Christian culture of contempt

  

I had a rare phone conversation with my best friend, Steven,  who lives in Kentucky. I was pretty upset about something, so he texted some and suggested we chat on the phone later, so we did. 

 He, like me, is conservative politically, and also like me, is anti-Trump. (He remarked once that good thing we agree on DT or our friendship might not survive.)

 Steven's favorite, or close to favorite, author is Dallas Willard. I don't think I have ever read anything by him, but Steven has quoted him a lot over the years. Steven related something Willard talked about on a recent podcast. I looked it up and was going to listen, but it was over an hour long...an hour and 20 minutes, in fact. I barely manage to listen to my pastor's 30-35 minute sermons, so that wasn't happening. 😀

 Anyway, I'll relate what Willard said and go from there. He feels - and I agree - that there is this huge culture of contempt within the church/among Christians. And he stated where he believes it started, or had a big part of the start: Rush Limbaugh (and likely other "conservative" talk show hosts).

 Think about it, especially if you ever listened to Rush, Sean Hannity, or others. Rush Limbaugh (and others) made a career out of contempt for Democrats and anyone who disagreed with him. He and others constantly go after Democrats, hating on them - having total contempt for them - making money out of total contempt and pushing contempt for the other party and anyone else they disagree with. He and others have delighted in putting people in their place and making a fool of people who call in to disagree. 

 And evangelical Christians in the Republican Party have loved it and thrived on it, and it has soaked into us so we easily are guilty of the same thing: total contempt for Democrats and anyone who doesn't fit into our box: illegal immigrants, gay people, people with tattoos, anyone who disagrees with or criticizes Donald Trump, etc. 

It is so ingrained in us that it comes naturally, and we don't even see it or care to see it. 

How and why did Donald Trump get elected by the religious right?
Serial adulterer who bragged about it
Bragged about sexually assaulting women
Vulgar
Draft dodger
Long time supporter of Democrats, even helped fight the Tea Party
Made supportive statements about Planned baby murder (Planned "Parenthood")
Bully
And his current wife even did lesbian porn....can you imagine if that was Biden or Obama's wife?

  And yet he beat out the conservatives and Christians for the GOP nomination. Why?
Because suddenly after years of he and his family being in bed with and supporting the Democrats and his policies, he developed contempt for Democrats. And Christians loved it. The more he put down the Democrats, the more contempt and hateful rhetoric he pushed, the more the religious right loved him and ignored all the reasons he should never have got  their vote. 

But Mark, you have contempt for Donald Trump! Yeah, I do. I don't think there is anyone I dislike more.  It is amazing to me that for years I went along with it all. Hate, contempt, mockery, etc of Democrats, and no one had a problem with it. As long as you hate and have contempt for the same people as the evangelical Christians in  the Republican party, all is well. I said some pretty harsh things about Obama, and no one ever blinked. But even those closest to me don't believe in my freedom of speech to criticize Donald Trump. Suddenly it is "judge not!" "Instead of criticizing him, try praying for him." And more. Suddenly I am the target of contempt and a source of embarrassment because I dare oppose and speak up against the political savior of the Republican Party. A man just as hateful and divisive as Obama. 

Every conservative and Christian in the Republican Party should try opposing the guy everyone else loves once in a lifetime. It has not been easy, but it has been eye opening. It is amazing the double standard Christians even in my own church demand with Trump. It is ok to hate and have contempt for Democrats, illegal immigrants, conservatives who dare oppose their guy, etc....but not OK to criticize their guy and his words and actions. 

Biden was a horrible president. Though not the worst. That "honor" belongs to Obama. But after so many months of it, I became appalled at a couple of things:

#1. It was obvious that Biden has had dementia, Alzheimer's, or something like that for a long time. Yet Christians mocked him for it, made fun of him, joked about it, etc. Yes, he should have stepped aside, and his wife should be flogged publicly for letting him stay in office. But should Christians have acted that way? If someone was making fun of a loved one, or even a neighbor or fellow church member like that, they'd be horrified and angry. But since it was a Democrat, it was OK. 

#2. There has been no evidence or proof that Biden was a pedophile. Yet Christians and conservatives shared picture after picture of Biden with kids and declaring him a pedophile. (While overlooking Trump's bragging about sexual assault and the pictures of Trump with kids).
Accusing someone of pedophilia is a huge thing. It should not be done lightly. Trump supporters are all up in arms at any suggestion Trump could be on the Epstein list - and that IS a possibility given his connections with Epstein - but come on.... there is no evidence of Biden being a pedophile, but since he is a Democrat, the MAGA party didn't need proof. They just accused. 

I have stated before that my faith has been about destroyed. The way Christians are about Trump, how they act when defending him, things said to me....good grief, the statement that "True Christians will vote for Trump" made by a guy going to my church at that time - and by others - went unchallenged, yet it is such a huge lie. But not one Trump supporter in my church called him out. My church is ultra conservative, and I'll never get why so many love a man like Trump. He is the total opposite of Jesus. 

Jesus was not political, yet so many Christians are way too political. Should we not vote? Yes, we should vote our conscience, even if that means voting third party. Should we not address what politicians are doing wrong? Yes, we should....but we should be careful how we do it.

God is love. He IS love. He doesn't just love as a verb, but He IS love. And in 1 John 4:8, He says this:  "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (ESV)
Do we Evangelical Christians love Nancy Pelosi? The illegal immigrant? Joe Biden? The tattooed guy? Donald Trump? 

I am not going to un-Christianize anyone. God knows my Christianity and conservatism has been questioned and knocked because I don't support the most liberal candidate to ever run for, much less win, the GOP nomination. But how much contempt and hate can we have for anyone - even Democrat politicians - even Donald Trump - and truly know God? God loves everyone, even those we have contempt and hate for, and He is saying we must love them also or we don't know Him. 

It isn't popular to question the status quo. We have so Americanized, Republicanized, and yes....Trumpized Christianity, that to dare question how illegal immigration is being handled, to dare suggest we have compassion and love for them is met with accusations of being liberal, and other lovely statements. 

"Russell Moore told NPR that evangelical pastors he works with are facing pushback when preaching the words and ethics of Jesus. He said, “Multiple pastors tell me, essentially, the same story about quoting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount [and] to have someone come up after to say, ‘Where did you get those liberal talking points?’ … What was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ, the response would be, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak.’” Zach Lambert

Steven - the aforementioned best friend - and I were talking about the story of the Good Samaritan. He questioned what would happen if it was an illegal immigrant lying there by the side of the road, beaten up and robbed. I fear way too many Christians would pass to the other side. Some might check his status and help if he was legal. I fear some might finish him off if they had a gun. 

"Imagine cheering at the idea of human beings being eaten by alligators and somehow still expecting us to believe you are “pro life,” let alone a follower of Jesus." Rev Benjamin Cremer

I could be wrong - I am occasionally 😁  - but I wonder if one reason we aren't seeing revival is because of this culture of contempt that is so prevalent among Christians. If we are having so much contempt and hate for Democrats, illegal immigrants, people who oppose our favorite political, etc, God cannot be happy, and why would He send revival? Could that be one reason our country is so wicked and there is so much corruption because Christians are too political to love, to spread the Gospel, to be salt and light. To be peace makers, to have and exhibit the fruits of the spirit.

Jesus called his followers to "love your neighbor as yourself."

Not control your neighbor.

Not mock your neighbor.

Not shame your neighbor.

Not dehumanize your neighbor.

Not demonize your neighbor.

Not defeat your neighbor.

Jesus said, “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Rev Benjamin Cremer)

I'm barely holding on, to be honest. My faith has been shattered. My heart has been hurt. I have been bitter and angry. I need a version of Christianity that is not political. One that is Biblical, and does not insist I have to vote for and support whoever wins the GOP nomination. I need a version of Christianity that spreads love, not contempt and division and that does not put you down for voting your conscience. A version of Christianity that doesn't just believe in the freedom of speech for some, but for all. A version of Christianity that holds the Bible before the Constitution and the Republican platform. A version  of Christianity that is Biblical and loves. 

And I have come to a very elementary and kind of "duh" realization. As I have sat in the shattered remains of my faith these last 9 years or so, as I have struggled with hurt, disappointment, anger, and bitterness.....Jesus has not changed. He never was - and never will be - political. He loves us because He IS love, and I was wrong to let politics and people destroy my faith. I am making slow progress, but it is progress. Jesus never changes and never fails, and always, always loves. 

I have already left the Republican Party. I try to back off from politics, but see so much that frustrates me. And I give in and post. I have thought about deleting Facebook, and were it not for the authors I follow and how much book related stuff I use it for, I probably would do that. Maybe I just need to un-follow some people. 😏

I am far from perfect. God has a ton of work to do on me. I want to have a true relationship with him and love people. All people. And yeah, I will never stop opposing Trump or speaking out against him and his wrong policies, but I need to work on not having so much contempt for him. When I talk about contempt, I am preaching to myself also. (Made that bold so no one misses it).

We talk so much about how evil the Democrat Party is. Yet the Republican Party is far, far from being Biblical. Just last year, they removed opposition to abortion and gay marriage from their official platform - done by Trump offspring. The recent handling of illegal immigration is not Biblical. It is time for Christians to stop just going along with whatever the Republican Party does and call them out instead of ignoring and going along. Republican does not equal Christian, and I cannot imagine God is any happier with the GOP than with the Dems. 

We need a third party. A truly conservative one. 

God's Kingdom is based on love. Our political parties are not. It is my firm belief we all need to back away from being so political, so blindly supportive of political parties and politicians, and love and spread the Gospel.

How political can and should Christians be?

I have sat on this post for a few months after typing it up. Today, a woman I like and admire a lot, and look up to, said something that really, really disappointed me. She said on social media "about time for a mean tweet!" I still have confidence in her, and I will never, ever be the mature Christian that she is......but why are so many Christians from the most conservative churches like mine, defending and missing something that is condemned by the Jesus we follow and serve? 

Sure, Jesus didn't specifically name out mean tweets, because Twitter was not around then......but there is plenty in what He DID say that any Christian worth their salt should know that a mean tweet would not be missed or defended by Him. So why do so many Christians defend mean tweets and miss them. By their guy of course. Obama did a lot of mean tweets, but I am sure they don't miss his. :)

The answer is simple: Christians have become too political. We would never admit it or think it, but politics is more important than loving people, spreading the Gospel.....more important than the Gospel. I have said it before, but it almost seems too many Christians toss the Bible aside when it comes to politics, other than to pull out Bible verses they can use against people.

So, onto my blog post:

A note to begin:

  I will say to begin that I am far from being perfect. There is term I have not heard for a while that was popular years ago: it referred to people getting into Heaven by the skin of their teeth. That will be me. I am not and never will be a Paul, Peter, Abraham, Noah. Were I in the Bible, I would be one of those insignificant people not even named, but just referred to as someone's servant, or by my livelihood. I am just as guilty of the next person about not having the right attitudes when it comes to politics, but am trying to do better.

How political can and should Christians be?

This needs to be said. I feel very strongly about that. Am I the right person to say it? Most likely not. But if I don't, will anyone?

This is not a Trump post, though in part it will be, because Trump is a symptom of a bigger problem. And it was finally brought about after months of frustration about a post shared and liked by even people in my own church, and unchallenged by anyone else...including the preachers on my friends list:

“True Christians will vote for Donald Trump”, followed by lengthier comments. This should have bothered even the most devout Trump supporter who professes to follow Jesus Christ. You are either a Christian or not. There are not any “not true” Christians. You are either a true Christian, or you are not a Christian. I cannot find anything in the Bible to infer there are Christians who are not "true" Christians.

So by this statement, are these people and the ones agreeing, saying that you are not a Christian if you do not vote for Trump....or any candidate?

  Do Christians even in my own ultra conservative church believe that one's Christianity and salvation hinges on your vote for Trump....or any candidate? They may not say that, but their silence and “likes” and supporting comments say that loudly. And many other Christians did so, not just in my church. It is their posting and support of it that bothers me the most.

That and what I have especially seen in the last six years or so, has caused me to question some things:
What I believe

What my church believes

If Christianity is truly better than other religions. (Oh, I know Jesus is the only way, but politics raises the question if Christianity is actually better...and yes, I believe in my heart that it is better)

And on my worst days: if I really want to be a Christian, and if God even exists. (toss in severe depression, anxiety, and other issues....not just political stuff)

And other questions:
How political can and should Christians be:

And be like Jesus

Not hinder their witness and the cause of Christ and the church

And be salt and light

And be peacemakers

Live by and obey what the Bible and Jesus teach?

Love our neighbor as ourselves?

I am a conservative. Always have been, always will be.

I was raised in the church, attended a Christian school K-12, and 4 years of Bible College.

I listen primarily to Christian music and read primarily Christianity books.

Yet I have never felt I truly belonged in the church. Partly because of struggles and something I deal with that those raised in the church are afraid to admit or talk about. (Ironically, some of the same people defending a man's serial adultery and saying "don't judge!" are quite vocal against my struggle and show judgment and no love there)

But never have I felt that way more than the last 6 years. To be a Christian and conservative and not vote for or support Donald Trump.....it is not easy. The very same people who should understand support you for not going against your conscience......did the opposite. It is not easy trying to do what you believe is right while Christians in your own church are trying to guilt and manipulate you into doing what you believe is wrong. (And yes, for me to have voted for Trump would have been wrong and going against my conscience would have been wrong. But they did not care. The very Christians so obsessed with doing things the Bible does not spell out, fail miserably at doing what the Bible DOES spell out:

Loving people, being peacemakers, etc.

I am not going to share everything, but a few things:

In the last 6 years or so:

Even though I stated I felt as a Christian I should not vote for Trump, and was voting 3rd party: Christians said my vote was for Hillary if I voted third party. That if I did not support Trump, I was for Hillary. (I view those as outright lies, and kind of wish I had called those people out for lying)
I and others have been told not to judge Trump, while his supporters judge everyone who has a D by their name, or who have an R and do not support Trump

I and others have been labeled a Pharisee for taking issue with things in Trump, speaking up, and not voting for him because of certain things....while his supporters do the same with the other candidates.

We were told “Why not pray for him instead of criticizing him?, while they criticize away if they don't like the politician

We are told no matter how bad we think he is, God put him in there......but not hearing that about Biden.

A friend of mine said Christian Trump supporters don't care how they make you feel, as long as they defend him and shut you up....and sadly, that seems to be true for way too many people.

There are people in my church who have messaged me that they agree, but are afraid to speak up around others in my church and school. Really? Oh, I believe them....but what a sad statement....and I doubt the average Trump supporter would care.

I attend a very, very conservative church. The same people who are so worried about certain outward things that are not spelled out in black and white, go against what is spelled out in black and white....they have tried manipulating and intimidation to try to get other Christians to vote like they want them to. A person may not believe in watching movies and TV, but takes no thought or care in how they treat people and react to them if it involves politics or their candidate. (Guess true Christians can do anything non Biblical if it is for the cause of their politician.)

Politics, party, our rights...they take precedence over everything else. It is more important to spread our political opinions and win people to a politician, than it is to spread the Gospel and win people to Jesus.

Jesus was not political. He was all about loving people and all about His earthly ministry.

I am not saying Christians should not be political at all, nor vote....but shouldn't we be more like Jesus and avoid being very political? Shouldn't we be concerned about how we are acting when it comes to politics? Shouldn't we be different from the world even in how we act and react about politics? Shouldn't Christians be BETTTER than non Christians when it comes to politics? Jesus avoided politic. He was too busy loving people and doing good.

Things have changed.......

Things have changed since Biden took office. It is now OK to judge away and criticize. I believe he is a horrible president, but have been shocked at what so many Christians say about him and how easily they make fun of him, call him a pedophile, etc.

I will be clear on this: I believe the Democratic Party is evil. They push the murder of babies, the sexualizing and exploitation of kids, and other evil things. (Hmm, then why did Trump support them so long? Had to say it!) I believe any politician is evil who supports and pushes for the cruel murder of babies in the womb.

But does that mean they are the exception to what the Bible says about how we are to treat others?

I firmly believe Nancy Pelosi is evil to the core, and is the worst politician our country has ever had. I saw a lot of  Christians laughing about the attack on  her husband a while back...but is that right to do? Would they have laughed if it had been on a Trump, or a person important to them?

Is there really a separate set of guidelines in the Bible for how we act towards people with a D by their name, and towards Donald Trump? (Even Republicans who do not support Trump are fair game, so I did not ask about a separate set of guidelines and rules for Democrats and Republicans). 

Oh, in case you don't know the answer: There is NOT a separate set of rules and guidelines.

I am guilty. Believe it or not, I said much more about and was much harder on Obama than Trump. I heavily criticized both men and Biden, but how much was right and wrong? ( I know what Trump supporters would say regarding him..... :) )

Here is the thing: Christians are not called to be political. We are not called to vote. We are not called to change people's opinions on candidates. 

We are called to be kind, to love, to have the fruits of the spirit, to win people to Jesus......and so much more that being very political hinders or makes impossible.

When we get to Heaven, Jesus is not going to reward us for how many people we won to our politics or politicians. What will matter is how many we won to Him.

Damage from being political

Picture this: 

“Mary” freely accuses Joe Biden of being a pedophile, and mocks him all the time on and off of social media. Makes fun of Mr. Pelosi being attacked.

“Martha” is her neighbor and follows her on Facebook. Martha is a Democrat and voted for and supports Biden. What are the chances of Mary getting Martha to go to church or win her to Jesus? You know the answer. Zilch.

There is a preacher who did a post on Facebook comparing Donald Trump to Sampson, and was using it to try to get Christians who were against Trump to vote for him. He further stated that a third party vote is a wasted vote. Several of my Facebook friends shared it, and one was even so kind to tag me. I was disgusted. Here was a minister of the Gospel trying to get Christians to vote how they felt they should not. A year or two later, my church got him for revival services. I kept seeing that post, and determined I was not going to sit under his preaching. And did not. He has been there at least another time, and I have no intentions of ever listening to him. Maybe that is wrong, but not as wrong as him using his position to do what he did.

I have been hurt, deeply hurt in these last 6 years by pro-Trump Christians. Sure, had I been silent, it may have been different....but part of me questions if they can be vocal, why can't I? - but if I, a guy raise in the church, and attended Christian school, Bible college - have been damaged by politicial Christians and it has caused me to question so much.......then what affect does it have on those who are not Christians, and have not been raised in the church?

It is easy to say a Christian is doing damage to Christianity, the Church, and the cause of Jesus if they have differing political views than you do....and if they criticize your guy.

  But the truth of the matter is, no matter your political views, you and I are doing severe damage by being very political. Whether you support or don't support Trump, whether you do or don't support Biden, whether you are conservative, liberal, libertarian, Republican, Democrat, third party, or no party.....our loud political views and attacks on politicians – and yes, over the top support in some cases - is doing so much more damage than good.

“True Christians” realize how close we are getting to the end. Instead of screaming how great or bad a politician is, and instead of using social media to spread their politics, they should be screaming that God loves everyone – even Biden and Pelosi – that Christianity is the best and only option. That Jesus is the answer, not politicians or politics.

There was a  wonderful lady I had the pleasure of being friends with on Facebook, and was blessed to eat and visit at her place once. She died from cancer last year. Avis was not political, ever...with the exception of once. A certain former president said something so arrogant that pretty much made him equal to Jesus, that she called him out. But other than that, she was all about spreading hope, encouragement, and love. She used her life on – and off – of social media for good.

And there are others. Not everyone is politically outspoken on and off of social media.

I do believe in voting for politicians who above all are against killing babies in the womb and want to stop that horrible atrocity. That is my main thing when it comes to voting, though there are others. I believe one should vote for who they feel God wants them to. I am not saying that is not important.

But Christians have made it too important. They view politics and politicians as the answer, when they are not.

I believe part of the problem is we have become obsessed with our rights and freedoms to the point that they and party have eclipsed God, dying to ourselves, and so much else that should be our primary focus.

Not that rights and freedoms don't matter. But it seems it has caused so many of us to lose our way. The devil can use anything to sidetrack Christians and cause them to fall away from what they should be. It isn't always the big things the Bible warns against like adultery and stealing. I believe politics has become one of Satan's best and most useful and powerful tools to divide Christians and the church, and to take attention from what truly matters.

Imagine if all the social media posts and fervor of the last 6 years – and more – about politics had been put towards things of God and the church? What a difference could have been made.

I have gotten a lot of crap over the last six years or so because I did not vote for the man so many others did, and that I have dared criticize him. I have found myself wondering how Christians can be so pro-Trump, and defend or ignore everything he does, such as gun control and vulgarity. I will never understand that. But the bigger picture and issue has been the focus of this blog post: how Christians can basically set aside what the Bible says about how we are to act, and then say things and treat people in ways that are damaging to the cause of Christ.

Our political posts on social media are never going to change anyone's minds. But they may change how they view God, Christianity, and the church. We will never win anyone to God with a religion of politics, but with one of love. And love is missing in our political posts. 

I don't know where the line is. We should not be silent about concerns, but wherever the line is, many of us are so far over it we can't even see it. And sadly, people don't consider it, nor care what their political posts might do.

And there are Christians who are never political on social media, as I previously mentioned. I believe they are closer to being what God wants than we who are political. People don't need to hear our political opinions and bashing or defending politicians. They need to hear about Jesus, and that they are loved. No matter who they do or not vote for.

I don't want a political Christianity. I don't need a political Christianity. Nor does the world.

And lastly, I truly am bothered and concerned. I think being on the opposite side of so many Christians, and getting what I got so much of opened my eyes. I hope this post isn't offensive, and does what I intended it to do: make people think, and maybe wake some others up.

What the World Needs to Hear by the Booth Brothers.
(Video at end of lyrics)

There's a teenage mother who's left all alone

Waiting for someone already long gone

There's a lonely old man whose children don't care

And a black sheep that's knocking, but nobody's there.

What the world needs to hear is John 3:16

That God loves them just as they are

His grace is sufficient to bring them to Him

Wherever they've been, no matter how far

There's hope for the lost and the helpless

Faith will replace every fear

The Gospel of Calvary

That's what the world needs to hear

To the sinner who thinks he's too bad to save

To the dad who just put his young son in the grave

To the man with the bottle who can't let it go

To the wife of a soldier who will never come home

What the world needs to hear is John 3:16

That God loves them just as they are

His grace is sufficient to bring them to Him

Wherever they've been, no matter how far

There's hope for the lost and the helpless

Faith will replace every fear

The Gospel of Calvary

That's what the world needs to hear

Salvation's story of Christ

Is the solution for all

Whoever you are

He'll hear you when you call

There's hope for the lost and the helpless

Faith will replace every fear

The Gospel of Calvary

That's what the world needs to hear

What if Trump wasn't the lesser of two evils

*Yes, another blog post about Donald Trump, but it has been a while.
** I often let my frustrations come out in ways they should not, so I am not guiltless.

    I don't believe there has been a more polarizing politician in America than Donald Trump. There are so many reasons the party of Christians and conservatives should never have picked him for the GOP nominee, and I still don't understand why he is so loved by conservatives......and especially by Christians.

  For as long as I can remember, morals have been a big deal with what has been called "the religious right." All these years later, they still hold Bill Clinton's sexual acts against him. Gary Hart, and others have come under fire over the years for their immoral acts.

 Then along comes Donald Trump: serial adulterer who supposedly bragged about his cheating, strip clubs in his casinos, vulgar, on tape bragging about sexually assaulting women (If you honestly don't believe what he bragged about is not sexual assault, I challenge you to try that with some random woman and see what happens....or what you would call it if it happened to you or a women you love.....)

  This same man gave money to Democrats for years and supported them as they fought conservativism and Christianity. He gave to the Clintons, said she would make a great president, and trashed Bill's accusers.....and even said Hillary did a great job handling Benghazi. He also fought the tea party and gave money to Kamala Harris' senatorial campaign.

 How this man won the conservative vote is something I will never understand. And even worse, how he won the Christian vote. And I get voting for him to stop Hillary, even though I couldn't.....but I don't get the over the top support and defense.

 When he was running against his buddy Hillary, a common quote was that he was the lesser of two evils. 

 But was he? Oh, I have been anti-Hillary since the start....while Trump was in bed with the Clintons and saying she would make a great president. I do believe she would have been a worse president politically.

 However, I have come to believe Trump is the worse of two evils in what really matters.

   After Trump won the nomination and had his last minute miraculous conversion to Christianity - come on, you know it would have been scoffed at if he had had a D by his name - suddenly he was loved by Christians, even those who had previously opposed him. \

 I did research, and prayed about it....and felt I could not as a Christian vote for him. You would think this great family of God would understand that....after all Christians have been ridiculed and fought about their beliefs for years....so a Christian should understand feeling a person could not vote for Trump.

 Wrong. Very wrong. Don't go against your conscience...except in politics.

  

  Despite all the Bible says about how to treat people: Love your enemies, be tenderhearted forgiving each other, love your neighbor as yourself.......and many other verses - I had way too many Christians toss that all out as I was verbally attacked for daring to not vote for him and instead vote third party. Honesty, kindness, love.....politics and Trump are more important than those, and everything else the Bible says.

I was told I was for Hillary if I wasn't for Trump. Ironic, when he actually WAS a Hillary supporter.

I was told my vote for a third party candidate was a vote for Hillary.

A long time "friend" said if I wasn't for Trump, I was for Hillary and for killing babies.

I was told if I wasn't on Trump's side, I was not on God's side.

Christians shared a post saying true Christians would vote for Trump.

Christians who dared oppose Trump were called hypocrites, judgmental, Pharisees, etc. (Yet you don't hear those when you oppose Hillary, Obama, and Biden).

  If we are truly living by Jesus' teaching, if we are trying to be like Jesus.....would Christians be saying these things to other Christians? Would defending Trump and trying to win political arguments be more important than how we make people feel?

 WWJD became a worn out phrase, but it does have a point. When it comes to politics, what would Jesus do? Would He say these things? I cannot imagine He would.

  I have friends from my own church who are anti-Trump and are silent about it....because of how other Christians treated them and reacted when they did speak up. Is that really how it should be among followers of Jesus?

 A Facebook friend of mine lived the gay lifestyle for several years, became a Christian and left that life, and is now married to a woman.....author and pastor John Piper's daughter. He of course got a lot of backlash and hate for that from the pro-gay crowd when he became a Christian and started speaking out against his former lifestyle.......but last year he did a couple posts critical of Trump. He said he got far more hateful comments from Christian Trump supporters than he ever got from the pro-gay crowd. He eventually took all of those posts down. That should bother Christian Trump supporters....but I doubt the average Trump supporter will be bothered by that.

  Speaking of things that should bother Christians, I have said it before on here: A friend of mine has 2 atheist friends who were disgusted by the Christian support of Trump, and said they never wanted to hear Christians talk about morals after the 2016 election. Seriously, what is the world thinking as Christians who rant against all things gay and other moral issues then defend Trump's adultery and other moral issues, and attack everyone who dares criticize him? I myself want to hear nothing from Trump supporting Christians about anything gay after these last 5 years. You cannot ignore and/or defend his moral atrocities and them rant about gay things.

  Trump has divided Christians and conservatives, and brings out the worse in too many people.....his supporters, Democrats, and conservatives who oppose him. I admit I have some major anger issues because of so many Christian Trump supporters, and have given back as good as I have gotten. So much for blessed are the peacemakers....you cannot be very political and be a peacemaker. And how much of a Trump supporter can a Christian be and be a peacemaker?

  Then there is the dishonesty. Well, some of what I posted above what people said are not honest. Those people knew I was not for Hillary. I have seen way too many social media posts from Trump supporters that are not true. Shouldn't Christians strive to be 100% honest? Yet there are posts saying he gave up his wealth to be president......he was always a billionaire, so false. A preacher from my denomination posted that the Obamas didn't allow Christmas to be celebrated in the White House, but now Trump does...yet there is no evidence that as bad as Obama was, that he didn't allow Christmas in the White House. And there were other posts and stories that were shared to make Trump look good whether or not they were true.

 And the exaggerations......the most pro-life president, the most Christian.......and on. He did nothing to deserve those accolades. Shouldn't honesty matter more?

  Double standard:
    For 5 years, I was told not to judge Trump, that instead of criticizing him I should pray for him, etc....yet now a man is president that they oppose also, it is OK to judge away, and there are no posts about praying for him instead of criticizing him. It is even OK to mock and make fun of Biden and accuse him of being a pedophile, with no proof. (And yeah, he is a horrible president and does not seem capable to be president). Should Christians act that way? Especially after 5 years of basically saying "Since I support this man, you must also and not say anything bad about him." It seems I am only allowed to criticize presidents that Trump supporters criticize.

  I had this thought: if Trump supporters act this way about Biden and have Biden supporting friends, how on earth would they ever win them to Jesus? 

 I had a man at my church I used to highly respect...until he barraged me with texts trying to get me to vote for Trump. At one point he said if I just admitted I was for Hillary, he would leave me alone.....yet he knew I was not for Hillary. He asked me a question (I cannot remember what it was) and I replied "Are you asking me as a Republican, or as a Christian?" He asked "Can't it be both?"

  And therein lies a lot of the problem: we react too much first as Americans, Constitution loving conservatives, Republicans, Trump supporters....instead of reacting as a Christian first.

 Example: is telling me true Christians will vote for Trump a reaction of a Christian, or as a Republican/Trump supporter? That should not be a Christian response. #1 there is no Biblical basis for it. #2 it is not kind....that person doesn't care how he makes me feel. He just wants to talk or guilt people into voting how he wants them to.

  I have found myself wondering if a lot of Christians have more faith in Trump than Jesus. Over and over we heard that Trump was what would save America, that he was all that stood between us and socialism, on and on, and on. Trump, Trump, Trump. Some Christians posted so much pro Trump stuff, and it was hard to find anything about Jesus among all of  those. I got the idea that their faith and confidence was more in him than Jesus.

 What about this man has such over the top loyalty of so many Christians that they refuse to speak out against his gun control, paying off of a prostitute, giving more money to planned parenthood than Obama did, and many other bad actions and policies?

 So yes, I do believe Trump was the lesser of two evils:

1) He has divided Christians

2) As a result of his wining, he has caused many to be dishonest and unkind

3) He has taken the focus off of Jesus for too many

4) He has helped make or magnify the double standard in Christians and conservatives in the Republican party.

5) Too many Christians care more about defending him and shutting down opposition than how they make those feel they try to shut down.

      Maybe Trump is just a symptom. I am all for patriotism, freedoms, the Constitution, our flag, and our country...and Christians can love all that....but I fear all of that has become too important and we let our politics influence and affect our Christianity instead of the other way around.

 People are more important than politics. Loving people is more important than winning political arguments. Spreading the Gospel and winning people to Christ are more important than spreading our political opinions and wining people to our politician.

 I am rather outspoken, but am still very insecure and vulnerable as I was years ago when being bullied. Now I fight back, but it has still been hard being anti Trump among all the pro-Trump Christians. Too many don't care how they make me feel as they have attacked me trying to get me to vote for him or for daring to speak out against him. There are people who don't think I should criticize him or "judge" him, yet they say what they want about Democrats. Being constantly pushed down and basically being told your opinions should not be voiced because they are not those of your family and friends.....it is not a good feeling. Honestly, as much as I dislike Trump just for him, the majority of my feelings about him is because of what I have dealt with from his supporters and because of their refusal to ever hold him accountable.

  It has all shaken my faith. I go to a very conservative church, and I have people who keep all the rules, yet some of them have said things that are dishonest and/or unkind in their defense of Trump, and in their attempts to get me to vote for him and to shut down my criticisms of him. And I doubt they would even realize the irony of keeping the rules and not loving like Jesus.

 And it has caused me to feel even more isolated. I have felt disconnected from my church for a long time, and struggle to feel I belong anywhere. Being anti Trump has made that worse surrounded by pro-Trump people, especially when family and others expect me to keep my opinions to myself about Trump. I would honestly prefer to stay home. Granted, there are others like me who are afraid to speak out against Trump because of how they get treated, but I still feel alone and isolated. 

 I also have a lot of bottled up anger over the last 5 years. I honestly have held back a lot. If I said everything I think and feel, the secret service or FBI would probably have shown up by now.

 Just how political can we be and live as Jesus commands? Just how pro-Trump can a Christian be and live like Jesus to those who do not support him or vote for him? Jesus was not political, so how political should we be?

 The Bible says nothing about voting or being political, but it does say a lot about how we should act and how we should treat people. 

 Considering what Trump has caused, I believe we would have been better off as Christians and as the church to have lost soundly to Hillary. If Christians can't love, if they more or less toss out what the Bible says when it comes to politics, wouldn't we be better off under socialism and communism?

 And no, I don't want that....but if it affects how we treat people, if winning people to our politician or views is more important than spreading the Gospel and winning people to Christ, then yes......we would be better off living in persecution.

  Patriotism is good. Freedoms are important, but people are more important. A hundred years from now it will not matter if we won a political argument or defended a politician. It will matter how we treated people and if we won people to Christ.

 We are not living for this world. It is past time Christians remembered that and started living like that.

 Maybe Trump is just a symptom, and has made it more obvious. Maybe part of it is social media and people saying on line what they would not off line.......but to use a phrase of some Trump supporters, true Christians should be bothered by how politics and Trump has affected how we treat people who disagree with us.

  In closing, I will say this: I have never been a great Christian. I have struggles of faith, depression, anxiety, sexual identity, and struggle with doubt a lot. I don't believe I was a better than anyone for voting my conscience. And to be honest, I have found myself wondering a lot over the last 5 years if I even want to be a Christian. Shouldn't it be more than this politicized Christianity that has taken over?

  And again, I am not guiltless. But shouldn't I have the same freedom as Trump supporters to criticize politicians I disagree with?

Disillusioned with Christianity

   

  I didn't blog much in 2020, and the last time I did a blog post was at the end of August. The main reason is my depression has been really bad for several months, possibly worse than it has ever been. No one in my life has a clue as to how bad my depression is. I am not bordering on self harm of any kind, so if you are reading this, no worries there. There are a couple of reasons I would never do that.

   I have started some blog posts, but never finished them. I typed this one up at work the other day when it was slow, so I guess I will post it. I am not posting links on Facebook as I usually do, so maybe no one will even read it...especially since it is so long.

 Disillusioned with Christianity

  I have never been a strong Christian. I have struggled with different doubts for most of my life. For years, I struggled to believe God truly loved me. I also went through a period where I had a difficult time believing I was truly saved. I have never felt I measured up to what a Christian should be, and prayer and reading the Bible has never come easy to me. It has mostly been something I felt I had to do as a Christian. So nothing I say in this post is because I believe I am a better Christian than others, or that I am better off than anyone. Because that is far from true.

 But the truth of the matter is, I have become disillusioned with Christianity. And it is pretty much because of politics.

 I get people voting for Trump in the general election because of Hillary. I am still not sure a Christian should have voted for him.....but I get why so many did. I don't get people - especially Christians - voting for him in the primaries over some very decent, conservative, and even Christian candidates. I felt fairly early that I could not vote for him, and not just because of what and who he was. I have criticized Democrats for years for voting for the candidate on the Democratic ticket no matter how bad they were....so how could I do the same when the candidate was the very opposite of what we should be voting for? 

 And man, did I get crap for it....from several Christians. They didn't care that it would be going against my conscience to vote for Trump. They made false accusations, and did their best to get me to vote the way they were, and used all sorts of things to manipulate me into voting how I strongly believed that I should not. I was told if I wasn't for Trump, I was for Hillary. I was told a vote for a 3rd party was a vote for Hillary. A long time friend told me if I wasn't for Trump that I was for Hillary and for killing babies.....and he knew I wasn't.

 Four years later,  anyone who dares criticize and not fully support Trump are still put down and called names. Just yesterday a great conservative and good man (Tom Cotton) who is a Republican Senator was called spineless,  and Christians and conservatives are wanting to vote him out because he dared say we need to accept the election results. On the same post, another Senator who is a true conservative was also called spineless because he has dared speak out against Trump. If you aren't 100% for Trump, then his Christian and/or conservatives supporters consider you a traitor, spineless, and other lovely terms.

  In 2016, author and pastor Max Lucado came out against Trump and gave solid reasons why a Christian should not support (and maybe vote for) Trump. He was called a Pharisee......yet if he has listed the same reasons for a Democrat, he would have been cheered on.

  I am not going to list all of the reasons I oppose Trump, and why the reasons I felt I could not vote for him. That is not the point of my post. This post is how I have become disillusioned with Christianity. And again, I am not saying I am a better Christian than anyone else. In fact, I feel like I am on the edge of dismissing Christianity completely on my worst days.

  I cannot remember who said it, but back in 2016 a man made the statement that if you are a Christian and was going to vote for Trump, it should be done with weeping and sorrow, not with excitement and happiness. Yet many Christians acted like he was the best thing since sliced bread and were excited to vote for him.

 Shortly before the election, Trump supposedly became a Christian....just when he was really needing the Christian vote. Had someone running on the Democrat ticket done that, the same people believing his conversion would be very dubious that it was a genuine conversion. The man has acted very badly in the last 4 years, and most, if not all of his Christian supporters insist he is a Christian. Part of the problem is that if a politician does enough things his supporters like, they pretty much equate that with being a Christian.

 Since Trump has come on the scene, Christians have defended - or at least turned a blind eye to -  adultery, strip clubs, a man bragging about sexually assaulting women (and yes, what he said he likes to do IS sexual assault), vulgarity, arrogance, general bad behavior not befitting a president - and especially a Christian. And yet they claim he is a Christian...a baby Christian. Just how long does the baby stage last? Some claim he is the most Christian president we have ever had. 

 It is bad enough that so many Christians bypassed what they would condemn in a Democrat, but they want everyone else to do the same. Prior to this last election, several Christians were posting things claiming if you are a true Christian, you would vote for Trump. Others knocked, and pretty much mocked Christians for having issue with the way Trump acts.....even from my own church. Christians who oppose Trump have been called Pharisees, traitors, told they are not on God's side, and other similar things. It is not easy being a Christian and/or conservative who opposes and holds Trump accountable.

 I firmly believe that politics has corrupted the church and Christianity in America. The nomination and election of Donald Trump has either made it worse, or made it more obvious....or both.  The events of this week are a great example. Trump supporters broke into the Capitol and resorted to violence and destruction. A lot of Trump supporters are insisting the people are not Trump supporters. Others are defending and supporting it....yet they would condemn Democrats for the same actions.

  The Bible has a lot to say about how Christians should act and conduct themselves, yet that seems to go out the window for so many when it comes to politics.

Would a true Christian harshly criticize Democrats while trying to shut up anyone criticizing Trump?

Would a true Christian criticize a Democrat for what they defend in Trump?

Would a true Christian try to manipulate others into voting like them?

Would a true Christian try to get someone to go against their conscience?

Would a true Christian place so much faith in a politician? 

Would a true Christian be OK with and cheer on actions in Trump that they know are wrong and that they would never stoop to themselves?

Would a true Christian call someone names and knock them for believing they should not vote for Trump?

  I attend what is known as a holiness church. They are known for believing it is wrong to dress in certain ways, and for not engaging in certain activities that a lot of other churches do. They also teach and believe in sanctification, or an indwelling of the Holy Spirit as some churches call it. It is a taking out of the root of sin, and is supposed to take away what makes people lose their temper and stop them from being petty, etc. I personally stopped believing in it some years ago because of people professing it and not acting it...plus isn't Jesus enough? If a trip to the altar giving your life to Jesus doesn't cause a big enough change in you, then maybe it didn't take.

  It is difficult to explain  the whole doctrine in a simple and condensed way, but let me put it this way: a Christian who is both saved and sanctified should act differently than the person who is just saved. Yet countless people who believe that and supposedly are sanctified in the way my church believes do not act like it when it comes to politics. Don't get me wrong, any Christian shouldn't act like so many do when it comes to politics....but if you are professing something that is supposed to cause you to act differently than what those who do not possess, then why bother with it?

  This is not an exhaustive list of what gets tossed out when Christians get political, but here are some I believe do:

Love

Patience

A soft answer

Humility

Patience

Doing good to your enemies

Loving your enemies

Praying for your enemies -or those you disagree with

Don't bear false witness

Forgiving

Not putting faith in man

The whole love chapter

The fruits of the Spirit

Being peacemakers

  Can we love our neighbor as Jesus said to if we go after them because of politics?

  And yeah, I suck at some of those also, and have given back as good as I have gotten.

  Four years later, I still don't get how and why the religious right picked Donald Trump. Nor do I get why so many enthusiastically support him. If I did vote for him, it would be reluctantly and I sure wouldn't be excited about it and broadcasting that I voted for him and be proud of the fact as so many were in both elections. I have been sickened as so many Christians support and defend him no matter how badly he acts, and refuse to hold him accountable....then they try to shut up anyone who won't support or ignore his actions.

 Just today, a Facebook friend posted that a lot of Trump supporters are calling for him to start a 3rd party: The Patriot's Party. Keep in mind that Trump supporters were strongly against voting 3rd party these last 2 elections....believe me, I know. 

 Christians have become way too political, and have let politics influence how they act towards those who don't agree with them politically. I also believe being so political has hurt our witness, and hindered us from what God wants us to do. Too many people work harder to win people to their candidate and political views, than they do to win people to God and get people into church who don't attend. Politics has pretty much become an idol to many Christians, and they are either unaware of it or they just don't care. The great commission has become more about winning people to Trump than to God.

 Christianity would be better off if Democrats ruled everything and Christians suffered for their faith, then to be overtaken so much by politics that it affects how we live and how we treat people. I believe  American Christianity has become far removed from Biblical Christianity, and politics is one major factor. There have been many times in these last four years that I have found myself thinking "If this is Christianity, I am not sure I want it." And if I, a person raised in the church, a Christian school, and who had 4 years of Bible college feels that way, then how many non-Christians feel that way when they see how Christians act in regards to politics? How many people have been turned off on Christianity because of what they have seen from political Christians?

 I have related it before, but a friend of mine has 2 atheist friends who stated that after Christians supporting and defending Trump in 2016, they never wanted to hear a Christian talk about morals again. I fear politics in general, and such an extreme over the top defense and support of Trump has dealt a blow to Christianity.

 And again, I am not saying I am guiltless or any better than others....but I will say the actions and words of many Christians these past 4 years have chipped away at what I believe and shaken my faith. I would like to think that these Christians wouldn't say what they have said and acted like they acted if they knew how it has affected my faith, but I fear politics and protecting Trump takes precedence over that. Not all Trump voters and supporters are the same.. I get that. I am not trying to make a blanket statement about all Christians who voted for him. But it is sad that so few have called him out on bad actions and policies over the 4 years of his presidency.

 Last year I did something I thought I would never do: I un-registered to vote. There were a couple of reasons.

#1 I am still upset and frustrated by what was said to and about me for voting 3rd party.

#2 I am really disgusted with the Republican Party and wanted out

#3 I wearied of the idea I had to vote for a candidate because he ran on the GOP ticket and I was a Republican.

  Christians should be involved in politics, I am not saying we should not be, but too many are too involved and not only let it affect how they treat people, but it also takes up too much of their time and energy. Instead of using social media to spread the Gospel and encourage others, too many use it for politics. A political Christianity is not a Biblical Christianity. It is a shallow Christianity that is not going to change our country for good. We like to blame the Democrats for the stare of our country, for the lack of morals, for drifting so far from God and the Bible....but could it be that too many Christians are contributing to that by living a version of Christianity that is too diluted by politics and other influences.

 People love to say what Jesus would or would not do. I have no idea if He would vote, or if He would vote for either of the two main parties. I do know this: He was not political. There were a few times when the religious leaders tried to get Him to be political, and He refused. If we truly want to be like Jesus, maybe we should also avoid politics...or at least not focus on it very much.

**addition

  I was thinking along these lines today, and I had this thought: We let who is in the White House consume way too much of our time. I get being concerned about politics, and our lives are influenced by who is in the White House, but why do we let it consume us so much? Is it any wonder Christianity is dying? We are obsessed with politics. One only has to look at social media to see how true that is. 

  I believe Trump has changed conservatism and Christianity in America, and done a hard blow to both. I still cannot understand why Christians are so over the top loyal to him to the point that they accept and/or defend everything he says or does, and ignores what they would normally be against. Why do they go after anyone who dares criticize him and not 100% support him? It seems the most important thing to many Christians is to defend and support Trump. 

  It has made me want something better than this politicalized Christianity that is so prevalent. There were Christians in the past who faced lions, stoning, were burnt at the stake, and suffered in other ways for their faith.....and they stood strong, and loved their enemies who were torturing and killing them...yet today's Christians can't handle their favorite politician being criticized.

 I believe American Christianity has been shallow for a long time, but these last few years have shown just how shallow it is.