I finished reading two articles from The Atlantic regarding President Trump and Christians.
One of the articles “How Trump is Remaking Evangelicalism; A new book shows the fracture lines the 45th U.S. president has created within American Christianity.” The title alone shows bias. In reading the article, some parts make sense and then the rest is trying to make a political statement.
It would be wonderful if “Evangelical” Christians all had the same thought and beliefs as this article credit them with, “In the year since Donald Trump became president largely thanks to the support of white, self-identified evangelicals, this kind of quiet marketing shift has been happening in many elite Christian circles.”[1]
As someone that has been active in many different churches as a consultant, member, pastoral staff, lead pastor and elder, I know that no two churches believe the same thing politically, socially or even Biblically! Some are very liberal, and some are very conservative. However, just like every place else in American society, most are somewhere in the middle.
Somehow in the history, it became easier to lump everyone into a group. After all, by doing so, it makes stereotyping and distrust of others so much easier. In America and especially in the politics and news industry, we made it into an art form. We are black, white, red, Asian, Christian, Jews, Muslim, baby boomers, gen X, Gen Y, millennials, conservative, liberal, 1%’ers, or the 99%. These are only a fragment of the ways we group people. Then inside of each of these groups, there are many subgroups. In the Christian church planting (starting new churches) movement the term “people groups” is a norm and part of the planning process. On it base, this is a beneficial way of accessing needs and planning, but it also makes many false generalizations.
Which brings us back to the premise of the article that “evangelical” Christians are starting to think on their own. I got news for the author, they always have. Yes, there is the basis of facts that there are similarities within the group. Yes, we all would like the ideal candidate to have all the same morals and values that we personally have. However, that really is almost impossible when politics are involved regardless if you are a Christian or atheist, no one will be on the exact same page as you are.
I believe that the average America voters want a better America. Sometimes that means voting for someone that will keep things as they are and other it means shaking things up. That what they did in 2016 and actually they did it in 2008 also. The failure to grasp this simple realization has been the reason why so many people are still searching for why.
Instead of looking at the real issues and needs of the average American, the political and journalism elites, (yes, I am making my own group) are trying to force feed us what the believe. When we lump people into the group the need to look at the individual issues less of a concern that “pleasing” the mass. What they do not realize that by doing this they are not making anyone happy.
Looking at some simple facts can tell us things are changing. Where are people getting their news now; CNN, FOX, MSNBC, ABC, NBC and CBS all have lost views and creditability. Our congress has an approval rating that rose to 18% in April and has not been over 25% since October 2007. Instead of looking for an external reason, maybe those pollical and journalism elites should be looking inward.
That is why we are so lucky to live in the world today where we can voice a view where others can read it, then agree or disagree. However, what is vital to me is to get people to think. Instead of spending so much time in putting us into one group or another, maybe they should spend time listening to us regular people.
In most groupings, others would call me an “Evangelical” Christian. I do not. I am just a guy who believes in the Bible and tries to follow Matthew 28:16-20 and Matthew 22:36-40. They are also known as “The Great Commission” and “The Greatest Commandment.” I have never read the term “Evangelical” in my Bible.
In closing, I see the need for grouping, but that should never be the basis that we use to generalize others beliefs, thought processes or requirements.
[1] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/03/still-evangelical-trump/554831/