Jesus Christ and The Hostile Gospel of Maga

I'm seriously wondering in this moment, what would Jesus do?

Jesus Christ Crashing out at the Temple during Passover.

There is irony and contradiction all around us. The chaos of our daily lives makes it hard to bear witness, but believe it or not, there are all sorts of interesting ways these moments show up. For example, I believe that Drake is a shallow man-child who peaked ten years ago and has an unhealthy anger towards women. But when “Nokia” comes on, I proudly hit my two-step and throw my ass in an enthusiastic circle. Sure, Drizzy is a little problematic, but the man makes slaps.

I have decided to ignore my hypocrisy because, honestly, who cares about my musical interests and the ways in which I undermine my own stated values? In the larger scheme of things, my preferences and contradictions are not compelling enough for mass appeal; as a result, we can leave it to my friends and family to unpack my shortcomings. At least they have an incentive to do so.

But have no fear, this essay isn’t about me; we have much more interesting characters we can focus our attention on. Take, for example, the leaders of this country. Donald Trump and his cabal of advisors swear to all the gods that may exist that they are Christians. Despite suspicions from a growing number of people, they insist, with Adderall powder on their noses and Coca-Cola steam oozing from their pores, that they believe with all their heart in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

It is this belief that drives their governing approach. One that has deprioritized human safety when making decisions at the Environmental Protection Agency, attacked Somalians and described them as “Filthy” and “disgusting,” all while launching a campaign to deport as many of them as possible. This same “Christ-like” approach has led to the Trump administration demonizing people murdered by ICE, calling Renee Good and Alex Pretti terrorists, literally moments after their deaths. I wonder what parts of the bible they’re getting this gospel from?

The Jesus that I am familiar with was born a refugee. His family had no documentation to prove they belonged in Bethlehem, his father didn’t have a job, and they were not considered a “well-respected family.” These circumstances are why, at his birth, he had another title besides the “Son of God”; he was also homeless.

The manager where Mary gave birth to Jesus did not belong to her or her husband; it was the only shelter they could go to, and they would eventually have to leave. And while as a child Jesus had a home, he spent much of his adult years without traditional or stable housing. Despite these circumstances, this houseless refugee, born to a poor family and who lived with no wealth to call his own, built a gospel that would far outlive him. That gospel was deeply suspicious of the rich. This suspicion sometimes led to unforgettable crash-outs, like the time he used a chord to drive merchants and salesmen out of a temple during passover, saying, “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise.”

It was these actions, and others, that led to his eventual crucifixion. We glamorize the story of Christ dying on the cross for our sins and rising from the dead. If this story were told for modern times, there might not be a body left because he could have died from an American-funded bomb dropped on him in Gaza. Or maybe he would freeze to death in the streets of New York, because despite the city’s incredible wealth, we have yet to solve our ever-growing issue of homelessness. Maybe we would lose track of his body after he was kidnapped by Ice for not having papers, and then announced dead from “mysterious causes?”

In every one of these scenarios in which Jesus would be killed, the leaders of this country, and those who support their vision, would find no fault in the cruelty of his death. Maybe Jesus would be called a “terrorist” the way so many have accused Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Keith Porter of being. Maybe they would cheer him passing the way some did after Jordan Neely was choked to death on the subway? Maybe he would be another nameless body found in a landfill, cremated or buried with no fanfare. No matter how his crucifixion took place, I am confident that when it was all said and done, our leaders and their supporters would clutch their Bibles, sing a hymn, and tell the rest of us that “Jesus is the way.” Isn’t life interesting?

Congratulations, and thank you for making it to the end. But don’t leave right away. Keep the conversation going by leaving a comment. Here are some helpful prompts:

1. Do you see the irony in our leadership?

2. Do you think I have the wrong idea of Jesus?

3. Is there anything I missed, or something you would have added?

4. Do you think my writing is trash, and you think I’m a godless communist? If so, click here.