To the editor:
Mr. Peter Jessen responded in great defense to my response to his anti-abortion letter. ("Letter-writer set up false view of people of faith, then tore them down," April 17) Mr. Jessen can present his thoughts to the public however it works for him and far be it from me to suggest he tone it down — which, by the way, I did not. Nor did I suggest he apologize for his Bible-based offerings.
Rather, I asked where the pro-life voices and faith-based voices were in the denouncement of the growing crimes and atrocities toward children and the lives lost in this nation which have escalated under Trump’s administration and for whom, I believe is fair to say, a big number of fervent anti-abortionists and faith-based Evangelicals helped place in office. And that’s rather the opposite of asking one to “tone it down.”
As for bringing Trump into a discourse on anti-abortion, of course I did. Because a significant number of pro-lifers and faith-based groups did bring their voices to the table in electing a thoroughly immoral, indecent criminal into power who daily presents an affront to the most basic tenements of any faith.
They dismissed his blatant penchant for cruelty, immorality and lying. They dismissed his arrogance and vanity. They dismissed his pandering to and adoration by hate-based groups. They stood by him while he riled up all the simmering racism and hatred toward those who were not white and not Christian. And they did it for one single reason; a pure power grab in which they decided ultimately the end justifies the means. Professing to care about “life” while electing a man whose very behavior supported and fostered diminishment of it.
And people have been killed as a result of his hate and fear mongering tactics. If that created a perception for many of sheer hypocrisy by Christian faith based groups in general, it was to be expected, but a true shame nonetheless. And yes, unfair to faith groups that didn’t vote for him. But, Trump corrupts everything in his orbit.
It is a shame because I have seen the phenomenal good that does come from people subscribing to and trying diligently to live their faith and am grateful for it. But I have also seen the incredible harm done by those who twist and pervert faith into a reason to trample down and subjugate others; which happens with alarming frequency once a group’s frustration level peaks at not being able to get others to freely convert to their beliefs. And that gate has been opened by those who idolize Donald Trump.
His zealots are having him autograph their Bibles. Sure seems like idolatry. We had a president foisted onto this nation whose message for too many was a clarion call to persecute others based on race, religion or sexual identity. I didn’t study theology, but I at least know you’re not supposed to give hatred that kind of ground for any reason. You push back and find another way to achieve your goals no matter how altruistic and or noble they may be.
As naïve as it sounds, it seems of all groups that should have rejected Trump’s blatant pandering, it should have been every faith-based group in this nation.
I openly admit to being conflicted on the abortion and life issue Mr. Jessen, and I do not necessarily wish that groups vocalizing opposition to abortion grow silent. Rather, despite our differences, we need every person who believes in the value that faith can bring to our society to bring their voices and their votes together in rejecting Trump and his on-going perversion of everything he touches, including faith.
Lisa Voiles
Whiteland
