I loathe and despise the ideology of the political and religious right. It's cruel, despicable, harmful, and hypocritical. It is in and of itself a hateful thing and is what is relentlessly moving the U.S. closer and closer to authoritarianism, fundamentalist inquisition, and outright fascism. This loathsome ideology is determined to destroy all aspects of democracy in this country. It uses "freedom" and "religious liberty" as catchphrases, but is the enemy of both.
I could go on about how much I despise practically every aspect of the above way of thinking (or more often, NOT thinking due to the anti-intellectual mindset and the way they set themselves against what is academic or rational.)
But when it comes to the actual PEOPLE behind all of the above, we need to remember that they are indeed people. MANY of these very real people have been relentlessly and horribly deceived by the near-constant bombardment of entertainment networks such as FOX (so-called) news, "thought-leaders" of far right radio programs, trusted ministers of faith who abuse their positions to put politics above the way of Christ (and currently above even the lives of their most vulnerable.) This brainwashing has been going on for decades in the U.S., and because many grasp onto anything that can seem to give them hope, they look towards authoritarians and dictators who promise to bring the country "back" to a golden age of prosperity, liberty, and God.
It pains me to see people I love and care for be so deceived in this manner. I often cannot express with words because words alone cannot break through decades of harmful programming.
But what I CAN do (and what Jesus commanded us to do) is to LOVE them.
Underneath all of that hateful ideology is a wonderful human being, created in God's image, with the same hopes, dreams, fears, and feelings as all of us.
People are afraid, living in fear of each other, and of a false image of an abusive god of fear and threats versus a God who is the very essence of love and grace.
As Christ-followers, it is all the more crucial now than ever to be his light in this world, to be ambassadors of his Kingdom, to show that his way is not of fear and cruelty, but of love and grace.
The very best way to defeat the devil isn't by hating him, but by loving him because there can be no darkness where light exists.