Last week, liberals and conservatives were briefly united in opposition to our President re-posting, on social media, a picture of himself resembling Jesus Christ.
Such a moment gives us a chance to reflect on what really constitutes Christ-like behavior, and therefore if we would recognize our savior if we actually saw him.
The level of outrage ranged from a mild rebuke by supporters to a harsh condemnation by opponents for an image designed to make the President look like the Messiah. Even conservatives like former U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said they were “praying against it.” This posting, along with his recent condemnations of Pope Leo, may explain why Trump’s support has fallen across several religious demographics, including Catholics.
It is perhaps unfortunate for the President, that the ailing patient in the role of “a sick America” looks too much like someone Trump would rather not be associated with anymore. Someone he wishes America would stop talking about.
There were excuses for the re-posted image.
Trump claimed that he thought he was merely portrayed as a doctor (with glowing rays coming from his hands)… or that it was a joke. His press secretary said the image had been doctored. Others pointed out that Medicare and Medicaid will face further cuts in favor of war with Iran or to provide economic help to Hungary’s leader. “My Administration stands ready to use the full Economic Might of the United States to strengthen Hungary’s Economy,” Trump promised before the election.
The Western Journal played Whataboutism, claiming that someone did the same for Barack Obama, portraying him as some sort of deity on candles (although he looked more like St. Francis). I’ve seen no evidence Obama retweeted those images on social media.
Regardless, the whole episode reminds us how some on both sides see leaders as coming down to Earth in power and majesty, with symbols of power and authority.
But that may not be how the second coming might really look.
Our pastor at First United Methodist Church gave a great post-Easter message when talking about Cleopas and another disciple walking on the road to Emmaus, who encountered Jesus — but didn’t recognize Him, even though He had only been crucified days earlier, and while there were reports of His resurrection. Despite this, the disciples kindly invited Him to join them for dinner, only recognizing Him then.
Most of us probably wouldn’t recognize Jesus if we saw Him, unless we know who to look for. That’s because the Gospels remind us that we won’t know the day and the hour, or even the image. Instead of riding down from above in glory the way an Egyptian, Nordic or Greco-Roman god would, He’d probably look a lot more like the traveler walking to Emmaus, with His words and actions mattering more than some superhero look.
Those who thought Obama was some leftist deity had similar unrealistic expectations. “Buyer’s Remorse: How Obama Let Progressives Down is a 2016 book by Bill Press detailing liberal disappointment with Barack Obama’s centrist policies,” writes an Amazon review, neglecting to mention that his Democratic Party had control of Congress for only two years. Similarly, many in MAGA are learning that their president is just a man, much the way the Japanese learned about their emperor after WWII.
Our leaders must be judged by what they do, and not how they are likely to appear in fawning artwork by supporters.
John A. Tures is Professor of Political Science and Coordinator of the Political Science Program at LaGrange College, in LaGrange, Georgia. His first book, “Branded”, is available on Amazon. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu.