The Trump phenomenon's most telling and characteristic occasions – not its most important, nor cruelest, nor most threatening, nor most senseless, but possibly its most revealing – emerged earlier this harvest season. Over the span of a few weeks, the US president commenced revealing all observers his designs for a lavish reception room double the dimensions than the White House and then commenced unilaterally ripping down the eastern section to erect it.
He has performed deeds ten thousand times worse – the current estimate of casualties from his cuts to international aid amounts to 600,000 and increasing, and recently an analysis projected his fossil fuel policies would cause deaths 1.3 million more. But nothing as definitional. No former leader would have risked – truly, no previous leader would have imagined – unilaterally destroying major areas of the White House to construct a Versailles-style party room, with the enthusiastic participation of multiple the nation's most affluent, the majority of whom maintain dealings with federal agencies.
We transitioned from 'the gentle will obtain the planet' to 'the gentle will succumb of cholera'
As bewildering as it is to watch the leader try to upend the old idea about democracy and substitute it with its complete opposite, there exists a significant segment within America who might not perceive it totally unfamiliar. This includes individuals like us – within elder demographics a near majority – who were raised as mainline Protestant Christians.
We have witnessed over the years as politically conservative religious groups transformed the Christ we were raised with into exactly the opposite of our perception of his character. Fundamentally, they converted a persona of compassion into an icon of hate who blesses specifically the brutality that he criticized in biblical teachings; this transformation occurred more gradually, through multiple decades rather than months, but it is nonetheless disturbing via comparable methods, a confusing personal impact for countless people.
A Damaging Christianity Establishes Itself
So let me first describe the Jesus from my upbringing, because theoretically the Savior is the core of any Christian faith, and given that the fastest-growing cadre within America could have minimal awareness regarding him since they are skeptics or agnostics or nones. I raise no objection with these various perspectives, nor with any other faith; yet I maintain that contain precious wisdom of substantial value in the Christian story.
It is decidedly definitely not the account of a mighty king appearing; instead, an infant arrives to parents without shelter in a garage, who are forced to hastily depart to a different country to evade undercover officers. The child matures in humble circumstances, a laboring woodworker; his doctrine focuses on affection for others, particularly for the disadvantaged – and not a sentimental love, but tangible care, expressed by feeding and housing. Jesus' answer to hostility is to present the opposite cheek – not as an act of submissive tolerance, but as a means to educate the assailant; his method regarding offenses is that if an individual takes your outer garment you must offer the person your additional clothing as well.
The obvious and straightforward truth that Christ from scripture requests a kind of extreme compassion concentrated on the poor has consistently rendered Christian religion something of a scandalous religion: attractive to the general public, but owing to its natural unconventionality demanding to be contained. In the 1950s it was contained by dilution – Protestant Christianity was so prevalent that it essentially sanctified existing conditions.
A Battle for the Highest Within Us
Therefore I have felt inspired to see the steadfast resistance regarding Trump arise in this past year. It has provided significant comfort to help build the movement that has taken to the streets through repeated demonstrations, and likely has encouraged citizens to show up in significant amounts in interim political contests. We will need to continue it, and through comparable resolve, displaying national flags at every demonstration and appeals to the highest qualities within national heritage.
We will be questioned ... regarding how you welcomed the immigrant? Did you accept these individuals and receive them or not?
The country is optimally secured, essentially, through connection to the finest in US heritage, similar to Christianity is optimally secured by reference to elements that cause it to be unique and wonderful, specifically the model of Christ. In all circumstances does it mean acting as if the most damaging about the nation and Christianity never occurred; it represents both modesty and conviction, a blend that genuine American Christians should be comfortable with.
