The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and distinctive instances – not its most important, nor cruelest, nor most hazardous, nor stupidest, but perhaps its most illuminating – came earlier this autumn. Over the span of several weeks, the nation's leader began displaying everyone his intentions for an ornate dance hall double the dimensions than the White House and then began unilaterally ripping down the eastern section to build it.
He has committed acts countless times more severe – the existing assessment of deaths resulting from his reductions to foreign assistance amounts to 600,000 and increasing, and presently research forecast his fossil fuel policies would cause deaths an additional 1.3 million. But nothing as definitional. No former leader would have dared – really, no other president would have conceived – unilaterally destroying large sections of the White House to construct a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the enthusiastic participation of some of America's wealthiest, nearly all of which have business with federal agencies.
We moved from 'the humble will receive the world' to 'the meek shall die to cholera'
As confusing as it is to observe the leader try to upend the traditional concept of democracy and substitute it with its polar opposite, there is one large group of Americans who should not find it completely novel. This includes individuals like us – within elder demographics a near majority – who were educated within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have watched over the years as politically conservative religious groups converted the Savior we grew up with into the complete reverse of our understanding of him. Essentially, they transformed an image of compassion into an icon of hostility who blesses specifically the brutality that he criticized in biblical teachings; this has happened more slowly, across decades rather than months, however it is still disturbing in the same ways, a disorienting gut punch for countless people.
A Toxic Christianity Gains Ground
So let me first describe the Jesus from my childhood, since in theory Christ is the focus of Christian religion, and because the rapidly expanding group within America may possess limited understanding about him as they consider themselves atheists or doubters or spiritual independents. I take no issue with these various perspectives, nor with different religions; however I believe that there are pearls of great price in biblical accounts.
It is unquestionably definitely not the narrative of a mighty king emerging; conversely, a baby is born to homeless parents in a garage, who must quickly flee to a foreign land to escape covert authorities. The infant develops in humble circumstances, a working carpenter; his doctrine concerns compassion for fellow humans, particularly for the poor – not simply tender feelings, but practical compassion, expressed by feeding and protecting. Jesus' answer to violence is to turn the other cheek – not as an act of passive acceptance, but as a way to instruct the aggressor; his method regarding offenses is that if a person pilfers your jacket you should give him your sweater too.
The evident and direct reality that the Savior in biblical accounts requests a kind of radical love concentrated on the needy has perpetually caused Christian religion rather a controversial faith: engaging for the general public, but owing to its natural unconventionality demanding to be controlled. In the fifties it was contained via weakening – Protestantism was so prevalent that it essentially baptized the status quo.
A Conflict for the Highest Among Us
Hence I have become encouraged to witness the persistent defiance to Trump arise during the previous year. It has provided substantial consolation to help build the campaign that has taken to the streets via continuous gatherings, and likely has encouraged electorate to show up in large quantities in interim political contests. We will need to maintain it, and through comparable resolve, with American flags during all protests and requests to the best parts of American history.
We're going to be asked ... how did you receive the immigrant? Did you welcome them and receive them or refuse?
The nation is most protected, essentially, through connection to the finest in US heritage, just as Christianity is best defended by reference to that which renders it special and wonderful, which is the example of Jesus. In all circumstances does it mean pretending the most negative of both America and religious tradition did not happen; it means both modesty and conviction, a combination that serious US believers should be comfortable with.
