A Virtual Church

Everything is not a Trump rally

Today

Sadly, Donald Trump seems less and less able to save himself from his worst impulses. He is undressing, revealing himself, in front of us every time he opens his mouth. People around him dare not chide or correct him on his behavior. They fail to tell him what all of us can see – “The Emperor has No Clothes.”

It is sad to watch.

Everywhere he speaks in public he rants at his enemies, NATO, the Democrats, and anyone who challenges him. The most recent despicable acting out of his personal grievance was at the Charlie Kirk funeral. Charlie’s way was conversational and influential. Erica Kirk had just finished talking about how Charlie would be offering forgiveness. She said she would forgive the young assassin because that is what Jesus would do.

Her words had not stopped resonating through the room when Trump stood up and said – looking at her, “I hate my opponents. I don’t want the best for them.” Gulp. A starker contrast could not have been made.

He went on, “We have radical left lunatics out there, and we just have to ‘beat the hell out of them.’”

This is the same language we have heard since 2015, when he called on police to beat the people who were chanting words challenging him.

We all quickly learned how thin-skinned he was. I thought it was fragile ego or the absence of parental love. I have heard people suggest his behavior reflects “malignant narcissism.” Sadly, he has never been treated for this, or taught compassion, etiquette, decorum, social skills, morality or impulse control. A lot of people have obviously failed Donald throughout his life.

Bullies learn their skills in the school yard. Teachers may try talking to parents. The Trumps may or may or may not have listened. Church obviously was not part of his upbringing. Nor were Boy Scouts or any organization that could mold him into a moral person who had empathy, compassion, and love.

What a loss for him that he missed out on the joy of generosity and kindness, hospitality and goodness. Instead, the people who are around him constantly walk on eggshells, lest they get him riled up. The thoughts of revenge and retribution eat at his soul.

His life will be recorded in history as that of a pathetic human being, one who lost his life to petty grievance, selfishness, and hate. In the meantime, he is overseeing the dismantling of Democracy. Russell Vought, Stephen Miller and others are directing him. The loss of world regard and status, as well as the losses here in the U.S. are shameful. His legacy will be long and ugly. What is lost may be difficult to re-build.

Sadly, there is no one in his orbit who has enough influence to call him off the ledge. It’s hard to watch.

At the end of the Davidic Monarchy, 922 BCE, the Kingdom was divided into a Northern Kingdom, Israel, and the Southern Kingdom, Judah. In the years the divided kingdom existed, both good and bad kings ruled until 721 BCE when Judah fell to Assyria. The Southern Kingdom, with its capital, Jerusalem, fell in 586 BCE to Babylon.

Tales of their kingdoms fill the pages of the Hebrew Scriptures, giving us wonderful insight of God’s work in the world long before Jesus comes on the scene.

Bad kings dot the history of the world from many corners. Countries change. Ruler by ruler, structures of governance change. There is a pendulum that swings in the hearts of people who want change, even if the change is wrong for them.

We have mid-term elections in 2026. There may be a chance that we will be able to win a few seats, despite radical gerrymandering, that might slow down or stop the damage. 

A lot of us have worked to sound the alarm about the dangerous and uncivil leader. His closest sycophants are implementing Project 2025, with glee. His base has never heard some of his outlandish words or actions. It’s beyond me to see that 40% of the public still blindly follow him. People are always willing to believe conspiracy. Social media is filled with conspiracy and propaganda that is gobbled up like a drug.

I pray more people will begin to hear speech like he gave at the Kirk funeral, at NATO, the gathering of the generals, and everywhere else he is given a microphone.  

Everything is not a rally. Sometimes occasions are solemn and reverent. Sometimes real leadership is needed. Sadly, leadership and statesmanship are not part of the Trump repertoire.

Lib Campbell is a retired Methodist pastor, retreat leader, columnist and host of the blogsite www.avirtualchurch.com. She can be contacted at libcam05@gmail.com 

 

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