He Only Says What Others Are Thinking

Responding to criticism, or, rather, ignoring it, Donald Trump's latest defense for the unending stream of vile speech emanating from his mouth is that he is merely saying what everyone else is thinking. Sadly, for many people, but certainly not all, that is true. Trump has tapped into a vein of suspicion, Islamophobia, racism, heterosexism and hatred that boils just beneath the surface in the lives of many Americans. Poverty, marginalization, job loss and other disappointments have always caused people to look for scapegoats as a way to cope the very real pain and frustration that come with life changes. History is replete with examples of this phenomenon, the most extreme cases being the rise of the Third Reich in Germany and the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan in America.

What is especially troubling to this writer is the way that so many Evangelical Christians have lined up behind Trump and his frightening ideology. How can one claim to follow the teachings of Christ while embracing the politics of hatred and objectification exemplified by Trump? I have been thinking about how I would address this problem, when, like a beautiful bolt out of the blue, I came across a document which originated with concerned seminary professors and other leaders. It challenges Christians to speak out against the politics of hatred. The document, entitled, "An Appeal to Christians in the United States," takes on Mr. Trump and his claim that his politics are consistent with Christian faith. The document challenges Christian clergy and leaders to speak out, and can be found here.

This presidential campaign, which has already exhausted many Americans, shows no signs of becoming more civilized anytime soon. Our Muslim friends have been targeted by many candidates, and we need to stand with them, and all others who are being victimized, or we cannot call ourselves Christians. It's as simple -- and as difficult -- as that.