A VERY NECESSARY DISTINCTION
Trump does not say to his cultists, ‘Be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven’. He says, ‘Don’t be ashamed; your ‘sins’ are not sins. You can be as bigoted as you please and still be Good People’. That is a lie!
When Jesus said the first to the poor and the outcasts, I guess we’re given to understand that being forgiven was supposed to give them strength and inspiration to mend their ways and leave their sins. Am I right? If I’m mistaken, please say so and tell me why.
At least, it seems I sort of assume that, although it could also be said that Jesus was telling his hearers that God knew what they were up against and how they were pressed into their sinful lives.
But tell me: What are bigots who seem to delight in trampling on others who have darker hair, eyes, skin, or whose faiths are expressed differently (aside from Christian Nationalists/Islamists) or have different sexual preferences and all of whom must bear the legacy of generations of such racism/sexism/etc against those more privileged — well, what, literally, in God’s Name are these b*****ds up against? Having to share their wealth and power with others?
If this is a necessary component of democracy (and I believe it is) no wonder these lucky b*****ds are souring on it!
What Trump gives them is not the freedom to turn from their sins but the false assurance that they are not sinners! Oh, no! They are the best and most beautiful blue-eyed volks that ever was — such Good People, better than Jesus who 1)was probably dark-haired, eyed and skinned and 2) asked a rich young ruler “Why do you call me ‘good’? There is none good…