Trump and Jesus

Because so many Christians, especially evangelicals, have supported Donald Trump, the names of Trump and Jesus have unfortunately come to be linked together.  Pro-Trump rallies have often had signs favorably connecting Donald Trump and Jesus.  Yet, it is hard to think of anyone who is less like Jesus than Mr. Trump.  Many Christians recognize that his character is a problem but voted for him anyway because he opposes the liberal left and supports some key causes that Christians care about. To some degree, that is understandable. But shouldn’t evangelicals, of all people, believe that character matters?  Do we realize what a big shift it represents to say that character in our leaders doesn’t matter?  During the sex scandal of the Clinton years, evangelicals were insistent that character mattered.  Donald Trump is at least as sexually immoral as Bill Clinton ever was, yet now suddenly it doesn’t matter?  With President Trump’s turn towards authoritarianism, consider what it means that a person of his character has almost absolute power.  If we think that doesn’t matter, we will surely come to regret it.

Let’s compare the character of Christ, which is our standard as Christians, with the character of Donald Trump.  Jesus taught and modeled love.  Mr. Trump speaks and models hate. Jesus brings people of diverse backgrounds together into one body in Christ.  Donald Trump divides the nation into polarized factions. Jesus is the Truth.  Mr. Trump tells so many lies the fact checkers can’t keep up with him. Jesus was a servant leader.  President Trump is a lord-it-over leader. Jesus promoted forgiveness.  Mr. Trump exacts revenge. Jesus valued all races and peoples equally.  Donald Trump values white workers over diversity. Jesus was single and celibate.  Mr. Trump is sexually immoral and has been divorced and remarried multiple times. Jesus ministered to the poor and marginalized.  President Trump enriches himself while cutting off aid or benefits to the poor.  Jesus sacrificed for others, giving his own life.  Mr. Trump looks out for his own self-interest. Jesus was confident but humble. Donald Trump is arrogant and proud.  Jesus never sinned.  Mr. Trump claims he never does wrong, but the evidence overwhelmingly proves otherwise. Jesus was concerned about justice.  President Trump constantly obstructs or subverts justice.  In almost every way imaginable, Donald Trump’s character is the opposite of Jesus. You don’t need to listen to his political opponents to come to these conclusions.  You can just think about his words and actions that you have seen and heard for yourself.  Indeed, many Christians who voted for Mr. Trump know these things to be true.  It is time that we wake up to the seriousness of these character deficiencies before it is too late.

There is one thing Jesus and Mr. Trump have in common—both demand absolute loyalty.  But when Donald Trump’s character is so diametrically opposed to the character of Jesus, you can not give absolute loyalty to Mr. Trump without compromising your loyalty to Jesus and his teachings. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money” (Matt 6:24).  The same principle applies here—you cannot serve Jesus and Donald Trump.  Mike Pence tried and found out he could not do it.  And neither can we.