Trump’s Ongoing Corruption of Christian Witness

Last updated on: June 29, 2016 at 8:25 pm by Mark Shea

Trump’s Ongoing Corruption of Christian Witness 2016-06-29T20:25:40-07:00 Mark Shea

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Under the strong, self-imposed delusion that Trump (who has maintained steadfast silence since the recent Supreme Court decision)…

“He was on Twitter, making fun of Elizabeth Warren and lamenting how CNN has gone negative on him. That’s it. Nothing else.”

…cares about them as anything other than useful idiots, Christian Trumpkins continue to demonstrate the truth of Uncle Screwtape’s description of the Faustian Bargain: “To get a man’s soul and give him nothing in return–that is what really gladdens the heart of Our Father Below.”

And so, as he keeps using them, Christian Trumpkins keep volunteering to be used, telling themselves that a guy who lied he would give millions in charity (and wound up giving 10K), a “pathological liar” (according to noted leftist Ted Cruz) who makes Hillary Clinton look like George Washington, is totally going to come through for them and not toss them away like a grody sponge.

Cuz the dignity of human life is super *duper* important to him, so important he is renewing his calls for the use of torture and demanding that America become a terrorist state (or, as he puts “fight fire with fire“). Yes. The Totally Real “Baby Christian” who can’t say a word about abortion after the recent SCOTUS decision suddenly finds his tongue when it come to his dream of being a war criminal.

And how do Evangelicals (and some conservative Catholics) process all that? Iowa Rep. Tamara Scott, Good Christian, explains the logic:

Tamara Scott, a Republican National Committeewoman and lobbyist for The Family Leader conservative group, said Trump’s evangelical critics aren’t showing their Christian love, reported Right Wing Watch.

“Here’s what I hate to see from my friends, my Iowa friends and my fellow believers,” Scott told conservative radio host Jeff Angelo on Tuesday. “Let’s not be judgmental ourselves. Maybe God’s called someone to a camp for various reasons. Daniel was in Darius’ camp, and because of it Darius saw the hand of God in Darius’ life. Who knows why people are being drawn to various candidates, but it could be a purpose beyond an election. God sees eternity.”

The radio host asked Scott, who has said American law should favor Christians, said she was comfortable backing Trump because she believes “he’ll end the war on Christianity,” while his opponent, Hillary Clinton, “created the war on Christianity.”

“Shouldn’t I, as a Christian, if I really think — you know, some of them think the end of the world’s coming because we don’t like this candidate,” Scott said. “If that’s the case, all the more reason I should have someone who’s going to allow someone to share my gospel. And that’s Trump, not Hillary, if you want to take it just to a spiritual level.”

Scott, who has warned that child migrants were “highly trained as warriors” and could not be reasonably compared to American children, said she was willing to ignore questions about Trump’s religious sincerity because he promised harsh anti-immigration policies.

“He may not know the scripture references, he may not speak Christianese, he may not be where we want him spiritually,” Scott said. “But politically, we’ve got to save a nation. We’ve got to save borders and save a country before we can save a culture.”

Note the richly textured lies at work here.

First, you are morally bound not to “judge” Trump. But, of course, only Trump. Hillary you can judge all you like, because “I should have someone who’s going to allow someone to share my gospel. And that’s Trump, not Hillary, if you want to take it just to a spiritual level.” Truly spiritual people just know that Trump’s claim to be a Christian is genuine (despite lots of evidence to the contrary) and Hillary’s claim is risible (despite her baptism and membership in the United Methodist church).

Second, even if you grant the claim that Trump is a “baby Christian” (something James Dobson is now backing away from under the lash of richly deserved criticism from Southern Baptist Russell Moore), where is it written that you are a judgmental Pharisee if–as Jesus commanded–you be wary of false prophets, look for good fruit, and steer clear of bad fruits?

Finally, in what conceivable world is it “judgmental” to buy the proposition that you are harming the spiritual growth of a tender new Christian who wants only limitless power, nuclear launch codes, a supine press, and the authority to order war crimes to blossom into a living saint and servant king who will surely strike down abortion.

When Zacchaeus was a baby Christian he paid back fourfold all his victims of theft. Trump has screwed a lot of people in his life, including his own nephew with cerebral palsy in a vengeful spat over Daddy’s money. He has ripped off condo owners and Trump University victims, victimized widows. John the Baptist says to bring forth the fruits of repentance. So where is it?

Now I’m quite willing to pray for the man that he bring forth such fruits. But I am under absolutely no obligation to vote for him. Indeed, if I lived in a swing state (as, thanks be to God, I do not) I would feel morally obligated to vote for Hillary to make sure he loses and the great, poisonous evil he does is lessened.

And no small part of that evil is that he is teaching Christians like Tamara Scott that the *real* core non-negotiable for which Christians are to fight for is his intensely racist policies toward immigrants. That, in the end, is why Scott supports him, not abortion.

And that is what every “prolife” Trumpkin will inevitably wind up diverting their time and energy *away* from in order to support Trump. They will march to his tune and tell increasingly outrageous lies to themselves and the world as they prostitute themselves for this fraud.

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