The Trump phenomenon's most illuminating and characteristic moments – not its most crucial, nor cruelest, nor most threatening, nor most senseless, but perhaps its most illuminating – occurred earlier this fall. During the period of multiple weeks, the nation's leader commenced revealing the public his plans for a gilded ballroom double the dimensions than the White House and then began solo dismantling the East Wing portion to build it.
He has committed acts countless times more severe – the current estimate of casualties from his cuts to USAID amounts to 600,000 and rising, and presently a study projected his petroleum strategies would result in fatalities an additional 1.3 million. Yet nothing as characteristic. No previous president would have risked – genuinely, no previous leader would have imagined – solo demolishing major areas of the presidential residence to build a Versailles-style party room, with the direct cooperation of some of the richest Americans, nearly all of which conduct transactions with public institutions.
We transitioned from 'the gentle will obtain the world' to 'the humble will perish of cholera'
As confusing as it is to observe the leader attempt to overturn the old idea regarding democracy and replace it with its direct contrary, there remains a substantial portion among Americans who should not find it entirely new. This includes individuals like us – in older age cohorts close to half – who were educated within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have observed throughout the years as rightwing evangelical churches converted the Savior we learned about into exactly the opposite of our understanding of him. Essentially, they converted a persona of affection into an icon of hostility who blesses specifically the brutality that he criticized in biblical teachings; this has happened more slowly, over decades instead of months, however it is still disturbing in the same ways, a bewildering emotional blow for numerous individuals.
A Toxic Christianity Takes Hold
So let me first describe the Christ that I grew up with, since in theory the Savior is the core of Christian religion, and given that the quickly increasing segment among Americans might have little sense of him because they identify as atheists or agnostics or religiously unaffiliated. I raise no objection with these various perspectives, nor with alternative spiritual paths; but I do think that there are pearls of great price within Christian narrative.
It is decidedly definitely not the account of a mighty king appearing; rather, a child comes into the world to displaced parents in a garage, who are forced to hastily depart to a foreign land to evade undercover officers. The baby grows up in modest conditions, an employed craftsman; his message focuses on affection for fellow humans, specifically for the disadvantaged – not simply tender feelings, but tangible care, expressed by feeding and housing. The Savior's reaction to hostility is to offer the opposite cheek – not as a gesture of submissive tolerance, but as a means to instruct the attacker; his method regarding offenses states that when an individual takes your coat you should give the person your additional clothing too.
The obvious and straightforward reality that the Jesus in biblical accounts advocates for a type of extreme compassion centered on the needy has perpetually caused the Christian faith rather a controversial faith: appealing to the masses, but due to its inherent radicalness demanding to be restrained. In the 1950s it was contained by dilution – Protestantism was so widespread that it basically blessed current circumstances.
A Battle for the Highest Within Us
So I have been encouraged to see the steadfast resistance to Trump arise in this past year. It has provided great solace to participate in developing the movement that has protested openly through repeated demonstrations, and seems to have inspired voters to participate in significant amounts during minor elections. We must have to continue it, and in the same spirit, with American flags at every demonstration and appeals to the finest aspects of American history.
We shall be interrogated ... how did you receive the immigrant? Did you accept these individuals and welcome him or not?
The country is optimally secured, in other words, through connection to the finest within national tradition, just as Christianity is most protected by relationship to that which renders it unique and wonderful, particularly the pattern of the Savior. In both situations does it suggest pretending the most negative of both America and Christian faith never occurred; it means both humility and conviction, a blend that serious US believers should embrace.
