Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, addresses a campaign rally on the grounds of the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Sunday. This was Trump’s first return to Butler since he was injured during an attempted assassination on July 13.

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Nearly eight hours before Trump spoke in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Bernie Haney and his wife Christa managed to get seats near the stage. They had been present at the shooting on July 13 and their faith in God was part of their decision to return.

“We had some hesitation about coming,” Bernie Haney said. “But we absolutely believe that God was watching over him because of the angel.”

“So if God took care of him then, He would take care of him now,” Haney added.

That “angel” he mentioned refers to a huge flag that hung above the stage on July 13. When the wind confused him, some believed the resulting shape resembled an angel. After Trump narrowly escaped assassination, the flag took on a heavier meaning.

On Saturday, that flag angel was constantly visible on the rally screens, and even on a sign on the way into town.

It’s an example of a long-standing phenomenon: the evangelical Christianity that long predated Trump in the Republican Party has now merged with Trump’s personality cult as he has taken over the party. The result is powerful fuel for his campaign, which was very evident on Butler Saturday.

Gloomy reflection, with a lot of celebration

The meeting was sometimes somber; there was a moment of silence for Corey Comperatore, who died on July 13. That moment was followed by the sound of a bell ringing and a recording of Ave Maria.

But the mood also often turned festive, such as when several speakers credited God with saving Trump from the gunman.

Among them was vice presidential candidate JD Vance.

“I believe, as confidently as I stand here today, that what happened was a true miracle,” Vance told the crowd. “And on that day, America felt the truth of Scripture: ‘Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.’ “I truly believe God saved President Trump’s life that day.”

Trump himself repeated this in his speech.

“By the hand of Providence and the grace of God, that bad guy didn’t succeed, he didn’t come close,” Trump said. “He has not broken our spirit. He has not shaken our unyielding determination to save America from the evils of poverty, hatred and destruction.”

Many Trump followers, like Christa and Bernie Haney, believe that. But that raises a difficult question of faith: If God saved Trump, why wouldn’t he spare Comperatore?

They admitted that it is a difficult question.

“I mean, my heart goes out to that family, the Comperatore family,” Christa Haney said, and her husband stepped in to explain.

“We don’t know why he wasn’t protected,” Bernie Haney said. “But you know, you don’t always know why God does what he does.”

Fiery confidence in Trump

Trump supporters use language to describe him that goes beyond how much voters talk about politicians.

“He touched something, I think in all of us, that makes us see what it was and what it could be and what it isn’t now,” Mark Usciak said as he stood in line Saturday morning.

With millions already voting, Trump’s followers feel the urgency increasing. Several people, like Peg Napolitano, told me they volunteered for the campaign. Napolitano even quit her job to devote time to Trump.

“I took early retirement from my job of 18 years and I’ve been doing this ever since because I saw at that moment how important this really is,” she said of July 13. “I have six grandchildren, and I can do that.” We cannot leave the earth as it is. And so, yeah, why don’t we fight for us? Look what he did here on July 13th. So how can we not do that? ?”

Even at a rally marking a somber occasion, Trump still delivered a Trump speech. He labeled undocumented immigrants as dangerous – which has no basis in fact – and sowed distrust in the elections. Trump warned several times that Democrats would cheat this year.

Again: there is no evidence for this. But Trump ally Elon Musk, who made a special appearance, put the situation in dark terms.

“Text now people – now – and then make sure they actually vote,” he told the crowd. “If they don’t, this will be the last election. That’s my prediction.”

This shows that with one month before election day, the Trump campaign is not moderating. They do not evangelize to the unconverted. They stir up the believers and get the whole flock to vote.