The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and defining moments – not its most significant, nor most brutal, nor most dangerous, nor stupidest, but potentially its most enlightening – came earlier this autumn. Over the span of several weeks, the US president began displaying the public his designs for a gilded ballroom two times larger than the White House and then commenced independently demolishing the East Wing portion to construct it.
He has done things 10,000 times as bad – the current estimate of fatalities due to his slashing to international aid stands at 600,000 and increasing, and recently a study forecast his fossil fuel policies would kill an additional 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No previous president would have attempted – truly, no previous leader would have conceived – unilaterally destroying major areas of the presidential residence to construct a Versailles-style party room, with the enthusiastic participation of some of the nation's most affluent, almost all of whom have business with federal agencies.
We moved from 'the meek shall inherit the planet' toward 'the gentle will succumb of cholera'
As bewildering as it is to watch the president attempt to overturn the established notion regarding democracy and replace it with its polar opposite, there is one large group within America who might not perceive it entirely new. That encompasses people such as ourselves – among senior generations close to half – who were raised as mainline Protestant Christians.
We have observed throughout the years as politically conservative religious groups transformed the Christ we grew up with into the complete reverse of our perception of his character. At its most basic, they turned a figure of affection into a symbol of animosity who approves precisely the cruelties that he denounced in scripture; this has happened at a slower pace, over decades as opposed to months, however it is still unsettling in the same ways, a confusing personal impact for numerous individuals.
A Damaging Christianity Establishes Itself
Hence I shall explain the Savior from my upbringing, as conceptually the Savior is the core of Christian religion, and because the rapidly expanding group within America may possess limited understanding regarding him since they are non-believers or uncertain individuals or spiritual independents. I have no problem with these various perspectives, nor with alternative spiritual paths; yet I maintain that exist valuable insights of substantial value in the Christian story.
It is decidedly absolutely not the account of a mighty king arising; instead, a child comes into the world to displaced parents in a garage, who are forced to hastily depart to another nation to evade covert authorities. The child matures in modest conditions, a laboring woodworker; his message is about love for other people, particularly for the impoverished – and not a sentimental love, but tangible care, shown by providing food and protecting. The Savior's reaction to violence is to present the other cheek – not as a gesture of passive acceptance, but as a way to teach the aggressor; his approach to wrongdoing is that if a person pilfers your jacket you must offer him your sweater also.
The evident and straightforward truth that Christ from scripture advocates for a type of radical love focused on the impoverished has consistently rendered Christian religion rather a scandalous religion: attractive to the populace, but owing to its intrinsic extremism demanding to be contained. During the 1950s it was controlled via weakening – The Protestant faith was so prevalent that it basically sanctified existing conditions.
A Battle for the Finest of Us
So I have been heartened to see the steadfast resistance regarding Trump emerge over the last twelve months. It has been great solace to assist in constructing the initiative that has taken to the streets through repeated demonstrations, and seems to have inspired citizens to show up in large quantities during minor elections. We will need to persist with it, and with identical determination, displaying national flags throughout each rally and calls to the highest qualities in US history.
We shall be interrogated ... regarding how you welcomed the immigrant? Did you receive him and embrace them or reject?
The nation is most protected, essentially, by relationship to the highest in US heritage, similar to Christianity is optimally secured by reference to that which renders it special and beautiful, which is the example of Jesus. In both situations does it mean feigning the worst regarding America and Christian faith was nonexistent; it represents both humility and conviction, a mixture that serious American Christians should embrace.
