Trump's dangerous co-opting of Christianity

Not a Trump rally

My late mother would not recognize the Christianity of today. We see the horrible images from the mob incident at the U.S. capitol. Already my tone in this post would offend Trump supporters including some people I know well. 

Trump has made himself a prime symbol of the Christian faith. He held up a Bible for a photo-op. 

It is easy to get the impression that a majority of Morris area Christian proponents are 100 per cent Trump proponents. 

I have heard a (non-local) Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor toss out the words "left" and "right" in a sermon. He asserted that "left" is a term of the political state. And "right" of course is spiritual/Biblical. How could "the flock" listen to this and not vote 100 percent Republican? 

It is with regret that I am forced to reject the Republican Party of 2021 with an attitude of disgust. 

Political conservatives have an important role in our political process. There was a time when the main thread of conservatives tossed out the John Birchers. You could count on the National Review as a beacon steering us away from the emotional crazies. I actually had a subscription to William F. Buckley's National Review when I was in my 20s. I respect responsible conservatism, the kind that advises vigilance re. excessive government, non-accountable government. 

This kind of danger is the furthest thing from my mind now. The danger now is fanatical Trump-ism. The body of supporters are ever more becoming a cult. Is there hope for National Review showing its true stripes again? Just as important, even if that erudite crowd does, is it too late? Might we wonder if William F. Buckley is really is rolling over in his grave? Well, rhetorical question. 

 

Pushback of a few

Responsible conservatives haven't entirely been on the sidelines. We of course see Mitt Romney as an outlier from the main strain: supreme courage in the face of the mob. Romney could have lost his life on January 6. He's a former Republican candidate for president. So was John McCain. McCain's widow Cindy has been censured by the Arizona Republican Party. 

We thought Liz Cheney was going to give "cover" for other Republicans being receptive to impeachment. The hope proved fleeting. Cheney's bona fides weren't enough.

Shall we detach the Republican Party from genuine conservative values? More importantly, can we detach the Trump element from Christianity before Christianity picks up a permanent stain? Well, it may have already happened. 

Before all this started, Christian churches were already concerned about their future. And a prime issue in their eyes, according to a discussion on C-Span, was the widely perceived tie between the Christian faith and right wing politics. 

"The Lincoln Project" reflects an effort by responsible conservatives to try to fight the burgeoning image of conservatives/Republicans as loons. Trump held up a Bible as a stunt, after he had his thugs including William Barr disperse demonstrators. Trump held the Bible upside down? Do you think Trump has ever had deep thoughts about how to project the Christian faith for the public's benefit? 

Just think how he could have used the immense power of his office to project gentle, loving, empathetic values. And he of course has been indifferent about the most exemplary attitudes. You have to feel the values in order to project them. For those who can, it really is not hard. 

Trump appeared to celebrate the attempted insurrection as it was happening. Not only was VP Pence endangered, his family was. I doubt that Pence would put the interests of Donald Trump over his wife Karen. I doubt it but who knows? 

I have spent time around some staunch Trump devotees in the Morris area. It doesn't take long to realize their stance and how they'd reply to virtually any comment. If it's a skeptical or constructive comment about Trump, uttered in good faith, you can just sense their minds closed shut. They don't hear you. They might not physically assault you, as it hasn't quite come to that, yet. 

But look at their determination, look at the royal blue "Trump-Pence" sign out by where Columbia Avenue intersects with the highway on the north end of our Morris MN. A sign could not be positioned better to get attention. It makes you wonder if the sign speaks for Morris, and maybe it does. 

Outside of three churches in Morris - First Lutheran, Faith Lutheran and Federated - one suspects the self-identifying Christians of Morris being fully on board with Trump's interests. I cannot fathom this. I'm sure there are some Trump voters even in the three churches I cited. Well I know there's one because I had a disagreeable exchange with him. They are emotional and reactionary. They don't wish to discuss the fine details of climate change because they'll want to accede to Trump's "hoax" dissing. Are these people really products of our educational system? We cannot indict the educational system because our youth are not empty vessels - we all have the standing to think for ourselves. 

My experience of being around the local Apostolics has indicated that they'll listen to progressive thoughts only when it can be reliably determined that hell has frozen over. No sooner. Trump is their guru. 

 

Strange bedfellows now

The Lincoln Project is showing courage. I do not yet sense that it has encouraging momentum. Strange how progressives like me root for the Lincoln Project: the organization is made up of traditional adversaries of theirs. Romney is a traditional adversary. Amazing how progressives can be impressed by a few of these people just because they show a mere modicum of gentleness and empathy. 

William F. Buckley (the atlantic)

Whither the National Review now? Sometimes there's a commentator on the propaganda news network Fox, a commentator with "National Review" given as affiliation. They have been cowed by Trump-ism. 

At the start of the despot's rise they withheld enthusiasm and even expressed criticism. Then they found that for the sake of their own careers, for the sake of getting the high profile they coveted, to get on Fox News shows, they largely capitulated. Maybe this is the most disappointing aspect of what has happened. The pundits fear being marginalized in these days when "eyeballs" mean everything, people at their "screens." 

The Trump crowd shows savvy as they massage a media environment that demands a particular attitude on nearly every issue, even the issue of whether NBA teams should have the National Anthem played. There's a yardstick for everything. Trump's adherents soak it all up. 

I'm not patting myself on the back for having special insights as a skeptic, as I doubt that any great intelligence is required. You just have to recognize a cult and then act accordingly to tamp it down. There are just too many churches in Stevens County for this to be accomplished. They listen to their ministers concocting interpretation about "left" and "right." The "right" is the Christ-centered position, they'll proffer. 

The dissenters from this had better haul ass out of the Christian church. 

What would my late mother think? I wouldn't even want to try to brief her about all that is going on. I'd have to shield her from news about "Access Hollywood" and Stormy Daniels. There may be many men who'd admire Trump for acquiring sex with a prime porn star. But it's folly to equate the likes of Trump with the ideals of the Christian faith. 

Kevin Cramer, are you attending church this Sunday?

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com