Trumpism's most telling and defining instances – not its most important, nor most harsh, nor most dangerous, nor stupidest, but potentially its most enlightening – occurred earlier this fall. Over the span of multiple weeks, the American president commenced revealing the public his intentions for a lavish reception room two times larger than the White House and subsequently started solo dismantling the East Wing to build it.
He has done things ten thousand times worse – the current estimate of deaths from his cuts to USAID is 600,000 and growing, and this week an analysis predicted his fossil fuel policies would cause deaths an additional 1.3 million. Yet nothing as characteristic. No other president would have risked – genuinely, no former commander would have imagined – unilaterally destroying significant portions of the executive mansion to construct a Versailles-style party room, with the enthusiastic participation of numerous America's wealthiest, the majority of whom have business with the government.
We moved from 'the meek shall inherit the Earth' toward 'the gentle will succumb from cholera'
As disorienting as it is to witness the president try to upend the old idea of democracy and exchange it with its polar opposite, there is one large group within America who should not find it completely novel. This includes individuals like us – among senior generations close to half – who were raised as conventional Protestant believers.
We have observed throughout the years as rightwing evangelical churches converted the Savior we grew up with into the complete reverse of who we understood him to be. Essentially, they transformed an image of compassion into a symbol of hate who blesses exactly the harshness that he condemned in biblical teachings; this change developed more gradually, across decades as opposed to months, yet it remains disturbing through similar means, a confusing personal impact for numerous individuals.
A Harmful Christianity Gains Ground
Therefore allow me to outline the Jesus that I grew up with, since in theory Christ is the focus within Christian belief, and since the fastest-growing cadre among Americans might have little sense regarding him as they consider themselves atheists or uncertain individuals or nones. I have no problem with any of these traditions, nor with different religions; yet I maintain that contain precious wisdom of significant worth within Christian narrative.
It is unquestionably 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 evade undercover officers. The infant develops in modest conditions, a working carpenter; his message focuses on affection for other people, especially for the impoverished – and not a sentimental love, but a concrete one, shown by providing food and housing. The Savior's reaction to violence is to offer the opposite cheek – not as an act of submissive tolerance, but as a method to teach the aggressor; his crime policy is that if someone steals your jacket you should give the person your additional clothing also.
The apparent and direct fact that the Savior of the gospels advocates for a kind of extreme compassion concentrated on the needy has perpetually caused Christianity rather a provocative belief system: attractive to the general public, but due to its natural unconventionality demanding to be contained. During the 1950s it was controlled by dilution – The Protestant faith was so prevalent that it basically blessed current circumstances.
A Struggle for the Highest of Us
Hence I have become heartened to witness the persistent defiance against Trump emerge in this past year. It has served as great solace to assist in constructing the campaign that has protested openly via continuous gatherings, and appears to have motivated electorate to turn out in large quantities in the off-year elections. We must have to maintain it, and through comparable resolve, displaying national flags at every demonstration and appeals to the best parts in US history.
We shall be interrogated ... regarding how you welcomed the foreigner? Did you accept these individuals and welcome him or reject?
The country is optimally secured, essentially, by relationship to the best within national tradition, similar to Christianity is best defended by relationship to that which renders it unique and magnificent, specifically the model of the Savior. In neither case does it suggest acting as if the most negative about the nation and Christianity was nonexistent; it signifies both meekness and faith, a combination that genuine US believers should embrace.
