As I've watched the election process over the past twelve years (it feels like it) there’s something I’ve noticed about Donald Trump.
As I have heard him recount interactions with various people and members of the media, he’s said something I’ve never heard a politician say,“She treated me really unfairly” or “He was really unfair” or “They really weren’t nice.”
The responses bewildered me because the way he had been treated was really no different than any presidential candidate walking through the normal vetting process.
Then it hit me. Donald Trump has never been treated fairly. He’s a child of privilege.
A while back I was listening to a Christian speaker talking about America. He described the shifting American culture and the persecution of the American church. He listed a couple of stories that were troubling and which bothered me. Still as I listened, I was a bit bewildered because what I heard sounded no different than the struggles of a Christian, "walking through the normal vetting process."
Then it hit me. We, the American church, are children of privilege.
Donald Trump has been so preferred in his life, he doesn't recognize fairness. When you have been habitually preferred, to be treated fairly is unfair. The reason you can't ask hard questions is, no one ever has.
The same is true of the American church. For over 200 years we have had the privilege of being the dominant religion and the dominant culture. When other ideas and cultures are thrust into our multicultural society it makes us uncomfortable. And we confuse loss of privilege with persecution.
I understand things are changing in the U.S. And I understand it can be uncomfortable and may even lead to a period of persecution. What I also understand is if our culture is shifting away from our values we shouldn't take a hard look at the culture, we should take a hard look at ourselves.
Why hasn't the church shifted the culture in America? Why does its impact seem so insignificant? Worse, why hasn't my life changed the neighborhood I live in? Why haven't I reached the guy next door?
As I have heard him recount interactions with various people and members of the media, he’s said something I’ve never heard a politician say,“She treated me really unfairly” or “He was really unfair” or “They really weren’t nice.”
The responses bewildered me because the way he had been treated was really no different than any presidential candidate walking through the normal vetting process.
Then it hit me. Donald Trump has never been treated fairly. He’s a child of privilege.
A while back I was listening to a Christian speaker talking about America. He described the shifting American culture and the persecution of the American church. He listed a couple of stories that were troubling and which bothered me. Still as I listened, I was a bit bewildered because what I heard sounded no different than the struggles of a Christian, "walking through the normal vetting process."
Then it hit me. We, the American church, are children of privilege.
Donald Trump has been so preferred in his life, he doesn't recognize fairness. When you have been habitually preferred, to be treated fairly is unfair. The reason you can't ask hard questions is, no one ever has.
The same is true of the American church. For over 200 years we have had the privilege of being the dominant religion and the dominant culture. When other ideas and cultures are thrust into our multicultural society it makes us uncomfortable. And we confuse loss of privilege with persecution.
I understand things are changing in the U.S. And I understand it can be uncomfortable and may even lead to a period of persecution. What I also understand is if our culture is shifting away from our values we shouldn't take a hard look at the culture, we should take a hard look at ourselves.
Why hasn't the church shifted the culture in America? Why does its impact seem so insignificant? Worse, why hasn't my life changed the neighborhood I live in? Why haven't I reached the guy next door?
Great thoughts and conviction. We SHOULD be shaping the community around us at the very least.
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