They're Applying across America What They Did to Christianity

Trumpism's most illuminating and characteristic instances – not its most crucial, nor cruelest, nor most dangerous, nor stupidest, but possibly its most revealing – occurred earlier this fall. In the course of several weeks, the American president began displaying the public his intentions for a lavish reception room two times larger than the White House and then commenced independently demolishing the East Wing portion to erect it.

He has committed acts countless times more severe – the present calculation of casualties resulting from his reductions to foreign assistance is 600,000 and increasing, and recently a study forecast his fossil fuel policies would kill another 1.3 million. But nothing as definitional. No previous president would have attempted – truly, no other president would have contemplated – solo demolishing significant portions of the White House to build a Versailles-style party room, with the active collaboration of some of the richest Americans, almost all of whom have business with federal agencies.

We moved from 'the gentle will obtain the Earth' toward 'the gentle will succumb to cholera'

As disorienting as it is to observe the president attempt to overturn the established notion regarding democracy and replace it with its direct contrary, there exists a significant segment of Americans who wouldn't consider it totally unfamiliar. That encompasses people such as ourselves – within elder demographics close to half – who were brought up as mainline Protestant Christians.

We have watched throughout the years as rightwing evangelical churches turned the Jesus we were raised with into the complete reverse of our perception of his character. Fundamentally, they turned a figure of affection into a figure of hate who approves specifically the brutality that he condemned in biblical teachings; this transformation occurred more gradually, through multiple decades instead of months, yet it remains unsettling in the same ways, a confusing personal impact for countless people.

A Damaging Christianity Establishes Itself

Hence I shall explain the Savior from my upbringing, since in theory Christ is the focus of any Christian faith, and since the rapidly expanding group within America may possess limited understanding of him as they consider themselves skeptics or doubters or spiritual independents. I have no problem with these different approaches, nor with any other faith; yet I maintain that contain precious wisdom of significant worth in the Christian story.

It is decidedly definitely not the story of a mighty king emerging; conversely, a child comes into the world to displaced parents in a garage, who need to rapidly escape to another nation to evade covert authorities. The baby grows up in humble circumstances, an employed craftsman; his doctrine concerns compassion for other people, particularly for the impoverished – not simply tender feelings, but practical compassion, expressed by feeding and protecting. The Savior's reaction to violence is to turn the other cheek – not as a demonstration of passive acceptance, but as a way to teach the aggressor; his approach to wrongdoing is that if someone steals your coat you must offer him your sweater as well.

The apparent and clear reality that the Jesus of the gospels advocates for a kind of radical love concentrated on the poor is what has always made Christianity somewhat of a controversial faith: appealing to the masses, but because of its intrinsic extremism needing to be restrained. In the 1950s it was controlled by dilution – The Protestant faith was so dominant that it essentially blessed current circumstances.

A Battle for the Finest Among Us

Hence I have become heartened to observe the steadfast resistance against Trump develop in this past year. It has served as great solace to participate in developing the campaign that has taken to the streets in rally after rally, and seems to have inspired electorate to participate in numbers during minor elections. We must have to maintain it, and with identical determination, with American flags at every demonstration and calls to the best parts within national heritage.

We shall be interrogated ... regarding how you welcomed the immigrant? Did you accept these individuals and embrace them or reject?

America is best defended, essentially, through connection to the best within national tradition, just as Christianity is optimally secured by relationship to elements that cause it to be unique and wonderful, specifically the model of Christ. In both situations does it suggest feigning the most negative regarding America and religious tradition was nonexistent; it represents both modesty and faith, a combination that committed American Christians should embrace.