It may be ‘Christian’, but it is not Christian to Support Trump

I said it.  I can prove it.

For the record though, I’ll also note that by the standards applied by many today, I’m not Christian anyways.  I don’t go to church, I don’t believe in the tenets of the major faiths (there’s no way, no how that a priest actually turns wafers/wine into the physical being of Jesus, nor is the Lutheran belief that the actual intake of wafers/wine creates Jesus in those substances…or however it goes esoterically…you get my point and that’s what is important).  I’ll tell you the Bible isn’t the literal truth, too.  It’s a collection of stories and morals–and that what we take as literal truth wasn’t meant as actual truth.  (It’s like the most recent non-coaching blog I did–what does ‘high crimes and misdemeanors‘ actually mean)

And before I really get going–I’m not sorry this time if you get pissed off.  I’m only going to be sorry if you stay closed-minded and don’t think–think about current politics, think about where you put the importance of morality and integrity in your personal value-tree.

You see, you can’t be an actual Christian–as defined by the majority of Christian theology and tradition and support Trump.

Why?

God’s a bit touchy about idolatry–whether Old or New Testament.  That gets defined as “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed”.  Trump can easily be described with each of those–having committed sexual assault, having had multiple affairs while married to multiple wives.  He’s put money above all else–defining his importance that way–and now potentially having sold out his nation for personal advantage.   Using this definition (Colossians, if you are curious), Trump’s been an idolater his entire life–standing against anything the New Testament teaches.  Trump has no humility.  He supports others even more corrupt and oppressive.

I’ve seen “Christians” defend Trump by saying King David did all sorts of bad stuff, therefore it’s okay.  Except what “Christians” miss is that after David does all his bad stuff, God sends a prophet specifically to say everything David did was against God’s wishes.  When that happened and David was called out for his immorality, he immediately ceased the behavior and went back to the straight and narrow–and it still didn’t save Israel from being punished.

Did any evangelical leader call Trump out?–or did they rejoice and rationalize, happy that Trump would put other men into office like those evangelicals.  The question I’d ask is–what assurance is simply because a man claims the title of minister, pastor, or priest that those are moral or ethical men?  Trump worships himself, he is the golden calf; anyone he nominates must logically feel the same–because they have agreed to serve Trump and his goals.  Again, even with David’s repentance–check out what happened afterwards, the consequences his nation suffered.   Immorality has consequences.  Willfully, consciously endorsing that immorality is even more grievous…and “Christians” are oblivious to that.

The power of the presidency has become an idol for evangelical “Christians”.  They seek its influence more than anything else–the ability to force legal changes, even when a majority of Americans do not want those changes.  Essentially, these “Christians” have forsaken the primacy of their god for temporal, earthly power.  Now, I believe somewhere in the New Testament is a passage reading ‘render unto Caesar’–the lesson being that followers of Jesus should obey the Romans for they are the civil government, that Jesus is only worried about the spiritual and the hereafter, the realms of the Almighty.  For the sake of controlling government, these “Christians” have given up helping the poor and needy, they have built massive temples to their own egos–I mean, do you REALLY need a 10,000 person mega-church with theater/shopping complex for the lifestyle?  Somewhere in that pesky New Testament are a couple of key points.

1. The New Testament instructs believers to pray in private.  “Do not be like the hypocrites who stand in public to be seen by others.  Go into your room and pray in private, unseen.”  That’s the gist.  I know it’s from the Book of Matthew.

2. Matt also notes that you don’t need 10,000 people to have a church–you just need a couple people hanging out together.  Again, it’s about privacy–not interfering with the realm of Caesar, but focusing on the spiritual.

Christian teachings of the New Testament–and for “Christians” there can be no doubting the 100% truth of these words:

• God is just, God is kind and those who are true believers will act accordingly

• Christians should turn away from wrongdoing, confess them where they happen.

• Have compassion for the poor and the outcast

• Do not be a hypocrite

• Do not preach hate

• Do good deeds (that’s in Hebrews)

So how can you support the current president, work to re-elect him, in the face of all this?  You can’t.  If you are a Christian, rather than a “Christian”, you’re going to vote for someone else.