Oh those evangelical ‘Christians’!
They are, apparently, extremely upset that the ‘powers of darkness’ defeated the ‘light’ in the recent midterm elections, enabling the ‘Satanic Democrats’ to prevent a red wave.
Let’s look at some of their chosen ‘leaders’.
The Pew Research Center, in August of 2021, reported this: “… voters who frequently go to religious services – defined as those who attend at least monthly – were more likely to vote for the Republican candidate in the most recent presidential election….” The report also said that “Republican candidate Donald Trump continued to garner strong support from White evangelical Protestants….”
What ‘Christian’ attitudes did their choice for president display? It is difficult for this reader to identify anything Donald Trump did that emulates anything Jesus Christ did, but we can look at some contrasts:
- In discussing a woman he considered beautiful, Trump said this: “I moved on her actually. You know she was down on Palm Beach. I moved on her, and I failed. I’ll admit it. I did try and fuck her, she was married.”
This writer seems to remember a commandment, one of the famous ten, that says something about not committing adultery. Well, one supposes that, in this case at least, Trump didn’t actually commit adultery, he only tried to. Although leaving Ivana for Marla Maples could possibly qualify.
- A report from Salon from October 7 of this year, discussing Trump and his many enemies, said this: “He publicly admires despots, tyrants and other authoritarian leaders who kill their enemies and take away the rights of anyone who oppose them.” And further: “He encourages his followers and allies to engage in acts of terrorism and other violence on his behalf.”
What did Jesus Christ say about enemies? In Matthew 5, verse 44, we read this: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
· On January 24, 2021, just a few days after Trump (very unwillingly) left office, the Washington Post reported this: “Trump’s false or misleading claims total 30,573 over 4 years.”
Ephesians 4, verse 25, reads as follows: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”
And, since the number of lies was so huge, and Trump has said he likes both the Old and New Testaments, let’s add one from the former:
Proverbs 12, verse 17, “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.”
A quick look (this writer is a Christian, but hardly a Bible scholar) indicates that there are at least 25 references in the Bible, admonishing people to be honest.
· On another occasion, Trump discussed witnessing an elderly man fall, hit his head and begin bleeding. “So what happens is, this guy falls off right on his face, hits his head, and I thought he died. And you know what I did? I said, ‘Oh my God, that’s disgusting,’ and I turned away,’ said Trump”.
Let us look at Romans 12, verse 10: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”
Or perhaps Galatians 6, verse 2: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
Lastly (in this essay; there are many, many more examples): Mark, 10, verses 44 – 45: “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister….”
We have, perhaps, picked on Donald Trump enough for one day. Let’s look at some other Republican officials.
· Former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens ran for Senate in 2020. He produced an advertisement that had him brandishing a gun while smashing through the door of a house. He proclaimed: “Get a RINO (Republican in Name Only) – hunting permit. There’s no bagging limit, no tagging limit, and it doesn’t expire until we save our country.”
This writer looks in vain for some Christian principles here.
· Brian Kemp, recently re-elected as governor of Georgia, created an advertisement of himself pointing a hunting rifle at his daughter’s date. What this had to do with his campaign for governor is anybody’s guess.
See comment under the paragraph about Eric Greitens, above.
· The Right’s darling, Marjorie Taylor-Greene, described Democrats as feral hogs and, from a helicopter, tracked and shot a hog, and then invited her constituents to enter a contest to join her on her next hunt.
As mentioned, this writer is a Christian, very familiar with (although, as also mentioned, not a scholar of) the Bible, yet try as he might, he is unable to find a comparison of Taylor-Greene’s actions to any episode in the life of Jesus Christ.
What is it, then, that attracts White Protestants and evangelicals to the Republican Party? Perhaps GOP votes are just a means to oppose Democratic policies, but what is so odious about them? Health care for all? College loan relief?
Lest anyone think this writer is a fan of the Democratic Party, allow him to disabuse you of such a notion immediately. He is a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen who lives in Canada, and does not vote Democratic or Republican. He has voted for a Socialist Party candidate in the last two presidential elections, and expects to do the same in 2024. But he cannot fathom how anyone who calls himself/herself/themself a Christian can vote for Donald Trump, or any of the other politicians mentioned herein, or almost any elected Republican official.
In some regards, Christianity is in the same unhappy boat as Islam. Mention ‘Muslim’ in some circles, and people immediately think ‘terrorism’, or ‘oppression of women’, or any number of nefarious practices that are incorrectly attributed to Muslims. Christianity, founded on the principles taught by Jesus Christ which are based on love, forgiveness and service to others, is now sometimes associated with hate, narrow-mindedness and bigotry.
This write implores the readers to recognize that the doctrines taught by Jesus Christ are no closer to the hate spewed by many evangelicals than the violence sometime attributed to Muslims is to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammed. Jesus Christ never used his principles as a cudgel to beat those who didn’t accept his message. Doing so would have been hypocritical, and not in keeping with his message of love.
But one gets the feeling that one is preaching to the choir; those who need this message, this clarification of what Christianity really means as described by Jesus Christ, are probably not interested in hearing it. But this writer will continue to try, despite his pleas and explanations falling and deaf ears.