Trump talks faith – does he understand?

Last Friday (August 2) – after the attempt on his life – Donald Trump sat with Fox News show host Laura Ingraham. In that interview he talked in frank terms about a subject he doesn’t usually discuss: his faith. From what he said, he at least understands the importance of faith to a civilization. Furthermore he understands why it is important – for the moral compass he provides. But he did not show that he understands the way of salvation. He shows some understanding of what everyone needs to be saved from. But he doesn’t understand – yet – that everyone, including himself, needs a Savior. One should hope and pray he does come to that understanding, and soon.

Faith and society

Fox News provided a less-than-five-minute clip of Laura Ingraham’s interview with Trump. View it here.

Trump understands, and shared, that the decline of religion in America correlates with the decline of civility, prosperity, and safety. In fact he asserted that Christians in particular suffered persecution during the coronavirus pandemic era. Churches were not allowed to hold traditional services. In some places, churches were not even allowed to hold outdoor services. Trump cited a report that police arrested an entire congregation that were meeting in an open field Congregants stood ten feet apart from one another – and still, police arrested them.

Blind fact-checkers, take note – this actually happened. It happened in Moscow, Idaho – a college town, a blue island in a sea of red. In September 2020, police arrested everyone attending an outdoor church service, ostensibly for not wearing masks. According to The Daily Mail, three of the arrestees sued the town in March 2021 – and won a $300,000 settlement. Trump took note of the incident at the time, while he still had rights on Twitter (now X). Unfortunately, the archives of his account do not extend as far back as October 7, 2020. The Daily Mail did take a screencap and included it in a seven-image gallery for the article.

This incident highlights several measures the Biden administration has taken against people of faith.

Religion provides hope and moral guidance

Trump emphasized that religion offers hope to people, and is the moral compass for individuals and society. He spoke of the sense of purpose and direction religion offers, especially “in difficult times.”

Will Durant, author of The Story of Civilization in 11 volumes, returned to one theme above all in his work:

Religion attends the birth of a civilization; philosophy accompanies it to its grave. Will Durant

Clearly that’s another thing Trump understands. But he might not understand everything fully. Laura Ingraham, perhaps without realizing it, drew out the key lack in Trump’s understanding of faith. “Do you believe in heaven?” she asked. He said yes – and then said:

If I’m good, I’m going to heaven – and if I’m bad, I’m going to someplace else…

Mr. President, with all due respect, the Christian faith doesn’t work that way. Even Jesus Christ Himself challenged His disciples on their habit of calling Him “good.” Neither He nor any of His Apostles ever said heaven was the destination of good people. Paul of Tarsus especially said no one is good. (Romans 3:10; see also Psalm 14, Psalm 53, and Isaiah 59:1-17.) Heaven is the place for repentant people, who acknowledge their sins (everyone commits them) and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior – and Lord. But part of repentance is genuinely working on one’s sinful habits and deeds. That alone might make a person “better” than he was before. But no human is truly good, nor was anyone good except Jesus Christ. That’s why He paid the sin penalty – for all of us, Trump included.

Does Trump show signs of repentance?

Three weeks ago yesterday, someone tried to kill him. Immediately after that happened, of course, he demonstrated that he still had enough fight left in him. In the days to come, many expected him to come out swinging, vowing vengeance against his enemies.

Instead he offered conciliation to anyone willing to accept it. He also readily acknowledged that he had narrowly escaped death – “only by the grace of Almighty God.” The “staunchless arrogance” (to paraphrase Shakespeare) for which he is famous, seems to have declined. All these are good signs.

Yes, God was gracious – to this country and perhaps to the world, as well as to Mr. Trump. This clearly shows that God is not through with the United States – at least, not yet. And He’s not through with Trump, either.

Again, Trump understands the vital importance of faith to the life of a country. He also understands – to a degree – the personal importance of faith to himself. One can hope he will complete his understanding, with acceptance of a need for repentance.

If and when he does, he can then join the Presidents who have called for National Days of Repentance. Some of their names might be familiar, some not:

Presidents John Adams, James Madison, Zachary Taylor, James Buchanan, and Abraham Lincoln were among the Presidents to call for days of repentance, usually called days of “Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer.”