Speaking Out

He Seems to Me an Anti-Christ.

The following is something I wrote a few weeks ago, right after the news broke about Donald Trump’s, “I grab them by the pussy” comments on a hot mike. The momentum of the outrage has since subsided and the talk is now more about this horrible election cycle coming to an end, Standing Rock, the Cubs winning the World Series, and cute Halloween costumes.I have since heard many church going, bible believing Christians say they are voting 3rd party or for the Democratic ticket because voting for Trump goes against everything they know about love, faith, trust in God, and community. However, the thoughts I wrote weeks ago are still relevant to me and feel important for me to express.  Yesterday I saw one adult woman verbally abuse her sister online while using the evangelical position and bible as her rational for cruel shaming. I live in an area with crowded with Trump signs and evangelical bumper stickers. I spoke with my Dad over an uncle I’d distanced myself from because with the same lips he spews vitriol towards women, justifies sexual assault, and encourages I use my baptism name instead of my given name because it’s more “Christian.” Gratefully, my Dad understands and he validated my concern over why men like that don’t feel safe to be around but I think he’s in the minority. The general attitude is, “get over it. Trump is better than her.” 

Dear Church-going Republicans Voting For Trump,

I still hear your voices in my head: Sunday School teachers, deacons, choir directors, family, pastors, friends. Love one another. Love your neighbor. Be kind. Be in the world but not of the world. Go against the culture—this is not your home. God is in control always—bigger than the government or the elections or any trial or tribulation. Marriage is sacred—even after infidelity. Forgive. Measure your skirt length for modesty. Don’t tempt men. Don’t have sex outside of marriage. Don’t watch R rated movies or associate with crude people. Be a person of your word. Make sure your word means something. Manners matter. Pursue godly leaders. “You are the light of the world.”

And now you are protecting a sexual predator.

I used to think church was a safe place, protected from sexual predators and the objectification of women. This largely in part because so much time and attention was given to defining what righteousness looks like. Anything or anyone not adhering to the standard was cast out, right? I saw girls reprimanded when their skirts were too short or their clothing was too tight. I saw boys denigrated for having hair that was too long. Posture was important, tucking in shirts, having a pure countenance— this was all part of setting a good example. We were encouraged to stand out at school—carry our bibles and pray at the flagpole. Refuse to participate in any kind of cultural fun—proms, dances, jokes, the “in” crowd. Be in the world and not of it.

I know you from the inside out. I know this with hymns still memorized in my head. I know this from crackers and koolaid in the nursery, through high school bible clubs, through my virginal wedding, to the baptisms of my children. I’m From You.

I’ve known what you stood for longer than I’ve known Who I Am.

When I left, like many others have, I left your rules in pursuit of love—God had become so small and boxy, so clearly defined and so disconnected from creation. I’d become so set apart that I could no longer function in the world around me. I now attend a church with an ancient tradition, an emphasis on listening and serving, and a willingness to embrace mystery. We don’t drill things down verse by verse to the most right answer and I like that. God is bigger than we can explain. I’ve become a better friend and listener, more open minded towards people who aren’t just like me, and I’m closer to the healthy person I know the creator would want me to be.

Even though I no longer agreed with an evangelical right wing position, I thought I was the one who changed.

But it seems now it’s okay for you to Hate. “Love your neighbor” means everyone except a few kinds of people and especially one in particular. Love your neighbor unless her name is Hilary Clinton. Then it’s okay to hate. You vilify this She-Devil so thoroughly that hating her becomes the justification for something else: an excuse for Donald Trump.

Donald Trump is your chosen candidate to lead the country you used to call the City on a Hill. Your new standard-bearer has absolutely no political experience and a very complicated business resume but you believe this man will protect the unborn, make America wealthy again, stock the supreme court full of conservative judges, and protect American interests into the coming generation. He won’t follow a teleprompter but many have said he will appoint wise advisors. Most importantly, he will beat the She-Devil into extinction.

He’s where you’ve placed your hope. Even for those who don’t like him, they hate her more. Hate is now justifiable. Forget any righteous indignation over the reasons why; her face, form, clothing, voice and very being is enough to create recoil and he’s the antidote for your vitriol.

Donald Trump didn’t just happen to your party. He isn’t some Caesar you’ve been told to render something to; he’s the majority of the GOP’s chosen one.

Here’s the thing: once you endorsed his behavior by refusing to hold him accountable, you rendered yourselves and your cause irrelevant. If church isn’t safe from sexual predators then who should go? Remember when the Catholics protected the predatory priests? Remember the Baptists who protected Bob Gray, Darrell Gilyard, and a host of others? They sheltered sexual predators because they refused to reject men who violated the bodies of others. They did it because they felt their end goal justified whatever means it took to get there. You are doing it now by voting for Donald Trump.

Which means, you don’t stand for anything. You stand against someone upon a foundation of hatred. God isn’t in control—that’s only true if your candidate wins. Manners don’t matter and neither do standards—as long as your candidate opposes Hilary, he’s fine. Or, maybe not fine—but if he apologizes and goes a few days between running his mouth again then he’s fine enough to buy some time so someone can assemble a bunch of more accusations and quotes taken out of context to remind the world of the She-Devil on the other side. Enough time to deflect blame towards the culture, the media— You aren’t really going to hold him accountable as long as she’s his opponent.

You’re choosing him on purpose. Politics aside, in so doing, you are sending the message that sexual assault behavior is okay. Someone can live that way and still be elected to the highest office in our land and will do so with your help. You’re in the world and of the world so much now that ironically, it’s the non-religious community that cries out against this danger more. At least at work, Donald Trump would be fired.

Here’s the sad end to those twisted means:

Women and children are safer outside the church than in it.

The sheep have chosen the wolf over their shepherd.

 

Recommended reading for anyone who takes a child to church:

Tim Gilmore- Devil in the Baptist Church

Author Tim Gilmore reading from his book, “The Devil in the Baptist Church.”

* Featured Image on the front page for this post is from  Daniel 7:8, about the beast known as the AntiChrist- “I considered the horns….and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking boastful, arrogant things.”

2 Comments

  1. Scot Glover

    November 4, 2016 at 11:10 pm

    Bingo! Amazing!
    I thought about the idea of going back in time 25 or even 10 years and telling people at my childhood church they would be emphatically encouraging – nay – shaming me into voting for Donald Trump. The idea of him running for president world have gotten questions such as, “Who’s his running mate? Hugh Hefner?” I would have been called crazy for telling them they’d vote for him. However, here we are. I’m being called crazy for not voting for him. They latched into the idea that only He could beat Her. They bought into a lie that has blinded them to logic. Pride and arrogance are their shield and buckler. It reminded of the apocalyptic profecy of a strong delusion to believe a lie and the proverb of pride going before destruction and arrogance before a fall.

    1. Scot Glover

      November 4, 2016 at 11:28 pm

      “I thought I was the one who changed.” You pulled that right out of my head.

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