Christian nationalist leaders are telling followers that U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is under the influence of a 鈥淛ezebel spirit,鈥 using a term with deeply racist and misogynistic roots that is setting off alarm bells for religious and political scholars.
The concept is inspired by the biblical story of the evil Queen Jezebel, who persecuted prophets and was punished with a horrible death. The word 鈥淛ezebel鈥 was used during slavery and throughout U.S. history to describe Black women, casting them as overtly sexual and untrustworthy.
In the context of 鈥淛ezebel spirit,鈥 the term has sinister connotations, suggesting the person is under the influence of demons in a spiritual battle between good and evil. People who have studied the Jan. 6 insurrection warn that similar rhetoric on spiritual warfare drove many to the U.S. Capitol that day.
鈥淧eople 鈥 are hearing this woman is possessed by a demonic spirit that is hardcore, terrible, hates men, hates authority, is going to do whatever she wants to do,鈥 said Anthea Butler, professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the book 鈥淲hite Evangelical Racism,鈥 who has studied the New Apostolic Reformation.
The term, Butler said, is coded language to communicate that the person 鈥 a woman, usually a Democrat, Black or multiracial 鈥 is not an acceptable candidate. Harris is a Christian and a Baptist, but when faith leaders tie her to Jezebel, Butler said it suggests falsely that she is non-Christian.
In the Old Testament, Jezebel is among the vilest of villains. She was a foreign-born queen who wielded great power, persecuted prophets and worshipped false gods. Ultimately, she was punished by being thrown out a window, trampled by a horse, then eaten by dogs.
Later in the Bible, a Jezebel appears as a false prophet portending the end times and promoting sexual promiscuity.
The term has a long history of being used in the U.S. against women, especially Black women. During times of slavery, the idea was used to justify the systemic sexual assault and rape of Black women and girls. It has been used in the past to target other women such as Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, and to categorize movements such as feminism, abortion rights and LGBTQ2S+ rights.
Conceptualizing female candidates through the 鈥淛ezebel spirit鈥 is dangerous, said Tamura Lomax, author of the book 鈥淛ezebel Unhinged鈥 and associate professor of religious studies at Michigan State University.
鈥淎ny woman who is stepping into her power in any kind of way, is going to be seen as this Jezebel who is deserving of violence,鈥 she said.
The usage comes from a politicized movement of charismatic Christianity called the New Apostolic Reformation, a decentralized yet highly networked movement whose leaders widely teach that demonic forces are involved in spiritual warfare and can speak through people. In this case, the Jezebel spirit is a demon who is at work on earth and has the qualities of the Bible鈥檚 Jezebel.
The language is used to galvanize and catalyze Christians with apocalyptic sensibilities with messages that the next election is 鈥渄o or die,鈥 said Matthew Taylor, whose new book, 鈥淭he Violent Take It By Force,鈥 provides a history of the New Apostolic Reformation and details its influence in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
鈥淚t鈥檚 used as a means of justifying aggression,鈥 Taylor said. 鈥淐hristians are supposed to love their enemies. ... But Christians are allowed to hate demons.鈥
And some people could use that militant rhetoric to justify real-world violence, he said.
The movement was on prominent display on Jan. 6, Taylor said, as believers waged 鈥渟piritual warfare鈥 at the Capitol. As the attack took place, people sang religious songs, prayed and blew shofars 鈥 a horn in Jewish tradition that has been adopted by Christian nationalists, inspired by their use in the biblical Battle of Jericho.
Since that day, Taylor said, there has been a huge increase in talk of spiritual warfare in American politics.
Christian nationalism is a fusion of American and Christian identities that seeks a privileged place for Christianity in American public life.
Wallnau, who has 1 million Facebook followers, is considered a prophet in the New Apostolic Reformation, according to Taylor, and says he receives messages directly from God. He was an early evangelical supporter of Trump and remains close to his campaign. Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance recently appeared at an event organized by Wallnau.
The Trump and Harris campaigns did not respond to requests for comment.
Wallnau posted a video on X in which he said, 鈥渨ith Kamala you have a Jezebel spirit, a characteristic in the Bible, that is a Jezebel spirit. The personification of intimidation, seduction, domination and manipulation,鈥 he said, adding. 鈥淪he can look presidential and that鈥檚 the seduction of what I would say is witchcraft.鈥 In a different video, he said Harris represents a 鈥渁n amalgam of the spirit of Jezebel in a way that鈥檒l be even more ominous than Hillary (Clinton), because she鈥檒l bring a racial component, and she鈥檚 younger.鈥
Meanwhile, Trump is described by some preachers with New Apostolic Reformation ties as being anointed by God, fighting on the side of the angels.
Wallnau didn鈥檛 respond to the AP鈥檚 attempts to reach him for comment. But after backlash over his use of the 鈥淛ezebel spirit鈥 rhetoric, Wallnau posted on X to clarify his thoughts on Harris.
鈥淔or the record, Kamala isn鈥檛 a demon and no living soul on planet earth is a demon. However people, political parties and organizational structures can be under demonic influence,鈥 Wallnau wrote Sept. 29.
The language has seeped into down ballot races as well. In Indiana, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor said that the election is between 鈥渟trength and godly boldness鈥 on the state Republican ticket and the 鈥淛ezebel spirit鈥 on the Democratic ticket, which is led by three women.
Micah Beckwith, a pastor, and self-proclaimed Christian nationalist, did not respond to voicemails and text messages seeking clarity on his comment. Beckwith told the IndyStar this month that his comment was not about gender but Democratic ideas.
On Oct. 12, thousands gathered to pray at the National Mall where Ch茅 Ahn, a leader in the New Apostolic Reformation, decreed that that Trump is a 鈥渢ype of Jehu,鈥 the biblical figure who overthrew Jezebel鈥檚 reign and ordered her death. Ahn, who did not respond to the Associated Press seeking comment, pleaded with the crowd to get out and vote.
鈥淚 decree it by faith that Trump will win on November the 5th,鈥 he told the crowd. 鈥淗e will be our 47th president and Kamala Harris will be cast out."
Volmert reported from Lansing, Mich., and Smith reported from Providence, R.I.
With less than three weeks before the U.S. election, Washington political analyst Eric Ham highlights a full-frontal assault on the Trump's MAGA movement by Liz Cheney and a cadre of disaffected Republicans.
According to Google search data, the top Halloween costumes trending in Canada include everything from Taylor Swift for kids to the Joker and Harley Quinn for couples.
Already multitool smart devices, Apple Watches added another buzzworthy feature last month: an app to detect sleep apnea.
A Toronto senior who paid $27,000 for a shoddy roofing job is relieved that more than 10 roof companies offered to help after seeing her story on 麻豆传媒 Toronto.
South Korea's spy agency said Friday that North Korea has dispatched troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine, a development that could bring a third country into the war and intensify a standoff between North Korea and the West.
A Montreal business owner will have to pay a hefty fine after he imported a luxury watch without declaring it to customs.
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in Sydney on Friday for the first Australian visit by a reigning monarch in more than a decade, a trip that has rekindled debate about the nation's constitutional links to Britain.
With a crowded field of 16 candidates vying to be Halifax's next mayor, candidates have not always found it easy to stand out. But one thing sets Andrew Goodsell apart and makes him uniquely positioned to comment on a central campaign issue: he is living rough in a tent in the city's south end.
With a crowded field of 16 candidates vying to be Halifax's next mayor, candidates have not always found it easy to stand out. But one thing sets Andrew Goodsell apart and makes him uniquely positioned to comment on a central campaign issue: he is living rough in a tent in the city's south end.
B.C. NDP Leader David Eby slammed his billionaire constituent Chip Wilson 鈥 again 鈥 on the campaign trail, following the publication of an op-ed by the Lululemon founder.
Three men convicted of helping lead and co-ordinate the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., in 2022 are to be sentenced next year.
Police are investigating a fire at a home in Dorval owned by Emile Benamor, the owner of the two Old Montreal buildings that were allegedly set on fire in the past year, killing nine.
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
One of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages in this country is now available through Google's translation service, the first time the tech giant has included a First Nations, Metis or Inuit language spoken in Canada on its platform.
South Korea's spy agency said Friday that North Korea has dispatched troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine, a development that could bring a third country into the war and intensify a standoff between North Korea and the West.
Russia's lower house of parliament on Thursday gave quick initial approval to a bill outlawing 'propaganda' that discourages people from having children, the latest in a slew of restrictive laws as the Kremlin tightens control over the society amid the fighting in Ukraine.
Christian nationalist leaders are telling followers that U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is under the influence of a 'Jezebel spirit,' using a term with deeply racist and misogynistic roots that is setting off alarm bells for religious and political scholars.
Nine monkeys who died in Hong Kong's oldest zoo in two days this week had been infected with an endemic disease, possibly after some digging work near their cages, officials said on Friday.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump laced into U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats on Thursday in a pointed and at times bitter speech as he headlined the annual Al Smith charity dinner in New York.
The Texas Supreme Court halted Thursday night's scheduled execution of a man who would have become the first person in the U.S. put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell 麻豆传媒 at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says it's very disturbing that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre won't get the top-level security clearance needed to view classified documents on foreign interference.
The representative plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against Canada are urging First Nations chiefs to accept a landmark $47.8-billion child welfare reform deal.
More details are expected today on a proposed deal that would see the three major companies pay out billions of dollars to provinces and territories as well as smokers and their loved ones.
Already multitool smart devices, Apple Watches added another buzzworthy feature last month: an app to detect sleep apnea.
Patients who are older, don鈥檛 speak English, and don鈥檛 have a high school education are more likely to experience harm during a hospital stay in Canada, according to new research.
One of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages in this country is now available through Google's translation service, the first time the tech giant has included a First Nations, Metis or Inuit language spoken in Canada on its platform.
Meta has launched a new campaign to protect teens and children from social media sextortion scams. It鈥檚 designed to help teenagers and their parents easily spot online scammers, who trick young people into sending intimate photos and use financial blackmail, threatening exposure.
Just weeks before the U.S. presidential election, TikTok approved advertisements that contained election disinformation even though it has a ban on political ads, according to a report published Thursday by the nonprofit Global Witness.
Mitzi Gaynor, the effervescent dancer and actor who starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film of 'South Pacific' and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, has died. She was 93.
Every Christmas growing up in Minnesota, Jimmy Darts' parents gave him US$200 in cash: US$100 for himself and US$100 for a stranger. Now, with over 12 million followers on TikTok and several million more on other platforms, philanthropy is his full-time job.
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
A Toronto senior who paid $27,000 for a shoddy roofing job is relieved that more than 10 roof companies offered to help after seeing her story on 麻豆传媒 Toronto.
Meta says it has laid off some employees, including staff at WhatsApp And Instagram, to realign its resources with its 鈥渟trategic goals.鈥
Netflix on Thursday reported that its subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer, a sign the huge gains from the video-streaming service鈥檚 crackdown on freeloading viewers is tapering off.
A British travel documentarian's YouTube video announcing his move to Winnipeg, Man. has gone viral, with Manitobans praising the transplant's kind words about his new Prairie home.
A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the 鈥楩ellow in Yellow.鈥
According to Google search data, the top Halloween costumes trending in Canada include everything from Taylor Swift for kids to the Joker and Harley Quinn for couples.
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has released a statement in response to a recent CTV W5 investigation into an alleged sexual assault in 2014.
The game against the San Jose Sharks is Hellebuyck Night 鈥 a night to recognize Connor Hellebuyck and his success last season winning both the Vezina and William M. Jennings trophies.
麻豆传媒' Rachel CrowSpreadingWings sat down with legendary Inuk hockey player Jordin Tootoo for an open conversation on his new documentary, Tootoo: The Jordin Tootoo Story. The film takes a look at achievements throughout his hockey career and his struggles with addictions.
The U.S. government's road safety agency is again investigating Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system, this time after getting reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian.
Canada鈥檚 border guards have seized more than 1,900 stolen cars so far this year at railyards and ports, which is over a hundred more than in 2023.
The Ontario Provincial Police says the number of fatal collisions caused by distracted driving on the roads it patrols has increased by 40 per cent compared to this time last year.
A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the 鈥楩ellow in Yellow.鈥
John Cantin vividly remembers opening day for his Victoria diner. Stress levels were high, tables were full, and one of the most popular menu items couldn鈥檛 be freed from the unyielding grip of the waffle maker.
A Manitoba professor is warning the public after a book on regional mushrooms that he suspects is AI-generated was delisted from Amazon.
A B.C. judge has issued a decision in a years-long dispute between neighbours that began with a noise complaint over barking dogs, crowing roosters and quacking ducks 鈥 awarding $15,000 in damages to the plaintiffs in the case.
An Ottawa man was arrested after taking a shower in a stranger's house, Ottawa police say.
S岣祑x瘫w煤7mesh 脷xwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chef Paul Natrall, the man behind Indigenous food truck Mr. Bannock, is bringing cooking classes on First Nations fare to schools and offices throughout Metro Vancouver.
The Celtic Colours Festival is taking place at venues around Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia from Oct. 11 to 19.
Sometimes love is written in the stars, but for one couple, it鈥檚 written in the aurora borealis.
Canadian hip hop artist Dillan King says running 100 marathons in 100 days was not only the hardest thing he has ever done, but the 'proudest accomplishment' of his entire life.
B.C. NDP Leader David Eby slammed his billionaire constituent Chip Wilson 鈥 again 鈥 on the campaign trail, following the publication of an op-ed by the Lululemon founder.
Forecasters have elevated their warnings about an atmospheric river system that is expected to hit coastal British Columbia on Friday, bringing potential flooding, heavy rain and high winds.
The agency that regulates real estate agents in B.C. has cancelled the licences of a man and his personal real estate corporation after he admitted to using an unregistered mortgage broker and submitting "falsified income and savings information" on two mortgage applications.
A Toronto senior who paid $27,000 for a shoddy roofing job is relieved that more than 10 roof companies offered to help after seeing her story on 麻豆传媒 Toronto.
Toronto Fire will be investigating the cause of a three-alarm fire that gutted a Beaches home early Friday morning.
A stolen vehicle rolled over on Highway 401 in Mississauga and caused multiple lanes closures Friday morning, police say.
Alberta municipalities are getting their first look at new rules around local political parties and how they will be funded.
Calgary police say despite an autopsy being conducted, it's not yet known what caused the death of a young woman at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
A Crossfield woman says she plans to take a vacation and tackle some household debt with a recent lottery win.
The Ottawa Police Service is delaying the rollout of body cameras on officers until 2026 "at the earliest," as it deals with financial pressures.
Some doctors in Ottawa say the pile of paperwork they're doing every day has been steadily growing as more public service workers seek doctor's notes in order to receive accommodations to work from home.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at things to do in Ottawa and eastern Ontario this weekend.
Montreal police arrested five suspects following two separate investigations involving crimes targeting a Verdun bar and a downtown restaurant.
Three people were injured after an attack in a park in Montreal's east end Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough.
A man is dead, confirmed Quebec provincial police, after being struck by a car on Highway 10 in Brossard on Montreal's South Shore.
Alberta municipalities are getting their first look at new rules around local political parties and how they will be funded.
Fire crews from several communities were called to a fire on a rural property on Friday morning.
Brett Kulak scored twice and Connor McDavid added his first goal of the season to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-2 victory over the reeling Nashville Predators on Thursday night.
The Fredericton Police Force says three more teenagers have been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a man in the city last month.
The price of gas increased slightly overnight in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, while there was no change in the price of gas on Prince Edward Island.
With a crowded field of 16 candidates vying to be Halifax's next mayor, candidates have not always found it easy to stand out. But one thing sets Andrew Goodsell apart and makes him uniquely positioned to comment on a central campaign issue: he is living rough in a tent in the city's south end.
A 52-year-old man has been charged after six bison were killed in an illegal hunt on a Manitoba farm.
There are 42 stray dogs in the care of the Winnipeg Animal Services 鈥 nearly double the facility鈥檚 normal capacity.
Over the past several years, the Winnipeg has been the backdrop for dozens of Hallmark holiday movies and this year several more are being added to the growing list of feel-good, seasonal films that are Manitoba-shot.
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with "not a lot going on" is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.
An Amber Alert issued by Waskesiu Lake RCMP for a 5-day-old baby boy has been cancelled.
Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe announced Thursday that if re-elected his party's 'first order of business' would be to introduce a policy that would ban 'biological males' from changing with 'biological females' in school changerooms.
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
Two police officers took the stand Thursday to describe what they found on Erick Buhr's clothing after his grandmother, Viola Erb, was attacked.
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
An Amber Alert issued by Waskesiu Lake RCMP for a 5-day-old baby boy has been cancelled.
Saskatoon mayoral candidate Cary Tarasoff says it's time for the city to get its finances back on track after building a reputation of overspending and mismanaging costly projects.
The Prince Albert Police Service is investigating after unidentified human remains were found in the city.
A Quebec-based company that supplies hydro turbines and generators has been fined $80,000 after a millwright was critically injured at a job site last year in Iron Bridge, Ont.
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Londoners gathered at the South London Community Centre Thursday for one of several meetings put on by the city to discuss possible ward boundary changes and provide feedback.
West Elgin fire crews say flames were pushing through the roof when they arrived on Graham Road just after 2:00 p.m.
OPP closed a section of road in Middlesex County on Thursday morning following a crash.
A man is behind bars after allegedly stealing two vehicles in a 24-hour period.
An Orillia man has been arrested four months after a collision on Highway 12 in Ramara Township that police say claimed the life of a senior.
On Thursday, provincial police issued a reminder to the public about the warning signs of fraud involving online transactions and financial transfers.
The board said it is grateful for all that Rakesh has done during his tenure, particularly in championing resolutions on both the provincial and federal levels.
Passengers riding on Via Rail's most heavily travelled corridor may endure a slower trip after Canadian National Railway Co. imposed restrictions on Via's new trains.
Windsor police are investigating shots fired in a quiet east Riverside neighbourhood.
B.C. NDP Leader David Eby slammed his billionaire constituent Chip Wilson 鈥 again 鈥 on the campaign trail, following the publication of an op-ed by the Lululemon founder.
Forecasters have elevated their warnings about an atmospheric river system that is expected to hit coastal British Columbia on Friday, bringing potential flooding, heavy rain and high winds.
The Transportation Safety Board says a mistake by a Canadian Pacific Railway supervisor set off a crash between a freight train and a railway work vehicle in Cache Creek, B.C.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
With Halloween just around the corner, the Lethbridge Bulls staff have been hard at work getting Spitz Stadium ready for a different sort of fall classic.
Lethbridge post-secondary schools are trying to navigate recent changes to the cap on international students, announced by the federal government in January.
More than 600 students on the Piikani Nation will soon have a new space to learn after the federal government announced funding Thursday morning.
Ontario's top court breathed new life into a Charter challenge of the provincial government's emissions target on Thursday, a decision heralded as a major victory for the group of young people -- including 17-year-old Sophia Mathur from Greater Sudbury -- who brought the case and others looking to hold governments to account on climate change.
Surveillance cameras that are used to both deter crimes and help investigations will soon be installed throughout Sault Ste. Marie.
A Quebec-based company that supplies hydro turbines and generators has been fined $80,000 after a millwright was critically injured at a job site last year in Iron Bridge, Ont.
A five-hour drive from St. John's, N.L., and well off the beaten path, Point Leamington seems an unlikely spot for a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction.
A Conservative MP from Newfoundland and Labrador says some small towns in his rural riding are overrun with crime, but police say they haven't received reports to that effect.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.
