Note to Readers: A Substack blog post on revenge can be found at this link. The benefit of reading the post in Substack is that readers can subscribe to future posts with similar content there.
The issue of revenge has recently emerged in presidential election news. Considering the affirmative response to Mr. Trump’s plans to seek revenge on his political enemies, it seems clear that Christian Nationalists believe that seeking revenge is a totally acceptable practice in the Christian religion.
This troubling news causes thinking people to ask if Christians really know what the bible says about revenge. The bible that they claim to trust as a perfect guide for their lives says very clearly that God is opposed to revenge. So, either Christian Nationalists don’t know what the bible says, or they have accepted Mr. Trump’s example as an authoritative alternative to the bible. Either way, they have placed Mr. Trump’s words ahead of what the bible says. In God’s eyes, that makes Mr. Trump an idol and Christian Nationalists idolaters.
It would be generous to assume that Christian Nationalists are ignorant of what God says and not simply rebellious. It is hopeful to imagine, therefore, that some Christian Nationalists might reconsider their support for Mr. Trump if they knew the truth about what the bible says about seeking revenge and idolatry. This would reflect a miraculous heart change.
It would be hopeless neglect to assume that miracles like this ever happen. Nevertheless for hearts to change, someone needs to tell Christian Nationalists the truth. In my opinion, that responsibility falls on journalists and scholars who write about religion and politics because there is no one else qualified or motivated to do it.
No doubt there are journalists and scholars willing to tell the truth about revenge but consider themselves handicapped regarding the bible. This is not a problem because the biblical truth about revenge is readily available for anyone who wants to learn in this link:
https://thewayweseecom.ipage.com/howtolove/attitudes-toward-enemies-and-mockers/
This is a good place to mention that the issue of revenge is only one of several issues about which Christian Nationalists are either ignorant or in rebellion. Here is a short list of those other issues:
You don’t need to be a journalist, politician or theologian to recognize that all of these issues are relevant to the 2024 election and America’s future as a democracy. In fact, you don’t even need to believe in God to recognize how Christian Nationalists cause trouble because their behaviors don’t line up with their professed beliefs. If their hearts and minds are changed on these issues, America will survive this troublesome season. But that won’t happen unless and until someone tells them the truth.
The big question is this: Who will share the truth with Christian Nationalists? If churches knew these truths, Mr. Trump and his radicalized followers would not be factors in the American political scene. In fact, it is fair to say that if churches ever understood and preached these truths America would have been spared generations of historical social, political and economic trouble.
My hope is that journalists and scholars will pick up the slack in truth telling and that religious leaders, rank and file Christians, and even nontheists will listen and share the truth. This is not an unreasonable hope because truth is not a religious issue. Truth exists and thrives independent of religion. I can’t prescribe or predict when, how and where the truth telling happens, but I can say with confidence that America is destined for more trouble if it doesn’t happen.
Anyway, that’s the way I see it.
Paul Borene