Where Did the Phrase Make America Great Again Come From

For months, like the rest of us, I accept been hearing the discussion "great" thrown effectually a lot by Donald Trump and his supporters. "Make America Smashing Once more" has been the Trump entrada mantra since day one, it was the theme of the Republican National Convention, and information technology has fifty-fifty become a baseball hat fashion statement.

I have heard pastors, religious leaders and Christians beyond the state repeat this mantra, with all the implications it brings ― that things are bad at present only they will be "slap-up" when Trump is in accuse. However, I believe it is time to ask the question, "What is the Trump and the GOP definition of 'smashing'?"

Ever since Trump commencement announced his candidacy and entrada slogan, I have been questioning what he means by "great." If you want to brand a country groovy again, and then you lot obviously don't believe it is dandy now – a very negative bespeak of view for any candidate for president of the United states, simply information technology seems to exist a popular stance to have this year for a segment of Americans.

As a person who has been a follower of Christ and involved in ministry on some level well-nigh of my life, it is of import for me to fully understand what "great" means in Biblical terms, and I would also think this would be pretty of import for nearly Christians.

"The things Jesus would consider "making a country great" is the polar opposite of everything the Trump GOP has put frontwards."

We don't always have a clear definition of a word in Biblical terms, even so, Jesus addressed "great" very directly. He showed past instance and taught exactly what characteristics we should value and consider "neat." Concluding I checked the word "Christian" literally means "follower of Christ." His are the values nosotros are supposed to exist embracing, and He told us exactly what it means to make something or someone "great."

In Mark x:35-45, we have an business relationship of James and John asking for more than power and potency. They wanted to exist given a place at God's correct-mitt in heaven, which is probably the highest power-position anyone has asked for (unless it is to be God Himself!).

When the other disciples are indignant that they would ask this, Jesus told them greatness is measured by the scale of service and humility. He instructs that to be the greatest really means to get lowly and centered on serving others, and this is not the merely account of Christ's very specific instruction on this.

He washed the feet of his disciples as an example of leadership. In Matthew 23:xi-12 He says the one who wants to be greatest must be the biggest retainer of all and that anyone who humbles themselves will be exalted. He tells the rich young ruler that he should sell what he has and give it to the poor. Jesus was not saying every successful, rich or powerful person should give up having authority and sell all their possessions, but He spoke in parables and in examples that we could easily empathise. Past doing this He gets a strong point across nearly values and also characteristics that should be valued. He makes information technology articulate what is and is not a "great" attitude.

Then if yous are a Christian who truly wants America to exist great, and have decided to support or are considering supporting Trump, please consider this: Accept you asked yourself if your definition of greatness, as defined by Christ, is the same as Trump'due south definition? When you compare the examples above with the example we take seen over the by months – at rallies and at the RNC, where the biggest unifying voice on any topic was ane of hatred and antipathy for the opposing party and their nominee, with the delegates and surrogates cursing, even now threatening, Hillary Clinton – the answer is obvious.

When accept we seen and heard a truthful phone call to service, kindness, hope or dearest? The things Jesus would consider "making a land bang-up" is the polar opposite of everything the Trump GOP has put frontward. Start of all, a civilization that is centered on unifying around hatefulness and anger is merely virtually equally anti-Christ as it can get. Consider this last, and probably almost important, "great" that Jesus spoke of…

Matthew 22:36-twoscore ― "Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" Jesus replied, "'Yous must beloved the Lord your God with all your middle, all your soul, and all your listen.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A 2d is equally important: 'Love your neighbor every bit yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

Think about this for a minute.

Christ is asked what the most important commandment is… with all His power and authority, He has a moment to tell those listening and those testing Him the respond to a question for the ages. His declaration is 1 of the nigh important and powerful statements e'er fabricated: Dearest. Love God, love your neighbour. His challengers then proceed to question who "neighbor" actually is.

"The Trump culture has validated this type of heated rhetoric and brought information technology to a humid signal, so that information technology is acceptable to openly discriminate. Is this what existence nifty means?"

When He uses a Samaritan equally His example, He truly put to remainder all arguments anyone in history would ever attempt to brand about "neighbour" referring to but those within one's ain race, groundwork, fellowship, organized religion, etc. This is because Samaritans were not socially accepted – they were considered "aliens" in every mode and one of the lowest of social statuses.

When you believe Jesus is truly the Son of God, you must also believe this declaration is pretty important and not something that tin can be brushed nether the rug. However, what Jesus says is the almost powerful and important thing is non valued, at to the lowest degree not in word or activeness, by the Trump campaign and the current GOP. Power and forcefulness are seen as defeating, pushing others aside, dividing and conquering, insulting those who come against you lot and bullying your way to the elevation – putting upward walls and making sure no one takes advantage of us or gets likewise much help or mercy. Simply equally a follower of Christ, I cannot concede that annihilation merely what my Lord declared is the greatest thing is what we should practice – LOVE.

To deny whatever other way but love is to deny Christ. He even said to love our enemies and He loved those who denied Him. Yet, the thing that He said is especially harmful is to deny Him and everything He said was nearly important, thus denying His very power and dominance, yet nevertheless claim to comprehend Him.

Here is the matter: You cannot embrace something you completely stand against. Take you e'er tried to affect 2 magnets together? They are polarized. They reject and repel each other. Well, that is how it is when people try to embrace Jesus yet reject Him, His commands and His greatness. Instead they are replacing His ability with a false trust in earthly power – money, guns, control and hate.

Recently, I was about to indulge in a frozen yogurt on a hot summer day and every bit I was stepping upwards to gild the man in line before me was getting very anxious and upset at the cashier, saying his order was wrong. She had patently heard his social club incorrect and he could non understand her well – she had a Hispanic accent and dark skin. He angrily told the manager she couldn't speak English. Finally, as his order was fulfilled, I apologized to the woman on behalf of all decent human beings in America, and saw the tears of injure in her eyes.

The Trump culture has validated this type of heated rhetoric and brought information technology to a humid point, and so that it is acceptable to openly discriminate. Is this what existence great means? That nosotros tin can say anything, be politically incorrect to the indicate of information technology existence acceptable to openly tear other people down considering they look or sound or believe differently than we practise?

Is "greatness" revitalizing the torture program, discriminating on the basis of organized religion, separating families considering our laws were so messed upwards they couldn't come here legally 15 years ago?

Is it chanting "lock her up" and calling for "Second Subpoena Remedies" about your political opponent, calling the opposing party candidate denigrating, sexist names?

Is it inciting racism, violence, bullying your way to the height?

And finally, is "greatness" giving more ability, wealth, revenue enhancement breaks to the wealthy while putting a harder burden on the poor, center class? Is the "once again" referring to a fourth dimension before we had a social rubber net at all?

"Is "greatness" giving more power, wealth, taxation breaks to the wealthy while putting a harder brunt on the poor, middle class?"

If Christians truly want to brand America greater, they would be calling for policies that make things easier on the hurting, oppressed populations, the poor, the homeless, poor neighborhoods and schools. They would focus their attentions on the things Jesus did, on answering the questions: how much love can we pour out hither? How much acceptance tin nosotros give out there? What policies and what person or party is doing the most to have the burden off the poor and those who are vulnerable? Who is accepting of the poor wanderer, immigrant and does not want to separate families? Who wants to make sure more people who can't afford healthcare can become it, who tin can't afford food can become it? Who is offering some realistic options on ending injustice and suffering, offering more mercy to the prisoners?

One last word most Biblical greatness I will leave you with. In Isaiah 58, we find the description of a great nation and how a social club becomes corking. It talks virtually things like justice for the poor and oppressed, removing the hindrances to the poor, paying workers a fair wage. It even mentions providing the immigrant with shelter! Taking this into consideration, I pray, my fellow brothers and sisters, that we may exist truly great as a nation, and that Christians in this nation volition rise up and embrace the things the Ane they are following says are Bully!

Isaiah 58:1-12

"Shout it aloud, exercise not hold back.
Enhance your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
For 24-hour interval after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has non forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
'Why have we fasted,' they say,
'and you accept not seen it?
Why accept we humbled ourselves,
and y'all have not noticed?'

"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
Yous cannot fast as you practise today
and expect your voice to exist heard on high.
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
merely a solar day for people to apprehensive themselves?
Is it simply for bowing one'due south head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what y'all call a fast,
a twenty-four hours acceptable to the Lord?

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have called:
to loose the chains of injustice

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Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-word-for-christians-who-want-to-make-america-great_b_57ad153fe4b0ae60ff021f8b

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