Letter to the editor: Donald Trump is a miserable fit for Evangelical Christians

[kpete]

What would Jesus do? First, Jesus would not use Twitter to serve up daily doses of crude comments and hate-filled attacks on private citizens and public figures.

On any given day, Donald Trump attacks, vilifies, ridicules, mocks, taunts or lampoons any person (dead or alive) or any ethnic, racial or social group.

Whatever Trump’s reasons (political expediency, bias, an above-the-law attitude, an out-of-control ego or simple bullying), Trump does not embody the teachings of Jesus Christ or, for that matter, any spiritual deity known to humankind. Trump is driven by a life of exorbitant privilege, an attitude of revenge-and-vanquish, and a drive to amass wealth by any means possible.

As someone born and reared in an Evangelical Christian household, where the teachings of Jesus centered on love, reconciliation, and compassion, I reject the ill will and multiple layers of prejudice and divisiveness Donald Trump has wrought. What would Jesus do? First, Jesus would not use Twitter to serve up daily doses of crude comments and hate-filled attacks on private citizens and public figures.

History will point to the shameful moral stain of Evangelical Christian leaders and of congregations who succumbed to Trump’s shrewd hypocrisy. They will be depicted as having compromised their spiritual path, moral compass and prophetic voices to a charlatan. Let’s pray and work to change this reality, and to transform the nation into one of just, humane and equitable democratic principles and values.

This is what Jesus would do.

Esther Nieves, Wicker Park


https://chicago.suntimes.com/platform/amp/2019/12/26/21037287/donald-trump-religions-evangelical-christians-sun-times-letters

[gratuitous]

1. You're right, Esther

I hope, however, that you're prepared for the shitstorm of vitriol you're about to receive.

[gab13by13]

15. Yeah but it will all be Christian vitriol.

[RainCaster]

2. Link?

[LAS14]

3. Which editor? nt

[kpete]

5. sorry, here you go:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/platform/amp/2019/12/26/21037287/donald-trump-religions-evangelical-christians-sun-times-letters

[LAS14]

23. Oh! Wow! When I was a child living north of Chicago, the Sun Times...

... was pretty conservative.

[nancy1942]

4. Exactly.

I have been astonished at how eagerly the alleged evangelicals have elected to blindly follow this disgusting charlatan. WHY? How is it even possible that they can be so blind as to what a monstrosity this creature truly is?? It's terrifying. If I believed in the Anti-Christ I'd say Trump pretty much fits the bill.

[calimary]

24. I've suspected that is exactly who he is.

The Antichrist is a smooth talker. And can soothe, and sway, the unsuspecting and unthinking masses who are looking for some golden calf to worship and bind themselves to. Like millions of 98-pound weaklings looking for the big bully to tag along with so they get a “contact-tough-guy” out of it.

[Grokenstein]

29. Am I joking? I'm not even sure myself anymore.

There's a reason Donald Trump and Damien Thorn share initials and letter counts in their names.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. They don't care about Jesus. They care about maintaining their privilege and

preserving what they think of as "real American values," which is to say, white men in charge, PoC knowing their "place," no Muslims, no Latino immigrants, no abortions ever, and no visibly gay people anywhere. Somebody did a study - just read about it the other day - that indicated that the evangelicals who attend church the most and are the most genuinely devout are not always the most committed Trumpists. The real hard-core Trumpists are the people who focus on social issues like abortion and homosexuality and race - topics Jesus never addressed at all, but which the Trumpists claim are central to their version of Christianity. The so-called prosperity gospel preachers push these issues but rarely, if ever, mention what Jesus actually preached, probably because it's the opposite of what they preach.

[unblock]

7. indeed. for them, jesus is just a rhetorical tool.

christianity being the religion in power adds to the social hierarchy of white men in charge, etc.

and as bonus, religion doesn't generally lend itself to critical thinking and logical counter-arguments.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

9. Trump has appointed one third of U.S. judges, almost all anti-abortion

and a sizeable number of them rated "unqualified" by the American Bar Association.

That is why evangelicals continue to support him. That, and his absolute certainty about everything he says or does. To be a fundamentalist christian is to follow -- without question -- the dictates of powerful leaders. They embrace the cruelty depicted in the Old Testament, and give the New Testament, and the teachings of Jesus, short shrift.

[Fritz Walter]

26. The end justifies the means

I’m not up on bible studies: in which book is that rule laid down?
• Not Proverbs. Is there a book of CONverbs?
• Sermon on the Mount(ed pornstar)?
• Huckabees 2?
• Profits?

Help me out here...
The way these evangelistas act and preach, it’s gotta’ be in there somewhere!

[Grokenstein]

30. Well, not exactly "no abortions EVER."

They're always cool with abortions when THEY want one, even if they have to go overseas to get it.

[3catwoman3]

33. And call it a D&C that had

... to be done for “spotting.”

Remember the Santorums and the pregnancy that “was allowed to lapse.”

[dalton99a]

8. Kick

Last edited Thu Dec 26, 2019, 02:08 PM - Edit history (1)

[3catwoman3]

12. Do they realize there is a Playboy...

...cover in the picture?



Assholes.

[True Blue American]

20. Even I did not see that!LOL

[renate]

32. Nice catch!!

[Marcuse]

35. The boy likes to play.

[link:http://

|

[keithbvadu2]

10. Republican Jesus supports Trump.

Republican Jesus supports Trump.

[True Blue American]

11. Not all.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/09/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-loans-227914

[keithbvadu2]

16. Obviously not 'true' Christians

Speaking out against Jerry Jr and/or Trump?

Heretics.

[True Blue American]

18. Yeah, but

They are coining out of the woodwork now.

[madinmaryland]

27. And Republican Jesus is a member of the NRA and own assault weapons.

[Perseus]

13. And evangelical Christians are miserable fits for humanity

Evangelicals are the closest thing to a cult in the Christian World, they practice hypocrisy to a science.

[bobbieinok]

14. For Evangelicals, putting US embassy in Jerusalem was mega, mega important

Israel Capitol in Jerusalem a major step in starting the process for Return of Jesus

[comradebillyboy]

17. I think Trump is a perfect fit for modern white Evangelical

Christianity. Who better to lead Jerry Falwell, Jr. Franklin Graham, Robert Jeffress and their ilk than Trump? These people have turned the teachings of Jesus on their head.

[erlewyne]

19. In my Book Jesus was a Kurd.

The reason their was only one Genealogy in the Scriptures is beacause
Joseph and Mary had the same Genealogy, Jacob was a direct descendant
of Mithridates VI's mother. She was a Persian. They were Harems. Jesus
was a real person and gained fame through his crucifixion, which he
survived.
My inspiration is through Prof. Barbara Thiering even though I disagree
with her on certain points. Jesus was a Chrestus and a Messiah, not a GOD.
He was not a Jew.

[bucolic_frolic]

21. It's not about Jesus, it's about being worshipped and cash flow

Followers can't figure it out because they are constantly berated about how sinful they are and how shameful they should be. So praise the Lord and send me more checks!

So I think Trump is basically a substitute televangelist, a secular cloned sinful preacher who makes America great again for you while he steals your wallet and your country. This is classic read his lips while he's robbing you blind.

[Mr. Ected]

22. And...the Tea Party wasn't really concerned with deficits or debt

The "concerns" of the right are as flimsy as their faith.

[Dukkha]

25. He is a mirror reflection of Conservative Christians

Now that it's front and center in the public instead of closed door think tank rooms it's starting to be uncomfortable for a small minority.
Morality is no more important to evangelicals than fiscal responsibility is to the tea party.

[Evolve Dammit]

28. He's a perfect glove for their hypocritical, delusional hand. Match made (somewhere)...

You want the Apocalypse? Well guess what "invisible man in the sky" tithing, laying of hands, rapture, bullshit artists; we don't. PS. We think you're bat shit crazy and really want to preserve our planet, and therefore our very existence. That is being a "Christian."

[warmfeet]

31. He is a miserable fit for humanity.

One of these is not like the others. He does not play well with life.

[Grins]

34. "A miserable" fit?

“Trump is a miserable fit for Evangelical Christians.”

He’s a perfect fit! He is giving the theocratic authoritarian hypocrites that make up Evangelical Reich every evil they want.

None of them are worth a damn. There is a reason non-belief/atheism is growing faster than Christianity.