Getting Political
For years now we have witnessed something happening in the United States that ought to lead us to consider the truth of our faith, salvation in Jesus, and His life and teaching. A man who in word and deed has stood against virtually everything that Christ stands for has occupied the White House enabled by a group of religious nationalists who in their idolatry of power have invited division, hatred towards others and ultimately a parasitic co-opting of actual Christian understanding and love.
Yesterday Trump sought to further divide the nation during a press briefing that took place while police cleared peaceful protestors with tear gas and rubber bullets so that when he was done his hateful, weak talk, Trump could walk across the park for a photo-op in front of a church while grasping a Bible in the air. If you are a student of history you will know that such parodies of faith portend actual faithlessness. They have been used by weak people before who have hijacked Christian faith (and other faiths) for their own weak ego, their own political, even racist ends.
I stand against such obvious displays of division, protection of power and of status quo. I stand against such betrayal of Christian teaching and calling precisely because I count myself a Christian and have been blessed to know the love and life that are in Jesus Christ. This love is for ALL PEOPLE. Our faith has been used before to hate and to divide. We ought to be able to see when it is being used in such ways now.
Trump will be done as President. He is flailing now. His leadership has been worse than absent. My prayer is that the distortion of Christian faith that has presented itself as the guardian of the nation and the world will be done with him. It was an arrogant lie before Trump came along and its willingness to ally itself with Trump merely displayed the vacuous nature that it always had.
Know that you have been called to love. The love of Jesus is for ALL PEOPLE. He is the light of the world and the love of God will not ever be at threat, even by those who co-opt faith for their own selfish, hateful ends. Bless you today. May you be a blessing to those around you. We don’t have to hate anyone, even people who take up such obvious political theatrics. However, we also don’t have to say that it is okay or that it is Christian because the angriest, most fearful voices (Franklin Graham, Jerry Fallwell Jr, James Dobson and their ilk) have wrested away Christian identity in the United States from its better, more hopeful, more loving manifestation. The words of such “leaders” often present Christian faith as something that is under threat, that if you don’t follow their programme or believe as they believe, then the very work of God is in danger. That should be the give-away to their con. The God I believe in, the God given full incarnation in Jesus Christ, is not in any way, under threat from anyone in the world, particularly not from small and angry men, no matter how large their following.
They have allied themselves, these religious nationalists, with the current President in the United States to advance their political agenda. It is a political agenda that has to do with power, not a religious calling that has to do with love. They may holler and scream, but they will not prevail. Do not lose heart. Wherever you go today, however you interact with others in this time of pandemic and upheaval, you can witness to the love of Jesus that is for all people. You can bear witness to the love that overcomes all hate. Amen.
