The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and characteristic moments – not its most crucial, nor most brutal, nor most threatening, nor most senseless, but perhaps its most illuminating – occurred earlier this fall. In the course of a few weeks, the American president began displaying the public his intentions for an ornate dance hall twice the size than the White House and subsequently started independently demolishing the East Wing portion to build it.
He has done things 10,000 times as bad – the existing assessment of fatalities from his cuts to USAID amounts to 600,000 and growing, and this week research forecast his energy policies would kill another 1.3 million. But nothing as definitional. No other president would have attempted – really, no previous leader would have imagined – solo demolishing major areas of the executive mansion to construct a royal-themed celebration hall, with the direct cooperation of numerous the nation's most affluent, the majority of whom maintain dealings with the government.
We went from 'the meek shall inherit the Earth' toward 'the meek shall die of cholera'
As confusing as it is to observe the president attempt to overturn the established notion regarding democracy and exchange it with its polar opposite, there remains a substantial portion of Americans who should not find it completely novel. This includes individuals like us – within elder demographics close to half – who were educated within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have observed over the years as rightwing evangelical churches turned the Jesus we learned about into the complete reverse of our perception of his character. Essentially, they transformed an image of love into an icon of hostility who approves exactly the harshness that he criticized in scripture; this has happened at a slower pace, through multiple decades instead of months, yet it remains disturbing via comparable methods, a bewildering emotional blow for countless people.
A Toxic Christianity Gains Ground
So let me first describe the Christ from my childhood, as conceptually Christ is the focus of Christian religion, and given that the rapidly expanding group of Americans could have minimal awareness of him since they are skeptics or doubters or nones. I take no issue with these different approaches, nor with different religions; but I do think that contain precious wisdom of substantial value in the Christian story.
It is unquestionably not the account of an authoritative monarch arising; rather, an infant arrives to displaced parents in an automotive shelter, who are forced to hastily depart to a different country to avoid secret police. The child matures in simple surroundings, an employed craftsman; his message concerns compassion for others, specifically for the impoverished – and not a sentimental love, but a concrete one, shown by providing food and sheltering. Christ's response to violence is to offer the other cheek – not as an act of compliant endurance, but as a way to instruct the attacker; his method regarding offenses indicates that whenever an individual takes your jacket you should give the person your additional clothing as well.
The evident and straightforward reality that Christ of the gospels advocates for a kind of radical love focused on the poor has consistently rendered Christianity something of a controversial faith: appealing to the populace, but because of its inherent radicalness needing to be controlled. During the 1950s it was contained via weakening – Protestant Christianity was so prevalent that it practically sanctified existing conditions.
A Battle for the Highest of Us
Hence I have become heartened to observe the determined opposition against Trump develop in this past year. It has been great solace to assist in constructing the movement that has demonstrated publicly in rally after rally, and likely has encouraged electorate to show up in numbers in interim political contests. We must have to continue it, and in the same spirit, with American flags throughout each rally and appeals to the best parts of American history.
We're going to be asked ... regarding how you welcomed the immigrant? Did you welcome them and welcome him or refuse?
The country is optimally secured, essentially, by reference to the highest about American history, similar to Christianity is most protected through connection to elements that cause it to be distinctive and magnificent, which is the example of Christ. In all circumstances does it suggest feigning the most damaging regarding America and Christian faith never occurred; it signifies both modesty and faith, a blend that genuine national faithful should embrace.
