All of us are hypocrites, especially after reviewing our unfulfilled New Year's resolutions for the previous year. Well, it's the beginning of 2018. There is always hope to reverse, to correct, to grow, to evolve away from addictive behaviors: self-hatred, unforgiveness, anger, pride, impatience, unkindness, ignorance, self-importance. And you thought I was going to rattle off addictions like overeating, alcoholism, over-the-counter drug dependence, heroin addiction? No. Those are just the results of the first set of soul problems.
I hear some have made their 2018 resolution to be become kinder, gentler persons. Admirable. How is one kind to someone who abuses and bullies you and sees your "kindness" as a weakness? Christ said "turn the other cheek." In other words, tell the individual, "If it will make you feel better, slap me on this other cheek as well, even harder this time; all so you can feel better and stop your obvious misery. Your emotional needs are more important than mine." But of course, one must say it with the power, truth, sincerity and conviction with which Christ spoke; that is with the anointing of the Living God. Ah, well. There's the rub.
The present day political leaders and leaders of evangelical Christianity, (you know who they are) remain far from this conviction to offer up to their enemies their other "cheek" (ego, if you will) to be slammed even harder the second time. Fear, unrighteousness, arrogance, emotional imbalance, all of the nihilistic impulses in the human soul forbid such a generous yielding up of one's power with strength and purpose. Just think of it. Would the current president "turn his cheek" to Hillary Clinton to receive a second slap from her? Would he ever publicly bow with humility to her to make her "feel better and stop her obvious misery?"
The thought is absurd. The current president knows no humility, no conviction to serve others. He has no inner power to admit fault. With him all is his greatness and his overwhelming success, these mantras despite their abysmal error, despite his unpopularity, despite his self-dealing tax break which he misstated would cost him money and not be beneficial to him or billionaire donor friends. Lies, misstatements, hypocrisies have characterized his presidency from the moment he swore allegiance to a constitution he disdains and refuses to uphold (adhere to the emoluments clause, serve the people of the US, uphold the Bill of Rights and amendments, etc.). Hypocrisy is his portion as he squats on and defiles the chair of power which he is unfit to sit in to serve all Americans of every race, creed, color, economic level.
The sweeping hypocrisies of his avowal that he is a Christian and embraces Christianity are particularly egregious given his character, background and TV aired proclamations about women. One thing is certain. Surely, he loves money. His presidency has been enriching his bank accounts while he sticks his travel expenses, security, and 113 golfing outings at his own resorts to the American people ($77,000,000 to date). Luxurious living while there are children, elderly and families who are barely to make it to the next day and indeed, many do not? Beyond cruel and brutal. Nevertheless, what can they give this man who abides by quid pro quos. They are the invisible, the powerless, the politically de-citizenized. Surely, Republicans don't see them, hear them, speak of them. The scripture says the love of money is the root of all evil. Then what are we to say of those who enrich themselves on the backs of the un-mighty poor and middle class? That they are evil? God forbid.
However, this is probably nearer the case. The Bible says "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven." For literal Christians who take the Bible literally, I defy them to interpret that with symbolism. It is saying anyone rich, has an impossibly hard time to enter God's Kingdom or the Kingdom of the spirit or righteousness or the Kingdom of Loving thy neighbor as theyself. Thus, by their actions, not their words (Christ said this to his followers about the Pharisees and Scribes) do we know them; and by their fruits, what they produce. What the current crop of Republicans and their donors and their leader (not ours) have produced is straw, chaff, not wheat. It will be burned.
Those who are in the Kingdom of Heaven see after Spiritual things; they do not live by their egos. God reigns in their lives as their first love. Is it possible to believe that someone who violates God's second commandment (love thy neighbor) is behaving as one who puts God first? Money appears to be first in the president's life. Or else why would he have gone bankrupt four times? Why would he borrow billions, perhaps with his family almost 1 trillion dollars from an adversarial power, then cover it up and obfuscate by not showing his taxes which he said he would?
Money is of paramount importance to him; hence the billions borrowed and covered up. He has enriched himself in the presidency pushing foreign leaders to stay in his hotels and Mar-a-lago. The tax breaks which will yield for him alone $15,000,000. Is this just a coincidence? No. He acts like he loves money, worships the Golden Calf and Mammon. It is one thing to admit, "I am about money at your expense. If some have to die to give me my money, so be it." However, the opposite is proclaimed; "the tax cut will not benefit him." Lies, hypocrisies! The arrogance of the lie and the hypocrisy shocks. But it is real. And this trend of lying shows no sign of abating, for the president shows no sign of remorse. He shows no recognition that lying and betraying the trust of the American people is wrong. He thinks lying to underlyings, officials, governments, respected, ethical citizens is all right. Demeaning them with his lies and hypocricies is fine. Treating them with such self-serving abuse is fine. Defrauding the American people is legal because he is the law. Since when is criminal, sociopathic behavior to defraud constitutional? Since when is such abuse of the 99% of the citizens loving? Since when does God advocate such abuse and call it loving? I thought God is love?
To not recognize such behavior for what it is when Christ tells us to discern after the spirit shows complicity. These behaviors must be called out. That Christian leaders do not call this behavior out indicates their poverty of spirit. Their silence brings into question their own steadfastness and integrity as Christians. Indeed, they appear to be worshiping man for the tax breaks he can give them or for political purposes. This is not like the early Christian church which had to meet in secret for their very power was a danger to the Roman empire. Present evangelical political leaders are complicit with wrongdoing and fraud and deceit if they do not speak out. That suggests God has been placed last. Where is the strength and power of a church which will stand against hypocrisy? Will they turn from their ways or fall into the ditch as blind leaders of the blind?
If man and womankind are made in God's image, is the president not looking at the kingdom of heaven or God when he sees Muslims or blacks or Hispanics, or colored people or the poor or average Americans? However, all are in the image of God and all are dear human beings that deserve equal treatment under the law. This is a fundamental right which our constitution upholds and which should be upheld as European democracies uphold it to attempt to create a social, cultural environment which is more economically equitable, sound and viable. The president and white, male millionaire/billionaire donors and Republican Christians have upheld they are to be served first at the table. The poor are not only not offered a place anywhere near it, they cannot even pick after the crumbs underneath it. They have been thrown into hell where various of the president's donors believe they belong.
Such alt-right donors believe the rich deserve the spoils of heaven. (where the Golden Calf is God) This obvious blasphemy was followed by the Puritans of Salem Witch Trial fame; they used decrying witches as a land grab to enrich themselves. They put the indigent in stocks; they were uncharitable to the poor; they believed if you were rich you made it into heaven, a direct contradiction of scripture (the poor beggar who was accepted into Abraham's bosom, as told by Christ). They persecuted the Quakers who were true Christians and who followed Christ's perfect law of love. The Salem witch trial Puritans melded religion and politics for their own greedy purposes. That vile pre-chapter of American history reveals how the melding of church and state is potentially dangerous. It is also against Christ's teachings: "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and what is God's God." Clearly, they are different kingdoms; there is a separation between the two in wisdom. One is the world, the other the Kingdom of Heaven. In this current melding of evangelical Christianity with politics, there is the abuse of power, the constitution and Christ's very tenets.
Another hypocrisy is intolerance. He says he is a president of all the people and yet the optics reveal he is the president of only white wealthy men and donors to his PACs. Tolerance of diversity is a mandate of the president as constitutional leader. He has vacated this mandate that he historically deplores. He prefers white people, with millions of dollars and they happen predominately to be men. He does like rich or poor attractive, young, vulnerable, voiceless, powerless girls or women he can "move on like a bitch." What brand of Christianity is this? The bigoted, privileged, ego-filled Christianity? Surely, that is not Christ; that is not what Paul preached, it is not what the current Pope uplifts, it is not what was followed in Biblical chapters from Romans to Revelation. But the great and professed Christian in the White House has fashioned his brand of Christianity which so-called evangelical Christian leaders embrace. Thus, the hypocrites have profited. They have gained the world and lost their souls. Ultimately, they have no spiritual power; the blind lead the blind and they all fall in the ditch. It is only a matter of time.
Will they, can they be redeemed from their own spirit of hypocrisy in 2018? That is up to Christ. It is a mystery, for no one knows when He comes, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last "trump." And it is a spiritual mystery and different for each soul. It is possible, for "all things are possible with God." However, Christ coming is not a planetary event, a global event where some are physically taken up. That is a mistaken interpretation from a cultish philosophy. His coming to the soul of an individual is personal. And if it happens, the individual begins to turn from his hypocrisies, his arrogances, his old fleshly identity and see with new eyes, the eyes of the Spirit.
Such a revelation would be lovely for Republicans to receive; then they would join the family of mankind, womankind and show empathy to those who are in need: poor children, the elderly, the handicapped, the sick, those in inner cities facing exponentially growing economic inequality. Such a redemption would be lovely for the current president. For then he would empathize with the poor, the middle class, really out of his own compassion. And he would then have the strength of will and courage to come clean, tell the truth, be strong and not just posture strength which must be so exhausting he has to golf one-third of the first year of his presidency to cope with the stress of a dark, hypocrisy-bloated soul.
But the strength to be born of the Spirit and water has to come from God/Christ. No man/woman is capable of it, especially if they have been cowering in fear and hypocrisy all of their lives. Will events in 2018 prompt such remorse leading to redemption for Trump, the Republicans, the compromised Christian leaders? Again, it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. We can only hope it is God's will. The rest is silence.
The Spirit of Hypocrisy
Oh Lord, you reign in wisdom, love and grace.
Provide us strength when cares we place on you.
The meek, the poor, the patient see your face
Accept your powerful faith and live in Truth.
And those of Spiritual faith? They occupy,
Wait as you shine your brilliance, manifest
Your truth and facts, that hypocrites despise,
Call fake while soul torments bring their unrest.
To live a life unmired by self-hate,
To live with peace, good will toward all in love
Requires courage, righteousness and faith
That overtakes our souls through Christ's sweet dove.
Holy Spirit dethrown the Hypocrite
Cast down that spirit in power, as we resist.
