“As a Christian, I don’t think you can be both MAGA and Christian,” one person wrote in the comments of the video.
Two weeks ago, Jen Hamilton, a nurse with a sizable following on TikTok and Instagram, picked up her Bible and made a video that would quickly go viral.
“Basically, I sat down at my kitchen table and began to read from Matthew 25 while overlaying MAGA policies that directly oppose the character and nature of Jesus’ teachings,” she told HuffPost.
In the comments of the video ― which currently has more than 8.6 million views on TikTok ― many (Christians and atheists alike) applauded Hamilton for using straight Scripture as a way of offering commentary. Others picked a bone with Christians who uncritically support Trump.
The rest of the passage hit harder. First, the setup
Then your section about “the right”. Then the rest
As you correctly put, all sacred texts are better informed by their context & message as a whole. As a Unitarian Universalist, I’m not particularly happy with the ending of that passage, because it goes against my beliefs (I don’t think hell is real). But it does set the tone.
I don’t believe it (or the rest) either: the wrathful, vengeful, genocidal god of the old testament (who would not measure up to any sensible notion of good or moral) fatally discredits the religion to me. The passage is compelling, though. By likening everyone (& yourself) to Jesus, it demands we treat them accordingly (like a golden rule by proxy). It, moreover, indicates passive inaction (possibly including monasticism) is not enough, thus demanding positive engagement with the world.
As for rejecting the idea of hell, it’s interesting to compare for reference the older Zoroastrian/Mazdayasna tradition that inspired/originated many of those ideas (duality of good & evil, god & devil, free will, divine justice, heaven & hell, guardian angel, archangels, immaculately conceived savior who resurrects the dead, final judgement) & was in some sense more benevolent & coherent about them. They did not consider hell eternal: impure souls in the dark underworld are purified & reunited with the divine, a good god wouldn’t allow eternal suffering, and when asha ultimately prevails over druj, hell ceases to exist & the universe is restored to a pure state.
Digression: surprises in Mazdayasna changed the negative impression Christianity gave me of religion. For example, they don’t consider belief a condition for a good afterlife, either: only good deeds for the right reasons (uphold truth, order, justice, no expectation of reward) seem to matter. I think it’s fascinating that ancient people can & have imagined better than the primitive savages the old testament led me to think they were. It disappoints me that their benevolent ideas struggle to survive.