The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and distinctive moments – not its most significant, nor most harsh, nor most dangerous, nor most senseless, but potentially its most enlightening – came earlier this autumn. In the course of a few weeks, the nation's leader commenced revealing the public his intentions for a lavish reception room twice the size than the White House and then began unilaterally ripping down the East Wing portion to build it.
He has performed deeds ten thousand times worse – the existing assessment of deaths from his cuts to foreign assistance stands at 600,000 and growing, and recently an analysis forecast his fossil fuel policies would result in fatalities an additional 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No other president would have attempted – really, no former commander would have contemplated – unilaterally destroying major areas of the White House to construct a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the active collaboration of some of the nation's most affluent, nearly all of which have business with public institutions.
We transitioned from 'the meek shall inherit the world' toward 'the meek shall die of cholera'
As bewildering as it is to observe the leader try to upend the established notion about democracy and exchange it with its polar opposite, there exists a significant segment among Americans who might not perceive it totally unfamiliar. This includes individuals like us – within elder demographics almost a majority – who were educated as mainline Protestant Christians.
We have observed across decades while conservative evangelical congregations converted the Savior we were raised with into the total contrary of our perception of his character. Essentially, they turned a figure of compassion into a figure of hostility who blesses precisely the cruelties that he criticized in scripture; this has happened more gradually, over decades instead of months, however it is still unsettling through similar means, a bewildering emotional blow for many of us.
A Harmful Christianity Takes Hold
So let me first describe the Savior from my childhood, because theoretically Christ is the focus of any Christian faith, and because the rapidly expanding group within America might have little sense about him because they identify as non-believers or uncertain individuals or spiritual independents. I have no problem with any of these traditions, nor with any other faith; however I believe that contain precious wisdom of substantial value in biblical accounts.
It is decidedly definitely not the story of an authoritative monarch emerging; instead, a child comes into the world to homeless parents in an automotive shelter, who need to rapidly escape to a foreign land to evade covert authorities. The baby grows up in modest conditions, a laboring woodworker; his doctrine focuses on affection for fellow humans, particularly for the disadvantaged – and not a sentimental love, but tangible care, demonstrated through nourishing and housing. Christ's response to aggression is to offer the additional cheek – not as a demonstration of compliant endurance, but as a means to teach the aggressor; his crime policy states that when someone steals your coat you must offer them your pullover also.
The obvious and straightforward truth that the Savior from scripture advocates for a kind of radical love focused on the poor is what has always made the Christian faith somewhat of a controversial faith: attractive to the populace, but due to its intrinsic extremism demanding to be controlled. In the 1950s it was controlled by dilution – Protestant Christianity was so dominant that it essentially blessed current circumstances.
A Battle for the Best Within Us
So I have been heartened to observe the steadfast resistance to Trump arise in this past year. It has been great solace to participate in developing the initiative that has protested openly via continuous gatherings, and seems to have inspired electorate to show up in significant amounts during minor elections. We must have to maintain it, and with identical determination, displaying national flags throughout each rally and calls to the highest qualities of American history.
We're going to be asked ... regarding how you welcomed the foreigner? Did you accept these individuals and welcome him or reject?
The nation is most protected, essentially, through connection to the best within national tradition, just as Christianity is optimally secured through connection to what makes it distinctive and magnificent, specifically the model of Christ. In neither case does it imply acting as if the most damaging of both America and religious tradition never occurred; it signifies both modesty and conviction, a blend that genuine national faithful should be comfortable with.
