NOTES ON ‘SCHADENFREUDE’ IN THE AGE OF TRUMP: DIVINE JUSTICE VS. PERSONAL RETRIBUTION (WITH VIDEO)

1. THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “The strength of the king loves justice and righteous judgment; You have established FAIRNESS; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob (Israel). Exalt the Lord our God And worship at His footstool; Holy is He.” – PSALM 99:4-5, AMP

KEY TERM: “FAIRNESS.” ‘Meshar’ [מֵישָׁרִ֑ים]: “Evenness, straightness, rectitude; equity, uprightness leading to concord and prosperity.” NOTE: “מֵישָׁר (‘meyshar’) gathers up the ideas of Straightness, Levelness, Equity and Integrity. Whether describing a physical terrain without obstacles, a judicial decision untainted by partiality, or moral conduct free from crooked motives, the term consistently points to: ‘What is Unbent, Even, and Right’ [yielding a sense of Order].”

QUOTATION. “My Motto is: ‘ALWAYS GET EVEN. When somebody screws you, screw them back in spades!’” ― DONALD TRUMP, Think Big: Make It Happen in Business and Life, 2008; edited

COMMENTARY.  “‘The King’s strength also loveth judgment’ — Although the strength of our King be infinite yet is it never exerted but in ‘Righteousness and Just Judgment,’ which are His delight. They compose the firm basis of His Throne and direct His whole Administration. ‘Whoever peruses this Psalm,’ says Dr. Dodd, ‘will find that David here, as everywhere else, considers God as the King of Israel, and himself only as His deputy.

‘The Lord reigneth: The Lord is great in Zion!’  It is true David delighted to exert all the power that God had given him to its true purposes. He loved ‘Judgment and Righteousness:’ but it was, in reality, God who executed them all. ‘Thou dost establish EQUITY’ —God gave them the excellent Laws by which they were governed and acted toward them with Equity in all His proceedings.

‘Thou executest Judgment in Jacob’ — Among Thy OWN people, whom, when they act amiss, Thou punishest, no less than Thou dost OTHER people, (see Psalm 99:8) whereby Thou showest that Thou art no respecter of persons, but a righteous and impartial Judge to all sorts of men. He intends also that God, not only by His immediate Providences often executed and enforced His own Laws, but that He took care for the Administration of Justice among them by civil magistrates, who reigned by Him, and by Him did decree Justice. These judges judged for God, and their judgment was His, 2 Chronicles 19:6.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-18; edited

II. TEACHING: ‘SCHADENFREUDE’

During my last Circuit Ride to visit my son in Pennsylvania only a few days ago, I recall it was while reentering Colorado on the way home that I clearly heard this term, several times. I had heard it mentioned in a podcast in the week previous to this but thought little of it. Well now, I am convinced that that ‘Voice that is not a voice’ slipped it into my thinking for this very essay.

DEFINITION. “‘Schadenfreude is the experience of pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction that comes from learning of the troubles, failures, pain, suffering, or humiliation of another.’ Schadenfreude is a loanword from German. The closest word in English would be ‘Gloat.’Schadenfreude has been detected in children as young as 2 years old and may be an important social emotion establishing ‘INEQUITY AVERSION.’” – Editors, Wikipedia, July 20, 2026; edited

Theologians overwhelmingly reject the practice of Schadenfreude under any circumstances, and I could find very little support for what I am about to propose I opposition to that clear consensus. But then I have found in the last ten years as a lay theologian that I have had to turn American Theology on its own head to ‘Start Over,’ and make some clearer sense of our historic, systematic errors of hermeneutic.

Arrogant of me you might say? Possibly, but I tend to view this as a core-deep Restoration of the Christian Canon to my entire doctrinal framework since the Rise of Donald Trump. His canonization of ‘The American Gospel’ and its darkly illegitimate offspring in ‘MAGA Christian Nationalism’ led me otherwise to confusion and despair, ending in an intellectual and spiritual Abyss.

So here I shall propose that there are at least THREE LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING about this admittedly troublesome concept required to distinguish between its Unrighteous, anti-Christian practice, as over against its Righteous and necessary expression under certain conditions.

1. IMPRECATION. “‘Do Christians have permission to pray Imprecatory Prayers?’ I’m sure slow to. I’m thinking of 1 John [5:16], where it says, ‘There is a sin that is unto death, I do not say that you should pray for that sin,’ meaning, “If you can discern in somebody that they have sinned in such a way that they are beyond repentance, don’t pray for that sin. Don’t pray for their forgiveness’ … [Or] Suppose the Gestapo or some contemporary form of it is sweeping through your neighborhood and, in the most brutal way, wiping people out. Killing people. I think you would pray, ‘God, stop them! Do whatever you have to do to stop them!’ Or, when they’re in prison, ‘God, this was so wrong!’ So I want to say that there may be a time when you’re calling God’s Judgment on somebody.” – DR. JON PIPER, “Do Christians Have Permission to Pray Imprecatory Prayers?” Desiring God, April 3, 2010; edited
2. MALEDICTION. “‘Schadenfreude’ sits on a wide spectrum. For many people it shows up as a brief, passing reaction. For others, especially when the feeling is frequent or intense, it can point to deeper patterns in personality and social behavior. One place this appears is in research on the ‘DARK TRIAD. People who score higher on Narcissism, Machiavellianism, or Psychopathy tend to report stronger and more consistent pleasure at others’ setbacks.’ In these cases, the reaction isn’t about a moment of relief or a sense of fairness. It reflects a broader style of relating to others that includes ‘Low Empathy, Competitiveness,’ and a willingness to see people as Tools or Obstacles. This doesn’t describe everyday Schadenfreude, but it helps explain why the emotion can slide into something more troubling when Empathy is chronically weak. There’s also a long Moral Debate about what it means to enjoy someone else’s misfortune. Philosophers have often condemned the emotion outright, arguing that any pleasure in another person’s pain reflects a failure of compassion.” – DAVID WEBB, “Why We Enjoy Others’ Missteps: The Psychology of Schadenfreude,” All About Psychology, Dec. 10, 2025; edited
3. COMPASSION. “‘Schadenfreude: Enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.’ Sometimes God wants to kick your enemies in the face on your behalf … For some strange reason (said, dripping with sarcasm), PSALM 58 does not find its way into the Revised Common Lectionary. Like many of the passages in our game, this is one good Christian Churches tend to avoid.  As this is a shame, we’re going to dive into this passage, its violence, and its curious connection to other Psalms in the Bible … ‘Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord. Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces’ [vv. 6-7, King James] … Perhaps [therefore] we should be more in-tune to the pain of others and our own pain, acknowledging that it is felt. Not just pushing it away as ungodly or evil because it is felt. ‘Perhaps we should not be so quick to defend the Oppressor or make excuses for them! Perhaps we should not be so quick to tell others to get over their pain and move on. Perhaps we should encourage them to seek their audience with God.  Perhaps it is not too much to Petition God to be a God of Mercy, but also a God of Justice. Perhaps this is dangerous. Only one way to find out.’” – BEN CHRISTIAN, “Schadenfreude: Pain Looks Great on Other People,” A Game for Good Christians, Oct. 28, 2018; edited

MOTIVATION. The Bottomline Teaching here is this: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him [that is, Saul]. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the HEART [‘lebab’ ( לַלֵּבָֽב׃), ‘one’s true inner core’].’”– (1 SAMUEL 16:7, NKJV).

Corollary: If a Christian is seeking Personal Revenge to a wrong done to him or her, that is prohibitive by the Christian Canon: ‘Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord’ (ROMANS 12:19, NKJV). However, if you seek Redress for harm and injustice to “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40), then start to pray accordingly, and as the Apostle clearly instructed:

“GIVE PLACE to [God’s Holy] wrath!”

The Greek term used here is ‘Didómi’ [δότε]: “To deliver up [to God for punishment]; to strike or smite [in order to restore and protect].” The Distinction is made that you deploy this doctrinal discipline of prayer and speech in order to, ideally at least: (1) ‘Restore’ the offender or oppressor by means of Divine Discipline as defined and executed by God; (2) ‘Rescue’ the oppressed by, once again, the hand of God or at His direction, your own intervention. Selah.

III. TRUMP AND THE POLITICS OF REVENGE

“In 2016, I declared, ‘I am your Voice,’ Today, I add: I am your Warrior. I am your Justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: ‘I am your Retribution!’” – DONALD TRUMP, CPAC, Mar. 4, 2023; edited

There has never been, in the entire history of the American Experience, a President like Donald Trump. I further propose that never in the History of Mankind, there has ever been nor shall ever again be, a National Leader like this man. Selah.

THE SPIRIT OF RETALIATION. Beloved, one would have to be sensorially moribund to not witness the suffocating ‘Spirit of the Age’ in America’s Political Culture. DESIRE FOR REVENGE: ‘The action of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands; the desire to mete out Retribution.’

To introduce us to this crucial set of ideas we turn to a man with a famous name though not related to his famous namesake: DWIGHT A. MOODY. A frequent contributor to Baptist News Global, he is an author, minister, scholar and host of the media site The Meeting House, where this column first appeared.

The title of his essay, “The Spirit of Revenge,” was published in that journal on November 3, 2025 (edited), so it has the currency we need to help us understand that driving force we see everywhere in American society.

• OPEN. “‘The Crusade to Make America Great Again is now dominated by the Spirit of Revenge.’ Longtime journalist JONATHAN KARL has released his fourth book, Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign that Changed America (2025). Nobody needs to read the book to witness Trump’s public Campaign of Retaliation. Trump himself is the lead proponent of this Crusade, pushing his minions to act faster, even with reckless disregard of the law. ‘Denigrations, demotions, terminations, prosecutions and detentions are a few of the ways this Tidal Wave of Retribution is sweeping over our country.’”

• REBELLION. “All this raises serious questions about the longer, deeper campaign by Trump’s supporters to ‘Reshape the United States’ into what they call a Christian Nation (or a ‘White Christian Nation,’ as the rest of us call it). This campaign, sadly, is supported by the Supreme Court, the Republican Party (especially in Congress), and the White Evangelical Community (which includes many Pentecostals).” DK NOTE: “An open and avowed Renunciation of the Authority of the Government to which one owes allegiance; or the taking of arms traitorously to resist the Authority of Lawful Government; REVOLT”– N. Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828; edited).

• SILENCE. “‘Too many White Christian Nationalists are Silent!’ – In their publications and in their pulpits, when it comes to feeding the poor, welcoming the strangers or caring for the prisoners. On their public platforms you can, as we say, hear a pin drop during this Campaign of Retaliation now engulfing the administration and its Personal Police Force, the Department of Justice. From the first to the last, Jesus took a strong stand against Retaliation and Revenge. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.’And at the end, Jesus looked down from the Cross and said, ‘Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’” DK NOTE: These are of course Divine Instructions for all to follow. However, when it comes to a Rebellious Disciple and especially a Leader, we are to: “REJECT [‘paraiteomai’ (παραιτοῦ), ‘deprecate, decline, shun, avoid’] A DIVISIVE MAN [‘acting the schismatic or heretic’] after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned” (TITUS 3:10-11, NKJV).

• TSUNAMI. “‘This River of Revenge running through the White House is but the latest in a long list of attitudes and actions that contradict the Life and Teaching of Jesus.’ It creates deep dissonance in the work and witness of all those Christians who have looked to Trump as the modern-day messiah of God. But in a few years, when Trump and all his associates are called to account for their behavior (as happened in both Christian Germany and Christian South Africa), we who are disgusted with his behavior now will likewise be expected to put Revenge aside, settle for Justice and extend the Mercy Jesus both preached and practiced.” Selah.

QUESTION. Is Mr. Moody’s optimism well placed, or are we looking at a profoundly Unique Era – “The Age of Trump” – that will refuse to relinquish its destructive ground until he and his dark forces are utterly destroyed by God’s own hand? We will conclude with a brief consideration of that weighty issue.

IV. LAST THOUGHTS

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” ―  SUN TZU, The Art of War,5^TH Century BC

To resolve that crucial Question, we shall have to ultimately determine just WHO DONALD TRUMP IS:  Just your run of the mill ‘Wicked Authoritarian,’ or, more gravely, the ‘Biblical Antichrist.’

If the Former, then Mr. Moody is likely correct, and we merely need to ride this out. But if the Latte, as I have concluded he is after over 10 years of painstaking research, well then, we have an entirely new spiritual and political landscape to navigate.

Consider the Words of John.

“And the dragon (Satan) stood on the sandy shore of the sea. Then I saw a [vicious] beast coming up out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten royal crowns (diadems), and on his heads were blasphemous names. And the beast that I saw resembled a leopard, but his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 

I saw one of his heads which seemed to have a fatal wound, but his fatal wound was healed; and the entire earth followed after the beast in amazement. They fell down and worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast, saying, ‘WHO IS LIKE (AS GREAT AS THE BEAST), AND WHO IS ABLE TO WAGE WAR AGAINST HIM? And the beast was given a mouth (the power of speech), uttering great things and arrogant and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom and authority to act and to do as he pleased for forty-two months (three and a half years). And he opened his mouth to speak blasphemies (abusive speech, slander) against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those who live in heaven.

He was also permitted to wage war against the saints (God’s people) and to overcome them, and authority and power over every tribe and people and language and nation All the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who has been slain [as a willing sacrifice]. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is destined for captivity, he will go into captivity; if anyone kills with a sword, he must be killed with a sword. Here is [the call for] the patient endurance and the faithfulness of the saints [which is seen in the response of God’s people to difficult times].” – REVELATION 13:1-10, AMP

PREPARATION. To keep our Conclusion as simple and prudent as possible given this vast expanse of doctrinal territory we have traversed in a relatively short space, I offer THREE IDEAS toward responsible spiritual preparation, should Mr. Trump actually be the Antichrist.

This is taken from an international fellowship of Bible scholars under the name of its journal, Christian Disciples Church Online. The title of their essay is: “Preparing to Face the Antichrist” (ret. July 31, 2026; edited). The original commentary by PASTOR ERIC was published on October 24, 1987, then reformatted into a book in June 1987 (edited).

1. THREATS. “There are three things to observe regarding the Dangers and Threats to the Church. ‘First, the greatest threats do not come from Outside the Church but from Within the Church.’” DK NOTE: There is a virtual mountain of evidence that the White Evangelical Church constitutes the gravest threat imaginable since 1,000 of our Leadership Elites met with Donald Trump in New York’s Time Square on June 21, 2016, and pledged their loyalty to Trump who promised in return to “Protect Christianity.” – cf. Sarah McCammon, “Donald Trump Meets Evangelical Leaders in New York,” NPR, June 21, 2016
2. DECEPTION. “‘The Second frightening observation is that most Christians are Gullible [naïve, easily persuaded] and ill-equipped to deal with Falsehood.’ They cannot see through a lie, or discern false teaching as to whether it is biblically correct or not. It frightens me that it is easy to mislead Christians, even educated Christians, long-time Christians, or theologically trained Christians.” DK NOTE: Studies since 2014 by Barna, Pew and Arizona State University have consistently and astonishingly found that only 6-12% of Evangelical Christians (and only 4% of the American public) possess and thereby conduct their lives by a richly Biblical Worldview. This includes most Pastors! – cf. Dr. George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, “American Worldview Inventory, March
3. LEGALISM. “‘The Third thing I want to warn you about is this: If you are not walk­ing in a living relationship with God, your life will go deeper and deeper into Religious Legalism. There are only TWO POSSIBLITIES: Either you truly know God, or you are like a Non-Christian who does not know God.’ Many professing Christians do not know God, and they are stumbling blocks who cause the non-Christians to say, ‘These Christians are no different from me.’ And they are right. Such Christians are not any different because they are every bit under the bondage of sin as anyone else.” DK NOTE: This is the gravest threat of all: ‘To ‘Presume’ that you are saved and going to Heaven, without having honored Christ’s Warning: “But [only] the one who endures and bears up [under suffering in obedience] to the end will be saved” (MATTHEW 24:13, AMP).

CODA. In the very Final Analysis, beloved, we have only TWO COMMANDMENTS to honor and obey to effectively ‘Move through’ the Days ahead. You have heard them many times before, but now, they take on the force and immediacy and urgency and the very Life of Christ Himself.

“‘And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:’ this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’ There is none other commandment greater than these.” – MARK 12:30-31, KJV

These are the Sacred Pillars of the Christian Faith that if truly believed and lived, shall lead to such a stunning life now and a myriad of wonder in the future, that mere human language falls far short of its breathtaking Grandeur. Selah.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTVI5gfZizU