Out of alignment

When Christianity isn't Christ-like

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Americanized Christianity has officially lost me.

It wasn’t overnight. I tried holding on as long as I could, but the recent exposure of Christians turning against what I consider Christ-like values finally did me in.

When the Rev. Mariann Budde asked President Trump to find mercy and compassion in his heart for the marginalized and scared in our society, the looks on his and VP J.D. Vance faces said it all. You could see their disgust immediately. Many Christians rose to their defense, saying things like “This wasn’t the proper time or place for her to say that.” Seriously? It was a church service! When would be the “proper” time and/or place to ask the leader of our country to find mercy and grace in his heart? Shouldn’t we all strive for that?

President Trump demanded that Rev. Budde apologize. She didn’t, of course. “I don't feel there's a need to apologize for a request for mercy,” she said. Trump accused her of being a “phony Christian” and he tweeted that “She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart." Typical Trump - always calling people names when they don’t agree with him. Verrrry Christ-like, right? If you didn’t see her homily, here is a clip. You can decide for yourself if she was “nasty in tone”. I certainly don’t hear it.

And this is “God’s chosen one” according to many American Christians. The same Christians that want their religious beliefs brought into the “world of politics” but I guess not Rev. Budde’s? I mean, it’s a bit confusing, because Rev. Budde is an Episcopal bishop, which is Christian. It’s so weird that other Christians didn’t seem to relate to the attributes that Christ himself spelled out for us to have.

One Republican congressman even said that the American-born Budde should be "added to the deportation list."

Then in a recent interview with Joe Hogan, Trump’s right-hand man, Elon Musk said that “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.” So now empathy is a bad thing? I’m sorry, but… what???

I agree with German and American historian and philosopher, Hannah Arendt in her quote above. When we lose empathy for others, especially those who are less fortunate that ourselves, we will fall into a culture of barbarism. Everyone out for themselves.

Too many Americans have become hardened to the plight of others, and more concerned for their own well-being. This is not Christ-like. We are to care for “the least of these”. And the beautiful fruits of the spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control - have all seemingly become signs of weakness to many American Christians. They have become obsessed with war-like attributes instead of peace-making gentleness. Jesus would be horrified. I believe that with all of my being.