The Trump movement's most telling and defining instances – not its most significant, nor most brutal, nor most dangerous, nor stupidest, but perhaps its most illuminating – occurred earlier this fall. In the course of several weeks, the US president commenced revealing all observers his plans for a lavish reception room two times larger than the White House and then commenced unilaterally ripping down the eastern section to erect it.
He has performed deeds countless times more severe – the existing assessment of deaths resulting from his reductions to international aid stands at 600,000 and growing, and this week a study projected his petroleum strategies would kill another 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No other president would have risked – truly, no former commander would have imagined – unilaterally destroying large sections of the presidential residence to build a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the active collaboration of multiple the nation's most affluent, the majority of whom have business with public institutions.
We went from 'the gentle will obtain the Earth' into 'the meek shall die of cholera'
As disorienting as it is to watch the leader 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 completely novel. That is those of us – among senior generations a near majority – who were educated as conventional Protestant believers.
We have watched throughout the years as politically conservative religious groups turned the Jesus we were raised with into the total contrary of our understanding of him. Essentially, they converted a persona of compassion into a figure of hate who approves specifically the brutality that he criticized in biblical teachings; this transformation occurred more gradually, across decades instead of months, but it is nonetheless disconcerting through similar means, a bewildering emotional blow for countless people.
A Toxic Christianity Takes Hold
So let me first describe the Christ from my childhood, because theoretically Christ is the focus of any Christian faith, and given that the rapidly expanding group of Americans could have minimal awareness regarding him because they identify as skeptics or uncertain individuals or religiously unaffiliated. I have no problem with these various perspectives, nor with alternative spiritual paths; yet I maintain that contain precious wisdom of great price in biblical accounts.
It is decidedly not the account of an authoritative monarch emerging; rather, a child comes into the world to homeless parents in an automotive shelter, who need to rapidly escape to a different country to avoid secret police. The infant develops in modest conditions, a working carpenter; his doctrine focuses on affection for fellow humans, particularly for the impoverished – not merely emotional affection, but practical compassion, shown by providing food and housing. Jesus' answer to aggression is to offer the additional cheek – not as a gesture of submissive tolerance, but as a method to teach the assailant; his method regarding offenses indicates that whenever a person pilfers your outer garment you ought to provide the person your additional clothing as well.
The obvious and straightforward reality that the Savior of the gospels advocates for a kind of profound affection centered on the poor is what has always made Christianity something of a provocative belief system: engaging for the masses, but owing to its natural unconventionality requiring to be contained. During the 1950s it was contained by dilution – Protestant Christianity was so widespread that it essentially blessed current circumstances.
A Struggle for the Finest Within Us
So I have been heartened to see the determined opposition against Trump emerge in this past year. It has served as great solace to help build the movement that has taken to the streets through repeated demonstrations, and appears to have motivated electorate to turn out in numbers in interim political contests. We shall require to maintain it, and with identical determination, featuring US banners during all protests and calls to the best parts of American history.
We will be questioned ... regarding how you welcomed the stranger? Did you accept these individuals and embrace them or refuse?
The nation is most protected, essentially, through connection to the highest about American history, similar to Christianity is most protected by reference to that which renders it distinctive and wonderful, which is the example of Jesus. In neither case does it imply acting as if the most damaging of both America and Christian faith was nonexistent; it means both humility and belief, a mixture that serious US believers should embrace.
