Standing for Decency
The sermon the president didn't want to hear.
People get ready
There's a train a-coming
You don't need no baggage
You just get on board
All you need is faith
To hear the diesels humming
Don't need no ticket
You just thank the Lord
Songwriter: Curtis Mayfield
You might have seen Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's speech at the National Prayer Service in the US following Trump’s elevation to the highest worldly position, or perhaps read about it in the news.
It’s well worth watching this short clip of her sermon if you haven’t, as the rest of this newsletter is about that and the reaction to it:
I found the sermon courageous, heartfelt, and, above all, decent. It felt like there was finally an adult in the room again. Predictably, Trump and his vile little Vice President responded like naughty little boys being reprimanded, reacting with anger at being told off in front of all their little mates.
That response will not have surprised the Bishop. As she prepared to deliver the end of her sermon, you could see her pause to collect her thoughts. She knew she would be criticised for what she was about to say, yet she had the courage to speak it regardless.
What followed was heartfelt and compelling, as the Bishop talked of the fears of LGBT people and immigrants. She spoke of them as if they were human beings like the rest of us, saying they pay their taxes, are not criminals, and are good neighbours.
The president did not want to hear her message. His anger was building as his snivelling sidekick looked toward him to see how the big chief would respond.
So, how did the leader of the free world react? Did he take it on the chin, appreciating that he now needed to show leadership for all, or did he call the person asking him to show compassion - “nasty”?
That’s right, it was the second one. I’m afraid there’s no prize for that as you’re all excluded due to inside knowledge of that kind of behaviour from observing David Seymour. The ACT leader responds in pretty much the same way when someone more intelligent and human points out the flaws in his soul.
Donald then went on his own Truth social media platform, which he set up before he’d tamed the Tech Oligarchs, and vented, “The so-called bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a radical left hard-line Trump hater”.
Which isn’t very polite, but when you think about it, his response should be seen as a badge of honour. Especially for someone of the Christian faith because all those who follow the teachings of Christ ought to be “radical left hard-line Trump haters”, or else they’ve rather missed the point. Don’t you think?
Certainly, pastor and activist John Pavlovitz thought so, saying, “Christians who voted for him, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Of course, if you were capable of shame, you'd never have voted for him to begin with.”
“She brought her church into the world of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart,” continued the President, like a schoolyard bully.
I thought it was a bit rich for a man who has used the church and the bible in order to sell himself to false Christians who worship money, who has even claimed divine intervention from God, to then complain about the Bishop not staying in her lane.
If religious leaders don’t speak out against bigotry, hatred, and threats to peaceful, decent human beings - then what’s the point?
I admired Budde's bravery. Just quietly, the church hasn’t always had the best record of speaking out against those who’ve said the sort of things that Trump is saying.
If you’re unclear what I mean, I’m talking about Hitler, and it’s nice to see the church, or at least the Bishop, taking the other side this time around. Rather than offering compliance and collaboration, as they did then and as the political establishment in America is doing now.
Aside from all that, it feels like a weird, topsy-turvy world when the church is asking the government to be more compassionate towards the LGBT community.
El Douche hadn’t finished and said, “Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!”
It’s like he just says the opposite of what is happening, and people are so stupid or full of hate that they accept it, even though it’s obviously false.
So, the Bishop is derided as “nasty” when she is considerate and kind. She is called “Not Smart” when you only have to listen to her to know she is an intelligent, well-spoken person. She is called “Ungracious” when she is polite and respectful.
As is the case with bullies, there are always wretches willing to support them and act similarly to win favour, even as many see them for what they are.
Mike Collins, a Republican House representative, tweeted, “The person giving this sermon should be added to the deportation list.”
Isn’t that disgusting? An elected politician saying that someone should be deported for daring to challenge the person at the top, even when it is so clearly needed.
Fox News host Sean Hannity said, “Instead of offering a benediction for our country, for our president, she goes on the far-left, woke tirade in front of Donald Trump and JD Vance, their families, their young children. She made the service about her very own deranged political beliefs with a disgraceful prayer full of fear-mongering and division.”
Perhaps most despicably, Robert Jeffress, the pastor of Dallas’s First Baptist Church, tweeted this sycophantic garbage:
Those cronies of Trump seem weak and dishonest to me compared to the words of Bishop Budde herself, who said the following after her sermon:
“I wanted to say there is room for mercy, there’s room for a broader compassion. We don’t need to portray with a broadcloth in the harshest of terms some of the most vulnerable people in our society, who are, in fact, our neighbours, our friends, our children, our friends, children, and so forth.”
Over the next four years, many Americans will have to choose between speaking up on issues they believe in or remaining silent and nodding in agreement.
The Republican party has made its pact with the Donald, and the Tech Bros have fallen over each other in their desire to kiss his ass; it will be a dark time for many regular people, no doubt, to stand up for what they believe in even as those with power and privilege fall in line behind the tyrant.
So, although I am not Christian, I am glad to see the Church stand up for those under attack, show courage in the face of the bully, and be the adult in the room when so many bow at the feet of the child with the conch shell.
In my view Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is a hero, and she does herself great credit with this courageous, compassionate, Christian stand.
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A bit of a shorter one from me ahead of the party gatherings and small announcements that will follow and ahead of Ratana as our political year commences.
Have a good one, all you lovely people. We keep standing up and saying what is right because what else can you do?
Ngā mihi,
Nick.
My apologies; for some reason, the word Cathedral is associated with the Catholic Church in my brain. All references to Catholicism have now been removed from the online version (as opposed to the email that went out), thanks to those who commented and emailed pointing that out.
It was marvellous. It brought back memories of my father-in-law Rev Dick Fenton, Anglican Priest and of course my grandfather who was a Methodist Minister, changed to Anglican and became a Labour MP. Both spent their lives helping others, living humble lives, not enriching themselves. I don't call myself a Christian these days, but her message of compassion really touched me and reminded me of our Sunday School stories about the real, not vengeful Jesus. Trump and his minions are going ballistic but they are the money traders Jesus would have chucked out of the Temple.