That Metaxas ignores all of that, and instead pretends that the objections of Christian critics of Trump are theological and doctrinal in nature, illustrates how fundamentally weak his case is. He won’t fairly represent the arguments of the other side because he can’t refute them.

Read: Nothing will persuade white evangelicals to support impeachment

Graham and Metaxas do not represent all of the white evangelical world, but they do represent a significant part of it. And what their comments offer the rest of us is a window not only into the massive theological, intellectual, and moral deformations caused by acute political tribalism, but also into the dangers of those who see themselves as the Children of Light and those with whom they disagree as the Children of Darkness.

Graham and Metaxas appear to believe that they, along with Donald Trump, are part of a holy crusade to rid the world of evil, wickedness, and demonic powers. What they are saying in their interview is that you either stand with them, or you stand with the forces of Satan.

There is no middle ground.

This mind-set is not new, but it is dangerous. Among other things, it leaves no room for the democratic virtue of compromise—after all, how can you compromise with those animated by demonic powers?—or epistemological humility. It makes learning from others who hold different views almost impossible. It also treats critics of Trump, Christian and non-Christian alike, not as fellow citizens but as agents of Satan.

For my part, I don’t think either Graham or Metaxas are wicked, malevolent, or at the mercy of demonic powers. Graham’s work with Samaritan’s Purse is humane and laudatory, and Metaxas can be clever and engaging. I believe, too, that they have convinced themselves that they are acting faithfully.

But here’s what I also think: Franklin Graham and Eric Metaxas are acting irresponsibly and unwisely. In their zeal to defend Donald Trump, they are leveling rash and careless attacks. And they are doing significant, if unintentional, harm to the Christian witness.

And there are far too many others like them.

However admirable these men might be in their personal lives, their portrayal of Christianity to a watching world is of a faith coiled with anger, ungracious and harsh, rigid and resentful, overflowing with grievances. They speak as if gripped by fear, which gives rise to antipathy toward others, which in turn creates unnecessary divisions and hostility. (In 2016, Metaxas described America as facing an existential crisis akin to the Civil War.)

As a result, they make the job of the so-called New Atheists so much easier than it would otherwise be. All militant atheists need to do is to point people—young people in particular—to conversations like the one between Graham and Metaxas and say, “Is that the kind of faith you want to be associated with?” If that was what I thought even remotely embodied true Christianity, I would want nothing to do with it.