As was expected, we received many responses to the last two Langstaff Letters. Here are some of them, plus an intriguing story of the Holy Man of Loretto, who prophesied in the 1980’s (yes – the 1980’s) that Trump would be President of the United States. The story is at the end of this Langstaff Letter.

RESPONSE FROM INDONESIA

A friend of mine has been in Indonesia for the past eight weeks or more and had some interesting observations as to how people in other countries receive news about the United States.

“My wife and I both enjoyed Part 2, and after reflecting, I thought I’d share my perspective after being here.
1. The cable TV carriers in Bali do not provide Fox News, only CNN World. The only U.S. feed is Anderson Cooper and an hour of the morning news. As a result, most folks here never hear an opposing view of the liberal feeds. Almost all of the CNN feeds are more anti-Trump than the U.S. feed, resulting in most people sharing a very negative view of him and subsequently the U.S. And most people here are too lazy to read internet news.
2. Bali, unlike the rest of Indonesia (that is almost all Muslim), is predominantly Hindu 90%; Muslim maybe 7-8%. Christians are VERY HARD to find.
3. As a result, having a thoughtful, rational conversation about Trump is challenging. When you try to add Biblical insights….like your article, the debate becomes even more difficult.
All that to say, ‘Thanks for your words. Our spirits were re-kindled after weeks of feeling like we were in a no-win, anti-Trump, anti-American environment.'”

RESPONSE FROM PENNSYLVANIA

“My younger brother and I were raised in the newspaper environment. I spent 18 years in printing and engraving. We studied in college the history of printing, newspapers and news writing.

“What passes for objectivity in news reporting today has become scandal-mongering sensationalism. CNN and other liberal newscasting station will not be winning any Pulitzer Prizes for the kind of partisan propaganda they are doling out today.

“I am nauseated by what passes for journalism in the past decades. My journalism professors taught me there is a fine line between reporting the news and making the news. Not anymore. If anything happens in the parade of life. They all start to bark. If one notices something and starts, the rest of the pack mindlessly echo the leader. None of them know how to think. They just react and emote.”

RESPONSE FROM MISSIONARY IN AFRICA

“As Rabbi Jonathan Cahn says, he (President Trump) has a personality like Jehu who was called to judge the house of Ahab and was wild, drove furiously, and seemed impetuous. At times he is refreshing, at times perplexing but I believe he is God’s man for the hour. Let us continue to pray for him and his staff as commanded in scripture.”

OTHER RESPONSES ONLINE (BLOG AND FACEBOOK)

“A Start. Your analysis was accurate as far as it reached. Mercy is the key word here. Like Cyrus the King of Persia was appointed to accomplish the Lord’s purposes, Donald Trump is not a perfected historical personality, but one appointed by Almighty God to break and destroy falsehood established by globalist, politically correct, secular humanist, AntiChrist, forces in the world. This is not primarily political, but spiritual ~ the Mercy of God over a nation that has turned its back on all that is holy and righteous. It represents an opportunity, a calm before an assured storm.”

“Good article Pastor. But I would point out that I personally do not believe President Trump is an idiot. I would instead call him a genius. Are his tweets about counter-punching, or about distraction. Most people don’t like his tweets, yet I find that he often says roughly what I would like to say if I were the focus that he has been. But even more, with all of the tweeting, and a Democrat party completely in obstruction mode, President Trump has everyone so focused on his tweets, that they are missing all of the good he is accomplishing.”

“All that can be shaken will be shaken… One thing for sure, there is no political solution for the crisis of the heart. ‘salvation will never arrive on Air Force One.’ I like that one!”

“He is young in his faith full of zeal but lacks wisdom. There are old people in the faith but lack excitement, let Him do his job, he will figure it out.”

“For the last four years or so, I’ve been praying that the Lord expose the lies, deceit, and distortions in our country and bring the truth. I believe that is happening and will increase.”

“Idiot? What man wants his role isn’t one? Is he perfect? Far from it! But he’s no fool… no man that knows he needs our God Yahweh and asks him to guide his decisions… I pray he continues to let God back into the White House and listens to the Holy Spirit.”

A PREMONITION BY THE HERMIT OF LORETTO

Stephen Strang has an intriguing story in the epilogue to his book ‘God and Donald Trump,’ a story he himself hardly knew whether to believe it or not.

There was a Catholic “holy man,” named Thomas Zimmer, who prophesied in the 1980’s that Donald Trump “would lead America back to God.” Note, this was in the 1980’s, and Zimmer died in September 2009. He was an American who moved to Loretto in the early 1990’s, after living for two decades in Rome. Evidently, “he had a ‘premonition’ that a certain man would lead America back to God.” And that man would be none other than Donald Trump. As Strang writes, “Whether or not Trump leads America back to God, he has reawakened the nation’s conversation about faith, religious liberty and the dangers of moral decline.”

THANK YOU

Thanks to all who responded to the last two Langstaff Letters regarding ‘What Do You Think of President Trump Now?’ Your responses are always welcome!

RESOURCES

Strang, S. (2017). God and Donald Trump. Lake Mary, FL: FrontLine.