What does this mean and why is it relevant today? A long-time churchgoer, I’ve been thinking about it a lot in recent times – especially as evangelical churches are courted by men like Donald Trump. Recently, the Canadian Conservative leader campaigned in 3 evangelical churches which leaves me feeling … uncomfortable. Although it was buyers and sellers Jesus objected to in the church (Mathew 21:12-13) I doubt He would be any happier with political campaigning in those walls. He said, “It is written, My house should be called a house of prayer…”
So what about the wolf? Matthew 7:15 details the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is recorded as saying, ” Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” In the next verse, the sermon tells us that their true nature (their wolf teeth if you will), will be revealed by their actions (fruit). (aka their words don’t match their “fruit” – ravening wolves will be bearing the bad fruit.)
I have watched a man in the U.S. who has slipped on his outfit of wool and pulled it over the eyes of many Americans. He held up a bible, and he said his favourite book was the bible, yet could not name a single verse.
His actions from the past should have Christians shouting “WOLF!” from the rooftops and yet certain Christian groups land in his camp?
Louisiana declared that the 10 Commandments must be displayed in all classrooms. I have nothing against the 10 Commandments and indeed live my life pretty much within its borders. But many Americans are not Christian, following other faiths, or none. How do Trump and his supporters hold up? There’s a couple that seem to be at odds…
- You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me
While they are not calling him a God, they are perilously close…
2. You Shall Not Make Idols
Exodus 32: 1-4 details a little item called a golden calf…
Ya…guys…
6. You Shall Not Murder
But you sure as shootin’ can talk about it.
And some folks seem to think Mr. Trump has given them permission for their violence.
On January 6, 2021, the far right called for the Vice President’s hanging – and his president stated that “Mike deserves it.” Beyond, that with Mr. Trump’s encouragement, his followers stormed the capital and in 36 hours, five people died because people believed his lies. Many people were injured, including 174 police officers. Four officers committed suicide in the months that followed. Argue semantics if you like but it smells a little like the rhetoric may lead to murder.
7. Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery
Explain this to me evangelicals. I get forgiveness and all that. The Clintons are assuredly an example of that. But how do you forgive this man who repeats this behaviour?
In 1977, Donald Trump married Ivana Trump. They were married until 1992. In 1990, Trump’s affair with Marla Maples came to light… He was recorded as saying he had three other girlfriends at the time.
Nonetheless, Marla won her prize…they were married in 1993, a marriage lasting just a few years. He met his next wife while still married to Marla. His sexual assault of E.Jean Carroll took place in 1996. https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-liable-rape-e-jean-carroll-jury-verdict-2023-5
And Trump’s name comes up in Jeffrey Epstein’s documents. We don’t know in what context but I hope someday we find out …
Enter Melania Trump. He appeared to be sticking with this one. They have been married since 2005. We’ve heard about Stormy Daniels (porn star) during this marriage and recently another woman has come forward. So, he may have slowed down due to age and dysfunction in recent years but do you think he would if he could?
8. Thou Shall Not Steal
Did any of those crimes involve stealing?
Does this count?
Or stiffing contractors? That’s stealing isn’t it? https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/10/politics/donald-trump-unpaid-bills-reports/index.html
Criminal tax fraud? Falsifying business records?
https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/06/politics/trump-organization-fraud-trial-verdict/index.html: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing9. You Shall Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbour
Where does one begin? When it comes to lying, some do it almost as frequently as they breathe. Some data compilations say over 30,000 over Trump’s term.
He started talking about Obama not being born American, then when proven wrong, he said Hilary Clinton started the misinformation. He lies about the lies my friends. Now they are going after Kamala, born in the U.S. but to immigrant parents. Her father, who was Jamaican, taught at Stanford University and her mother, the daughter of an Indian diplomat, was a cancer researcher. She was born here. That makes her a U.S. Citizen. She’s eligible and qualified, no matter what they tell you.
A Canadian side note here. I’ve noticed Pollievre has developed a tendency to … misdirect.. too. Fact-check everything. #VerbTheNoun
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
In Trump’s case, he’s likely coveting the neighbour’s wife, his maidservant AND their asses…and apparently other body parts. He doesn’t just covet, he takes. He is on record saying, “They let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy.” (Vox.com)
Well, his actions concerning the 10 commandments are pretty obvious. His actions relating to the U.S. Constitution should have you screaming “Wolf!” too.
Apparently, you run your whining to your followers and encourage them to storm the capitol.
He really likes dictators and has expressed he’d like to be one. Think of what he could get his followers to do then! And with immunity…
How do you become a dictator? If you could go back and ask Hitler, he’d say,
“Get elected… and then…”
Putin, another “elected” leader … but do you remember Aleksei Navalny? A Russian opponent who was doing well then poisoned. Survived and returned only to die in prison. Is it just me or does Trump’s statement not bode well for a free and democratic society?
Univision quotes Trump as saying “If I happen to be president and I see somebody who’s doing well and beating me very badly, I say ‘Go down and indict them.'(AP News 2023)
Hitler and Putin came into the house as sheep but turned out to be wolves with pretty big teeth.
I’d say that Trump’s “fruit” is pretty rotten and surely indicates there’s a wolf under that sheepskin. And yet, so many evangelicals are supporting him, some are worshipping him. I don’t get it. I just can’t get my head around it.
I have a confession to make. I’ve voted Progressive Conservative in the past. I’ve always said my brain is fiscally conservative – hoping to leave something for my kids- but my heart tends toward NDP (because I want social programs to be available if my family and others need them). When Jack Layton was around, he had me rethinking my choices.
But. Like the Evangelical acceptance of a man like Trump had me leave the church, so too does Pierre Pollievre’s campaign style make me aware that the conservative party has left me.
Do you wonder WHY Pierre was campaigning in evangelical churches during Pride Week? An offshoot of the previous Trump presidency is that it has given “permission” for certain inside voices to come out in the open and shout. Cherry-picked bible verses to use as bludgeons against people who are God’s children too. Many Christians believe homosexuality is wrong because it says so in the bible. But…is it wrong? There’s been some significant linguistic research that suggests different translations that point more to pedophilia. We can ALL get behind that.
So…this has been long…and honestly, I have a lot more to say about the last paragraph, as two recent Mamas I know are experiencing hate from the “love thy neighbour” crowd.
But I’ll end with this. I think I’ve demonstrated the ravening wolf in Donald Trump. Pierre certainly seems milquetoast in comparison BUT we should be giving that sheep a thorough chigger check. Like Trump, he lies often and repeatedly. He tells us our country is broken to make us believe it. (Another blog) Mein Kampf detailed why someone might do that.
“Through an able and persistent use of propaganda heaven itself can be presented to the people as if it were hell and, vice versa, the most miserable kind of life can be presented as if it were paradise.”
If you feel it is broken, you feel you must fix it. Pierre presents that he will fix it. “verb the noun”…(but no how-to verb it).
His foray into the Trumpian method of courting the evangelical churches has been a chigger of massive proportions for me.
I didn’t vote Liberal in the last election. I’ll admit it. But I feel uneasy about the new Conservative approach. It’s time to pay attention to the sheep my friends.
Path to Pasture 