The Trump movement's most illuminating and defining moments – not its most important, nor most brutal, nor most dangerous, nor most senseless, but potentially its most enlightening – came earlier this autumn. Over the span of several weeks, the nation's leader began displaying all observers his intentions for a lavish reception room twice the size of the White House and then commenced independently demolishing the eastern section to construct it.
He has committed acts countless times more severe – the existing assessment of casualties from his cuts to international aid is 600,000 and increasing, and presently a study projected his petroleum strategies would cause deaths 1.3 million more. Yet nothing as characteristic. No former leader would have attempted – really, no other president would have conceived – independently wrecking major areas of the presidential residence in order to erect a palace-inspired entertainment space, with the direct cooperation of some of the nation's most affluent, the majority of whom conduct transactions with federal agencies.
We moved from 'the gentle will obtain the world' toward 'the humble will perish from cholera'
As disorienting as it is to witness the president attempt to overturn the old idea regarding democracy and exchange it with its complete opposite, there remains a substantial portion among Americans who should not find it completely novel. This includes individuals like us – among senior generations close to half – who were educated within mainstream Protestant traditions.
We have observed over the years as rightwing evangelical churches turned the Jesus we grew up with into the complete reverse of our perception of his character. Fundamentally, they transformed an image of love into a figure of hostility who endorses exactly the harshness that he denounced in biblical teachings; this has happened more gradually, across decades instead of months, yet it remains disconcerting in the same ways, a confusing personal impact for countless people.
A Harmful Christianity Establishes Itself
Hence I shall explain the Christ that I grew up with, since in theory the Savior is the core of Christian religion, and given that the fastest-growing cadre of Americans may possess limited understanding about him as they consider themselves atheists or agnostics or spiritual independents. I have no problem with these different approaches, nor with any other faith; however I believe that there are pearls of substantial value within Christian narrative.
It is decidedly not the narrative of a powerful ruler appearing; instead, an infant arrives to displaced parents in a storage space, who need to rapidly escape to another nation to escape secret police. The infant develops in modest conditions, an employed craftsman; his teaching is about love for other people, particularly for the disadvantaged – and not a sentimental love, but practical compassion, demonstrated through nourishing and housing. Jesus' answer to violence is to offer the additional cheek – not as a gesture of passive acceptance, but as a way to instruct the assailant; his crime policy is that if a person pilfers your outer garment you must offer the person your additional clothing also.
The obvious and clear truth that the Jesus of the gospels advocates for a type of extreme compassion concentrated on the needy has consistently rendered Christianity something of a provocative belief system: appealing to the masses, but because of its intrinsic extremism requiring to be contained. In the fifties it was restrained through watering down – Protestantism was so prevalent that it essentially sanctified existing conditions.
A Struggle for the Finest Within Us
So I have been inspired to witness the steadfast resistance against Trump develop during the previous year. It has provided significant comfort to help build the campaign that has taken to the streets through repeated demonstrations, and likely has encouraged electorate to participate in significant amounts during minor elections. We will need to maintain it, and through comparable resolve, featuring US banners during all protests and appeals to the best parts within national heritage.
We shall be interrogated ... how did you receive the immigrant? Did you receive him and receive them or refuse?
America is best defended, to put it differently, through connection to the best in US heritage, just as Christianity is best defended by reference to that which renders it distinctive and magnificent, particularly the pattern of Jesus. In both situations does it suggest acting as if the most damaging regarding America and Christianity did not happen; it represents both meekness and conviction, a combination that serious US believers should be comfortable with.
