The Trump movement's most illuminating and distinctive instances – not its most important, nor most harsh, nor most dangerous, nor stupidest, but possibly its most revealing – occurred earlier this fall. Over the span of multiple weeks, the US president began displaying the public his plans for a gilded ballroom double the dimensions than the White House and then began unilaterally ripping down the East Wing portion to erect it.
He has performed deeds ten thousand times worse – the current estimate of casualties due to his slashing to foreign assistance is 600,000 and growing, and this week a study forecast his energy policies would cause deaths another 1.3 million. But nothing as definitional. No former leader would have dared – truly, no former commander would have imagined – unilaterally destroying large sections of the executive mansion to construct a royal-themed celebration hall, with the enthusiastic participation of some of the nation's most affluent, almost all of whom conduct transactions with federal agencies.
We transitioned from 'the gentle will obtain the world' to 'the meek shall die from cholera'
As disorienting as it is to watch the leader try to upend the traditional concept about democracy and substitute it with its polar opposite, there remains a substantial portion among Americans who might not perceive it completely novel. That is those of us – within elder demographics almost a majority – who were raised within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have witnessed over the years as politically conservative religious groups converted the Savior we grew up with into the complete reverse of our understanding of him. Fundamentally, they transformed an image of compassion into an icon of animosity who endorses exactly the harshness that he criticized in biblical teachings; this change developed at a slower pace, across decades rather than months, but it is nonetheless disconcerting via comparable methods, a disorienting gut punch for numerous individuals.
A Toxic Christianity Gains Ground
Therefore allow me to outline the Christ from my childhood, since in theory Christ is the focus within Christian belief, and given that the rapidly expanding group of Americans may possess limited understanding of him since they are skeptics or agnostics or spiritual independents. I have no problem with these various perspectives, nor with any other faith; but I do think that exist valuable insights of great price in biblical accounts.
It is decidedly definitely not the story of an authoritative monarch emerging; rather, an infant arrives to displaced parents in a garage, who need to rapidly escape to a foreign land to evade secret police. The infant develops in modest conditions, a laboring woodworker; his message focuses on affection for others, specifically for the poor – and not a sentimental love, but tangible care, demonstrated through nourishing and housing. Jesus' answer to violence is to present the additional cheek – not as a demonstration of compliant endurance, but as a way to teach the aggressor; his crime policy states that when a person pilfers your outer garment you must offer him your sweater as well.
The obvious and straightforward fact that the Savior of the gospels requests a type of extreme compassion concentrated on the impoverished is what has always made the Christian faith something of a provocative belief system: appealing to the general public, but because of its inherent radicalness requiring to be contained. In the fifties it was controlled via weakening – Protestantism was so prevalent that it practically sanctified existing conditions.
A Struggle for the Highest Among Us
So I have been heartened to see the steadfast resistance regarding Trump emerge during the previous year. It has served as great solace to participate in developing the movement that has taken to the streets via continuous gatherings, and seems to have inspired voters to show up in large quantities in the off-year elections. We must have to persist with it, and in the same spirit, displaying national flags throughout each rally and appeals to the finest aspects of American history.
We will be questioned ... about how you treated the foreigner? Did you welcome them and welcome him or refuse?
The nation is most protected, in other words, by reference to the finest within national tradition, just as Christianity is best defended by reference to that which renders it special and beautiful, which is the example of Christ. In both situations does it imply acting as if the most damaging of both America and Christian faith did not happen; it signifies both humility and belief, a mixture that serious national faithful ought to accept.