How Christians Keep Falling for Strongmen Who Preach Power Over Morality
From Hitler and Franco to modern “law and order” politicians, why so many believers back leaders who break every value they preach.
Compassion, forgiveness, humility, and love for one’s neighbor are stereotypical Christian ideals you keep hearing. But every time a dictator shows up waving a flag and shouting “God and Country,” the church pews fill with applause. From Adolf Hitler to Francisco Franco, from South American juntas to today’s “Christian nationalists,” believers keep throwing their faith behind men who act nothing like Jesus.
It’s a pattern as old as power itself. Christians say they worship a man who told his followers to turn the other cheek, feed the poor, and love their enemies. But when real power enters the room—when someone promises safety, pride, and “moral order”—they trade all that softness for steel. They don’t want a savior anymore. They want a boss.
Christianity’s alliance with authoritarianism has never been accidental; it’s always been a bargain between fear and control. The Church trades moral purity for political protection
— Karen Armstrong, Fields of Blood
The Original Betrayal: Jesus vs. Empire
If Christians actually followed Jesus’ teachings, authoritarianism would have no audience. The man they call “Lord” was executed by the state, tortured by soldiers, and mocked by religious elites who wanted him dead. He told people to love the poor, not punish them. He said the meek will inherit the earth, not the military.
And yet, centuries later, Christianity became the religion of empires. The moment Emperor Constantine put a cross on his soldiers’ shields in the 4th century, the message flipped. The cross stopped meaning “sacrifice” and started meaning “victory.” The faith of the persecuted became the faith of the persecutors.
That’s when the sickness began—the worship of strength disguised as holiness. The church learned to bless power. And once you bless power, it doesn’t matter how evil it is, as long as it wins.
Constantine’s conversion did not Christianize the empire; it imperialized Christianity. The religion of the cross became the ideology of the sword.
— Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospel
The Church Loves a “Protector”
Christians have always been taught to fear chaos. Sin, Satan, corruption, degeneracy—there’s always a shadow lurking somewhere. So when someone promises to “restore order,” they listen.
Strongmen understand this perfectly. Hitler, Franco, Mussolini, Pinochet—they all presented themselves as defenders of Christian civilization against godless chaos. The irony is that these men were the real chaos, but the church couldn’t tell the difference.
In the 1930s, when Hitler rose to power, Germany’s Protestant pastors were thrilled. He hated communists. He talked about “family values.” He promised to rebuild the nation’s moral core. The Nazi Party even called itself a “movement of positive Christianity.” Many church leaders literally swapped the cross for the swastika.
Franco did the same in Spain. His fascist regime murdered tens of thousands, but he wrapped it all in Catholic symbolism. Priests blessed his troops as they went to slaughter their fellow citizens. He called his war “a crusade for Christ.” The Vatican agreed.
That’s how it works: as long as you say “God” often enough, the Church will forgive any crime.
The churches’ support for fascism was not coerced—it was enthusiastic. They saw in Hitler and Franco a divine answer to modernity’s disorder.
— Richard Steigmann-Gall, The Holy Reich
The Myth of the “Christian Nation”
Every strongman knows you can’t rule with fear alone. You need faith. Fear controls people’s bodies; faith controls their souls.
The idea of a “Christian nation” sounds harmless—patriotic even—but it’s a trap. Once people believe their country was chosen by God, they stop questioning what the government does. Every bomb dropped, every protest crushed, every enemy demonized becomes part of “God’s plan.”
Hitler used this idea masterfully. He told Germans they were fighting a holy war for the soul of Europe. “Defending Christian civilization,” he called it, while burning churches that opposed him. Franco said the same in Spain. So did Mussolini in Italy.
It’s always the same sales pitch: “Our nation is godly. Our enemies are ungodly. To serve the nation is to serve God.” That’s how murder turns into ministry.
The myth of a Christian nation allows believers to sanctify politics, turning political loyalty into religious duty.
— Philip S. Gorski, American Covenant
