TO THE EDITOR:

To my fellow white, Evangelical Christian:

Jesus was Jewish. As the coming “Messiah”, he was supposed to free his fellow Jews from the oppressive Roman government. Instead, however, he routinely gave up opportunities to take power and ultimately, was willingly murdered by Rome. Then he rises from death and tells his followers to deny their power and take up their crosses...giving themselves away for the benefit of those in need. While the world says to hold on to power, Jesus taught to give it up.

Now, let’s look at America. Who’s in power? Of the 56.8% of evangelical voters who cast their ballot in 2016, 81% of us voted for President Trump. I hear many exclaim that we need this man to stay in that particularly shaped office or else...

Or else Evangelicals lose the power that the Jesus we claim to profess said to give up? No wonder the world looks at American Christianity and says, “Unbelievable”.

Don’t get me wrong, voting as a Christian and wanting a person who upholds your values in office is terrific! But when our loyalty to a person, party or country blinds us from their flaws and demands our utter allegiance, then we have pledged to serve the world. Not God.

So let’s stop hijacking the Lord found in the powerless of this Earth by making him fit into our earthly leader’s agenda. He won’t be found there.

Jesus will be found in the street, on the hospital floor, in the prison and at the border. With the hurting, confused, abused, deported, ridiculed, cast out, and minority. Jesus will be found in the places and with the people we so-called-Christians are too righteous to have anything to do with.

And if you disagree, I’d re-read those words in red (in Bible) - just in case.

Brody Hed

Becker, MN