I could follow most of the history because I lived it.
I realized I was more pro-immigration than I thought. Back during the election, I remembered conversations I had about immigration with friends who were enamored with Trump’s hardline approach and I was incredulous. What I don’t think I realized until sometime in 2017 or 2018 was that it was my own views that were changing. This disappointment turned into complete frustration during the start of the pandemic and the upheaval of society in response to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. I was also consistently disappointed by the same people and groups (those claiming to be “evangelical”) on issues of race and gender. The phrase “sold it all for a bowl of pork and beans” comes to mind if I stop and think about it. Yes, I’m thinking of Franklin Graham (and others). It was the beginning of my wilderness wandering.Īfter the 2016 election cycle I was consistently disappointed by the perception of uncritical support by the “evangelical” church for Donald Trump, particularly the sycophantic B-list group of pseudo-Christian celebrities who sucked up to him with all their being, just to be in the orbit of his presidency and feel powerful. It was the first time ever I hadn’t voted for an (R) candidate that was on the ticket. I still couldn’t bring myself to vote for Hillary Clinton, and am in Washington state (reliably Democrat in Federal and statewide races) and didn’t figure it really mattered, so I wrote in a candidate. I’m pretty sure that’s when I jumped off the train.
In the 2016 presidential election cycle, I really wanted John Kasich to win and still can’t fathom that Donald Trump got the nomination. It helped me put many things into place and start to understand how we (“evangelicalism,” though I don’t think that name is redeemable anymore) got to the depths of despair.
I finally read Jesus and John Wayne (JJW) by Kristen Kobes Du Mez.