There is a (largely) unspoken rule that insists there are two
topics of conversation that are inappropriate for polite after-dinner conversation
– politics and religion. This is a rule I struggle with although it is not a big
problem for me because I don’t get invited to many polite English dinner
parties. The problem with this rule is that politics and religion are two of
the more interesting topics worth having a conversation about. They are more interesting
than those other staples – the weather and association football (or soccer as
it is occasionally called). I suppose the rule developed because discussing religion
and politics can be tricky. At the moment in the UK most political discussion
begins and ends with Brexit, which shows no signs of being resolved any time
soon. Its resolution certainly hasn’t been brought any closer by the election that should never have been. And there are lots of aspects of religion that are
not worth discussing around a dinner table or anywhere else. But this weekend
politics and religion have intersected in a way that has me bamboozled.
Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association, has called a day of prayer for tomorrow (Sunday 2nd
June) in support of that other president, Donald J. Trump (President of the
United States). One hand this is perfectly understandable. As he (Franklin that
is) fairly points out, praying for those in authority is something that
Scripture encourages every Christian to do. So I believe that I should be
praying for political leaders, both in the UK (how they need it!), and others
including President Trump. What’s got me confused is what Franklin is
encouraging us to pray for.
On the BGEA web page with this “call”, the invitation is to pray “that God would protect,
strengthen, embolden, and direct” President Trump. Protect I get. The US
president is a target regardless of who he is and what his policies are. Strengthen
I get – he’s an old guy and it’s a tough job. And he certainly needs direction.
But embolden? This suggests that Franklin thinks Trump is doing a fine job and
going in the right direction. He needs encouragement to press on with the good
work he’s started. This I don’t get. Trump’s campaign back in 2016 was marked
from the outset by insults and deception. It was devoid of almost any kind of virtue,
let alone Christian virtue. It was fairly clear that here was going to be a
President who had, at best, a distant relationship with truth, and no
understanding of (or apparent need for) humility. The “Access Holywood” tape
and the abuse of John McCain should, along with other things, have made him all
but unelectable. And what was hinted at in the campaign has been writ large
during his presidency. None of which has anything to do with me. But here’s
what I really don’t understand.
US evangelicals (an admittedly
elastic term) were among Trump’s staunchest supporters and it is claimed they have
largely stuck by him. US evangelical leaders (or at least a prominent
proportion of them) have given him public and vocal support. For someone whose
lifestyle, ambitions and pronouncements are so starkly different to what
Scripture teaches they should be, this support is baffling. I know that elections
are about choices and the alternative was unpalatable to many evangelicals. Among
other things Hillary was also perceived to have a problem with truth. There were Congressional hearings and FBI
investigations, and accusations flying thick and fast. But just on the narrow
ground of telling the truth, did Hillary really have as big a problem as Trump?
In any case, if they were both so equally appalling, that’s an argument for
spoiling your ballot.
I understand too that a
major motivation for US evangelicals was a desire to see someone in the White House who would, in time, deliver a more conservative Supreme Court. This,
so the argument goes, would provide a longer term means for preventing the
slide away from supposed Biblical values. To an extent this has paid off. Trump
has delivered for them, wiping out the “liberal” majority on the Court (although
it remains to be seen whether this will really deliver the longer term, longed
for “benefits”). My problem with this is that the US Supreme Court and the US culture
wars just don’t feature in Scripture. Pride, adultery, lying all do. Being aligned
with the latter to achieve the former doesn’t square with any kind of
Biblically-based reasoning. Even if you thought Donald was worth taking a punt
on back in 2016, how can the chaos, the dissembling, the continuing ad-hominem
attacks, the coarsening of debate, the sheer incompetence, not prompt a
rethink?
But Franklin does not appear
to be concerned by any of this. He is not suggesting that his constituency
prays for Donald’s repentance or his humbling. Neither is he asking for prayer that
the political process as a whole might function better to deliver real benefits
to the people. Instead, he talks about Trump’s enemies trying to destroy him. Now
if by destroy we’re talking about violent or disorderly activity to overturn a
lawfully elected government, going about its lawful business (although this is being
argued about in multiple US courts), then this should be prayed against and resisted.
Fair enough. But presumably the enemies Franklin
has in mind are Trumps political opponents. And all they seem to be doing at
the moment is trying, by constitutional and lawful means, to get to the bottom
of who Trump really is and what he’s been up to. Of course politics can be a
dirty business. Ironically Trump was elected in part to “drain the swamp”. How
has that turned out? Michael “lock her up” Flynn a convicted felon, 34
indictments or guilty pleas emerging from the now-complete Muller investigation
(so much for it being a hoax), multiple administration members caught out in
financial and ethics violations. Despite the desire to lock up Hillary, after
investigations, reported referrals and Fox News wishful thinking, there’s been little
in the way of indictments let alone convictions.
Perhaps the enemies Franklin
has in mind are those who lurk in the US media who refuse to give the President
a fair shake. This too is difficult to understand given the way Trump and his
associates have sought to systematically malign and undermine all but the most supportive
media. And the White House media operation, headed a press secretary who should
know better, has consistently demonstrated the same problems with truth as
their boss, as most recently highlighted in the Muller report. So what about
praying for honest reporting (on all sides) and rigorous fact checking so there
might be something akin informed debate based on reasonably well established
and agreed facts (if such a thing is possible)?
Frankly, Franklin, you’re
calling on Christians to do something most us are doing anyway (and more
fervently than we have for a while given the state of politics on both sides of
the Atlantic). It’s the terms of your “call” that has me confused. You seem to
be taking a partisan position. I’m not arguing that Christians should not be involved
in politics, although as Tim Farron’s experience recently demonstrated it’s
difficult. There are lots of issues where there is plenty of scope for
Christians to take different positions, many of which are political. On this
side of the pond you’ll find Christians (in the Biblical as opposed to cultural
sense) in different political parties arguing for mutually contradictory
policies. But there’s something about Trump that is beyond politics. Given the
monumental deceit, lies, attacks, misogyny, racism and dangerous incompetence
at home (“healthcare – who knew it was so hard?”) and abroad (“I have a great
relationship with Chairman Kim”) it’s not Donald Trump enemies that are the
problem. We should pray for the man. But frankly, Franklin, you need to rethink
what it is exactly we should be praying.
