Another Trumpist Christian Grifter Comes to Spokane
Which Local Republicans will join him on stage?
The announcement and analysis copied below was sent by email from Jerusha Hampson with encouragement to “pass this on”. I’ve read the Rolling Stone article M. Hampson referenced and visited the Facebook Page advertising this coming Sunday’s (August 21) “free” concert at 6PM in the Spokane Pavilion. It all checks out. Apparently, Sean Feucht is sufficiently well known among the Evangelical/Fundamentalist/Christian Nationalist far right to score his own wikipedia page. Who is footing the bill for this concert? A national political operative of a similar Evangelical stripe, Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA, was brought to Spokane by the Spokane GOP as the featured speaker at their Lincoln Dinner in 2019 (the following year Kirk appeared at the Candlelight Christian Fellowship in CDA). Some one or some organization must be covering the cost of staging the concert.
Rolling Stone shows Sen. Josh Hawley on stage with Feucht on October 25, 2020, in Washington, D.C. In Pennsylvania Doug Mastriano, far right Republican candidate for PA governor, appeared on stage in May 2022 with Feucht in the run up to the primary election in PA. Inquiring minds want to know which local candidate(s) in Spokane County will seek the “blessing” of appearing with Feucht and thereby declare their allegiance to Feucht’s toxic brand of political Christianity. Regardless of whether you can attend to find out and record a video, I think it is worthwhile to take note of the tendrils of national extremism drawn to our region. Read up.
Keep to the high ground,
Jerry
Christian National/ Worship Leader/Far-Right Activist, Sean Feucht, is Holding a Concert at the Spokane Pavilion on Aug. 21st
Sean Feucht is a Christian singer/songwriter/former worship leader at Bethel Church in Redding, CA. Two years ago, in the summer of 2020, he began holding "worship protests," in defiance of California's restrictions on large gatherings due to covid-19. Because the restrictions included church-related gatherings, he claimed it was Christian persecution. These worship events became the "Let Us Worship" movement, and Sean has spent the last two years traveling to dozens of cities around the US holding these worship concerts. His concerts can draw thousands of people. He repeatedly broke covid restrictions and has also had some issues with getting event permits. For example, he was banned from holding a concert at Seattle's Gas Works park in Sep. 2020, so instead he set up in a nearby street and called it a "protest." Despite still being able to hold an event, he claimed it was persecution. Covid restrictions are mostly lifted now, but he is still holding these concerts to push the right-wing movement he's built.
During 2020, he specifically made a point of going to cities with a lot of Black Lives Matter protests- basically saying those cities were broken and needed God. In June 2020, he held a concert in Minneapolis at the spot where George Floyd was murdered. He's called to BLM movement a "fraud," and has been very antagonistic toward the movement in general. In Dec 2020 he held a couple "outreach" events at Skid Row where he and dozens of followers went mask-less into Skid Row (during a time when covid-19 cases and transmission rates were high) and evangelized to the homeless population, praying over them, and even laying hands on them. He did however, face a lot of resistance from activist who came out to try and protect the homeless population. At one event in Portland, OR, he invited people to come out and provide event security, and at least one of guys who showed up was a Proud Boy.
He's a Christian Nationalist and very politically active. He has also started a movement called "Hold the Line," which is aimed at getting younger Christians involved in politics. As you can probably guess, he is extremely anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ. He's held events in DC at the National Mall and in front of the Supreme Court. Sean is a huge Trump supporter and was one of many pastors and worship leaders who visited Trump in the Oval Office to support him during his 2019 impeachment. He is frequently at events with far-right politicians/activists like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Josh Hawley, and countless others.
Anyway, he is holding a free worship concert at the Spokane Pavilion on August 21st at 6pm. There is nothing inherently wrong with a worship concert, but Sean Feucht holds particularly dangerous views, and his concerts are about much more than music. Plus his events often bring in large numbers of people. Maybe it's not important in the grand scheme of things, but I think it's just good to know about events like this that are happening in your community. Sean and many of the people who follow him are also the type who will do things like evangelize to strangers and pray over ill or disabled people- and these events have clearly caused trouble in the past. He has traveled recklessly around the country for the past two years, breaking state/local regulations, and facing almost no consequences for his actions. He does get protestors at some events, but like many other Christians of this brand, he has a persecution complex, so anyone or anything that tries to stop him is evidence that Christians are being oppressed. And it's also evidence that his movement is in the right.
If you want to know more about this guy, there are dozens and dozens of articles about him- just google his name. I'll include a link to a recent Rolling Stone article about how he has suddenly been raking in millions of dollars, but it also has a lot of other information about what he's been up to. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/maga-preacher-sean-feucht-scored-millions-from-his-trump-loving-flock-1380126/ (if this link doesn't work, just google "sean feucht rolling stone")
Here is the link to the Facebook page for the event if you want to know more: (20+) Let Us Worship - Spokane | Facebook
Also, the church he was formally a worship leader at, Bethel, is another fascinating rabbit hole to go down and might also give you a lot of insight as to why Sean is who he is. Bethel is a large, non-denominational, charismatic church that emphasis faith healing, and has caused all sort of problems for the city of Redding. There is a lot of good media about it, too.
Anyway I just have a particular fascination with extremism and fundamentalism. I know too much about this guy and I am bad at making things short. Sorry for any errors as I am a horrible proof reader. But thanks for reading.