Faith And Trump: At Odds
In the humanitarian whirlwind we are facing in our country, what does faith have to say about how the Trump administration is handling controversial issues such as the refugee crisis, discrimination across the country and climate change?
First, I would like to make this clear. There must always be a separation between church and state, and I choose to discuss Christianity because President Donald J. Trump is Christian, more specifically Presbyterian (which do not vary in beliefs, just in church governance).
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” These were Jesus’ last words and Gator Christian Life members believe they are called to follow them. They are a Christian group from UF that came down to Kendall Campus on a retreat to bring college students to Jesus and grow in faith together.
“The Bible is meant to be encountered in our life, and that God will not impose himself upon those that do not want to receive him,” said Devin Perfumo, 22, a business major at Kendall Campus and leader of the Evangelical group on campus Supernatural Culture. “God loves us all unconditionally.”
The Trump administration has planned to cut 31 percent of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s funding in the proposed budget. On the current state of the environment, David Perfumo said, “There are some things that need to change and that our passionate generation will not stay quiet about the harm being done. We should not neglect our own lives and our own house.”
On the incidences of discrimination, Perfumo said, “Discrimination has always been around and is nothing new. As Christians, we are to love one another regardless of color, race or political and ethnic background.” The Bible says, “A house divided cannot stand, and we are strongest when we are united but currently we are being divided.” Perhaps a more inclusive approach would benefit Trump and the rest of the country.
“With the travel ban proposal it is difficult to model the country’s ‘land of the milk and honey’ vision. Allowing this, would cause harm to an already unreached part of the world, and that it makes it harder as a Christian to do what Christ commanded us: to love one another as Christ had loved us,” said Gator Christian Life member Juan Carlos Beltrano, 22, who is majoring in electrical engineering at the University of Florida. Overall, he believes that the United States is meant to be a place of peace and refuge.
With such variance in opinion between Christianity and the Trump administration’s decisions, what can we deduce? Pope Francis is even claiming the destruction of the environment is a sin, and suggesting Donald J. Trump is not following Christian beliefs, by saying, “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the gospel.” So, if Trump doesn’t follow his alleged faith, what does he follow?
