I think we all need to go back to Sunday school for a few minutes to re-learn our Bible lessons – and manners. This is for all of you evangelical (or other Christian-affiliated) Trump voters. A lot of people have a bone to pick with you right now, so to speak. Many Trump critics are hurting for valid reasons, and many others are enraged with more or less invalid (or at least incorrect) opinions.
Let’s take a minute to reflect on what Christ would do in this situation.
Let me begin by saying I completely understand where you are coming from if you are afraid for your own and your loved ones’ lives because of the terror we have experienced throughout our history from racially, religiously or politically motivated wars and crimes. But listen here: that still does NOT give you the right to hate your neighbor. (And I’m not talking about the ones who live next door.)
How would Christ approach this situation?
I’m guessing the last time you opened your Bible, those verses about the Samaritan woman at the well were still in there. If you find it easy to excuse that (and many other examples during the life of Jesus) due to their non-violent nature, perhaps, then I have another example for you.
How about that time when, you know, those guys decided Jesus – the person with a different religion, darker skin color, and radical ideas – should be miserably beaten and then publically executed in the most horrific way they knew how?
I’m sure you can recall that one. Do you remember Jesus’ response? Was it to run to another country, raise up an army, or make a decree to banish them from His land? No. It wasn’t.
He said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This understanding and empathetic response should be the example Christians follow.
Consider that when you want to remove immigrant children and families, and even grown men from our country. Consider that when you see cruel posts about how you must be racist, sexist, homo-phobic and so on. Consider that when you think of all the injustices going on against you through affirmative action or minority-only scholarships. Consider how you would feel had the election results been reversed, meaning that your freedom suddenly seemed stolen, and people around you might attack you for the way you look or for something else you cannot control.
And think about the way that Jesus might have responded.