Recently I read an article that broke down the demographics of the people who voted for Trump in the recent election. As I read through the comments one person wondered why so many white evangelicals voted for Trump, yet, most of the non-white Christians did not support him. The writer even suggested that someone ask the non-white Christians that didn't support Trump, why not. I was attempted to suggest to the writer to just have an uncomfortable conversation with a person of color, but realized that not every conversation has two people who are both vested in honest communication. Too often these types of conversations end in frustration as the white person desperately tries to defend himself by saying such things as - that happened a long time ago, my people didn't own any slaves, and of course, why don't you just get over it.
I'll admit, even some of my black friends don't understand why I see things in black and white. They struggle with understanding my position and some even just support Trump because he stands up for Christianity while being against the the two primary evangelical sins, abortion and LGBTQ rights. Some of them, both black and white even believe that you cannot be a Democrat and a Christian, because Democrats kill babies. Anyone who has ever been on social media or has a friend (black or white) who is a staunch Republican and Trump supporter has seen the divide. The sad part is that friendships have been broken and families have been split apart by the strong support of one party over the other. I have attempted to argue my point more than once, but when I see things rapidly going south, I usually cave in and agree to disagree. Usually that ends it but once I had a situation where the other person refused to agree to disagree and kept. insisting that he was right and I was wrong. My solution to that was to end the conversation and subsequently the relationship. Some people simply don't have the emotional or intellectual capability to have a debate, as we saw in the first Presidential debate.
I guess that I have always had a very practical faith. I love the customs and traditions but I am not 100% bound to them. I consider myself to be a baptized follower (not believer, follower) of Jesus Christ and I currently worship in the Baptist church. But I realize that Jesus Christ is everywhere and I have enjoyed worship experiences in many settings including Catholic Churches, Jewish Synagogues, and in a new age type experience where the religious leader was barefoot and prayers were called treatments. I have even served as a supply preacher for a small, rural, white, Lutheran church. My faith is not rooted in a building or religious tradition, It's rooted in the Holy Bible and my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I read the Bible and believe what it says, which gets me back to why I don't support Trump.
Much of my belief is rooted in the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew verses 35-46. In this chapter Jesus reminds us that what we do for who He called the least of these; the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, and the immigrants, we have done to Him. The Republican party has not shown much interest in taking care of these people. Trump was elected on the premise that he would build a wall to keep out immigrants from our southern border. And called those who were seeking refuge here rapists and murderers from s-hole countries. While the poor get poorer, Trump provided tax breaks to the rich and cut social programs that could raise the standard of living for the middle and lower classes. But worst of all, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic with 10.6 million cases of COVID-19 and 242,000 deaths, Trump and 18 Republican Govenors are in court trying to strike down the Affordable Care Act. If they are successful, 23,000,00 could lose their heath insurance in the middle of this health crisis.
But I vote my faith for more than current policy reasons. We are in the middle of a national reckoning with racism. Yes, racism, America's original sin is getting a fresh look. It has always been there since the first colonizers landed on these shores. It's not just a simple prejudice against black people, it's the way the very fabric of our nation was woven from the beginning. It's the fact that there was never really a 'We the People,' it was we the white, male, land owners. America was designed for white males to control and subdue every other human being, including white females and children, indigenous people, other immigrants who were won't deemed as white enough, and of course, black people. And even with all of the evidence of history, slave codes, Jim Crow laws, redlining, segregation, and voter suppression too many Republicans still doubt that racism is a problem. The even say that Obama caused the racism. Well, they are partially right, racism has been on the rise since the election of President Barack Obama, but it was not because of what he said. President Obama did not stir up racism with what he did, he stirred it up by his very being. In other words, the racists could not stand to see a black man become President of the United States of America. They couldn't stand to see this black man and his family become the first family. The racists still believed that they were better than any black man, and Barack Obama blew their minds.
When Trump came along, he fed their racists rants, through name calling and degradation of anyone who opposed him. He rallied his base (yes base in every way) with an us versus them rhetoric that makes us each other's enemy. Even in Trump's handling of the COVID-19 crises, he had states competing with each other for crucial supplies and personal protective equipment. Trump has turned this election process into a conflict between red states, with Republican governors and blue states with Democratic governors. Trump calls for and endorses violence against those he considers his enemies. It's bad enough that we have a madman running the country, but the Republican Party refuses to check him or even speak out against any of his policies. They endorse every lie and agree with every thing that he says. There is no original thought or criticism for anything that Trump believes, yet they call the Democrats the enemies of Christianity.
I speak for no other black person than myself. Also of this is why I may never vote for another Republican again. And for those of you who point out the many problems of the Democrats, you are correct, many of them are no better than the Republicans. I have never voted for any candidate that I agreed with 100%, my Christian beliefs and values are more closely with the Democratic Party. I am not a one issue voter. I don't base my vote solely on pro life for the unborn, while stripping resources such as affordable housing and health care and endorsing an unjust justice system. I can't demonize the LGBTQ community and hate immigrants when God calls me to love others as He loves me.
So I turn the original question around. You say that you are a Christian, you believe that the Bible is the word of God, and you believe in family values. So, how can you be a Christian, and vote for Trump?
I'll admit, even some of my black friends don't understand why I see things in black and white. They struggle with understanding my position and some even just support Trump because he stands up for Christianity while being against the the two primary evangelical sins, abortion and LGBTQ rights. Some of them, both black and white even believe that you cannot be a Democrat and a Christian, because Democrats kill babies. Anyone who has ever been on social media or has a friend (black or white) who is a staunch Republican and Trump supporter has seen the divide. The sad part is that friendships have been broken and families have been split apart by the strong support of one party over the other. I have attempted to argue my point more than once, but when I see things rapidly going south, I usually cave in and agree to disagree. Usually that ends it but once I had a situation where the other person refused to agree to disagree and kept. insisting that he was right and I was wrong. My solution to that was to end the conversation and subsequently the relationship. Some people simply don't have the emotional or intellectual capability to have a debate, as we saw in the first Presidential debate.
I guess that I have always had a very practical faith. I love the customs and traditions but I am not 100% bound to them. I consider myself to be a baptized follower (not believer, follower) of Jesus Christ and I currently worship in the Baptist church. But I realize that Jesus Christ is everywhere and I have enjoyed worship experiences in many settings including Catholic Churches, Jewish Synagogues, and in a new age type experience where the religious leader was barefoot and prayers were called treatments. I have even served as a supply preacher for a small, rural, white, Lutheran church. My faith is not rooted in a building or religious tradition, It's rooted in the Holy Bible and my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I read the Bible and believe what it says, which gets me back to why I don't support Trump.
Much of my belief is rooted in the 25th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew verses 35-46. In this chapter Jesus reminds us that what we do for who He called the least of these; the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, and the immigrants, we have done to Him. The Republican party has not shown much interest in taking care of these people. Trump was elected on the premise that he would build a wall to keep out immigrants from our southern border. And called those who were seeking refuge here rapists and murderers from s-hole countries. While the poor get poorer, Trump provided tax breaks to the rich and cut social programs that could raise the standard of living for the middle and lower classes. But worst of all, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic with 10.6 million cases of COVID-19 and 242,000 deaths, Trump and 18 Republican Govenors are in court trying to strike down the Affordable Care Act. If they are successful, 23,000,00 could lose their heath insurance in the middle of this health crisis.
But I vote my faith for more than current policy reasons. We are in the middle of a national reckoning with racism. Yes, racism, America's original sin is getting a fresh look. It has always been there since the first colonizers landed on these shores. It's not just a simple prejudice against black people, it's the way the very fabric of our nation was woven from the beginning. It's the fact that there was never really a 'We the People,' it was we the white, male, land owners. America was designed for white males to control and subdue every other human being, including white females and children, indigenous people, other immigrants who were won't deemed as white enough, and of course, black people. And even with all of the evidence of history, slave codes, Jim Crow laws, redlining, segregation, and voter suppression too many Republicans still doubt that racism is a problem. The even say that Obama caused the racism. Well, they are partially right, racism has been on the rise since the election of President Barack Obama, but it was not because of what he said. President Obama did not stir up racism with what he did, he stirred it up by his very being. In other words, the racists could not stand to see a black man become President of the United States of America. They couldn't stand to see this black man and his family become the first family. The racists still believed that they were better than any black man, and Barack Obama blew their minds.
When Trump came along, he fed their racists rants, through name calling and degradation of anyone who opposed him. He rallied his base (yes base in every way) with an us versus them rhetoric that makes us each other's enemy. Even in Trump's handling of the COVID-19 crises, he had states competing with each other for crucial supplies and personal protective equipment. Trump has turned this election process into a conflict between red states, with Republican governors and blue states with Democratic governors. Trump calls for and endorses violence against those he considers his enemies. It's bad enough that we have a madman running the country, but the Republican Party refuses to check him or even speak out against any of his policies. They endorse every lie and agree with every thing that he says. There is no original thought or criticism for anything that Trump believes, yet they call the Democrats the enemies of Christianity.
I speak for no other black person than myself. Also of this is why I may never vote for another Republican again. And for those of you who point out the many problems of the Democrats, you are correct, many of them are no better than the Republicans. I have never voted for any candidate that I agreed with 100%, my Christian beliefs and values are more closely with the Democratic Party. I am not a one issue voter. I don't base my vote solely on pro life for the unborn, while stripping resources such as affordable housing and health care and endorsing an unjust justice system. I can't demonize the LGBTQ community and hate immigrants when God calls me to love others as He loves me.
So I turn the original question around. You say that you are a Christian, you believe that the Bible is the word of God, and you believe in family values. So, how can you be a Christian, and vote for Trump?