The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and distinctive moments β not its most crucial, nor cruelest, nor most threatening, nor most senseless, but perhaps its most illuminating β came earlier this autumn. During the period of several weeks, the nation's leader commenced revealing the public his designs for a gilded ballroom double the dimensions of the White House and then began solo dismantling the eastern section to construct it.
He has done things 10,000 times as bad β the current estimate of deaths resulting from his reductions to foreign assistance stands at 600,000 and increasing, and recently a study projected his energy policies would cause deaths 1.3 million more. However nothing as distinctive. No previous president would have dared β really, no former commander would have imagined β independently wrecking large sections of the White House to construct a royal-themed celebration hall, with the enthusiastic participation of numerous the richest Americans, the majority of whom conduct transactions with the government.
We moved from 'the meek shall inherit the Earth' to 'the gentle will succumb to cholera'
As disorienting as it is to watch the leader seek toι’ θ¦ the old idea about democracy and exchange it with its polar opposite, there is one large group of Americans who should not find it totally unfamiliar. That is those of us β within elder demographics close to half β who were educated within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have witnessed throughout the years as politically conservative religious groups transformed the Christ we grew up with into the total contrary of our perception of his character. Essentially, they transformed an image of affection into a symbol of animosity who approves precisely the cruelties that he denounced in the Gospel; this transformation occurred at a slower pace, through multiple decades rather than months, however it is still disconcerting through similar means, a confusing personal impact for many of us.
A Harmful Christianity Takes Hold
Therefore allow me to outline the Christ from my childhood, since in theory the Savior is the core within Christian belief, and given that the fastest-growing cadre of Americans could have minimal awareness of him because they identify as atheists or agnostics or nones. I take no issue with these various perspectives, nor with alternative spiritual paths; however I believe that there are pearls of significant worth in the Christian story.
It is decidedly not the narrative of a powerful ruler emerging; conversely, a baby is born to displaced parents in a garage, who are forced to hastily depart to a different country to evade secret police. The infant develops in humble circumstances, a working carpenter; his teaching is about love for fellow humans, especially for the disadvantaged β not simply tender feelings, but tangible care, shown by providing food and protecting. Christ's response to hostility is to offer the opposite cheek β not as a gesture of submissive tolerance, but as a means to teach the attacker; his approach to wrongdoing indicates that whenever a person pilfers your jacket you ought to provide him your sweater too.
The evident and direct fact that Christ from scripture advocates for a kind of profound affection focused on the needy is what has always made Christianity something of a provocative belief system: attractive to the populace, but because of its natural unconventionality requiring to be restrained. In the 1950s it was contained by dilution β Protestant Christianity was so widespread that it essentially baptized the status quo.
A Conflict for the Highest Among Us
Therefore I have felt inspired to observe the persistent defiance against Trump emerge during the previous year. It has served as significant comfort to help build the campaign that has taken to the streets in rally after rally, and likely has encouraged citizens to show up in numbers in interim political contests. We will need to maintain it, and through comparable resolve, featuring US banners during all protests and calls to the best parts of American history.
We're going to be asked ... regarding how you welcomed the stranger? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?
The nation is most protected, in other words, through connection to the finest about American history, similar to Christianity is most protected by reference to elements that cause it to be unique and magnificent, specifically the model of Christ. In neither case does it suggest feigning the most negative about the nation and Christianity was nonexistent; it means both humility and faith, a mixture that serious American Christians should embrace.
