Christian, What Your Continued Support Of Trump Is Screaming To The World

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Perhaps it’s not your intention—that is, the true message your continued support of President Donald Trump is sending to the world. In your mind, you’ve been innocently choosing between lesser evils, seemingly caught in a no-win conundrum. Initially, your vote for Trump to become President was birthed with an underlying hope that he would shed his campaign antics and mature into a more solid presidential leader that supports your values with integrity and poise. Yet, despite consistent clear evidence to the contrary, as neither his character nor his leadership competencies have improved whatsoever, still to this day he retains your allegiance. Twittering like a middle schooler, bullying his disagreers, lying blatantly, harboring serious duplicity, and exuding strong levels of narcissism and greed still don’t seem to phase you the least. In all the ways that Trump and Jesus clearly and undeniably don’t mix, your continued loyalty is sending a deafening, disturbing, and revealing litany of messages to the world that you may not fully realize.

Whether it’s your desire or not, with every ounce of continued support you garner for this President, you are trumpeting these sure declarations to the world about you and your brand of Christian faith.

“We Seriously Lack Discernment and Spiritual Maturity”- As much as your creed declares to know and have the Spirit, perhaps you’ve somehow triggered the “turn off” valve. For either your capacity for spiritual discernment is all but nonexistent, or you’re taking every opportunity to turn a blind eye—the epitome of immaturity. From “pussy grabbing” to denying healthcare to millions. From blatantly racist comments to trash-talking his perceived enemies. From lusting after his own daughter, to having multiple failed marriages. From the temper tantrums of Spicer to the “not sucking my own cock” of Scaramucci. The undeniable ever growing list of immoral and inconsistent red flags and sounded alarms is staggering with this President, especially when compared to your corresponding silence and excuses. With every pass you grant to Trump’s ungodliness, you reek of your lack of ability to put spiritual eyes onto the President in front of you and have the maturity to confront reality. Perhaps, so seduced by a conservative right-wing Evangelical ideology, it’s as if you’re convinced that denial, rationalization, and double standards are now spiritual gifts that can be excused as necessary evils to the furthering of your mission. Whatever your conclusions may be, this is not spiritual maturity nor discernment, it’s joining forces with the darkness—the sure message your continued support of President Trump is screaming to the world.

“For Us, It May Be About Our Faith, But It’s Certainly Not About Jesus”- As innocent and benign as your intentions may be, the days are surely over when one can support President Trump and still yet claim their brand of faith is founded and centered on Jesus—period. A house divided cannot stand nor manifest spiritual integrity. With all due respect, to praise Trump and Jesus at the same time is to declare to the world your faith has little to do with Him—Jesus. Directly or indirectly as you continue to support President Trump, you join forces to nationalize conservative Evangelical Christianity, further white privilege, condemn the LGBTQIA community, turn a deaf ear to sexism and racism, belittle minorities, demonize perceived enemies, and foster xenophobia—telling the world everything they need to know. If it was ever about Jesus for your brand of Christian faith, it certainly isn’t now. For Jesus has never and would never condone such bigotry, hatred, self-centeredness, imperialism, condemnation, elitism, and discrimination—in fact, He died at the hands of such things in order to put an end to such things. Keep on lifting your hands in worship, building more buildings with crosses on top, sending missionaries across the globe, and declaring your solidarity with the Bible—the world isn’t buying it one bit, but rather hearing the sure message screaming from your continued support of President Trump, “For us, it may be about a lot of things, but it’s certainly not about Jesus.”

“Our Gospel Bottom Lines On Personal Power and Privilege”- Perhaps you are truly unaware or blinded to the moment, but while Jesus is washing feet, your continued support of President Trump intimately connects you with those licking their chops to step on them—especially if that’s what it takes to move the conservative Evangelical machine forward. With assumptions as sickening as those that equate unchristian immorality as being connected to a person’s tendencies to need healthcare, nothing is more clear than right wing religious conservatism’s desire for power and privilege. The underlying diabolical promise that your support of Trump declares is that if you think, believe, and act the way we do, you’ll be blessed above and have power over others. Don’t be fooled or live in denial, “Make America Great Again” was first born in the incubator of your faith understanding which has reduced Jesus down to a personal white republican gun-carrying Savior whose chief desire and calling upon your life is to make you great and give you a great life, no matter the expense to others. Sadly, while perhaps your gospel is great news for you and those who conform and fit the mold, it’s terrible news for all others, particularly those your brand of faith deems to be the enemy. Just ask Muslims, minorities, women, immigrants, and the LGBTQIA community. The message your continued support of President Trump is screaming to the world is that you’re completely at peace with using Jesus as the hood ornament of your conservative Evangelical world bulldozer, fueled by your ultimate desire for personal power and privilege.

“Our Brand Of Christianity Is A Scheme Not A Dream”- For let’s be honest, no dream remains a dream the moment it must take advantage, condemn, discriminate, or harm another in order to see its fruition. No matter how spiritual and noble your brand of faith postures itself, your continued support of Trump engrafts you to a political and religious scheme pimped as the American dream—eroding it all into one big nightmare. For how many people must suffer condemnation, discrimination, marginalization, and even death as a result of your brand of faith’s efforts to survive and prosper? How can denying millions of people healthcare be in concert with the dream of Jesus for their lives? How does your continued support of Trump serve to feed the hungry, heal the sick, foster true equality, uplift the downtrodden, give shelter to the homeless, love the enemy, extend mercy, bless the meek, empower the minorities, and rescue the least of these? How does your continued lifting up of Trump as a God-appointed leader inspire future generations towards the ways of Jesus? The truth is, it doesn’t, none of it—for it’s all one great big scheme. It’s always been about you, moving your faith ideology forward at all costs, but yours—that’s the message your continued support of President Trump is screaming to the world.

“We Have Become Inhumane People At Best, And We’re Basically O.K. With It”- Perhaps this is the message heard round the world the clearest. In every way you should be leading the way, you are desperately falling behind. Instead of holding up love as the highest of priorities, it’s violently thrown to the ground and deemed an accessory at best. Instead of looking for every way to live at peace, you’re always searching for an enemy to conquer—contriving them into existence when a real one can’t be found. Instead of extending the table of hospitality, tolerance, freedom, grace, and true equality, you’re insistent on building walls to protect and prosper your privilege. If it wasn’t for your ultimate benefit, prosperity, or greedy fulfillment, so much of what we as a country and people do for the world you would have ceasing to exist—for you’re always looking out for number one—you. At the end of the day, it’s all about protecting your way of living, believing, and doing, even at the expense of Jesus and your fellow human. For apparently, Trump is merely a manifestation of your true creed, character, and aspirations—what else are we all to believe when the one message we never hear is that of you renouncing him? At the end of the day your continued support of President Trump screams a clear message to all the world, “We don’t give a sh*t, call us inhumane, evil, or whatever you want, this is our faith and this is our nation—like it or leave it.”

Whether it’s your desire or not, with every moment of your continued support for this President, you’re blasting these sure declarations to the world about you and your brand of Christian faith.

Perhaps, now would be a good time to listen to the echoes—asking yourself a simple question, “who or what do I truly serve?”

Jesus and the world surely know the truth.

The questions is—for you, does it even matter?

As it stands today, your silence, excuses, and continued support of President Trump tell us all the answer—apparently not.

Grace is brave. Be brave.

95 Comments

  1. Katherine

    Awesome! I totally agree.

    • ckratzer

      Thanks Katherine!

  2. Paul Perkins

    Socialism is a much bigger problem then Trump, Most of us who voted for him were voting against democratic socialism, and that has not changed. Trump may be all the things you believe and what the media espouses ( I think not all is true), but the bottom line is still that if we can’t stop socialism in this country, we will lose our “Republic”, probably in the very near future. the loss of the “Republic” form of government means the end of the biggest source of hope for all humanity, and for me, I am willing to go with what we have, at least for this term. What solution did you have in mind to “save” America?

    • John N

      Paul Perkins, you have stated what you voted against with DT. But what did you vote FOR. Gordon Gecko brand me-first second and last capitalism? Did Jesus preach I got mine screw you? Love your neighbor only if they are in the same social class as you?

      What is going to remain of this country when the uber-rich effectively own everything? Too much of everything isn’t even enough for those people.

    • Christine

      Do you even know what socialism is? And what exactly is “the biggest source of hope for all humanity” that you believe only America possesses?

    • ckratzer

      Paul, I respect your thoughts and certainly appreciate you taking the time to express them, even though I don’t share in your views.

    • Ted

      Hmmm…I thought Jesus was the biggest source of hope for all humanity….
      My bad….

      • John N

        Nope, that would lower corporate tax rates and elimination of state and federal estate taxes.

    • Kathleen Leonard

      I believe our purpose as Christians is to be representatives of Jesus, doing what he asked of us, not “saving America.” After all, nations are artificial constructs, and, as such, are temporal. There was no America when Jesus lived on the earth. I find it helpful to read the red letter Bible because Jesus’ words are in red, so there’s no ambiguity or confusion about what He wants us to do on earth.

      • Larry Michael

        Outstanding perspective, Kathleen. When we look to government to be our strong arm and tool to deliver God’s commission, we are missing the boat and misrepresenting what freedom of conscience is all about. It is unfortunate that many look towards Trump as the Christian solution when first of all that thought is misguided and yet still hold onto the notion that somehow the “other” side is all evil, is NOT Christian and cannot serve in the same capacity. It is just delusional. How many times have you heard people rail against “Obama, the Muslim dictator”? Sheer stupidity on so many levels without even mentioning that O demonstrated Christian traits much more clearly. It is mind boggling when one comprehends what DJT is about. I have had quite enough of anyone saying the GOP, or Trump, is sent by God for a mission when the government is NOT a church. Very dangerous frame of mind to have. On top of it all, no one on that side of the aisle who voted for him can claim it is the party of Christian values with a straight face and a clear conscience.

    • MarthaB

      I suspect you have absolutely no idea what Socialism is, and I suggest you read up on the subject.

      Universal healthcare is not socialism, by the way. It’s Christ’s teachings in action.

      What I infer from your post is the “I got mine, and none of my money should go toward helping others, because they’re all just lazy slackers who refuse to work, so screw them.” Which is the mantra of Trump supporters.

      • MarthaB

        Oh, and is also why people are leaving American Christianity in droves — because people like you who call yourself Christian have no interest in Christ’s teachings.

      • PETER

        Christ taught us to use our own money and give in secret (Matthew 6). Nothing else, and certainly not to take others’ money using the iron fist of government.

        • PETER

          I think Christians of good will can disagree about political matters. Your believing in universal health care is neither a requirement nor a dis qualifier for salvation. My point is that Christ’s teaching about giving is private and covenental. It is by its very nature apolitical and there is no spiritual reward for parting others from their money, but rather for quietly sacrificing our own time, talent, and treasure. Go back to Matthew 6, I’m sure you know it already. 🙂

        • Kit Kellison

          “Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s”

          Ring a bell?

    • Tracy

      Paul Perkins what’s does democratic socialism mean to you?

    • Stephen argent

      ‘The biggest source of hope for all humanity’ – are you really serious?

      Clearly you have no idea of the world outside your own – Trump/US is held in absolute contempt and sadly you are dragging a perception of Christianity down to the same depths

    • Kit Kellison

      Your distorted ideas on the evils of democratic socialism are bizarre. So, I suppose no Medicare for you, when you’re oId, and you only drive on roads you personally pay for? Good luck with all that.

  3. Gerry

    I’ve pointed out in other forums for more than 30 years, that if Christians refuse to condemn hatred committed in Jesus’ Name, they bring disgrace on the Name of Christ.

    What I find revolting are those so-called Christians who are so obsessed with their hatred of the gay community that they are absolute worshipers of the tough-grunting vulgarian in the White House. This despite the fact that Jesus said that “If a man divorces his wife and marries another, he commits adultery” (Lk 16:18). But that’s okay, because Trump’s going to appoint judges who will outlaw homosexuality.

    Jesus had nothing to say about homosexuals. But He sure had a lot to say about hypocrisy.

    • Sara

      How right you are Gerry!!!!!!!

    • Karl

      True.

    • ckratzer

      Well said Gerry! Thanks for reading and commenting!

    • Debbje

      Matthew 19- 3-6 Jesus talks about marriage and the marriage between man and woman – this is not directly condemning homosexuality but is the basis of the Christian belief on marriage. Also as a believer, I believe the Bible is the Word of God, just like passages have told us. There are many areas in the Bible where homosexuality is condemned. When it is mentioned it is the Word of God.

      • Gerry

        The reason that Jesus referred to marriage as being between a man and a woman is because that’s the only type of marriage that anyone undertook. Considering the fact that by law, if two men had sex, they would both be executed, obviously there was no such thing as marital equality in Jesus’ time.

        It has been my opinion for a while that the only reason that so many Christians do everything in their power to obstruct and harass homosexuals who want to marry is because they aren’t allowed to keep them from having sex. What? You didn’t realize that marriage is legalized and socially acceptable sex? Why do you think Jesus made a point of saying that a man who remarries after divorce commits adultery? It isn’t the legal contract. It’s that He was observing that in marriage a couple is expected to enjoy mankind’s favorite pastime.

        If a homosexual couple wants to be intimate, it’s possible to pretend nothing is really going on. If they get married, however, there’s no way to pretend that they’re just friends in a platonic relationship. Hence the real reason for the opposition to marital equality.

      • Stephanie

        It’s absolutely fine for you to hold those beliefs, Debbje. But do you think they should be the standard for the entire nation?

  4. Sara

    well written – can you publish this on the front page or every newspaper in America? People claim they knew what they voted against but what did they vote for? The disgrace we have in the WH is scary to say the least and obscene to say the worst!!!!! I will never in my life time forget the day Donald Trump became President of the US and Clinton lost to such lying pathetic abusive excuse for a person. It was unfathomable.

    • ckratzer

      Sara, would love to have this read by as many as possible. I do realize that people vote for complicated reasons, and it’s not always simple. However, we are far past the election, and one needs to become accountable for their current vote their continued support grants.

  5. Sara

    and while I am on it – MADE IN AMERICA!!! really???? while his own goods and his dtrs goods are made in Mexico and CHina. if he wants to create jobs bring them here. His big mouthed fan fair all over the place to create jobs for Carrier? really, like 300 I think or more jobs just went to Mexico. really!!!! those people in the rural America will live to regret accepting his lies and pay the big price. America will live to regret his presence as well and we will pay the big price as he builds a fortress around our borders to the tune of how many millions Mexico wont pay so we have to? With what is going on in NK- God help us is all I can say because he is a sicko at the wheel.

    • ckratzer

      Sara, thanks so much for reading and adding value to the conversation. Insightful thoughts!

  6. Karl

    A couple of weeks ago I was talking to an evangelical friend on the phone. She mentioned the photo of Trump recently seen on television with several pastors/church leaders all laying their hands on Trump and praying for him. She stated how that was encouraging to her. My response was to say that this was nothing more than a photo op and no photo of this was really necessary. Also, I don’t care what pastor, bishop or whomever lay their hands on him he must be sincere in his heart and if so his actions will speak for him. They can dump a bucket of holy water on Trump and bath him in a bathtub of anointing oil and it won’t make one damn bit of difference. My friend was silent for a moment, then she changed the subject. Good.

    • ckratzer

      Karl, I about spit out my beer when I read this comment, well played my friend, well played!

    • John N

      Isn’t there a bible verse somewhere admonishing public prayer? Specifically that which is to show how holy one is?

      • ckratzer

        Interesting point John.

      • Gerry

        “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites. are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and. in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.” (Mt 6:5)

        This is the go-to verse for folks who like to criticize prayer in public. However as you correctly point out, it isn’t public worship that’s the problem. It’s showing how righteous the person is. After all, some folks seem to forget that Jesus prayed in public on numerous occasions. People can say anything they want about Who or What Jesus was, but the one thing no one can accuse Him of is hypocrisy.

      • Eric

        So we shouldn’t pray in public? Interesting. Since we are cherry picking Bible verses some of you need to read Matthew 7:5. I would also love to hear some of your “Christian”reasons for voting for Hillary, kill the baby at any stage of the pregnancy, Clinton.

        • John N

          Read the verse about public prayer (I believe it was referenced in another post) and tell me what it says. How do you interpret it? Find several translations if you wish.

          This conversation isn’t about Clinton or abortion but keep tossing in distractions if you wish. If abortion is your red line for choice you make for any politician then maybe that is your idol and not the grace of God.

        • Gerry

          One thought that just occurred to me about Hillary and the abortion debate is this:

          Trump has boasted for years about how sexually active he’s been. He’s gone from wife to wife (many of them married to other men). He’s “dated” one woman after another through the years. Are you going to seriously try to convince me that not one of these women ever became pregnant by him? You might want to consider how the wealthy, tom-catting Donald Trump would have dealt with any woman he impregnated. More, you might want to consider how many abortions he paid for, and how many women he paid off to keep their mouths shut.

          Just a thot.

          • Stephanie

            Gerry. Thank you. I tire of the blind eye to that certain reality.

    • Sara

      so true, so I wonder why they cant or wont see this about Trump. were they so needy before he came upon the scene that they are blinded by their own inadequate existence that needs a white male savior even if he is a liar, a cheat, a greedy self serving __________________ . I will leave it blank for good reason. you fill it in.

      • Missy

        I wonder if the same was said about Hitler right before he declared himself The Fuehrer? Why did people allow it? Fear is always a good motivator but so is greed. DJT knows how to work these to his advantage. But yes. They must have been needy and blind. But now. Now, I expected for eyes to be opened. After everything we have witnessed. We have a con man and a charlatan in the Oval Office and those of us that care are labeled libtards or more often I get so you love Clinton so much etc. We are in a real pickle here. Clinton has been irrelevant for months and I don’t even know what a libtard is. Point coming, many Trump supporters look up to him for his wealth. Period. They aspire for it and if they just follow his directions they too may have a gold plated urinal one day. Just call yourself a republican and vote against your own interests because you are going to shed your self of all these welfare moms that are keeping you from that 5 bedroom on the beach. You just have to BELIEVE it and WANT it bad enough. It’s the Mexicans spoiling your dream. Build a wall. Stroke victims bleeding your vacation account. Cut them off. Gangs are a reality for you in rural areas right? Police brutality is obviously going to get you that houseboat you’ve always wanted. If the media would just keep their mouths shut we could squash this and my blue collar lower middle income would triple. DJT has told me as much and I want to believe it so bad. I have to believe that I too can have a lakehome if I just double down and keep supporting the guy who built his castle on sand. And I’m not going to notice because I am literally blinded by greed and the delusion that I too can have it all. The risk is minimized by a false narrative that DJT worked hard and honestly and never manipulated markets foreign or domestic to avoid financial ruin over and over. But if his business dealings were a little shady then the ends justify the means. And he can likewise improve my station by merely taking benefits away from people he deems less than worthy. The sick and old. Minority and poor. You know like Jesus would do. But Jesus never drove a Lexus. Or lived in a mini mansion built by day laborers either. American Jesus wants you to live beyond your means. I’m sure it’s in the Bible

    • Kristy

      Karl, I love your response. I shall now use similar responses to my evangelical “friends”. I am a Christian who did NOT vote for DT, because I had discernment during the campaigns. At least HRC wouldn’t have condoned all these attacks on marginalized groups.

  7. nancy peters

    This has been a tough year for conservative Christians in every denomination. They have had it both ways for years and now their own self deceptions are coming to light with the day to day revelations of the greed, hate, and self serving powers of Republican leaders. They have had their self serving lives and still proclaim that their hearts are given to Christ…to the point that they condemn all other Christians who are not voting in the same party line. I am tired of being sent to hell by them because I do not vote republican. I have said for all these months that it is the conservative voters who reflect what we have for leaders in the congress, the senate and the White House. I have forgiven them constantly while suffering their condemnation. God is a God of grace and love…first to those we consider to be the last…and then hopefully to the rest of us. Let us love equally all people. That is the calling of our Christ who felt so strongly about this, that he died and rose again that we might know grace.

    • ckratzer

      Good thoughts Nancy, thanks for reading and taking the time to share a comment!

  8. Michelle

    This is absolutely the very best, straight up, in your face and undeniably TRUE piece I’ve read yet on this subject!! Right on, Mr. Kratzer!! Please keep tellin it like it really is!

    • ckratzer

      Thanks Michelle, sure do appreciate you and your encouragement. Thanks for reading and commenting!

    • Michael

      Michelle, Brother Chris is usually straight up on his assessments of the evangelical right. Check out his other pieces that are at the top of this page. For some, its a breath of fresh air in knowing that not all Christians use religion as a veil to hide in their selfishness. For others, a condemnation that rarely sees the light through the trees.

  9. Leigh McFarland

    Thank you so much. I needed these words.

    • ckratzer

      Thank you Leigh!

  10. Janni

    Love tthe blog. Please change “phase” to the correct word “faze”

  11. William

    In reading this post, I couldn’t help but think that I have been saying this for years, even before the emergence of 45 as a candidate.

    A bit of background for context: I, myself, identify as a Christian (i.e. – belief in Jesus as the savior, the Ten Commandments, etc.) but have not attended church regularly since I was a pre-teen. The reasons for this is because back then I attended Catholic church and witnessed first hand the hypocrisy of the actions of the church leadership versus the word of God. This drove me away from organized religion for a long time because it went against every grain of my conscience when the leaders basically said: “do what you are told.” Even if it wasn’t the right thing to do, the expectation was you just do it. As you can imagine, my parents were both R’s and this mantra crept into our lives.

    I moved off to college and came to the self-realization that true morality is based on this:

    Do what is right, no matter what you are told to do.

    This is how I live my life.

    Flash forward to 2010 when the red tide swept through the country with the anti-Obama sentiment. I listened daily to how “Obama (was) destroying our country!” from other members of my family. I tried to reason with them through facts and truths. They wouldn’t hear of it. Then it happened. They invoked the “Bad Christian” card saying I wasn’t a good Christian because I supported that “Muslim” Obama.

    **blinks**

    Then, I proceeded to cite examples of where “Christian” Conservative laws had done exactly the opposite. Or laws that were thrown out because of their lack of constitutionality. Or where “‘Muslim’ Obama” was showing more Christian values than any of the “Religious Right” were showing. (To which it degraded to the old “Liberal vs. Conservative” arguments.”)

    I since have learned to get their attention by bluntly asking them if Jesus would approve of their (insert hate noun here)? You should see the blank looks and agape jaws that come from that question.

    Thank you for taking the stand in this article – our “leadership” in Washington, DC needs to step back and realize what their extremism is doing to people.

    • ckratzer

      William, so well said. Thank you for sharing a bit of your journey and for taking the time to articulate such a profound comment. Sure do appreciate you and your encouragement!

  12. Michael

    I would like to bring up a couple of points here. I read that by 2050, Muslim, will be the dominate world religion. Granted, I fail to see the difference in whether you’re holding a Koran and a gun or a Bible and a gun. It only goes to show that there are misguided souls in both. Now, more on topic. While I was doing some research on U.S. history, I found that before the social safety net kicked in, it was the church that cared for the poor and downtrodden (mostly emigrants). It will be interesting to see what happens if the Christian right and their minions successfully crash the safety net. Will they live up to old Christian values or will they selfishly exclaim — you’re sick, dumb, and poor; die, just die already?

    • John N

      Well, what are they doing now? How much is our godly friend Osteen and his ilk sharing the flood of money they rake in every year? Did he really need to go from a 20k seat church to a 40k seat sports arena?

  13. Tony Roncketto

    Your faith is about as puffed up as your pride. You, and your followers are not really Christians. You deal in half truths and speculation. Saying he lusted after his own daughter? That was the most ridiculous of your assertions. You’re Liberal shill masquerading as. Christian.

    I’ll pray for you and Trump.

    • ckratzer

      Tony, Donald Trump is documented as saying these things, “Don’t you think my daughter’s hot? She’s hot, right?” He has also said his daughter was “voluptuous” in respect to her breasts, and in an interview with Howard Stern, “it’s OK to describe her as a piece of ass.” He also said that, if she wasn’t his daughter, “perhaps [he’d] be dating her.” I have three daughters and would never refer to them in such ways. If those words aren’t laced with lust, I don’t know what is.

      • Gerry

        Another point that I’ve never seen addressed anywhere else is this:

        Trump made all of these vulgar remarks about his daughter. Why didn’t she say anything? Why didn’t her brothers? Why didn’t her husband? Why didn’t his wife?

        I’d say that nothing shows that the people in his immediate family are grossly abused. And I’d point out that nothing shows how unfit he is to be a member of the human race, let alone president.

        • ckratzer

          Gerry, interesting point.

  14. Dee

    I know some good Christians who supported Trump (mostly as a better choice than Hillary) and continue to support him “because he’s the president.” I try with all my heart to understand how they can reconcile their faith with their politics, and have finally landed on something that helps me empathize with the dilemma many of these Christians face: abortion. If you believe without question that abortion is murder, you believe that ~800,000 infants per year are being murdered. If I believed there were 800,000 murders being committed, I would vote for whomever I thought was most likely to put an end to that, regardless of any other shortcomings.

    I don’t think Trump really cares one way or the other about this issue, but was willing to say whatever it took to get this influential vote. The question is, will they continue to support him when nothing changes on that front but his unchristian behavior gets worse?

    • ER

      I understand wanting to put an end to abortion. What do you think is the best way for that to happen? If Roe v. Wade were overturned it would not make abortion illegal, it would simply make it an issue for individual states to decide. Some would make it illegal, some would not. Some would make it illegal for any woman under any circumstances, including the life of the mother, incest, and rape. Should the government make those decisions for a woman? Women of means who needed, or chose to have an abortion would go to states where it is legal. Women without the means would either have the baby, or resort to terrible alternatives. Anyway, if you voted for Trump because you thought he would end abortion, that wouldn’t happen even IF the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. If you want to end abortion you have to end the health problems for baby or mother that make it a recommendation of doctors. That means better access to health care. You also have to end unintended pregnancies, and research clearly shows that the best ways to do this are comprehensive, developmentally appropriate, research based sex education and access to affordable birth control. Abortion rates are at a long time low since the Affordable Health Care act was passed because of better access to health care and birth control. The current Secretary of Education probably isn’t interested in reducing abortion through insuring quality sex education in schools. In short, Republican policies will tend to increase the demand for abortion while making it less safe for those who can’t afford travel. I’m sorry, but Clinton’s policies would have been far more likely to reduce abortions than Trumps. If you STILL support him, given these facts, you might want to re-read this article.

      • Deanna

        The best way to put an end to abortion is to love women and their children. To encourage the support of fathers and from early childhood educate all and I mean all people about sex, birth control, and how to support a family. You do not stop this issue by forcing an opinion because the decision to abort is so often scary and lonely. To trick women into listening to speeches will do nothing. You see all women faced with this are looking years into the future-they know they will care most if not all of the responsibility and for the rest of their lives- they now that the people jeering about anti-abortion are the same ones who won’t send their kids to school with their own children or sit with them in church or give them a ride home etc…It is very much about security and the lack of real love and support. The hatred on this issue must stop because it only fuels it. Those wishing to end abortion need to start changing society through love and education. Especially missing is the education of our young boys.

  15. Leslie Meehan

    Amen to this. Trump is no Christian and his followers can simply not be either. Love not hate is the only true message.

  16. David White

    Well written. I don’t know how many times I have said “not MY Jesus” in the last few months.

    • ckratzer

      I’m right with ya David! Thanks for reading and commenting!

  17. David Limbaugh

    Remember this? http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/politics/state/russell-moore-donald-trump-southern-baptists/ Are the Evangelical Christians happy with their White House now?

  18. Paul E. Schoen

    I am probably a Christian atheist, actually, but I believe in and mostly follow the teachings of Jesus and admire him as a role model. The Evangelical Religious Right has become aligned with Evil, just as predicted in John’s Revelations about the end days. It seems like we are living them now.

  19. Annita

    Too bad my write-up vote for Ben Carson went to waste.

  20. Tori

    One of the biggest examples of hypocrisy that I see in the “evangelicals” is their hate of ‘the sodomites’. That’s the rant that you hear from these people about LGBT persons actually getting human rights in this country. “Destroy the Sodomites”, “Get rid of the Sodomites” has become their battle cry…

    Yet when you actually read the Bible, you come to this little verse in Ezekiel 16:49, where it says: “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. “Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it…”

    I don’t know about you, but this sounds a lot closer to the behavior they’re displaying. With their mission to abandon the poor and helpless to zero insurance (and medical care), their complete abandonment of minorities and those who have ‘less than’ they do, they end up looking far closer to the Bible’s actual description of Sodomites than anyone else.

    Signed, A Transgender Christian.

  21. drsolly

    It’s excellent that American Christians still support Trump despite his actions, because it increases the rate at which people become humanist, agnostic or atheist, and come to their own morality decisions.

  22. Robert Alexander

    Sadly, the Democrats are not a viable moral alternative.

    And, as a whole, Democrats do not believe in protecting America’s borders, citizens, or laws. Trump has a personally reprehensible character, but there are greater issues at stake here, and that is mainly protecting America. The Democrats fail that key test.

    Sorry, your article failed to shame me.

    • John N

      So tRump is not someone you trust to babysit your kids but he can protect America’s borders (although from the last 6 months of his revolving circus I haven’t seen anything ANYTHING that tells me he can implement a policy) while he rots this country out from the inside. Got it. Nominating a replacement for Scalia is not a policy win. Any Republican would have sat him, or any similar judge in that seat.

      I don’t understand being so afraid of “new” or “other” people. Of being afraid of other cultures or ideas. I’m more troubled (but not in the least surprised) by his intellectual vacuousness, his unstoppable lying and gutting of this country’s institutions.

    • Deanna

      We should not be an us against them- this article does not shame anyone unless the truth is stinging their own heart. In the case of Christianity, we should put away politics and look to the teachings of Christ. We should be united in our attempts to show others the love of God….too often we see the hatred in conservative Christians and it is hurting Christ- and all His followers. All I see now when I see conservative Christian is white, hate spewing people who aren’t really on fire for Jesus but instead on fire to hate anything or anyone not like themselves.

  23. Kit Kellison

    All very possible, but the truth is, right wingers don’t even hear about 98% of what the rest of us hear. On FOX they hear” “President Trump vehemently denies “unfair allegations,” and “fake news.”

    This is a problem of monstrous proportions. Let’s fully understand that.

  24. Kathy Boyce

    Thank you for this article. You hit it all right on the head. As a former full time “Christian” leader I am sickened by what I see. The very people who should be expressing the heart of God are the ones promoting hate and elitism. And to Paul who wrote a comment below careful reading of the Gospels leaves us with no other conclusion but that Jesus was a socialist and commanded us to be the same. I think this is an inconvenient truth to most Americans. Keep up the good work Chris

    • ckratzer

      Thanks Kathy, appreciate your encouraging words!

  25. Gregg Peppel

    Your post is a self-important travesty. Read Romans 13:1. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Christians who support Trump do so out of reverence to God and God’s word. Christians should be praying every night that Trump would lead our country successfully and righteously. God please Trump into office. Maybe he did so for no other reason then to truly test the faith of our Christian populace. But he did so all the same. And should not be the concern of any Christian person what the world thinks Of a Christian who follows the word of God.

    • ckratzer

      Gregg, are we to assume you held the same passionate views and defense for President Obama? Could you please supply a link to where you commented on his defense in the many blogs/articles written that criticized him during his presidency?

      • cltgator

        ckratzer,
        Please provide links to where you commented on Obama’s abuse of power, embrace of Islam and anti-Christian behavior during his presidency. Otherwise, you are just another bloviating, far-left hack that hates everything that made this country great.

        • ckratzer

          you’ll need to provide me true instances where he abused power and displayed anti-Christian behavior.

        • Gerry

          It’ll be kind of difficult to comment on “Obama’s … embrace of Islam and anti-Christian behavior….” for the simple reason that he never embraced Islam, nor did he demonstrate anti-Christian behavior–except according to pseudo-right wing propaganda web-sites. That myth goes back to his run for the primary nomination in ’08. As for his abuse of power? While I’ll accept that he probably pulled some things that I would totally disagree with (although I don’t know what those supposed things are), I would also observe that “abuse of power” is an interpretation slapped onto any president’s actions by his political opponents.

          I would also observe that when a little bullying coward murdered 20 defenseless kindergartners an five teachers at Newtown several years ago, Obama displayed a solidly Christian attitude: “Tonight, Michelle and I will be doing what millions of parents across America will be doing. We’ll hold our daughters in our arms and tell them we love them.” What did a “Christian” commentator on Fox News say? “Well this happened because America has turned away from righteousness”. In fact, every time there’s some horrific tragedy in this country, what do the pseudo-godly do? They jump up, waving their arms, skreeking, “Yuh SEE muh friends? THIS is what we’ve been WARNing you against! God will NOT be MOCKED. And His justice will be SWIFT and SURE. America will fall because they tolerate homosexuALITY and BABY MURDER and EVIL-LUtion and not allowing prayer in schools!!!” Excuse the vulgarity, but my name for people like that is gore-whores: people who use someone’s pain to sell their agenda; to gain power and control. People who hide their hatred behind the Cross, but forget (deliberately, I think) that Jesus told His listeners that God “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (MT 5:45, NIV).

          Oh, and your final comment is called an ad hominem attack. It’s frowned on in most debates because it’s considered the last refuge of folks who don’t have a sound, reasonable set of arguments in support of their position. I would also point out that since I agree with Chris, you would also apparently consider me a “bloviating, far-left hack that hates everything that made this country great.” For the record, I’m a right-leaning political moderate who served loyally in America’s military for more than 20 years.

          Look at the things that Trump says. Now THAT’s bloviating.

    • Deanna

      Well, Hitler was then too? The point of this scripture was not to follow blindly and to do that leaders’ bidding. We don’t know why some leaders have been allowed authority but we do not have to support the evil that they do. Jesus never broke the law but He also didn’t allow the Pharisees and Sadducees to say anything they wanted and get away with it. If the rules are in line with Christianity fine but if they go against- we are bound to God’s law first. That is why it is important to know what God’s law is and not confuse it with cultural laws that change depending on where you are and what year it is.

  26. stephen matlock

    I’m puzzled by the white Evangelical church in America. And I’m a white Evangelical living in America.

    We (white Evangelical Christians) got it precisely, 100% wrong in the 40s and 50s and 60s when it came to civil rights. It was the white Christian Evangelicals who most strongly opposed equal rights for people of color. Jerry Falwell himself counseled against the deviltry of mixed-race relationships.

    We actually split our churches apart in the 1850s (Southern Methodist, Southern Presbyterian, Southern Baptist) because white conservative Christians (the forefathers of Evangelical Christians) could not abide anyone telling them that black chattel slavery was immoral and against God’s laws. (I’m Presbyterian in background, and *had no idea* about my denomination’s history until the 2000s.)

    We white Christian Americans formed “White Christian Councils” in the 1960s to foment anger and to agitate against equal justice for our own *family* of believers, as well as anyone who was not white and Christian and pure. (We renamed them to “White Citizens’ Councils” when it appeared we were too “on the nose” for the moment.)

    We have agitated, and still do, against American citizens and even Christian family who are LGBTQIA. These people wake up every day to be themselves, to quote John Pavlovitz, and find out that in waking up each day there is animus from Christians who do not know them but hate them anyway.

    Now we have more overt animus against the sick and the poor and the old and the child. We are using our faith & our presumed obedience to Christ’s words to call the poor lazy and to deny them access to food, housing, schooling, and medical care.

    I don’t understand my tribe. My church. My faith-family.

    We seem to delight in getting it 100% wrong, for years, for decades, and then, long time after it matters, “apologizing for the harm we may have caused,” or more often, just pretending it didn’t happen. (See my statement, above, of my own denomination skipping over the part where we schismed in order to maintain white supremacy and black chattel slavery.)

    I just don’t know anymore how to respond to my own.

    • Deanna

      I understand. I feel the same way about a church I was a part of for years. How to resolve and change and do it right? That is the question. Thank-you for your comment.

  27. John N

    In the last year plus (and it feels like 10 years) I’ve asked evangelical types ( including some of my own family) what tRump has done at anytime in his past that leads one to believe he is, was, or even pretends to be any kind of Christian and what in his behavior allows evangelicals to defend and support him.

    I have never gotten an answer. I’ll get the “But Hillary and But Obama . . ” type answers, but NOTHING about tRump himself.

    Personally I’d trust a proclaimed atheist or satanist for president. At least they are honest about their beliefs and can reconcile their actions with a straight face. TRump lies. It’s what he does. When you understand that everything he does is for his personal enrichment the dissonance rolls away.

  28. John N

    Just ran across this. If EC’s can just admit it’s not about being Christian, it starts making sense. https://www.ft.com/content/b41d0ee6-1e96-11e7-b7d3-163f5a7f229c

  29. Patrick Martin

    Most of what was said about Trump is poppycock and a lot of it is simply no longer true.
    Also men that were regarded after God’s Own Heart,
    Like King David had his major foibles and people still supported him in his office as king including God himself. David others & God Himself supported King Saul in the midst of all his moral issues. God showed much grace mercy and even respect for him doing that.
    We get the leader we deserve.
    If they come with a few worts and bumps, we need to learn how to support them in the midst of it just like we do each other in our families, friends and churches.
    He who is without sin.
    Let Him cast the first stone!

    • Patrick Martin

      Many of the great leaders of our world have had significant issues in their lives. Should we only have leaders that are morally impeccable. If that were the case we would have no leaders. Men like John F Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln and even George Washington, George Patton, had their issues and moral challenges.
      You can look up the rest on your own but here’s two of the Worlds great leaders that had some significant issues we all had to deal with. I don’t think we would want to give up their blessing to our cultures simply because of there moral challenges.
      Winston Churchill

      John F Kennedy

      Once again let’s remember he who is without sin let him cast the first stone.

      • Deanna

        Trump does not belong in the company of Kennedy or Lincoln. His ethics and morals are at such a low standard he cannot be held up to any of our Presidents except maybe Nixon- who also did not care about the means as long as the end was met.

    • John N

      So you believe this man has Christ in his heart but only suffers from sins.

      I will ask again a question that has so far been unanswered by a trump supporter. As a Christian and a supporter of this president. What can you tell me he has EVER done that leads you to believe he has Christ first in his heart. Christ commands that we do unto others as we would have done to us.

      I don’t care about his sleeping around, his lack of interest in anything other than money and fame or that he cheats at golf. Would Christ allow him to mock the disabled at a public rally? Cheat his workers and contractors out of agreed-upon payments for work completed?

      • Gerry

        I’m sorry JohnN, but you can’t pick and choose which of his failings to care about, because they ALL, taken together, are a product of the same sociopathic personality — self-absorbed, conscienceless, unempathic, vicious, hate-filled. He cheats at golf, in business, in marriage, in his dealings with other people because he doesn’t care about or for other people. He spews his hate-filled vomitus on the weak, the helpless, the defenseless because he knows that it hurts them. He’s working as hard as possible to tear down everything he sees as his moral, social, and intellectual superior because he can’t stand anything he recognizes as better than him. If he can use someone, he will, then toss them to the side when he’s done. If he can’t use them, he’ll walk all over them. And if someone crosses him, he’ll cut their kid’s’ heart out and force them to eat it. And laugh while they’re crying.

        If you “don’t care about his sleeping around, his lack of interest in anything other than money and fame or that he cheats at golf”, maybe you need to start. Because the fact is that he does those things for precisely the same reason that he “(mocks) the disabled at a public rally(, and cheats) his workers and contractors out of agreed-upon payments for work completed”. His actions are the product of the same soulless, twisted character that has always driven him in all of his dealings with others.

        I’d say that if we want to describe whom he most closely models, we should look to Satan rather than Jesus. Which could, just possibly, explain why the leadership of the conservative, “Christian”, evangelical movement — with their blatant lust for power and control — so closely identifies with him.

        • John N

          I hope you don’t think I approve of anything he does. Everything fudges at golf. My main concern is that in his role as president of this country, certain actions he engages in are more dangerous than his golf game, or even his marriage vows. Those are not impeachable crimes. Would I want him as a neighbor? Would I wtrust him to watch my bicycle for 10 minutes? No on all counts.

          If he was on fire and I had to take a leak? I’d run off to find a bathroom.

          • Gerry

            I’m sorry. I didn’t realize what your original point was. I still stand by my own observation, however: Trump’s behavior, taken as a whole, illustrates his essential character (or lack of same). It is impossible to separate out the one group of actions from the others because they’re all the product of a warped, twisted personality.

    • Deanna

      Please do not compare Trump to King David. Each time King David sinned against God he was remorseful and begged God to forgive him. Trump and his advisors like Manafort and Stone are humanistic and believe they are their own God. Whatever they can achieve -they should and there are no repercussions. Stone says this to the public on the Stone endorsed movie Get Me Roger Stone. Trump is about greed and fame. You don’t propose taking food away from children who are in poverty and then claim to care for them. Etc, etc,

  30. Deanna

    I just want Chris to know that I have been thinking this same thing and have been waiting to hear a Christian leader be brave enough to speak about it. I can not support a leader who behaves the way Trump does. He is not the only one… to me, it is not about party and political devotion but rather the knowledge that I have been taught about God’s will that leads me. I can never put party before God. In fact, I have not been attending church services because I have been subjected to sermons that become rants for the republican party. This article gives me the encouragement to seek out a church that keeps conservative politics out of the pulpit. Maybe there is one out there:)

    • ckratzer

      Thank you so much Deanna! So glad to have you read and comment on my work!

  31. Charles

    Chris,

    I’ll be praying for you, that your eyes will be opened, that the Holy Spirit will reveal God’s truth to you from his word. From what you have said in this article, I suspect you may be struggling with some conflicting beliefs. Growing up leaves us all with a lot of baggage to struggle through, whether intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, etc. How wonderful that we are all clay upon the Potter’s wheel, that he will resolve our struggles by his incredible power. He loves us, and we can trust him to be true, and his word to be true.

    As to this article, take time consider the biblical passages about how we should deal with problems with fellow Christians, as I think there is some wisdom there that could be applied here. It is very hard to write only what God places on our heart to say when our own passions and beliefs crowd in. But it is critical, because those may give cause for God’s call to be ignored. The comments section has always to me seemed an excellent place to judge the audience reached and the effectiveness of the attempt.

    I find following Christ to truly be a narrow way, one that puts the World against us at every turn. For while we tell people of God’s love, we must also tell them there is only one way to be saved. Christ removed our condemnation for our sins, but that did not remove our requirement to obey God in all things as he guides us with his word and his Spirit. As Paul said, should we continue to sin so that grace might abound? How great His love, then, to not only provide a way out, but to empower us to do so!

    Adam’s sin has come at terrible cost to his descendants, and all of the universe cries out in pain as a result. As we seek Christ alone, over all, and give ourselves over to God’s ownership and control, we can rest assured he will bring us home. God will complete his work in us, and we will one day replace this failing mortal shell for a perfect body, we will know in full what we now know only in part, and we will be given our true name. I really like that part of Revelations.

    As to politics, we are to be in the world but not of it. We are to be as wise as serpents, and innocent as lambs. We are to be good stewards of all that God has given us, including our vote and our money. We are to respect and honor those God has put in power over us, and to pray for them. We have a Councilor to ask for help, and he gives wisdom to all who ask. We are called to give aid to widows and orphans – to care for those that are the weakest and most helpless in our society. Better a millstone around our neck… We are called to this as sons and daughters of our King, and we have no permission to delegate that responsibility. We may not ignore our duty, as the Bible tells us, such as to our parents by declaring our giving of money elsewhere to be a fulfillment of that duty.

    We should also not be ignorant of our history and let others tell us lies. Slavery and inequality in this nation has ended because of the endless efforts of God’s people, compelled by the Spirit to demand change, to put their own liberty at risk to bring people out of bondage. This is something God’s people have done since the very beginning, as early church history teaches us. Those to whom we belong in the fellowship of believers have done this, and we should be proud of who we are. We are princes and princesses, called to the same servanthood as our eldest brother, the children of God called to shine as light in the darkness!

    But the forces of darkness and evil lie repeatedly hoping that if they say it often enough we will believe and forget. They seek to divide us, to put us at war one against the other. We are being lied to, my brother, so be of great care! Test everything by the Word and by prayer. Only God through his Word and Spirit can free us.

    God bless you and keep you. May he guide you in all truth and righteousness. May he make you fruitful in all you do. I pray that you would know the truth behind the lies, and that you would find solutions that go beyond what you have been told is the only way.

    Love in Christ,

    Charles

    p.s. Do you mean by your catch phrase that God’s grace allows us to bravely face all life’s unknown challenges?

    Sola Scriptura! Sola Fide! Sola Gratia!

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