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To understand this total capitulation to Herr Trump by
many white evangelicals, you must understand that one of the
cornerstones of their faith story is that a person's
character matters and that out of the abundance of the
heart, the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34.
When you are daily bombarded with the vile utterances
of Herr Trump be they outright lies, fantasies, mis- truths,
mis-directions, omissions and historical inaccuracies, you
must think, how could any organization that professes an
adherence to biblical definitions of character and morality,
venture within three miles of a Trump White House.
The answer is: These white evangelicals do not act upon
what they preach to their pew sitters. No, they will parade
around like good Sadducees and Pharisees and seek the best
places at the political buffets and seek out the adulation
of the political spotlight but when it comes to holding up
biblical standards of conduct, they simply "skin and grin.”
Regrettably, they show that their primary concern is
not the Kingdom of God but rather they being plugged into
the current political kingdom of King Herod aka: Herr Trump.
I have seen their pithy pronouncements on TV wherein
they preach about a Deep State coming after their freedoms
and I have heard them turn themselves into human pretzels
trying to get past the bra size of Stormy Daniels and
somehow justify Herr Trump's audacious conduct as a
"personal matter" between him and God.
That is true. But what they glaringly fail to state is
the obvious matter of how they can look the other way while
their GOP standard bearer drags their beliefs through the
political mud, and for what?
For political access and the illusion of being seen
with the powerful in the White House.
The Bible speaks about the love of the world being
at odds with God but for many evangelicals (latest poll
indicates over eighty percent!), they are willing to
distance themselves from such instruction if it means that
they can get a crumb...or two...from the table of a King
Herod or a Governor Pilate.
Unless you understand that so many white evangelicals
feel that they have been locked out of being in the catbird
seat of political power for sometime, their failure to avoid
moral compromises is easier to comprehend.
White evangelicals do not mind compromising their
values because so many apparently did not hold those values
close to heart if they are willing to approve of Herr Trump
and his policies that are not supportive of the "common
folks" but of the rich and powerful.
That is the secret hope and admiration of many white
evangelicals. They want to be seen not as poor pastors
preaching to even poorer people but as suave, rich, admired
and being seen in the right company.
This identity of being identified with Jesus and his
"poor peoples campaign" and being blessed as being poor in
spirit just ain't hitting the right spots for these pastors.
They want power and they want it now and if it means
selling their birthrights for a mess of pottage, they are
willing to do so, delusionally thinking that they are doing
the business of the kingdom!
Oh, yes. They have impressive websites and have
impressive policy statements of beliefs and creeds but when
it comes down to getting a free lunch at the White House and
being serenaded by the lies of Herr Trump, they are easy
bait.
Herr Trump even told them at a recent White House
luncheon that if they do not cajole their pew sitters to get
out and vote, there will be violence after the upcoming
midterms!
Word of violence coming from the White House about
elections! Are you serious? But, yet...where was their
concerted voice of disapproval of such "dog whistle" calls
to Trump's base?
Where were the words of scripture offered up as a
rampart against such gibberish? None! The white evangelicals
at that influence peddling lunch simply grinned and smiled
for the cameras; and when they return to their
respective temples of compromise, they will boast of this
luncheon meeting as something of importance for Christianity
in America.
Such dupes. Such so-called biblical thinkers who
apparently are at ease in propping up Herr Trump and his
anti-people policies rather than quoting Amos 5:24.
But. Such is the current state of affairs in the world
of the white evangelical.
They are willing to do a kissy-kissy with Herr Trump rather
than lay down their own lives for the tenets of the
scriptures that they so gladly give lip service to.
They are quick to forego the admonishment of not being
engaged in the affairs of the world and to adhere to a
separation of church and state.
But such obedience is not the bread and butter of these
sell-outs. They now have come to expect that their presence
in the White House is of utmost importance. They can
throttle their conscience and straddle the fence between
hailing a vain, egotistic Caesar and dying out to self.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen!
Contact Lafe Tolliver at
tolliver@juno.com
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