Is Donald Trump a Christian?
It is, to be sure, ludicrous and even irreverent for one human being to judge another on such a question. At the same time, however, we all must make similar decisions, from marriage choices to church membership to funeral services. More than that, we cannot help deciding such questions, even if only in the privacy of our own hearts. So I’ll go ahead and reveal what I think on this matter.
There are, to be sure, various criteria by which one can answer this question in relation to another’s Christian faith. First, does he claim to be a Christian? I have not seen or heard anything about Trump’s behavior or statements that would indicate that he thinks of himself as a Christian. He does occasionally speak about “hoping to go to Heaven,” but never gives any reason for this hope, certainly none of the standard formulas for being a Christian believer. Indeed, there is no indication that Trump has ever joined a Christian Church anywhere.
Another criterion often offered for defining a Christian is whether or not he believes in the Bible. Here again, we have no reason to believe that Trump even has a Bible, let alone that he believes it is a, or the, source of truth regarding religious matters. In fact, a few years back, we all saw him holding a Bible in front of himself, upside down and backwards. In some ways, this might seem to be an absolute criterion for being a non-believer. He has never provided a shred of evidence that he believes the Bible has any kind of authority except as a prop with which to pretend to be a believer while standing in front of a church.
Next, one might ask whether he “loves his neighbor as himself.” From the way he speaks about anyone who disagrees with him, especially women and people of color, simply for being who they are, it should be clear that he only “loves” those who agree with him. Everyone else is a “loser” or a “dumbbell.” Those who praise him are supposed to be “winners,” especially very beautiful white women. It should be clear that Trump only “loves” those who say they love him.
Finally, does he speak of people and issues with a heart of love? The answer is very clear. He speaks kindly only to and about people who praise and follow him. Almost invariably, Trump degrades and offends nearly everyone around him who is not paying him homage. Indeed, it is almost impossible to imagine him speaking of others, except for foreign dignitaries, in any terms other than those that demean and degrade. In my mind, there is almost no one who shows less respect for others and as much self-conceit as Donald Trump. He has absolutely no understanding of the love and grace exhibited in the person and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Such, in my view, is our so-called “President”: a fake, a sham, and a bloody shame!