The Trump movement's most illuminating and defining moments β not its most important, nor most brutal, nor most hazardous, nor stupidest, but potentially its most enlightening β occurred earlier this fall. Over the span of several weeks, the US president commenced revealing everyone his intentions for a lavish reception room two times larger than the White House and then began independently demolishing the eastern section to build it.
He has committed acts ten thousand times worse β the existing assessment of casualties resulting from his reductions to international aid amounts to 600,000 and rising, and this week research projected his petroleum strategies would cause deaths an additional 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No former leader would have attempted β genuinely, no former commander would have imagined β independently wrecking significant portions of the White House to construct a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the direct cooperation of some of the richest Americans, nearly all of which have business with public institutions.
We moved from 'the humble will receive the planet' toward 'the meek shall die to cholera'
As bewildering as it is to watch the president try to upend the traditional concept of democracy and replace it with its polar opposite, there is one large group of Americans who should not find it completely novel. This includes individuals like us β within elder demographics a near majority β who were educated within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have witnessed across decades as rightwing evangelical churches turned the Jesus we grew up with into the complete reverse of our understanding of him. Essentially, they turned a figure of love into a figure of hate who endorses precisely the cruelties that he condemned in the Gospel; this transformation occurred more slowly, through multiple decades instead of months, however it is still disconcerting via comparable methods, a confusing personal impact for countless people.
A Harmful Christianity Gains Ground
Hence I shall explain the Jesus from my upbringing, because theoretically Christ is the focus of any Christian faith, and given that the fastest-growing cadre within America could have minimal awareness of him as they consider themselves non-believers or uncertain individuals or nones. I raise no objection with any of these traditions, nor with alternative spiritual paths; yet I maintain that contain precious wisdom of substantial value within Christian narrative.
It is emphatically not the story of a mighty king emerging; rather, a baby is born to displaced parents in a garage, who are forced to hastily depart to a different country to evade undercover officers. The child matures in humble circumstances, a working carpenter; his teaching is about love for others, particularly for the poor β not merely emotional affection, but practical compassion, shown by providing food and protecting. Jesus' answer to aggression is to offer the other cheek β not as a demonstration of passive acceptance, but as a means to instruct the aggressor; his approach to wrongdoing is that if an individual takes your coat you should give the person your additional clothing too.
The evident and straightforward truth that the Jesus from scripture calls for a kind of radical love centered on the poor has consistently rendered Christian religion somewhat of a controversial faith: appealing to the masses, but owing to its inherent radicalness demanding to be controlled. In the 1950s it was restrained via weakening β The Protestant faith was so prevalent that it essentially sanctified existing conditions.
A Battle for the Highest Within Us
Hence I have become heartened to witness the steadfast resistance against Trump develop in this past year. It has been great solace to help build the campaign that has taken to the streets in rally after rally, and seems to have inspired electorate to turn out in large quantities in the off-year elections. We will need to persist with it, and through comparable resolve, with American flags during all protests and calls to the highest qualities of American history.
We will be questioned ... about how you treated the foreigner? Did you welcome them and welcome him or reject?
The nation is most protected, in other words, by reference to the highest within national tradition, similar to Christianity is optimally secured by reference to what makes it distinctive and wonderful, particularly the pattern of Christ. In both situations does it imply pretending the worst regarding America and Christian faith never occurred; it means both humility and belief, a combination that genuine American Christians should be comfortable with.
