The Trump movement's most illuminating and characteristic instances – not its most important, nor most harsh, nor most hazardous, nor most foolish, 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 lavish reception room double the dimensions than the White House and then began unilaterally ripping down the eastern section to erect it.
He has done things countless times more severe – the present calculation of casualties from his cuts to international aid is 600,000 and increasing, and this week a study forecast his fossil fuel policies would kill an additional 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No former leader would have attempted – truly, no previous leader would have imagined – solo demolishing major areas of the executive mansion to build a royal-themed celebration hall, with the direct cooperation of multiple the richest Americans, almost all of whom conduct transactions with public institutions.
We went from 'the humble will receive the Earth' into 'the meek shall die to cholera'
As disorienting as it is to observe the leader attempt to overturn the old idea of democracy and replace it with its direct contrary, there is one large group among Americans who should not find it completely novel. This includes individuals like us – among senior generations a near majority – who were brought up as conventional Protestant believers.
We have witnessed throughout the years as rightwing evangelical churches turned the Jesus we were raised with into the complete reverse of our understanding of him. Fundamentally, they turned a figure of love into a symbol of hate who endorses precisely the cruelties that he condemned in biblical teachings; this transformation occurred more gradually, through multiple decades as opposed to months, however it is still disturbing in the same ways, a confusing personal impact for numerous individuals.
A Toxic Christianity Takes Hold
Therefore allow me to outline the Savior that I grew up with, because theoretically the Savior is the core of any Christian faith, and since the rapidly expanding group among Americans could have minimal awareness regarding him since they are non-believers or uncertain individuals or spiritual independents. I have no problem with any of these traditions, nor with any other faith; yet I maintain that there are pearls of significant worth within Christian narrative.
It is unquestionably absolutely not the story of a powerful ruler arising; instead, a child comes into the world to displaced parents in a garage, who need to rapidly escape to a different country to avoid undercover officers. The infant develops in modest conditions, a working carpenter; his doctrine concerns compassion for fellow humans, especially for the poor – and not a sentimental love, but tangible care, shown by providing food and protecting. Christ's response to violence is to present the additional cheek – not as an act of passive acceptance, but as a method to teach the aggressor; his approach to wrongdoing indicates that whenever someone steals your coat you should give them your pullover too.
The evident and direct fact that the Jesus from scripture advocates for a kind of extreme compassion centered on the impoverished is what has always made Christian religion something of a scandalous religion: engaging for the populace, but owing to its natural unconventionality demanding to be controlled. In the fifties it was contained through watering down – Protestantism was so dominant that it basically baptized the status quo.
A Struggle for the Highest of Us
Therefore I have felt heartened to witness the persistent defiance regarding Trump emerge over the last twelve months. It has served as great solace to assist in constructing the campaign that has protested openly via continuous gatherings, and seems to have inspired voters to turn out in significant amounts in the off-year elections. We will need to persist with it, and with identical determination, with American flags at every demonstration and requests to the best parts in US history.
We will be questioned ... regarding how you welcomed the stranger? Did you welcome them and welcome him or not?
The nation is most protected, in other words, by relationship to the finest in US heritage, similar to Christianity is optimally secured by reference to what makes it special and magnificent, which is the example of Jesus. In neither case does it suggest feigning the worst about the nation and Christianity never occurred; it signifies both meekness and conviction, a blend that serious US believers ought to accept.
