Donald Trump Jr. said something in a radio interview in early October, which was beyond belief.
In listing a series of the administration’s accomplishments, Trump Jr. asserted that his father “literally saved Christianity.”
He continued, “There is a full out war on faith in this country by the other side. The Democratic Party, the far left, has become the party of the ‘atheists,’ and they want to attack Christianity … they want to close churches all over the country.”
In the narrative from the current “first family,” President Trump saved the Christian church in the United States. Donald Trump “literally saved Christianity”!
Really?! Every serious believer should see the blasphemy in this statement.
Every serious believer should stop and reevaluate how they think of Trump and his administration and the false prophets who fill his head with such notions. I must say, this sounds more like worship than about any other thing.
My mind goes back to the days of John and his letters to the seven churches where some of the believers were suffering deeply for their obedience. What was the cause of their suffering? It was a Roman culture of worshipping Caesar as Lord instead of worshipping Jesus as Lord.
Donald J. Trump seems to have aspired to that lofty place, and I would question whether this statement and those who support this perception of Trump crosses a line to worship.
Attending his rallies, wearing his MAGA hats and sporting bumper stickers and yard signs is not a problem. Voting for the president is not a problem. These are fundamental rights protected in our constitutional democracy.
However, the trend of minimizing Trump’s serious errors, misstatements and drive to burrow into the nation’s fear and insecurities is troubling. His actions appear as that of a man who aspired to more than just being a president, and, frankly, such blind obedience, begins to appear as a cult.
His constant dismissal of the press because they do not reflect his reality – except for Fox News; although, even they have come under his ire at times – adds fuel to the fire.
Where we are today (according to Trump) is that Americans should only believe Trump, his family and select Fox News Network programs and commentators. Everything else is “fake news.”
This is a textbook case of authoritarianism that borders on “brainwashing.” Trump wants you to believe he alone has the answers, that he alone can guide us through this time, that he alone is the superior “deal maker” and that he alone can be depended on for accurate information about what is really going on.
This should be for every Christian a warning flag. I will be frank, “Such devotion is worship.”
Trump wants you to bow to his reality. He wants you to believe only he can steer us through these troublesome times; that he alone has the answers because no one else does.
The president wants you to believe his superior wisdom and “gut,” often disregarding the input of experts, senses the way forward. Tragically, in his narrative, he is always right.
Christians of every stripe should be concerned. This is approaching aspirations to Deity and should be rejected no matter the political party with which a leader is affiliated.
Can you see the problem with that? If you cannot not, that is a problem!
Wash your hands, wear your masks for others, mind the gap and be kind.
A private practice counselor working with veterans and survivors of trauma. Previously, Chancellor served four churches in Texas for 33 years, then ran a Mental Health Department of Alan B. Polunsky Maximum Security prison which houses death row.
