Trumpism's most illuminating and characteristic moments – not its most important, nor cruelest, nor most hazardous, nor most foolish, but perhaps its most illuminating – came earlier this autumn. In the course of multiple weeks, the nation's leader commenced revealing the public his designs for an ornate dance hall two times larger compared to the White House and then began solo dismantling the eastern section to erect it.
He has done things ten thousand times worse – the existing assessment of fatalities due to his slashing to USAID is 600,000 and increasing, and presently research predicted his energy policies would result in fatalities 1.3 million more. But nothing as definitional. No other president would have attempted – really, no previous leader would have contemplated – solo demolishing large sections of the White House to build a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the direct cooperation of multiple America's wealthiest, almost all of whom have business with public institutions.
We moved from 'the gentle will obtain the planet' to 'the humble will perish from cholera'
As disorienting as it is to witness the president attempt to overturn the established notion of democracy and replace it with its complete opposite, there exists a significant segment among Americans who should not find it completely novel. That is those of us – in older age cohorts almost a majority – who were brought up within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have witnessed across decades as politically conservative religious groups transformed the Christ we were raised with into exactly the opposite of our perception of his character. At its most basic, they turned a figure of affection into a figure of hostility who approves exactly the harshness that he criticized in biblical teachings; this has happened at a slower pace, across decades rather than months, but it is nonetheless disturbing through similar means, a disorienting gut punch for countless people.
A Toxic Christianity Establishes Itself
So let me first describe the Jesus that I grew up with, because theoretically Jesus is the center within Christian belief, and since the rapidly expanding group of Americans might have little sense regarding him because they identify as atheists or doubters or nones. I have no problem with any of these traditions, nor with any other faith; yet I maintain that exist valuable insights of substantial value in biblical accounts.
It is emphatically not the narrative of a powerful ruler emerging; conversely, a child comes into the world to homeless parents in a garage, who are forced to hastily depart to a foreign land to escape undercover officers. The infant develops in simple surroundings, an employed craftsman; his doctrine is about love for others, particularly for the disadvantaged – and not a sentimental love, but tangible care, demonstrated through nourishing and protecting. Jesus' answer to violence is to present the opposite cheek – not as a gesture of passive acceptance, but as a method to educate the assailant; his approach to wrongdoing is that if someone steals your jacket you must offer them your pullover also.
The obvious and clear truth that Christ of the gospels requests a form of extreme compassion focused on the poor has perpetually caused the Christian faith somewhat of a provocative belief system: engaging for the populace, but due to its inherent radicalness requiring to be restrained. During the 1950s it was restrained via weakening – The Protestant faith was so widespread that it practically sanctified existing conditions.
A Battle for the Best Within Us
Hence I have become heartened to see the determined opposition regarding Trump emerge during the previous year. It has been substantial consolation to assist in constructing the campaign that has taken to the streets through repeated demonstrations, and appears to have motivated citizens to participate in large quantities during minor elections. We shall require to maintain it, and in the same spirit, with American flags throughout each rally and requests to the finest aspects within national heritage.
We will be questioned ... about how you treated the immigrant? Did you receive him and embrace them or reject?
The country is optimally secured, in other words, through connection to the finest in US heritage, just as Christianity is best defended by relationship to elements that cause it to be distinctive and wonderful, particularly the pattern of Jesus. In all circumstances does it suggest pretending the most damaging about the nation and religious tradition was nonexistent; it means both humility and belief, a blend that genuine American Christians should be comfortable with.
