The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and characteristic moments – not its most crucial, nor most brutal, nor most hazardous, nor most foolish, but potentially its most enlightening – came earlier this autumn. During the period of a few weeks, the American president began displaying all observers his plans for an ornate dance hall twice the size than the White House and then began solo dismantling the East Wing portion to build it.
He has performed deeds countless times more severe – the present calculation of casualties resulting from his reductions to foreign assistance stands at 600,000 and increasing, and this week a study predicted his energy policies would cause deaths an additional 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No previous president would have dared – genuinely, no former commander would have conceived – unilaterally destroying major areas of the presidential residence to construct a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the enthusiastic participation of some of the richest Americans, almost all of whom have business with public institutions.
We transitioned from 'the humble will receive the Earth' toward 'the meek shall die of cholera'
As bewildering as it is to observe the president try to upend the traditional concept about democracy and replace it with its direct contrary, there is one large group among Americans who wouldn't consider it entirely new. This includes individuals like us – within elder demographics close to half – who were brought up as mainline Protestant Christians.
We have observed over the years as politically conservative religious groups transformed the Christ we learned about into the complete reverse of our perception of his character. Essentially, they turned a figure of affection into a figure of hostility who blesses precisely the cruelties that he criticized in biblical teachings; this transformation occurred at a slower pace, over decades rather than months, however it is still disconcerting through similar means, a confusing personal impact for countless people.
A Damaging Christianity Establishes Itself
Therefore allow me to outline the Christ that I grew up with, because theoretically Christ is the focus of any Christian faith, and since the quickly increasing segment within America may possess limited understanding about him since they are atheists or agnostics or religiously unaffiliated. I take no issue with these different approaches, nor with different religions; but I do think that contain precious wisdom of substantial value in biblical accounts.
It is emphatically not the story of a mighty king arising; conversely, a baby is born to homeless parents in a storage space, who are forced to hastily depart to a foreign land to avoid secret police. The infant develops in humble circumstances, a working carpenter; his doctrine focuses on affection for others, specifically for the disadvantaged – and not a sentimental love, but a concrete one, shown by providing food and sheltering. Christ's response to aggression is to turn the opposite cheek – not as a gesture of submissive tolerance, but as a way to instruct the attacker; his method regarding offenses is that if a person pilfers your outer garment you must offer the person your additional clothing also.
The obvious and straightforward reality that Christ in biblical accounts requests a kind of radical love focused on the impoverished has consistently rendered Christian religion somewhat of a scandalous religion: appealing to the populace, but due to its natural unconventionality demanding to be contained. During the 1950s it was controlled by dilution – The Protestant faith was so widespread that it practically blessed current circumstances.
A Conflict for the Highest of Us
Therefore I have felt inspired to see the persistent defiance against Trump emerge during the previous year. It has been substantial consolation to participate in developing the initiative that has taken to the streets via continuous gatherings, and appears to have motivated electorate to participate in large quantities in interim political contests. We shall require to persist with it, and through comparable resolve, featuring US banners at every demonstration and appeals to the best parts of American history.
We will be questioned ... about how you treated the stranger? Did you accept these individuals and welcome him or refuse?
America is best defended, to put it differently, through connection to the best about American history, exactly as the Christian faith is most protected by relationship to that which renders it special and beautiful, which is the example of Jesus. In both situations does it imply pretending the most negative of both America and religious tradition never occurred; it signifies both modesty and conviction, a combination that committed national faithful should embrace.
