“They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” says the song. So, you’ll understand my confusion as some in my Christian circles today are celebrating the election of a man who ran a campaign on vengeance, sexism, division, and racism. But what really worries me is what message the church just sent to the next generation – or to the world.
Evangelicals overwhelmingly voted for Trump, and so did 56% of Catholics and 62% of Protestants. But let’s just take a moment to recap some highlights from his campaign.
Trump has repeatedly called Harris, the vice president of our country, “dumb,” “low I.Q.,” a “DEI candidate,” and “crazy.” He has perpetuated the idea that women can only be in positions of power because of quotas or sexual favors.
Trump said that immigrants are destroying American towns and has threatened to deport refugees. “Mass deportations on day one.”
Here’s a classic from a recent Trump rally: "And you remember when they say no, no, these are migrants and these migrants, they don't commit crimes like us. No, no, they make our criminals look like babies. These are stone cold killers. They'll walk into your kitchen, they'll cut your throat."
He said police officers can do their job better if there is “one really violent day. One rough hour, and I mean rough. Word will get out and it will end immediately.” So, The Purge is now part of a plan to bring this country back in line?
I can only imagine the next generation’s response because I’m struggling. As I sort through the rubble, other Christians are out there trying to reassure us. I’ve seen several Julian of Norwich quotes on social media today. “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. For there is a force of love moving through the universe that holds us fast and will never let us go.” Yes. That.
But I have to be honest that my first reaction is more like a former student of mine (also a Christian). He is the next generation, and as much as that quote is a powerful sentiment, he rejects a religion that claims to belong to “love” while accepting and promoting a force of division and repression. “American Christianity,” he said, “is an insult to the heart of God. A God who is not insulted by the display of hatred, malice, unrest, selfishness, intolerance, cruelty, and idolatry is no God to me.” I can’t say it any better than that.
The first time this country elected Trump, it felt like a fluke. He was an unknown, a wild card. But we’ve had nine years to understand exactly who he is: for starters, a liar, an insurrectionist, and someone who believes he is above the law. Still, the majority of church-goers voted for him. And this time, it was a conscious decision.
The book of James cautions us, “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (1: 22-24). The church has forgotten what it is supposed to look like.
The outcry, not just from the younger generation, but from other believers across the country is no longer an accusation of Donald Trump and the deep rot he has uncovered. It is a mirror they are holding up to the church. If the church wants to know what’s wrong in this country, then it had better look at its face in the mirror.
exactly and very helpful
this
day.
I shared it with friends
who have good networks. AND I subscribed today!
I appreciate the candor. Christianity looks little like the exemplar of Jesus. I awoke yesterday morning to the election news, and I was immediately swept back to the 1970s, when I was silenced/ignored/insulted by "christian" men, "for (my) own good". Now I better understand 1st century Christianity, when men in the church admonished strong women to be "silent". What I am feeling is oppression. Sinfulness and bad behavior are oppression and it has its roots in idolatry of self and manmade ideals. This is NOT modeling Jesus. God is crying.