It’s in The Lord’s Prayer, the word… ‘trespasses.’
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us…”
As a present participle, when ‘trespass’ becomes ‘trespassing,’ we might see the word on signs warning us: ‘No Trespassing!’ Don’t set foot here! Keep out!
But when the word is plural – when it’s ‘trespasses’ – it can mean: to commit an unlawful injury to a person, property or rights of another, with actual or implied force or violence.
So, if I’ve got this right, the prayer suggests forgiveness for our trespasses, as we forgive folks who trespass against us. Where does that leave folks putting up ‘No Trespassing’ signs?
And where does that leave some politicians, some, in particular, who are trumpeting their religious beliefs, frequently, at the same time they’re talking up violence, and force… implied, or otherwise?
When he was the secretary of energy, Rick Perry “once publicly suggested that the chairman of the Federal Reserve deserved to be beaten up,” according to an article in the New York Times. And when he was a Montana congressman, Greg Gianforte, apparently, body-slammed a reporter. He’s currently Montana’s governor.
At rallies when he was the nation’s president, and at his post-POTUS rallies, Donald Trump has been known to, shall we say, urge his supporters on? According to a number of articles in a number of media, he’s hinted at cracking heads, for dealing with critics in his crowds.
And we remember President Trump standing in front of St. John’s Church, a stone’s throw from the White House, holding a Bible in his hand, after threatening military action against what media described as primarily peaceful folks gathered in Lafayette Square.
Black Lives Matter demonstrations were being held, around the country, at the time. There was – what can we call it? – a religious component, an aura, of sorts, showered upon past POTUS #45, even as he, and others around him, seemed rather enamored with violence.
“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us…”
I’ve not been all that religious, but at a school I once attended, we recited The Lord’s Prayer, most mornings.
And those words about ‘trespasses’ have stayed in my mind.
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.