About that 'personal relationship with Jesus'

I read an intriguing post about something called "vertical Christianity," which was Thomas French's take on the current state of the evangelical MAGA cult. Within was a story about how a prominent religious leader, Paula White, who reportedly regularly consults with Trump, offered "seven supernatural blessings" over Easter in return for $1,000. Each of those "blessings" was individual-centered: “God will assign an angel to you, he’ll be an enemy to your enemies, he’ll give you prosperity, he’ll take sickness away from you, he will give you long life, he’ll bring increase in inheritance, and he’ll bring a special year of blessing.”

As French noted: "The emphasis is clear — look at what God will do for you. It’s all vertical. Honor God (by giving White a pile of cash), and he’ll make you healthy, wealthy and strong."

It's a modern take on "selling indulgences."

The recent travesty from Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, who proclaimed that "we're all going to die" when someone in a town hall meeting shouted that "people will die" due to the Big Beautiful Bill that Trump and his minions are foisting on the country. On one level, of course, she's correct, but it certainly makes a difference whether people live longer, healthier, happier, etc., up until that moment. 

Being a faithful Trump cult member, she just had to double down by sharing a video shot in a cemetery that was a faux apology and that ended by inviting viewers to join her as a follower of Christ. 

Yay for religion!

Kathleen and I had just wrapped up watching "The Righteous Gemstones" on MAX, which makes fun of the classic selfishness of evangelical ministers practically begging their often poor followers to send them money in return for all sorts of promises that will never be fulfilled. 

It occurs to me that a lot of the split in America is due to people taking the idea of personal responsibility and independence to somewhat illogical conclusions. It boils down to something like, "I'm white and doing OK and native born and away from clear danger... Why isn't everyone else?" 

And if people are not "doing OK," they may quickly be drawn to any ideas or any persons who give them some hope that things could change. 

It's related to the J.D. Vance misunderstanding of some ancient pronouncements, saying, "There is a Christian concept that you love your family and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens, and then after that, prioritize the rest of the world. A lot of the far left has completely inverted that."

The Pope and many Catholic clergy pointed out that humans can actually balance love for family with love for a much larger world... and that "priorities of love" was a foolish concept.

But that innate selfishness and smallness is now part of American culture. "Why can't we all just take care of ourselves (and a few chosen others)? If everyone did that, wouldn't life be grand?"

This week there are federal troops standing around in Los Angeles, waiting for trouble. Trump is engaged in his own depraved act of prayer for violence to break out. He wants it. After all, dealing with it shows him to be strong, to be in control. People being hurt, families being torn apart, communities in disarray? Who cares?

He will be fine. 

I also saw a short segment on CBS news about the airlift of 3,000 children to America as Saigon was falling in 1975. They were all fathered by U.S. troops and there was fear that they would be slaughtered. We went to great lengths to fly them to safety. We met some of those now 50-something people, each firmly American and thriving. 

Now THAT was horizontal Christianity. 

More of that, please.