The Trump phenomenon's most revealing and distinctive instances – not its most significant, nor cruelest, nor most dangerous, nor stupidest, but perhaps its most illuminating – occurred earlier this fall. During the period of several weeks, the US president started showing everyone his designs for an ornate dance hall double the dimensions compared to the White House and subsequently started independently demolishing the East Wing to build it.
He has committed acts countless times more severe – the current estimate of fatalities resulting from his reductions to foreign assistance stands at 600,000 and rising, and recently a study predicted his fossil fuel policies would result in fatalities an additional 1.3 million. However nothing as distinctive. No former leader would have attempted – really, no former commander would have imagined – independently wrecking major areas of the presidential residence to build a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the enthusiastic participation of numerous America's wealthiest, the majority of whom have business with the government.
We went from 'the gentle will obtain the world' to 'the meek shall die from cholera'
As confusing as it is to observe the president attempt to overturn the established notion of democracy and exchange it with its direct contrary, there exists a significant segment among Americans who might not perceive it entirely new. This includes individuals like us – among senior generations almost a majority – who were brought up within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have watched over the years while conservative evangelical congregations converted the Savior we learned about into exactly the opposite of our understanding of him. At its most basic, they converted a persona of affection into a symbol of animosity who approves precisely the cruelties that he condemned in scripture; this has happened at a slower pace, through multiple decades rather than months, yet it remains disturbing in the same ways, a confusing personal impact for countless people.
A Harmful Christianity Establishes Itself
So let me first describe the Jesus that I grew up with, as conceptually Jesus is the center of Christian religion, and because the fastest-growing cadre of Americans may possess limited understanding of him since they are skeptics or agnostics or spiritual independents. I have no problem with these different approaches, nor with any other faith; however I believe that exist valuable insights of significant worth in the Christian story.
It is unquestionably definitely not the account of a mighty king arising; instead, a baby is born to homeless parents in a garage, who must quickly flee to a different country to evade covert authorities. The child matures in humble circumstances, a laboring woodworker; his doctrine is about love for others, specifically for the impoverished – not merely emotional affection, but tangible care, expressed by feeding and sheltering. Christ's response to violence is to offer the other cheek – not as an act of passive acceptance, but as a means to teach the attacker; his crime policy indicates that whenever an individual takes your outer garment you should give him your sweater also.
The apparent and straightforward truth that the Jesus of the gospels advocates for a kind of extreme compassion centered on the poor is what has always made Christianity something of a controversial faith: attractive to the masses, but owing to its intrinsic extremism demanding to be contained. In the 1950s it was restrained by dilution – Protestant Christianity was so prevalent that it practically blessed current circumstances.
A Battle for the Highest of Us
So I have been inspired to witness the steadfast resistance to Trump develop during the previous year. It has served as substantial consolation to participate in developing the campaign that has protested openly via continuous gatherings, and likely has encouraged voters to participate in large quantities in the off-year elections. We will need to continue it, and through comparable resolve, displaying national flags during all protests and calls to the finest aspects of American history.
We're going to be asked ... about how you treated the immigrant? Did you receive him and embrace them or refuse?
The nation is most protected, to put it differently, by relationship to the highest within national tradition, exactly as the Christian faith is most protected by reference to elements that cause it to be distinctive and wonderful, particularly the pattern of Christ. In all circumstances does it mean acting as if the most damaging about the nation and Christian faith was nonexistent; it represents both humility and conviction, a blend that genuine US believers ought to accept.
