The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and distinctive instances – not its most important, nor cruelest, nor most dangerous, nor most foolish, but potentially its most enlightening – emerged earlier this harvest season. Over the span of a few weeks, the US president commenced revealing everyone his intentions for a gilded ballroom two times larger compared to the White House and subsequently started unilaterally ripping down the eastern section to build it.
He has committed acts ten thousand times worse – the current estimate of casualties due to his slashing to international aid stands at 600,000 and growing, and this week an analysis predicted his fossil fuel policies would result in fatalities an additional 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No former leader would have attempted – truly, no other president would have contemplated – solo demolishing large sections of the executive mansion in order to erect a Versailles-style party room, with the enthusiastic participation of numerous the richest Americans, the majority of whom conduct transactions with the government.
We went from 'the meek shall inherit the planet' into 'the meek shall die of cholera'
As confusing as it is to witness the president try to upend the established notion of democracy and substitute it with its direct contrary, there exists a significant segment of Americans who might not perceive it completely novel. That is those of us – within elder demographics a near majority – who were educated as conventional Protestant believers.
We have witnessed throughout the years as politically conservative religious groups transformed the Christ we were raised with into exactly the opposite of our understanding of him. Fundamentally, they turned a figure of affection into an icon of hate who endorses precisely the cruelties that he criticized in scripture; this transformation occurred at a slower pace, across decades instead of months, yet it remains disturbing through similar means, a bewildering emotional blow for many of us.
A Toxic Christianity Gains Ground
So let me first describe the Savior that I grew up with, since in theory Jesus is the center of Christian religion, and because the quickly increasing segment within America could have minimal awareness of him as they consider themselves non-believers or agnostics or spiritual independents. I have no problem with these various perspectives, nor with any other faith; but I do think that there are pearls of substantial value within Christian narrative.
It is unquestionably definitely not the account of a mighty king arising; conversely, a child comes into the world to homeless parents in an automotive shelter, who need to rapidly escape to a different country to evade covert authorities. The child matures in modest conditions, a laboring woodworker; his teaching is about love for others, especially for the impoverished – not simply tender feelings, but tangible care, demonstrated through nourishing and housing. Jesus' answer to violence is to turn the other cheek – not as an act of compliant endurance, but as a means to educate the assailant; his approach to wrongdoing is that if someone steals your coat you ought to provide him your sweater too.
The obvious and direct truth that Christ in biblical accounts requests a type of profound affection focused on the impoverished is what has always made the Christian faith somewhat of a provocative belief system: appealing to the masses, but owing to its intrinsic extremism requiring to be controlled. During the 1950s it was controlled by dilution – The Protestant faith was so dominant that it essentially sanctified existing conditions.
A Battle for the Highest Among Us
So I have been encouraged to observe the steadfast resistance to Trump develop over the last twelve months. It has served as great solace to participate in developing the initiative that has protested openly in rally after rally, and appears to have motivated voters to participate in large quantities in interim political contests. We must have to continue it, and through comparable resolve, featuring US banners during all protests and requests to the best parts in US history.
We will be questioned ... about how you treated the foreigner? Did you welcome them and embrace them or not?
America is best defended, in other words, by relationship to the best within national tradition, exactly as the Christian faith is best defended by relationship to that which renders it special and beautiful, specifically the model of the Savior. In all circumstances does it suggest feigning the most damaging about the nation and Christian faith was nonexistent; it signifies both humility and faith, a blend that genuine national faithful should be comfortable with.
