Author Tia Levnings explains MAGA followers’ behavior and how vertical morality influences their beliefs
The author has revealed the psychology behind the MAGA cult following.
As authoritarianism grows across the United States, a growing number of Christians who align with the MAGA movement are exhibiting behaviours that contrast with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
For many Americans, this alignment seems baffling. How do followers of Jesus, who preached love and care for the marginalised, reconcile their faith with far-right policies that target immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and other vulnerable groups that Trump constantly threatens? The answer may lie in what scholars and former Christians call “vertical morality.”
Vertical morality is a strict obedience-based ethical way of thinking. Right and wrong aren’t measured by the impact on others, but by sticking to rules set by an authority figure. In religion, that authority is God; in MAGA, it’s Trump.
Tia Levings, a former Christian fundamentalist and author of A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy, says that “Vertical morality teaches that authority, power and a moral code of right and wrong, or acceptable and unacceptable, come from ‘above’ ― an external superior who designates rules, systems and tenets that must be obeyed by those beneath."
“Vertical morality is just how I describe what’s called ‘divine command theory’ in metaethics,” Levings adds. “I’m a teacher, so I’m always looking for ways to make complicated concepts a little more simple. It’s basically the idea that morality comes from authority above, which is what I was taught when I was raised within conservative Christianity.”
“Horizontal morality”, meanwhile, emphasises the importance of compassion, empathy, and the well-being of fellow human beings in moral decision-making. According to April Ajoy, author of Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith, it “prioritises the well-being of our neighbours, communities and personal relationships. We act in ways that cause the least amount of harm to those around us, regardless of beliefs. Someone with vertical morality may help someone in need because they believe that’s what God wants them to do, versus someone with horizontal morality may help that same person for the benefit of the person that needs help.”
Critics argue that the adoption of vertical morality by some MAGA-aligned Christians has led to a selective application of moral standards. For instance, policies that harm marginalised groups, such as immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals, are justified under the guise of religious righteousness.
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This selective morality often overlooks the core Christian principles of love, mercy, and care for the oppressed. Trump is God to his MAGA disciples and his teachings must be followed.
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