The Trump phenomenon's most illuminating and characteristic moments – not its most crucial, nor cruelest, nor most hazardous, nor stupidest, but potentially its most enlightening – emerged earlier this harvest season. In the course of multiple weeks, the American president started showing the public his intentions for an ornate dance hall double the dimensions of the White House and then commenced independently demolishing the East Wing to erect it.
He has performed deeds countless times more severe – the present calculation of deaths from his cuts to international aid amounts to 600,000 and growing, and presently research forecast his petroleum strategies would result in fatalities another 1.3 million. Yet nothing as characteristic. No former leader would have dared – truly, no previous leader would have contemplated – independently wrecking large sections of the executive mansion in order to erect a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the enthusiastic participation of some of the nation's most affluent, nearly all of which have business with the government.
We moved from 'the gentle will obtain the world' toward 'the humble will perish from cholera'
As confusing as it is to watch the chief executive attempt to overturn the established notion of democracy and substitute it with its complete opposite, there remains a substantial portion within America who might not perceive it entirely new. That is those of us – within elder demographics almost a majority – who were brought up as mainline Protestant Christians.
We have witnessed throughout the years as rightwing evangelical churches turned the Jesus we grew up with into exactly the opposite of who we understood him to be. Essentially, they turned a figure of compassion into an icon of hostility who blesses precisely the cruelties that he denounced in scripture; this change developed more gradually, through multiple decades rather than months, but it is nonetheless disconcerting via comparable methods, a bewildering emotional blow for countless people.
A Toxic Christianity Takes Hold
Therefore allow me to outline the Christ from my upbringing, since in theory the Savior is the core of any Christian faith, and because the fastest-growing cadre within America could have minimal awareness about him since they are non-believers or uncertain individuals or nones. I have no problem with these various perspectives, nor with any other faith; however I believe that contain precious wisdom of substantial value within Christian narrative.
It is emphatically definitely not the story of a mighty king appearing; conversely, an infant arrives to displaced parents in a garage, who must quickly flee to a different country to escape covert authorities. The infant develops in modest conditions, an employed craftsman; his message is about love for others, particularly for the poor – not simply tender feelings, but tangible care, demonstrated through nourishing and protecting. Christ's response to aggression is to offer the opposite cheek – not as a demonstration of compliant endurance, but as a way to instruct the attacker; his crime policy is that if someone steals your coat you must offer him your sweater also.
The apparent and clear truth that the Jesus from scripture advocates for a form of extreme compassion focused on the impoverished is what has always made the Christian faith somewhat of a scandalous religion: engaging for the general public, but because of its inherent radicalness needing to be controlled. During the 1950s it was restrained by dilution – The Protestant faith was so dominant that it basically baptized the status quo.
A Struggle for the Highest of Us
So I have been heartened to see the persistent defiance to Trump arise in this past year. It has been substantial consolation to assist in constructing the movement that has taken to the streets via continuous gatherings, and appears to have motivated citizens to turn out in large quantities during minor elections. We will need to persist with it, and in the same spirit, with American flags at every demonstration and appeals to the highest qualities in US history.
We're going to be asked ... how did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and receive them or reject?
The country is optimally secured, to put it differently, through connection to the best in US heritage, similar to Christianity is best defended through connection to that which renders it unique and beautiful, which is the example of the Savior. In all circumstances does it mean pretending the most damaging regarding America and Christianity was nonexistent; it represents both meekness and belief, a combination that serious national faithful ought to accept.
