During the rally at the founding of the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) in 1964, Malcom X called for racial justice in America and advocated securing that justice “by any means necessary.” The reaction of outrage and horror by millions of white people – and particularly evangelical white church goers – to Malcolm X opening the door for the use of violence to achieve racial justice was immediate. Malcolm X was widely condemned, not to mention feared.
What a difference 60 years makes.
Today, white Christian extremists are using that very phrase, by any means necessary, in their advocacy and efforts for the establishment of theocratic, Christian Nationalism in America and advocating violence in achieving that theocracy as legitimate. The hypocrisy is simply overwhelming.
By any means necessary includes, of course, lying.
Lying on the part of an evangelical Christian is permissible when it enables the advancement of that Christian extremist’s point of view. It was permissible to lie in their confirmation hearings, as now Supreme Court Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett did in regard to indicating their support for maintaining Roe v. Wade as settled law.
Because none of us are infallible, I can and must at the very least listen to political and religious viewpoints being advocated which are different than my own. But what a horror if theocratic, Christian advocates employing any means necessary bring about a government that would compel all persons in this nation to submit to their political or religious point of view enshrined in law.
I cannot and will not accept that a person claiming to be a follower of Jesus can advocate and excuse the willful breaking of the Ten Commandments if the breaking of those moral absolutes is excused to further their personal political and religious objectives.
How is it acceptable for a Christian Nationalist wanting to create a theocratic state in America support posting the Decalogue in public school classrooms and yet excuse the breaking of those commandments by a presidential candidate whom they support for public office? How is it even possible to support a candidate who as president would contemplate the execution of citizens with whom he defines as enemies? How is it possible for a follower of Jesus to excuse immoral behavior in and support a candidate who has been found guilty of bearing false witness, covetousness, and theft?
How is it possible as a follower of Jesus to accept a presidential candidate who arrogantly claims he has never done anything for which he must repent or seek forgiveness? How is that possible – when that candidate over the course of his adult life has been sued in a court of law over 4,000 times for alleged disingenuous business practices and abusive personal behavior to think – LET ALONE BELIEVE – that all those lawsuits have been filed against an entirely innocent man?
How is it possible as a follower of Jesus to suspend all legitimate biblical interpretation, as does mega church pastor Robert Jeffress and evangelist Franklin Graham, and claim that their candidate Trump must be understood as an acceptably flawed leader similar to the biblical King David?
King David? The humbled, repentant, convicted, and broken King David author of Psalm 23? Really? Trump the arrogant, narcissistic, female crotch-grabbing, unrepentant, unfaithful marriage partner, and friend of tyrants, thieves, sexual child abusers such as disgraced Dallas Gateway Mega Church Pastor Robert Morris, and fellow convicted felons? That Trump? Just like King David?
There are so many things about our current political and religious landscape in America which are dangerous, heartbreaking, and more than spiritually challenging. None of these things is more disturbing than the astonishing number of otherwise likely gracious evangelical followers of Jesus who would advocate that an unrepentant, commandment-breaking, religious huckster, spiritually ill Donald Trump should be made president by any means necessary.