The Trump phenomenon's most illuminating and characteristic instances – not its most crucial, nor most brutal, nor most threatening, nor stupidest, but perhaps its most illuminating – came earlier this autumn. Over the span of several weeks, the American president commenced revealing the public his intentions for a gilded ballroom twice the size than the White House and then began independently demolishing the East Wing portion to build it.
He has committed acts ten thousand times worse – the current estimate of fatalities resulting from his reductions to foreign assistance amounts to 600,000 and rising, and recently research predicted his energy policies would result in fatalities 1.3 million more. Yet nothing as characteristic. No other president would have attempted – genuinely, no former commander would have conceived – unilaterally destroying significant portions of the executive mansion to build a Versailles-style party room, with the active collaboration of some of the richest Americans, almost all of whom maintain dealings with the government.
We transitioned from 'the meek shall inherit the Earth' into 'the humble will perish of cholera'
As bewildering as it is to witness the president attempt to overturn the traditional concept of democracy and substitute it with its direct contrary, there remains a substantial portion within America who might not perceive it entirely new. That is those of us – among senior generations a near majority – who were brought up as mainline Protestant Christians.
We have observed over the years as politically conservative religious groups converted the Savior we learned about into the complete reverse of our perception of his character. At its most basic, they transformed an image of affection into a figure of hate who endorses specifically the brutality that he criticized in the Gospel; this change developed at a slower pace, through multiple decades as opposed to months, however it is still disturbing via comparable methods, a disorienting gut punch for countless people.
A Damaging Christianity Gains Ground
So let me first describe the Savior from my childhood, as conceptually Christ is the focus of any Christian faith, and since the fastest-growing cadre of Americans could have minimal awareness regarding him since they are non-believers or uncertain individuals or spiritual independents. I raise no objection with any of these traditions, nor with any other faith; however I believe that there are pearls of significant worth within Christian narrative.
It is decidedly absolutely not the story of a mighty king emerging; instead, a baby is born to parents without shelter in a storage space, who are forced to hastily depart to a foreign land to avoid covert authorities. The baby grows up in humble circumstances, an employed craftsman; his teaching focuses on affection for fellow humans, particularly for the disadvantaged – and not a sentimental love, but tangible care, shown by providing food and housing. The Savior's reaction to aggression is to present the other cheek – not as a demonstration of passive acceptance, but as a means to instruct the attacker; his method regarding offenses states that when someone steals your coat you must offer him your sweater as well.
The evident and clear truth that the Savior in biblical accounts advocates for a type of extreme compassion concentrated on the needy is what has always made Christianity something of a scandalous religion: appealing to the general public, but because of its inherent radicalness demanding to be restrained. In the 1950s it was contained via weakening – Protestantism was so widespread that it practically blessed current circumstances.
A Conflict for the Highest Among Us
Therefore I have felt heartened to observe the persistent defiance against Trump develop in this past year. It has provided great solace to help build the campaign that has taken to the streets via continuous gatherings, and appears to have motivated electorate to show up in large quantities in the off-year elections. We shall require to continue it, and in the same spirit, featuring US banners during all protests and calls to the finest aspects of American history.
We shall be interrogated ... how did you receive the immigrant? Did you welcome them and receive them or not?
The country is optimally secured, essentially, by relationship to the highest in US heritage, just as Christianity is most protected by relationship to that which renders it unique and beautiful, specifically the model of Christ. In both situations does it suggest pretending the most negative of both America and Christianity never occurred; it means both humility and faith, a combination that serious US believers should embrace.
