What Do Heroes Look Like?

Encourage heroics Every generation has its heroes. People who seemingly stand head and shoulders above the crowd- not because they are wealthy, or beautiful, or talented, or famous, but because they are brave.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know I love The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen. This story has been a favorite all my life because everyone in the empire, from the greatest to the least, pretended to see the King’s new clothes. They took the path of least resistance. Only a child had the good sense and the courage to say, “But the Emperor has nothing on at all!” One person who will speak the truth sometimes shoves the door open for the faint-of-heart wobbling in the wings.

What Do Heroes Look Like?

The Emperor’s New Clothes is certainly a story for such a time as this. Another is Jim Wallis’ book Christ in Crisis. I’ve known all along that Donald Trump’s policies bear no resemblance to the teachings of Jesus Christ, but shockingly, even I’ve become inured to just how ungodly this man is. To reiterate his shortcomings would overwhelm this space. But to actually see a side-by-side comparison of Jesus’ instructions versus Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign is jarring. Have we become accustomed to Christians trying to convince everyone that wrong is right and crazy is sane? Well, like the child who exposed the King, I’m standing up. I am a Christian, and I hereby declare that Donald Trump is a villain. His policies compared with Jesus’ teachings reveal that they stand in complete contradiction to each other. Now it’s time for the adults in the room to gather their courage and put on their big kid pants. It’s time to stand up to this brazen bully.

So how would we look in our grown-up clothes? Well, it could look a lot like Martin Luther King Jr’s journey. In his book Strength to Love, he says this: “Nowhere is the tragic tendency to conform more evident that in the church, an institution that has often served to crystallize, conserve, and even bless the patterns of majority opinion.” Well BOOYAH! I seem to remember His own church murdered Jesus. We’re great when we’re at our best, but God help everyone else when we gang on up the least of these- immigrants fleeing poverty and violence, the poor of our own country, our allies the Kurds (welcome to Russia, comrades!), and whoever else- in the name of Christianity. It’s enough to make a woman scream. But I’ve got other plans.

I’m no hero. I’d hoist a protest sign, but I’m afraid I would whack a Trump supporter over the head with it. (Wake up already!) I’m just angry. My church has been hijacked by a powerful political party. I’m also very cognizant of the fact that one day I will stand before the ultimate Hero and give an account of my actions in the face of evil. I may be saved by grace, but I also want to be able to say, “I did all I could.”

And I invite you to come with me. I’ll keep you posted.

October 27, 2019November 2, 2019

Seeing Jesus In Unexpected Places

Seeing Jesus as Two Trump Supporters Loved Lil ol’ Liberal Me

My two best friends from church are in their eighties. Yesterday we took a road trip to a nearby town for a day of window shopping, lunch, and just catching up.

Like the town of Pagosa Springs itself, our church is friendly, warm, and quite conservative. When we first moved here I was shocked to see Girl Scouts auctioning off guns in front of Wal-Mart. We used to just sell cookies. Trump bumper stickers abound. In the sixteen months we’ve been here, I’ve only seen one vehicle with bumper stickers I could relate to: “I want my country back” and my adopted rallying cry: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”- Edmund Burke. I wanted to find that pickup truck’s owner and just hug the stuffin’ out of them. I felt slightly less alone, way down here in the conservative corner of southwest Colorado.

Making friends at church was relatively easy, but as I spent time with these folks, I realized one thing: it was assumed that all Christians are conservative, Republican, and Trump supporters. This was new to me. After some thought and prayer, I started coming out of the closet as an unapologetic Jesus-loving liberal. Transparency is my middle name. I couldn’t let them believe I was something I am not. Also, it’s not conservatism I protest: it’s Captain Insano in the White House, and the Religious Right’s support of this decidedly non-Christian nut job.

As I revealed my lack of support for Trump, I found that almost everyone took the news in stride. And these two ladies, my shopping companions, never missed a beat. We’ve been able to get together for dinners and dominoes, studiously avoiding our differences. I am very grateful for them and their spouses.

Will Friendship Survive the Changes?

But now things are changing. With Trump becoming increasingly unhinged, the time has come for action. Fortunately, a friend pointed me in the direction of the Red Letter Christians. The red letters are a reference to the ink used to highlight the actual words of Jesus in many versions of the Holy Bible. Red Letter Christians, founded by Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne, take the instructions of Christ quite literally and endeavor to carry out His commands. Since the policies of Donald Trump run almost completely contrary to the teachings of our Savior, I believe I have found a way to protest the hijacking of our faith. I am planning a Bible study of the Gospels, designed to draw attention away from Trump and towards Jesus. Simultaneously, I will be working towards launching a Red Letter Christians ministry here in our town.

Even though this decision comes after months of prayer, I was nervous about telling these friends. After all, I’m taking up arms against their side. This will be in the local paper. The church leadership may not appreciate my direction. While I have no doubt that I’m doing the right thing, I can’t bear to bring pain to these precious ladies who love me in spite of my leanings. I just had to tell them before they found out from someone else.

Friends

Mustering my meager courage, I poured it all out over lunch. I needn’t have worried. Despite our differences, these women are the real thing. They love like Jesus loved. When I told them that one person-only one- in our church reacted cruelly when I went public with my convictions, one of these ladies cried and the other narrowed her eyes in a terrifying manner. I could almost see the smoke coming out of her ears. She was ready to set the offender straight in short order, even though she agrees with them politically. Nobody was going to hurt her friend and get away with it. There is no way I will ever reveal the offender’s name, because this person wouldn’t live to see the morning. But for those moments, I felt loved by friends for the first time since we moved here over a year ago. And boy, did that feel good.

So here’s what I’ve been asking myself: Am I that good of a friend? Would I take up arms against someone who shares my own belief system in defense of a Trump supporter? Do I love as well as these women love?

Would I love as Jesus loves?

I’d like to say “yes,” and I believe I would. But it’s been a long time since I really saw Jesus, and yesterday I saw Him in two Trump supporters on behalf of this liberal. There may be hope for us all yet.

October 17, 2019November 2, 2019

The Price of Gullibility

Is Gullibility A Good Excuse for Following Trump?

I am as gullible as the day is long.

In the sixth grade, Pam Snivens convinced me (quite easily, I might add) to lick the wand that came out of the rubber cement jar. Our art project almost completed, she said all we needed to do was affix the construction paper to the poster board, but there was too much glue on the brush.

“It’s going to make a mess. You’re supposed to lick the extra off the wand.”

So I did.

I gagged, she laughed, and my face burned in embarrassment. Spitting the yucky stuff into the trash, it didn’t even occur to me to turn her in to the teacher for pranking me.

I felt it was my fault for being such a dolt.

How Do We React When We’ve Been Misled?

Feeling shame when someone has fooled us seems to be a universal response. That doesn’t really make sense though, does it? Especially not the first time. When we are misled or just plain lied to by people we trust, that’s on them. Now if we are dumb enough to fall for it again, that’s on us.

Millions of Evangelicals have been duped by the leaders of the Religious Right- most notably Franklin Graham (which is an absolute tragedy), as well as Fox News. I give everyday folks the benefit of a doubt, since these leaders used to have credibility. Graham’s father Billy Graham was a man of unquestionable integrity.

Fox News has veered further and further Right for years. However, it has become a mouthpiece for Trump and the RR political machine. In a stunning development this week, their anchor Shepard Smith resigned. Smith, who repeatedly called Trump out on the air, apparently exercised some integrity.

I salute him. We all should.

Now the time has come for those who bought into the promises made, and Scriptures inaccurately claimed, to take stock. Being a gullible gal, I can understand why they bought in. But honestly, if I had read the label on the glue jar, I wouldn’t have licked the wand.

If they had followed the teachings of Jesus, would we be in this mess?

Fortunately, I spit the messy mouthful into the garbage and learned at least one lesson. Thank God we can do an about-face with His help. Hopefully our country will eventually recover. The church, I honestly don’t know. I don’t see how. But God is still in control. May He have mercy on us all.

October 13, 2019September 13, 2020

King Cyrus and the War of the Worlds

Debunking the Trump Cyrus Prophecy

Why on Earth does the Religious Right cling so desperately to Donald Trump’s presidency?

One answer has to do with a supposed Biblical prophecy that Trump has come to fulfill, involving King Cyrus of Old Testament fame. Better writers than I have documented all the Scripture references, so let me give you a thumbnail sketch and a link at the bottom where you can find more information.

Cyrus the Great was a Persian king, foretold by the prophet Isaiah and used by God following the conquest of the Babylonians around 539 BC. Forty-seven years earlier, in 586 B.C., the Babylonians had conquered Jerusalem. The Jewish population had either died or been forced into exile. Now along comes Cyrus and conquers the conquerors. It should be noted that Persian kings didn’t handle their captives the same way the Babylonians did. Instead of scattering their conquests, the Persians generally worked with their captives to rebuild what had been destroyed during the campaign. They also allowed them to continue their own religious practices. Long story short, God used Cyrus, a man from a people who did not worship Yahweh, to accomplish His purposes by returning the Jewish people to Jerusalem and promising to help rebuild their temple.

This guy Cyrus was the real deal. He may not have been one of the chosen people, but he and his mission were foretold, chronicled, and remembered as a time when God used a non-believer as a vessel to accomplish His purposes.

Meanwhile, Here In The Present…

2557 years later, in a completely unrelated event, Donald Trump moved the American Embassy from its long-time location in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a political gesture prompted by the American political right as a message of solidarity with Israel. Needless to say, the Israelis were overjoyed that America recognized Jerusalem as their capital.

So overjoyed, in fact, that Benjamin Netanyahu, the president of Israel, said this:

“We remember the proclamation of King Cyrus the Great–Persian King. Twenty-five hundred years ago, he proclaimed the Jewish exiles in Babylon can come back and rebuild our temple in Jerusalem….Mr. President, this will be remembered by our people throughout the ages.”

Now there are a number of differences between King Cyrus’s situation and Donald Trump’s, the most notable being this:

Cyrus the Great’s purpose was declared by God and foretold by the prophet Isaiah. Trump’s action was political, not declared by God or foretold by a Biblical prophet. You would think this would have been the end of it. It should have been the end of it. Sadly, it was not.

The Aliens Have Landed

Remember the story of the “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast?

Orson Welles narrated and directed an adaptation of HG Well’s novel War of the Worlds as a live Halloween broadcast on October 30, 1938. While some came in late on the disclaimer, others just didn’t put two and two together. Their regularly scheduled programming was increasingly interrupted by a series of news bulletins. Martians had landed in Grover’s Mill, New Jersey, and were blasting humans with heat rays. The situation worsened to the point where poisonous smoke was floating over New York City, and the military was powerless to stop it.

Widespread, national panic ensued. It wasn’t a real attack, but it scared the living daylights out of much of the nation.

There Were No Aliens, and There Is No Prophecy

It’s funny how things get going like that. I submit that the same mob mentality has morphed one political move and Netanyahu’s grateful response into a massive religious lie. Starting with a book written about Trump’s faith, it snowballed into a cultural phenomenon involving every possible means of communication available to red-blooded Americans. Many people, including people I know, swear by it. That’s why they ignore, gloss-over, or attempt to explain away actions by the President that clearly are not ordained from above. Like perpetrating genocide upon our Kurdish allies, or obstruction of justice, or treason. You don’t mess with vessel, right? And they believe Donald Trump is a vessel used by God.

I believe that the Cyrus Prophecy over Donald Trump is a mass-hysterical reaction to a fictitious assumption, just like the panic over War of the Worlds. It’s just that everyone back then was hoping and praying it wasn’t real.

The bottom line, folks, is that any prophecy spoken or written over Donald Trump isn’t Biblical. That frees us all up to let it go and see him for who he truly is. You won’t be messing with the vessel. But you could be saving the world.

This article was published online by Red Letter Christians.Org.

For a balanced, informative book on the political movement known as the Religious Right, written by one of their own, read The Immoral Majority by Ben Howe.

October 7, 2019November 2, 2019

Murdering the Kurds

What Trump’s buddies have to say in response to Donald murdering the Kurds:

“…it would increase the risk that ISIS and other terrorist groups regroup.” Senate Majority Leader, Republican Mitch McConnell

“If we abandon them, good luck getting anybody to help America in the future with radical Islam, Al Qaeda, and ISIS.” Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican Senator from South Carolina

“Leaving them to die is a big mistake.”– Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley

Trump deserts the Kurds

Trump Commits Genocide

Today, Donald Trump declared that he’s pulling our troops out of northern Syria, where we’ve been working with and supporting the Kurds in our mutual fight against ISIS and other terrorist organizations. The Kurds have been our steadfast allies, and have died by the thousands beside us in this fight. Trump’s decision to abandon them ensures their mass annihilation in short order.

What defense can he possibly offer when even his supporters and his protectors question this move?

This is really too unbelievable to be true, but here is what he actually tweeted today. I am not kidding:

The President Is Insane

“…if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off-limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey.”

And he absolutely believes it.

And do you know why?

Because Evangelical leaders have assured him that he has been chosen by God. They didn’t have to tell him twice, and he shared this good news with the rest of us on August 24, 2019:

In the midst of answering a question about the ongoing trade war with China, President Donald Trump turned from reporters, looked to heavens and proclaimed, “I am the chosen one.”

Evangelicals Refuse to Speak Up

If you’ve been reading my Facebook posts, it may not seem that I’ve been kind and understanding towards Christians who support Trump. You may not believe me if I say I’ve tried. Many of the people I love have bought into the Religious Right’s blockbuster movement, complete with fabricated Biblical prophecies comparing Donald Trump and King Cyrus. My next blog post will debunk this farce, which is actually easily done.

To those I love who are angered by this message, I’m sorry. I have to choose between standing up for what is right and making sure people like me. I don’t love calling people out, but folks, we’re talking about murder now. It’s not just treason, obstruction of justice, lying, or any of those petty offenses. It’s genocide.

One short year ago, on September 28, 2018 Trump said this of the Kurds:

“They fought with us, and they died with us…they’re great people. And we don’t forget- I don’t forget.” in reference to our continued protective presence with them in Syria.

So why? Why now? What thirty pieces of silver was he offered for this heinous act?

Well, this proclamation came on the heels of a phone conversation with the President of Turkey. What could this man have possibly offered Trump to have him serve up our allies on a platter? Or what does he have on our President that would induce him to commit genocide?

Folks, you have been lied to. I know it’s going to be embarrassing and hard to change your thinking about this man, but I beg you: please get your heads out of the sand and start using the brains the real God gave you.

And for Jesus’ sake, stand up for what’s really right. Americans don’t throw their allies to the wolves. Christians take care of their friends, by direct command from our real leader.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for his friends.”– Jesus Christ, John 15: 13 NIV

Let’s follow Him instead.

September 30, 2019November 2, 2019

Pro Trump Versus Pro Sanity

Can Pro-Trump and Pro-Sanity Forces Work Together?

Last week my biggest ethical concern was deciding whether or not to leave our church because the leaders are Trump supporters. I feared that, as we moved closer to next year’s presidential election, support for the incumbent as well the Right’s political platform would spill out around the edges. I figured it would be easier to leave now, even though I really like the church and the people.

Last week, the problem with that scenario was the fact that my husband has a vibrant ministry that is changing the lives of some young people. It would be selfish in the extreme to remove him just because I’m fearful.

That was last week. This week, things got so much worse.

Trump Caught Red-Handed

Folks, (especially you on the right), please understand this one thing. The fact that the Donald finally got caught red-handed breaking the law is NOT good news for any of us. Of course we on the left would love to see him leave office. He’s awful. But there is nothing good about impeachment for anyone. This is not good for the country. As hard as it is, I will refrain (at this time) from reminding everyone how poorly he is reacting to this development. Frankly, I don’t believe either side is surprised.

A Change in the Status Quo

So now we have bigger problems than disagreeing on doctrine. Of course that is still an issue. But Donald isn’t going to go without a fight, and I would not put it past him to stage a violent coup. Both sides need to work together to figure out how we’re going to help our country survive this. I understand the Right is entitled to their belief system, as are we; if and when the dust settles, hopefully we can all find the group we should belong to. But for now, I’m going to try to moderate my remarks with less anger and more understanding. I’ll share this post with the leadership of my church and hope we can share a vision for peaceful coexistence.

And may God help us. We are most certainly going to need it.

September 29, 2019September 13, 2020

Anger Thwarts Non-Violent Resistance

Anger and Hurt Thwart Non-Violent Resistance

This morning I had a vision of how hurt and anger go hand-in-hand. Anger is the shield that circles the wagons around a broken heart; when we hold the offender at bay, we believe they cannot hurt us anymore. What we fail to realize is that the shield also keeps healing at bay. Like a broken axle in a muddy ditch, our wagon’s just plain stuck until we let down our guard and work to forgive.

In this past summer of 2019, two and a half years into Trump’s reign, I discerned that his strongest supporters, my family of faith, were not going to change their minds or their support of him, no matter what he does. And that being said, I realized I may have to leave the family. He’s a megalomaniac and a liar. Joining the effort to remove him from office doesn’t trouble me; leaving the family just kills me. I find myself wondering: is it okay to stay in a church if neither side brings up politics? If I don’t stand up for a solution, does that make me part of the problem?

The Strength to Love

One of the books I’m reading now is a collection of sermons by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. entitled Strength to Love. In the foreward, his widow Coretta says, “Noncooperation and nonviolent resistance were means of stirring and awakening moral truths in one’s opponents, of evoking the humanity that, Martin believed, existed in each of us.” ¹ Anger is not nonviolent. On the contrary, Jesus commanded Peter to “put your sword away!” ² as the authorities came to arrest Him in the garden. Even when anger is not accompanied by physical violence, it strikes fear into the heart of its target.

“In your anger do not sin.”- Ephesians: 4:26. The next step I need to take in my journey of resistance is learning to speak up without terrorizing others.

¹ Strength to Love by Martin Luther King Jr., Fortress Press, 2010

² John 18:11 NIV

September 22, 2019November 2, 2019

Why Resist?

Why Should Evangelicals Resist the Pro-Trump Church?

As a child, I heard Hans Christian Andersen’s fable, The Emperor’s New Clothes. This particular ruler was quite the dandy- fond of fancy outfits as well as admiring his own sense of style. Along came two charlatans portraying themselves as weavers of excellent garments, and playing to the emperor’s vanity, they promise him a new set of fine clothes. “Only the wisest in your court will be able to see your new outfit,” they promise- thereby giving His Majesty the ability to weed out the foolish and those unfit for their offices. Finally the suit is ready, and the Emperor parades his new “clothes” before his subjects. No one says a word, lest they be thought stupid. It took a child to cry out the truth: “But he isn’t wearing any clothes at all!”

This story has stuck with me for over half a century, and I’ve seen the scenario played out again and again. Never, though, have I seen our national security threatened and the Evangelical Christian Church played for a fool. I identify with the child who outed the Emperor, although this case is far more complex than a simple idiot parading around naked. The players are Donald Trump, the political machine known as the Religious Right, and the leaders of the Republican Party. Together they have woven a movement that many people, including friends of mine, support wholeheartedly. If this had nothing to do with religion, it would just go on to be another footnote in American history. But more about our contemporary emperor…

Comparing Trump’s Platform to Jesus’ Teachings

This forum seeks to expose the lie that Donald Trump’s platform has anything whatsoever to do with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Aside from the abortion issue, there is very little connection. But there are powerful forces at work here, and for the life of me, I see no Jesus anywhere. If it’s just politics, folks, don’t call it Christianity. I’m not the only child calling out in the crowd, but many others have too much at stake to take a stand. They may still be raising children, supporting their families, or otherwise unable to risk being ostracized.

So why am I speaking up? After all, I’m white and Christian. Not to mention a woman. I have nothing to gain from poking this bear with a stick, and truth be told, I am no threat to them.

Leave the Church or Stay and Fight?

Because this powerful political movement is using my Savior’s name, Jesus Christ, to justify an agenda that runs almost completely contrary to the teachings of the Son of God as they are written in the Gospels. Thousands of Evangelicals are just leaving the church without a word. I may go, but I am not going quietly.

So please bear with me as I construct this site. If you disagree with me, I completely understand. Also, I have no quarrel with non-Christians: they are not subject to Biblical standards, nor would I suggest they review the Gospels to refresh their memories. I will attempt to illuminate the flaws in “Christian Nationalism” and I’m afraid I must insist we treat all of our citizens equally. I also insist we care for the desperate like the Good Samaritan cared for his enemy, a man beaten and left for dead. Call me crazy.

Or call me a Christian.