with Donald Trump’s actions. He convincingly makes the case that Christians are hurting the church, their faith and the causes they champion by aligning with Trump. The first four chapters mostly rehash Trump’s transgressions. If that’s what you want to read, there are better books available.
June 26, 2021
Mr. Kahnke is a lifelong Republican. He's pro-life. He voted for Trump in 2016. He's an evangelical Christian.
In 2021, to me, and many others, the visceral response to these boxes being checked would be the person is a liar, coward, racist, hypocrite, idiot, fascist, or...well, the list goes on, but they are all fairly synonymous with "Christian" these days. Turns out Kahnke understands all too well why I might jump to such a conclusion.
But here he is, a bright exception to the public face of evangelical Christian BS, and reason to feel bad for making such generalizations.
He delivers a concise, clear, and direct indictment of Christians and their support for Trump when put against Christian values. WWJD? Kahnke tries his best to make what is obvious to many...and that is not vote for, much less worship, Donald Trump. I doubt many of the folks I know that need to read this would open it just based on the title....
I'm glad I did. Almost made me want to go back to church....almost.
In 2021, to me, and many others, the visceral response to these boxes being checked would be the person is a liar, coward, racist, hypocrite, idiot, fascist, or...well, the list goes on, but they are all fairly synonymous with "Christian" these days. Turns out Kahnke understands all too well why I might jump to such a conclusion.
But here he is, a bright exception to the public face of evangelical Christian BS, and reason to feel bad for making such generalizations.
He delivers a concise, clear, and direct indictment of Christians and their support for Trump when put against Christian values. WWJD? Kahnke tries his best to make what is obvious to many...and that is not vote for, much less worship, Donald Trump. I doubt many of the folks I know that need to read this would open it just based on the title....
I'm glad I did. Almost made me want to go back to church....almost.
September 15, 2020
PASSIONATE YET COMPASSIONATE
I’ve long felt that the main long-lasting damage Trump has done has not been to the Republican Party or even to the United States. I fear the worst damage has been to how much less effectively many of us will be as we share the life-changing message of the gospel. I so agree with Patrick when he writes, “I still love Jesus, and I still see him as the only hope for humanity.”
Here are just a couple more of my 115 highlights on my Kindle:
“Donald Trump is a spiritual disaster, and he’s contagious.”
“Our ability to share the gospel will pay the price for the silence we show during these days when the world most needs to hear us speak out.“
Great book! I highly recommend it.
I’ve long felt that the main long-lasting damage Trump has done has not been to the Republican Party or even to the United States. I fear the worst damage has been to how much less effectively many of us will be as we share the life-changing message of the gospel. I so agree with Patrick when he writes, “I still love Jesus, and I still see him as the only hope for humanity.”
Here are just a couple more of my 115 highlights on my Kindle:
“Donald Trump is a spiritual disaster, and he’s contagious.”
“Our ability to share the gospel will pay the price for the silence we show during these days when the world most needs to hear us speak out.“
Great book! I highly recommend it.
June 27, 2025
I have great respect for Pat Kahnke’s evangelical commitment and personal integrity, and both shine through in this book. Kahnke bares his own soul in this honest appraisal of Donald Trump’s patent dishonesty, manipulative tactics and evil, self-profiting motives. Written in advance of the 2020 election, t’s a shame this book could not have had greater circulation in 2024. The book does suffer from a degree of repetitiveness at points and (as with many self-published works) the occasional spelling error. But those are negligible faults compared with the value of this passioned appeal to evangelicals not to focus on single issues (i.e., abortion) and jettison the biblical call to justice, integrity and truth.
October 24, 2020
I was taken to this book because of the probing question I've had about why evangelical Christians glorify Donald Trump unlike any past president we've ever had.
While I agree with his presentation of the situation, and I myself have heard the same arguments he cited, he delved a little too much into the "never Trump" hatred I also hear from the "other" side. At several points I thought the author was being an apologist for Joe Biden.
The ending 20% or so was concise, and summed up the entire premise of the book. The majority of the middle was redundant and didn't really explain the adoration from the religious zealots.
While I agree with his presentation of the situation, and I myself have heard the same arguments he cited, he delved a little too much into the "never Trump" hatred I also hear from the "other" side. At several points I thought the author was being an apologist for Joe Biden.
The ending 20% or so was concise, and summed up the entire premise of the book. The majority of the middle was redundant and didn't really explain the adoration from the religious zealots.
October 19, 2020
Understand What & How Donald Trump Seduced American Evangelicalism
I recommend this book to Christians who support President Donald Trump because of his public politically driven pro-life position because the author is a long-time proponent of the pro-life movement and conservative Republican
who decided on moral and spiritual grounds of conviction that he could not possibly vote for Trump in 2016. This book explains why and is also his persuasive argument why no American evangelical Christian or Catholic should vote for Donald Trump's re-election.
I recommend this book to Christians who support President Donald Trump because of his public politically driven pro-life position because the author is a long-time proponent of the pro-life movement and conservative Republican
who decided on moral and spiritual grounds of conviction that he could not possibly vote for Trump in 2016. This book explains why and is also his persuasive argument why no American evangelical Christian or Catholic should vote for Donald Trump's re-election.
May 2, 2024
This was a good book, although I think Pastor Kahnke kind of said the same thing over and over in different ways. He wasn't specific, which bothered me a little, although I understand that as a man of God, he probably couldn't be as that would show his human opinions too much. I like his concepts of tribalism and the Other which I totally agree with.
October 6, 2020
Good analysis
The author's application of Bible verse to modern life is a good message. Several redundancies need to be tightened up.
The author's application of Bible verse to modern life is a good message. Several redundancies need to be tightened up.
November 20, 2020
Voice of sanity for Christians
Patrick, thank you for writing this book to remind us that Jesus encourages us to love one another, ALL humanity, as He loves us.
Patrick, thank you for writing this book to remind us that Jesus encourages us to love one another, ALL humanity, as He loves us.
March 13, 2023
The best book written from a conservative Christian viewpoint about President Trump
I rarely give five stars to a book unless it is a classic or otherwise exceptional in some way. This book is exceptionally insightful and well written. Rev Kahnke shows courage in attacking anti-Christian ideas which are seducing many Christians today. This will make him unpopular among many Christian conservatives because he reveals how these foundational ideas are actually opposed to Christianity while masquerading as being pro-Christian.
I recommend this book for conservative Christians and other Christians, like myself, who might disagree with the author politically, but agree with him about the current moral and spiritual threat posed by political extremism.
I rarely give five stars to a book unless it is a classic or otherwise exceptional in some way. This book is exceptionally insightful and well written. Rev Kahnke shows courage in attacking anti-Christian ideas which are seducing many Christians today. This will make him unpopular among many Christian conservatives because he reveals how these foundational ideas are actually opposed to Christianity while masquerading as being pro-Christian.
I recommend this book for conservative Christians and other Christians, like myself, who might disagree with the author politically, but agree with him about the current moral and spiritual threat posed by political extremism.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews