Trump is the middle finger of white, male-driven, conservative Evangelicalism. He’s the scab-picker of a long-festering, pungent hate among many white American Christians towards the things they feel are an increasing threat to their white, conservative Christian way of life and privilege in society.
Yet, the difference is obvious, Trump is nothing like Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. A simple comparison of their character and ways reveal this truth.
However, none of that matters. So many Christians, in essence, don’t give a damn. For them, there is literally nothing Trump could say or do that would dislodge their obedience towards him. This has left analysts and Trump-disgusted Christians trying to crack-the-code as to how anyone who associates with Jesus could place their support and allegiance in such an anti-Jesus man and President.
The answer is simple.
White, male-driven, conservative American Christianity has taken the person of Jesus who stands “for” so many beautiful things and twisted Him into a religion centered around the destruction of what they stand “against.” In truth, the Trump supporter isn’t concerned with what Trump is doing “for” Jesus, but rather intoxicated by what he is doing “against” their contrived enemies.
For example, let’s take the white, male-driven, Christian colonization of America, their unwavering support of Israel, their “mission” to convert non-believers, and the brutal eradication of Native Americans. No matter how much “Reaching the world for Christ” or “Manifest Destiny Lipstick” you put on that pig, when your bottom line purpose is to make the world more “like” you and “for” you, anyone and anything that doesn’t foster and surrender to that agenda becomes a bright blip on the radar screen of the enemies you stand “against.” That’s right, so many of the spiritually wrapped actions of white, male-driven, conservative Christianity have never been “for” Jesus, but rather “against” the things that threaten the presence and prosperity of their privileged Empire.
The same applies to Trump’s Muslim travel ban, the border wall, and the increased demand for so-called religious freedom. None of it is about protecting our country from terrorism, illegal immigration, crime, nor fostering true religious pluralism. Instead, it’s about giving leverage and privilege to white, male-driven, conservative American Christianity through the demonizing, marginalizing, and belittling of all other religions and peoples.
Think about the LGBTQ community. White, male-driven, conservative American Christianity wants us all to believe that their vehement disgust with this issue is because it’s a sin that offends God and undermines our culture. Excuse me, but that’s hilarious.
What white, male-driven American Christianity cares about within the LGBTQ community is their relentless desire for shared rights. They can’t stand the idea that heterosexual patriarchy would have to share equal value, priority, influence, protections, space, and rights with any group besides themselves. If they cared about sin, they would be spending all their time policing the mountain high pile of debauchery rampant within their own camp and the numbers among them who, ironically, enjoy lesbian porn. Instead, they demonize and stand “against” the LGBTQ community, not because they are “for” dealing with sin (which LGBTQ it is not), but because they don’t want to share their heterosexual, patriarchal privilege.
Starting to connect the dots?
This is the root impulse behind every form of their oppression of minorities and their social and political aspirations. White, male-driven, conservative American Christianity wants power, control, and prominence in all of society, and they will use whatever methods to achieve this goal. Slavery, mass incarceration, lynchings, police brutality, tear gas, denial of rights, economic inequality, sexism, voter suppression, rigged elections, dictatorships, lying, labeling, demonizing, false-flag operations, fraud, constitutional abuse, and the list is unending. They don’t give-a-rip about aligning their values and pursuits to be “for” Jesus, they only care about aligning their lives and spinning their faith “against” anything and everything that threatens their appetite and addiction to self preservation and prosperity.
Enter abortion.
White, male-driven, conservative Evangelicalism would love for us all to believe that, despite some of them having a distaste for certain attributes of President Trump, they give their loyalty to him because they see him as anti-abortion and pro-life. In their reasoning, this issue supersedes all others. They argue that the protection and preservation of the most vulnerable of human life is paramount.
Indeed, this justification by white Evangelicals may help them feel good about themselves as they believe that they are taking the higher road and aligning themselves with the Bible and God’s will. However, in truth, for many, their stance against abortion is the ultimate cop-out. Where all other excuses for their support of Trump have revealed their hypocrisy, their position against abortion is the last card in their deck, and it too, is the ultimate bluff.
To be sure, many progressives greatly dislike the idea of abortion, but also dislike the subjugation of women’s rights, the denial of science, and the belittling of medical truth, especially at the feet of a brutal, hypocritical, conservative Evangelical patriarchy. In fact, I’ve never met nor heard of any progressive, pro-choice person who cherishes the idea and act of abortion. For them, this issue of abortion is both complex, heart-wrenching, and grey in nature.
However, this is not the case for much of white, male-driven, conservative Evangelicalism. With their obvious preferences of school shootings over gun control, children in cages over welcoming the foreigner, police brutality over police accountability, mass incarceration over racial justice, a rich-favored economy over care for the least-of-these, the military industrial complex over universal healthcare and economic justice for all, and the worship of a god who joyfully sends those who don’t subscribe to their faith system to a hell of eternal torment, their priorities and values are crystal clear. There is almost nothing “pro-life” about white, male-driven, conservative Evangelical Christianity. And quite frankly, when it’s all said and done, they don’t give it shit. With tremendous fear of losing control, power, and privilege, instead of coming clean of their duplicity, they cling all-the-more tighter to their MAGA hats. Indeed, their vehement declarations of being pro-life and anti-abortion are the ultimate cop-out.
In fact, it should be of no surprise to anyone that, for many, their white, male-driven, conservative Evangelical stance on abortion isn’t about being “for” Jesus, not even close. Instead, it’s about being “against” the full fruition of women’s equality, the sexual accountability of white men, and the cessation of their religious dominance to dictate the lives of all others. This is why they support Trump under the guise of being anti-abortion. Clearly, the only lives that matter to him are his own and that of white, male-driven, American, conservative Evangelicals. There is almost nothing “pro-life” about the presidency of Donald Trump, and many white, conservative Evangelicals are totally cool with that as long as he joins them and leads the way in dismantling the enemies of their pursuit of supremacy.
Given the benefit of the doubt, some would suggest that white, conservative Evangelicals are at least “pro-birth.” Excuse me, but that’s also hilarious. They might be “for” white, conservative Evangelical birth. But, they certainly are “against” the birth of a lesbian, gay, bissexual, or transgender person. Sure, they declare that being LGBTQ is a choice after birth. However, that’s because it’s more palatable to condemn a “choice” than it is to condemn God’s designed “creation”–an LGBTQ person from birth.
But, not just against an LGBTQ birth, but “against” every black, brown, or multi-racial birth. Sure, some will warm-up to minorities and act as if they support equality. Within white, male-driven, conservative American Christianity there is a certain level of diversity they are willing to accept as long as they can patronize it, exploit it, and it doesn’t threaten their dominance in society. However, when that diversity finds its wings and it starts to feel like it’s crossing the line by encroaching the sandbox of their privilege and power, all bets are off and the bully is released.
For these are the demographics that ultimately pose the threat of thwarting and dismantling their white, male-driven, conservative Evangelical supremacy. In fact, seeing how prominent and acceptable racism has become for many white Evangelicals, I am surprised they don’t have underground black and brown abortion clinics. Oh wait, they do, they’re just called voter suppression, racial injustice, children in cages, mass incarceration, police brutality, economic inequality, and “all lives matter.”
No, they would never come out and say it that way and would deny these assertions fervently, but systemically and subtly it’s all true.
With their protests demanding their God-given freedom to NOT wear a mask in order to protect the lives and prevent the deaths of other people as they ironically wave signs declaring, “My body, my choice,” the reason why so much of white, male-driven, conservative Evangelical Christianity makes such a big deal about abortion isn’t because they are “for” life, “for“ birth, or “for” Jesus. Not a chance. Rather, it’s because they are “against” the emergence of true equality for women, the sexual accountability of white men, and the dismantling of their religious power to lord their values over all of society.
Indeed, the conservative Evangelical stance against abortion is the ultimate Evangelical cop-out, especially in justifying their support of Trump.
Trust me, if white, conservative Evangelical men could get pregnant, abortion would not only be legal, it would be biblical, easily accessible, and free. Not just that, but probably offered next to the church coffee shop or bookstore in the lobby after Sunday services.
Grace is brave. Be brave.
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