The Trump movement's most illuminating and characteristic moments – not its most important, nor most brutal, nor most threatening, nor most senseless, but possibly its most revealing – occurred earlier this fall. During the period of multiple weeks, the nation's leader started showing everyone his designs for a lavish reception room double the dimensions compared to the White House and then commenced solo dismantling the East Wing portion to erect it.
He has done things ten thousand times worse – the current estimate of casualties resulting from his reductions to international aid amounts to 600,000 and rising, and recently a study forecast his fossil fuel policies would kill another 1.3 million. Yet nothing as characteristic. No previous president would have attempted – truly, no previous leader would have contemplated – solo demolishing major areas of the executive mansion to construct a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the active collaboration of numerous America's wealthiest, the majority of whom maintain dealings with federal agencies.
We went from 'the gentle will obtain the world' into 'the humble will perish from cholera'
As confusing as it is to witness the leader attempt to overturn the old idea regarding democracy and replace it with its complete opposite, there is one large group among Americans who should not find it totally unfamiliar. That encompasses people such as ourselves – among senior generations close to half – who were raised as mainline Protestant Christians.
We have watched over the years as rightwing evangelical churches transformed the Christ we learned about into the complete reverse of who we understood him to be. Essentially, they transformed an image of love into an icon of hostility who endorses specifically the brutality that he condemned in the Gospel; this transformation occurred more slowly, through multiple decades instead of months, however it is still disconcerting through similar means, a disorienting gut punch for countless people.
A Damaging Christianity Gains Ground
Therefore allow me to outline the Christ from my childhood, because theoretically Christ is the focus within Christian belief, and given that the quickly increasing segment of Americans might have little sense about him since they are skeptics or agnostics or nones. I have no problem with these different approaches, nor with alternative spiritual paths; yet I maintain that contain precious wisdom of substantial value in biblical accounts.
It is unquestionably absolutely not the story of a mighty king appearing; instead, a child comes into the world to parents without shelter in an automotive shelter, who must quickly flee to a different country to escape covert authorities. The infant develops in humble circumstances, an employed craftsman; his message concerns compassion for others, particularly for the disadvantaged – not merely emotional affection, but practical compassion, shown by providing food and housing. Christ's response to violence is to offer the opposite cheek – not as a gesture of compliant endurance, but as a means to instruct the assailant; his crime policy states that when someone steals your coat you should give them your pullover as well.
The evident and direct truth that the Jesus in biblical accounts requests a kind of profound affection concentrated on the impoverished has consistently rendered Christianity rather a controversial faith: attractive to the masses, but because of its natural unconventionality requiring to be controlled. In the 1950s it was contained through watering down – Protestantism was so widespread that it basically baptized the status quo.
A Struggle for the Highest Among Us
So I have been inspired to see the steadfast resistance against Trump arise over the last twelve months. It has served as great solace to participate in developing the movement that has protested openly in rally after rally, and likely has encouraged electorate to participate in numbers in interim political contests. We will need to maintain it, and through comparable resolve, featuring US banners throughout each rally and appeals to the finest aspects of American history.
We shall be interrogated ... about how you treated the foreigner? Did you welcome them and welcome him or refuse?
The nation is most protected, to put it differently, by reference to the best about American history, similar to Christianity is best defended by reference to that which renders it special and wonderful, specifically the model of Jesus. In all circumstances does it mean pretending the most damaging regarding America and religious tradition was nonexistent; it signifies both humility and belief, a combination that genuine national faithful ought to accept.
