- Donald Trump – God’s special protectee?
This is an exegesis of the subsequent emotion – karma – chi – halo – radiance applied to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. It is not in any way to deny God’s answering of our prayers for Donald Trump’s safety — faith makes that happen. It is about the improper extrapolation that when the desired outcome ensues, a special aura or anointing somehow applies to the beneficiary as well. This is a critique of those who should know better, or explain themselves better.
Many believing conservative commentators including pastors in an emotional but theologically ill-considered response to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump have portrayed that he survived the attack as a result of the hand of God diverting the bullet aimed at him. That Donald Trump is a special protectee. The sentiment seemed quite prevalent at the Milwaukee Republican convention just days after the murderous attempt. Also see here.
The Milwaukee RNC convention played out by understandably lionizing Trump for his demeanor when he was shot in Butler County Pennsylvania. A minor irony is that the assassination attempt on former Republican President Teddy Roosevelt (TR) was in Milwaukee. He was running as a third-party candidate when he did not get the GOP nomination having been President once, doing what Trump implied he might do if he did not get the nomination. He was there to make a campaign speech. His demeanor after being shot was as manly as I can imagine. Had it been me I probably would have been sucking my thumb on a stretcher. Anyway, TR’s hit was arguably more ~~ definitive, as it was full on in the chest “center mass”. However the bullet was inhibited by an eyeglass case and 50 page manuscript folded in half. The 38 cal. pistol round penetrated into TR’s chest but did not reach his lung. The pocket paraphernalia and or God saving his life.
The bullet was never removed because of the danger. TR carried the bullet the rest of his life and lost the election anyway. The sympathy vote apparently not overwhelmingly helpful, to a third-party effort anyway —
So was Trump’s avoidance of death a “miracle” and TR’s not? Or were they both, that, along with all the other “ineffective” shots made at Presidents?
People carry stuff in their vests and trained snipers know that people turn or bob their head to a degree virtually every second while giving speeches. Then again personages targeted may wear ballistic vests and perhaps the murderer anticipated that and aimed accordingly. We do not know how truly studied the killer was but the “God thing” is impossible to know thoroughly by us mere mortals and to conclude anything in this particular case, in my judgement, problematic theologically.
God’s hand is sovereign everywhere while forbidding but permissive of our evil ways, and just maybe allows chance to happen within his domain. The “God’s hand” stuff is a theological tautology unless one is trying to make Trump into a biblical character and my best guess is he is not. There are a bit too many policy deficiencies and problematic articulations by him in my judgement (short as I am of a direct line to God).
And for me one question arising from the TR assassination attempt as regards God’s hands — for what reason was God more protective of people around Teddy Roosevelt but not Donald Trump? No one else was injured in the attempt on TR’s life. True, people were able to spring into action as regards TR’s attempted assassin, preventing more. But why was a good man removed from his family and two others injured for God to make a point about DJT special protections? God can’t make a point about the comparative worth of Trump as a better leader compared to a Democrat some other way? And if I am judging God then how is saying He deflected the bullet not?
The same dilemma is suggested by the assassination attempt on the other Roosevelt, TR’s cousin FDR. An attempt was made on his life in 1933 in Miami, also by a pistol but with multiple shots fired. FDR was physically unscathed but Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak was hit and that bullet arguably led to Cermak death as he was shot in the abdomen while perhaps already a victim of disease. Others were also hit in the melee produced by the gunman although their injuries were not life-threatening. The bullet that may have led to Cermak’s death found him after the pistol was deflected by a woman with a purse standing nearby. Did God decide that it was necessary to sacrifice Cermak to make a point about FDR??
Biden was and is so out out of it with advancing dementia that any likely RNC designee would also likely defeat him, (his retirement had not been announced at the time of the assassination attempt on Trump and arguably Trump’s survival sped it up but especially because of Trump’s dumbfounding decision to debate Biden and expose Biden’s vulnerability prematurely). So from this an arguable political estimation is that Trump was not unique to GOP chances, a remarkable candidate yes, maybe superior in some ways,* not in others* but his running is not the only possible scenario to the defeat of the evil ones. The miracle thing just doesn’t add up.
Yet the vibe extensively out there in the conservative commentariat and a number of Bible championing religious leaders before and especially after the attempt on Trump’s life is that God is directing Trump and especially that God is protecting him. It seems too overbearing to me, although likely triggered this month by the emotion of grateful relief at the avoidance of great national trauma to our cause. Though that said, I agree that the devil sure seems to be directing the Democrats.
To the extent of the two candidates’, Teddy Roosevelt’s and Donald Trump’s reaction to the attempts — I won’t argue head shot vs chest shot – but TR’s responses were definitely as ‘bad ass”as they come. He had the presence of mind to realize that while shockingly hit and bleeding significantly the bullet had not penetrated his lung as he was not gasping or coughing blood. He prevented a potential lynching of his assailant right then and there. He actually gave his scheduled speech before going to the hospital. The account is truly amazing.
Trump unquestionably showed bravado. But I do not hesitate to add that our armed forces over the years are replete with individuals who faced the enemy, knowing the enemy was trying to kill them, subjected themselves to fire fights, were fired upon regularly, perhaps wounded as Trump was (or worse) and got right back in the fight.
Trump did himself, his family and his supporters proud and I am very happy he was not killed or seriously injured for them, and for the good of the country but also wish as does Trump that another had not died and that others were not injured. But I can’t come to grips with singling the Trump experience out as especially evident of God’s directed will when our fallen ways, peoples’ bad choices and derangements, the fact that we are mortal are all so evident all the time.
I think grace to cope with our own mortality, tragic events, and the will to fight for right vs wrong, among other graces are constantly God’s gifts and I think that is what best evinced from the attempt on Trump’s life in Pennsylvania.
Not to diminish the instant bravado by Trump but lionizing, sanctifying him on that basis is overwrought unless God had his hand in a lot of saves from assassination attempts and pre-presidential lives of many presidents. Well OK I can accept that he did but more than as regards all of his children? It is one thing to say ‘it was not his, her or our time to die in a near death experience, it is another to say God alters the battlefield for each instance, the highways, the obstacles, the sequence, the actions of others, the cancer cell, whatever risk we encountered. And could not a butterfly flapping his wings in China not result in precisely what God wants?
The miracles affecting us everyday are quotidian so let’s not get carried away by a missed shot by a non-professional, rather, be grateful he did miss and leave the theology at that. The pedestal placement of Trump is unfair to others and disconcerting religiously and risks ignoring or excusing apostasies and even sanctifying anything he says or does. I do not think that is God’s will so let’s not invite the apostasy.
A mere summary of incidents involving other presidents might give perspective as to the workings of God’s hand in diverting bullets to spare chosen rulers. This is not mocking God’s capabilities or the unfathomable intricacy of how He makes happen what He wants to happen. But it is intended to challenge the selective interpretation by humans interpreting God’s particular involvement with an individual politician in a particular way when the outcome is appreciated but chance or actual sequence of events explains the matter.
I am also troubled by some of the same “God’s hand moved the bullet” theorists referring to our elected leaders as rulers in order to implicate the biblical sense of kings. Candidates and elected officials are not rulers. I rebel at that diminution of our agency. We are the rulers. Indeed unless they are outright liars our elected representative’s faults are largely also the faults of those who voted for them, who did not do due diligence or endorsed those attributes. It is also the fault of those who did not bother to make a choice and show up to vote. And even to a limited extent those whose support of superior candidates was deminimus when it readily could have been more — if only to try and talk one person into making the right decision or support organizations that do.
Sure there is deceit and sometimes hold your nose and vote choices. But the system allows changes. We vote the superior party candidate and try to make the superior candidate the nominee. It is always a relative choice. And when we make a mistake the system allows changes. Indeed in our system of government there is no “principality” that can withstand a righteous God-fearing people. That is what it takes.
Although some candidates and presidents have avoided it (more so recently) there is a non-uniqueness to presidents subjecting themselves to or experiencing violent possible near death experiences. And it is non-unique not only to presidents, but as I mentioned such is replete in the military, and also true of many human undertakings and walks of life (police, fire and other vocations) along with chance happenings to everyday citizens. Who even knows how many near misses of one sort or another each of us actually have in the course of our existence. And if we have been cognizant of one or more do we get to claim anointed status based on that? And are our political opinions and policy recommendations more valid having experienced such?
Presidential Perspective:
This is not an effort to imply life is a matter of chaos, it is definitively not and I believe that is the stupidest of concepts, indeed the ultimate evil. Nor is it to deny God’s active sovereignty as He wills. It is about peoples ability to discern and not risk creating false prophets so to speak.
Presidents, great or not so great, good and bad have experienced near death experiences, been shot at, experienced assassination attempts with or without injury. Their supporters may claim the hand of God but the whole hoopla seems rather parochial. Consider:
Probably all presidents have received credible threats on their life. Terrorist organizations do exist. Nut-cases abound. The listed articles are but a sampling. Some inclusions or exclusions can be challenged. But the non-uniqueness of danger experienced by aspirants and presidents is clear. Is there then a tautology to God’s hand or not?
Most presidents have had military experience most of them saw combat, obviously all survived. A number of those were wounded. All of the Founding Fathers were under threat of being hanged. So I would include John Adams who it is said did not serve in the military but was a courageous resistance leader.
https://www.ranker.com/list/every-president-who-saw-military-combat/melissa-sartore
While it is still a useful summary, this article elevates random potshots at the White House during Clinton’s and Obama’s terms to concerted assassination attempts. Biden is not listed in the article but Trump is:
As for recent presidential history Clinton, Obama, Trump and Biden never joined the military, as young men never volunteered to be put in harms way or be under orders in that regard, rather unusual according to most (3 to 1) previous presidential history. Military service should not be qualifying or disqualifying for the job in and of itself. Indeed the percentage of men living today who have not served in the military including this author is about 76% probably a larger percentage now as the poll is 12 years old. But now Trump has seen “combat” and his initial reaction of defiance in the face of the enemy was inspiring. He deserves a Purple Heart but not necessarily a halo.
Seriously? Spoken like a never Trumper.
Good God no. The Democrats must be defeated. There is no alternative at this point to Trump. But there is a danger if those who promote Trump do it in the wrong way. Praise his élan but don’t make him into the Second Coming. That approach is unconvincing of people. And he might start thinking whatever pops into his head is from the mouth of God because others are telling him he is anointed. It also might encourage him that his opinions of how to do things or who to hire or dismiss are unassailable. It was so-cons (us) who set the stage for the TEA Party that set the stage for Trump. He read the room but all those folks were active when he was still singing Hillary’s praises and Mitt Romney.