By Roy Ortega
Differences over politics and religion have never
been a reason to discard anyone from my life. But something sinister has shaken the very foundation of life in America causing pain and consternation among many families including mine. Almost every family in America has someone dear to them who has succumbed to the detestable and divisive influence of Trumpism. In some families, the poisonous combination of political and and religious extremism has caused even more bitterness and sadness.To the dismay of everyone in my family, one beloved member chose to be on the side of the hate, bigotry, racism, ignorance and fascism extolled by a man who was inexplicably elevated to the presidency of the United States.
In the age of Trump, many families have struggled to understand this ungodly phenomenon. How does a family deal with a family member whom they never thought would embrace such extremism? How do the views of a dear relative with a kind, compassionate and gentle nature suddenly become totally intolerable?
I had never before been bothered by anyone's politics or religion. I come from a family with strong American values. We were all raised in the era of Kennedy and Johnson and our parents fully supported civil rights and the War on Poverty. In solid Catholic tradition, we were all taught to love and respect everyone regardless of race or ethnicity. We never regarded any of these values as Liberal or Conservative. They were simply good and honest family values. That's all.
It wasn't until sometime in my teens that I learned the differences between Democrats and Republicans. Based on how I was raised, I surmised that I was a Democrat. The differences at the time were really not that stark. Republicans for the most part have always been good and honorable people who just happened to view the world slightly differently than me.
There have been countless of friends and family members in my life who have aligned themselves with the GOP, all of them good and decent people. Our differences were never reasons to disrespect one another.
It wasn't until sometime in my teens that I learned the differences between Democrats and Republicans. Based on how I was raised, I surmised that I was a Democrat. The differences at the time were really not that stark. Republicans for the most part have always been good and honorable people who just happened to view the world slightly differently than me.
There have been countless of friends and family members in my life who have aligned themselves with the GOP, all of them good and decent people. Our differences were never reasons to disrespect one another.
When you learn a close relative is fully supportive of Donald Trump and everything his politics stand for, your life can suddenly become unsettled. In my case, I was appalled. I was mortified. Worse, I was hurt.
My thoughts turned to our late father who served in Germany during World War II fighting Hitler and the Nazi menace. My dad and members of his entire generation spent their lives fighting against the very things that Trump supporters now embrace.
It is hard to understand why someone in my family would dishonor the memory of our father. In my heart, I cannot fathom this kind of thinking in any intelligent, rational person, much less a close and beloved relative.
It is impossible for any sane person to reconcile this kind of political madness. It is not a simple difference of opinion. It is a difference of morality, common decency and good moral character.
But what causes good people to turn against the very values with which they were raised? How does a good person become so radicalized?
In my family, I searched deep to find an answer. After a long period of introspection, I can only say that members of my family are not immune from the depression and emotional impact of seemingly normal things that happen to normal people. Life's challenges in career, marriage and fatherhood can often become sources of deep depression and emotional upheaval.
Nor is my family averse to the negative influences and constant barrages of hate, venom and divisiveness spewed by social media, TV and radio.
People tend to get insecure when they're told (wrongly, most times) that someone or something is threatening them.They find it easy to believe wayward politicians and opinion spinners when they say waves of criminal immigrants are coming to kill our families. Listening to this nonsense can be depressing for some.
Turning to false religions in order to deal with angst and fear can often cause more complications in life, forcing other family members to turn away in disgust.
A person can become so confused and unhappy with their lives that they turn to religion as a way of dealing with the heavy emotional burdens they often carry. In my opinion, religion often takes advantage of vulnerable people who think their lives have sunk to rock bottom.
Churches that offer fundamentalist, evangelical interpretations of the Holy Bible are the absolute worst. An emotionally-destroyed person can easily be drawn into the religious fervor typical of the mega-church environment led by slick, money-grabbing preachers so common in Texas. These "Christian" churches are often filled with ultra-conservative, right-wing congregants who think nothing of twisting the basic tenets of their religion in order to justify their hateful and aberrant views of others.
Religion and politics can be a divisive and highly toxic mixture, especially in the age of Trump. It tends to highlight and promote a particularly virulent strain of hypocrisy and hate. But when you begin mixing religious dogma with extreme right-wing political ideology, things can get dangerous.
I never viewed religion as a dangerous thing, necessarily. At least not in contemporary times. Historically, well, that's a different story. I've always figured that if religion was the healthiest way for someone to deal with their personal problems, so be it.
But some brands of modern-day religious ideology make no sense at all. How is it possible for someone to profess a love of God and Jesus while at the same time support a president and a political party that openly embraces hate, racism, fascism and immorality? How can someone read their Bible in the morning and then go out and defy every word that is written in their holy book? How is that possible?
Nor is my family averse to the negative influences and constant barrages of hate, venom and divisiveness spewed by social media, TV and radio.
People tend to get insecure when they're told (wrongly, most times) that someone or something is threatening them.They find it easy to believe wayward politicians and opinion spinners when they say waves of criminal immigrants are coming to kill our families. Listening to this nonsense can be depressing for some.
Turning to false religions in order to deal with angst and fear can often cause more complications in life, forcing other family members to turn away in disgust.
A person can become so confused and unhappy with their lives that they turn to religion as a way of dealing with the heavy emotional burdens they often carry. In my opinion, religion often takes advantage of vulnerable people who think their lives have sunk to rock bottom.
Churches that offer fundamentalist, evangelical interpretations of the Holy Bible are the absolute worst. An emotionally-destroyed person can easily be drawn into the religious fervor typical of the mega-church environment led by slick, money-grabbing preachers so common in Texas. These "Christian" churches are often filled with ultra-conservative, right-wing congregants who think nothing of twisting the basic tenets of their religion in order to justify their hateful and aberrant views of others.
Religion and politics can be a divisive and highly toxic mixture, especially in the age of Trump. It tends to highlight and promote a particularly virulent strain of hypocrisy and hate. But when you begin mixing religious dogma with extreme right-wing political ideology, things can get dangerous.
I never viewed religion as a dangerous thing, necessarily. At least not in contemporary times. Historically, well, that's a different story. I've always figured that if religion was the healthiest way for someone to deal with their personal problems, so be it.
But some brands of modern-day religious ideology make no sense at all. How is it possible for someone to profess a love of God and Jesus while at the same time support a president and a political party that openly embraces hate, racism, fascism and immorality? How can someone read their Bible in the morning and then go out and defy every word that is written in their holy book? How is that possible?
Religion can so thoroughly corrupt a person's mind that they lose their ability to see the wrongness of their ways. The radicalization of a person can easily be achieved in this manner. Religion has the ability to keep someone from rationally discerning the difference between right and wrong, good and bad.
When a close relative chooses to reject the values of their family, it hurts deeply. In most families, this would be an unforgivable betrayal. Yes, I am deeply disappointed that a loved one would choose the path of Trumpism. And I feel badly when anyone chooses a phony religion to guide their faith.
I know our mother would not approve of me harboring such strong negative feelings toward any member of my own family. In my solitary moments, I hear my mom's spirit asking me to forgive and forget.
But let me be clear. I am not abandoning any family member for choosing to be on the wrong side of everything that is good and decent. I am a forgiving person. Family love transcends religion and politics. I can still be kind to people walking on this horrible path and I will always treat them with honor and dignity.
But when a beloved member of my family succumbs to Trumpism and religious zealotry, a certain part if our family's soul is lost. It's the part I will always miss the most.
I know our mother would not approve of me harboring such strong negative feelings toward any member of my own family. In my solitary moments, I hear my mom's spirit asking me to forgive and forget.
But let me be clear. I am not abandoning any family member for choosing to be on the wrong side of everything that is good and decent. I am a forgiving person. Family love transcends religion and politics. I can still be kind to people walking on this horrible path and I will always treat them with honor and dignity.
But when a beloved member of my family succumbs to Trumpism and religious zealotry, a certain part if our family's soul is lost. It's the part I will always miss the most.
