By Simon Gonzalez
Republican voters are angry. They don’t like the direction of the country, and they don’t trust career politicians to affect a U-turn. Lots of these angry voters are turning to Donald Trump: the outsider, the businessman, the deal-maker, the self-described “winner.”
I get all that. I don’t agree that Trump is the solution, but I get it.
But I don’t get why he is running so strongly among evangelic Christians.
According to the polls, evangelicals favor Trump over Ted Cruz, the preacher’s son, and Marco Rubio, who during one debate said, “there’s only one Savior, and it’s not me. It’s Jesus Christ who came down to Earth and died for our sins.”
Evangelicals propelled Trump to victory in South Carolina. Their votes helped him capture seven of the 11 states on Super Tuesday. Evangelical leaders have either endorsed Trump, or strongly hinted at an endorsement.
Thankfully, not all evangelicals. For every Jerry Falwell Jr. endorsing Trump, there’s a Max Lucado eloquently pointing out that he fails the decency test. For every Robert Jeffress, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas who is “absolutely convinced that Donald Trump would make a great president,” there’s the editorial board of the Christian Post encouraging readers to back away. For every Pat Robertson telling Trump “you inspire us all,” there’s a Russell Moore, the head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, pointing out that, “To back Mr. Trump, these voters must repudiate everything they believe.”
But enough evangelicals support Trump — roughly 37 percent — to make him the clear favorite to be the Republican nominee and, unbelievably, have a chance to be the next president of these United States.
Again, I’m dumbfounded. Why are Christians supporting a man who is the very antithesis of Christian values?
Most of my Facebook friends are evangelical Christians. I asked for anyone who is supporting Trump to explain it. No one said they are ready to cast a vote for the man, but here’s a sample of why some are at least considering it:
“I heard him say once that he would protect Christianity. I’m not really sure what he’s said before or since, but even to say that out loud might mean working on stopping the persecution Christians seem to be facing legally these days.”
“He definitely has exposed a country-wide disgust with current politics … he’s been in this race to bring awareness that America is fed up with being railroaded, lied to and having the Constitution used as toilet paper.”
“There has been no one else who has come close to breaking the media’s tight grip, a stranglehold really, on the right and on political correctness. In essence he makes it appear that he is handing all that power back to the people. Politics in America has always been somewhat of a secular endeavor with a little Christianity thrown in for flavor and good measure but I think what most people who support him are thinking is that they want someone who wants to win and kick some butt.”
“People are afraid. They feel their lives and their families’ lives are at risk from several different avenues. They feel unprotected, and because of Trump’s position to secure the borders and protect America, people have flocked to him.”
I understand that many are drawn to Trump because of his promise to make America great again. And I understand that it’s not only possible but also wise to separate politics from faith. There’s a quote widely attributed to 16th-century theologian Martin Luther that goes something like, “I’d rather be governed by a competent Turk than an incompetent Christian.” Luther probably never said it, but the premise holds true.
But Trump isn’t running as a competent Turk, and that’s a huge problem. He claims to be one with the evangelicals whose votes he counts on.
He recently said he is being audited by the IRS because he’s a “strong Christian.” Unlike Trump, most strong Christians in my acquaintance have actually asked God for forgiveness. They know that the eighth book of the New Testament is called Second Corinthians and not “Two Corinthians.” They don’t commit adultery and boast about it. They aren’t serial liars, they don’t use insults as their default debate position, they aren’t bullies, and they don’t divide people into winners and losers.
Trump is a con man, and too many Christians are falling for the con.
We would do well to remind ourselves of the man Jesus, who taught love for the least of these, who taught that the last would be first, who taught love for our enemies, and who spent much of his time hanging out with people that Donald Trump would dismiss as losers.
The Bible we claim to believe includes a pretty good recipe for making America great again, and there is no translation that includes this version of 2 Chronicles 7:14:
“If my people, who are called by my name, will just vote for Donald Trump, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
