In response to the Capital riots, I saw someone post today that it was Antifa – again – and it was a “lie” that Trump supporters were involved.
What was unique to this post, completely illogical, quite simply sad, and also revealed the level of cultish deception (don’t argue with a former cult member about cults), were the statements that Trump supporters “…are not violent” and “God loving people.”
All Trump supporters?
There couldn’t be an atheist or non-religious in the lot?
Agnostic? Abuser? Convict?
No PTSD present in the population that may cause even an unintentional, triggered, response to the chaos and mayhem? I guess not for Trump supporters.
“Not violent.” “God loving.”
Allegiance to a man (With a proven record of immorality but claims he has no need for forgiveness, having never done anything wrong) and his political party apparently determines the love of God and individual actions.
What is so grievous to me is that these are people who identify as Christian – followers of Jesus – the God who took on human flesh to model a life that was so counter culture, so full of truth, a living model of the self-awareness and humility that’s needed to avoid temptation.
A life lived completely sacrificially towards the love and care of others – especially the most vulnerable and marginalized. A God whose selfless love and avoidance of coveting wealth instructed his followers if you have two coats give one away.
The ultimate example of powerlessness and vulnerability as the WAY of the Kingdom.
The very antithesis of Donald Trump – who’s modeled arrogance, privilege, sexism, racism, covetousness, supremacy, and disdain for the marginalized.
The line in the sand is getting deeper – and wider – and it’s heartbreaking.
More heartbreaking for me personally is the ability to remain silent or find common ground amidst such confusion and deception as I look in the eyes of Jesus…
As the former member of a cult that paralleled the thinking of so many followers of Donald Trump.
Their truth is THE truth. Their ways are THE way. Their man is GOD’S man, and his (Trumps’) ways are God’s ways. No room for any other possibilities. Others thoughts are WRONG.
Dualistic, simplistic, thinking, without any logical thought. No room for compromise. Compromise is sin. Wrong. Will result in communism and anarchy. Fear, control, and manipulation from the supreme leader – who is believed and defended amidst proven lies and deceptions – the trademarks of a cult – are followed without question. Isolation from the voices of others – us against them – Anything else is fake news and conspiracy. Cult.
Again – this is not all Trump supporters as I do not do not fall prey to the same dualistic, one-size- fits-all thinking like this woman did. But to the many who continue to disregard the voices of reason, the highest courts of the land, all news media except radical right, and the degradation and insurrection incited by a man whose narcissism prevents him from ever losing.
To be silent is to be complicit.
Too many evils have been done in the name of Jesus.
God’s love in my life has been too transformational to not call out darkness when it’s wrongly called Light.
The gospel images of the power hungry religious and the vulnerable crucified is playing out in living color today as it’s played out repeatedly throughout history.
Your Kingdom come, Lord.
God have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
“Now Jesus turned to address his disciples, along with the crowd that had gathered with them. “The religion scholars and Pharisees are competent teachers in God’s Law. You won’t go wrong in following their teachings on Moses. But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don’t live it. They don’t take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It’s all spit-and-polish veneer… Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty. I’ve had it with you! You’re hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God’s kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won’t let anyone else in either. You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You go halfway around the world to make a convert, but once you get him you make him into a replica of yourselves, double-damned.”
Matthew 23 MSG
A Sacred Conspiracy 