Being Christian in the Time of Trump
To state the obvious, we have a new president. He was elected, sworn in, and holds that sacred power of the office.
That’s the only normal thing about President Trump. Besides how he was elected and initiated into the office, there is nothing normal about the man. Only yesterday did he announce his much loathed so-called “Muslim Ban”. He placed a gag order on reports from the EPA, USDA, and our beloved National Parks.
This is only the beginning. As a black woman, I can only anticipate the worst.
One of the more unfortunate observations I’ve noted of Trump’s presidency is the amount of support he’s received from people claiming to be Christian.
From the Catholic to the Evangelical to, yes, the Mormon, Trump has garnered support from believes who proclaim to be followers of Christ.
It is sad. It is hurtful.
I frequently try to wrap my head around how devout people can believe in a Christ who criticized money changers and bankers; displayed love and compassion to sinners; who commended the kindness of those from different religions and ethnicities, such as the Samaritans; a Christ who a refugee himself.
I fail to see the connection. I fail to see how a belief in a compassionate and radical savior lends itself to a vote for Trump. I personally don’t even believe he’s Christian or believes in God at all.
Yet he was the choice for those of us who do believe.
While I still can’t understand why Christian America threw its support behind such a man, I can understand the Christianity I follow and what it implores me to do.
My Christianity implores me to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.
My Christianity demands that I open my arms to all people, and love them.
It is my belief in Christ that guides me to look out for even the least of these.
To be a Christian means to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
When we take upon ourselves the name of Christ, we promise to lift each other and bear one another’s burdens. We promise to look out for the meek and the humble and to protect the most vulnerable in our society.
Let those among us practice what we truly preach. Let us tear down walls, instead of building them, because Christ tore down walls for us.
Yes. I love this call to action. This man does not in any way represent the Jesus in the scriptures I’ve read.
I feel like a uniquely Mormon thing is happening with my Mormon friends – basically the people have voted, so the thinking has been done (similar to the ‘when the prophet speaks, the thinking has been done’ thing that I also find to be doctrinally and culturally problematic). So many of my friends were concerned about Trump and many even voted third party, but now they feel like they have to ‘fall in line’ and support him. I think the absence of loyal opposition in our culture is making this especially hard for me as I interact with my fellow church members. (granted, many of them voiced concern over Obama’s policies, but it’s like we’re supposed to treat a Republican president with undying loyalty and support. ugh.)
“The love of many (or men) shall wax cold.” I haven’t been able to get this scripture out of my head all throughout the election. It is a sad state of Christianity, or of those folks who call themselves Christians, when they display the love of many waving cold.
I’ve been wondering how Rep. Jason Chaffetz is handling his family life. It must be difficult for him to be unable to look his daughter in the eye.
Thank you, ERL. I’ve wondered these same things. Are the folks who voted for him now pleased that’s he’s acting on so many of his campaign promises? Did they think he’d actually follow through with a ban on Muslims, and they’re happy about it?
I love this, but I wanted to add a note that I added to my Facebook share of the article.
“This! Though I disagree with the thought that he’s not Christian, or the idea that he may not believe in God (many great people who fight for what is right lack a belief in a deity). I am not the one who decides who is and isn’t Christian, and the people within our communities acting in what some of us believe is not Christ-like is a problem we have to deal with. We can’t ignore the issue within our faith communities by simply distancing ourselves.”
Thanks for your beautiful words on what it means to be a Christian.