Christians Still

What this episode is about

The letter addresses Christians who voted for Donald Trump, urging them to reflect critically on their choices and the implications for democracy, while emphasizing sincerity in faith and the importance of accountability in their beliefs. It calls for an honest evaluation of the motivations behind their political support, acknowledging both shared humanity and the need for moral introspection.

Key takeaways

• Blindly supporting Trump shows how loyalty can outweigh morality, leaving many questioning their faith's integrity.
• Christians grapple with a dizzying paradox: is faith truly reflective of values or just convenient politics?
• The shiny 'good fruit' might be rotten at the core—abortion rates rise despite perceived victories for pro-life advocates.
• History warns us—cultured societies can slide into chaos; are we naively overlooking our own potential downfall?
• Casting aside uncomfortable truths feeds hypocrisy, risking not just friendships but the essence of belief itself.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Chuck Bennett (Host) · 16 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Donald Trump
2. 3:00 – 6:00: Matthew 7, Donald Trump
3. 9:00 – 12:00: Donald Trump, Matt Gates, Robert Kennedy Jr.
4. 12:00 – 15:00: Donald Trump
5. 15:00 – 16:25: George Wallace

Notable quotes from "Christians Still"

• Or that well the alternative to Trump was worse Donald Trump and the threat he poses is unique in American history he is a man covered with tar he debases everything he touches and everything that touches him you cannot support him.

  about Donald Trump · at 3:30

• The show so does he Inspire Christian qualities in others look at the people around him for goodness sake Matt Gates margorie Taylor green Rudy Giuliani Elon Musk Robert Kennedy Jr Steven Miller they remind me of villains from Batman.

  about Matt Gates · at 11:11

• Limau or maybe John Adams I'm also thinking of writing one to lene Wallace she was George Wallace's wife if you don't remember George Wallace we'll have a review whoever is next I hope you will be back and if you want to like this or.

  about George Wallace · at 15:46

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Donald Trump — Person · Primary subject of critique (referenced political · 6 mentions · first at 0:59
  The letter argues that supporting Trump is incompatible with Christian ethics and frames him as uniquely dangerous to U.S. democracy.
• Matt Gates — Person · Referenced political figure (example of Trump-alig · 1 mention · first at 11:18
  Listed among people around Trump to argue Trump does not inspire “Christian qualities” and instead attracts/empowers objectionable figures.
• Robert Kennedy Jr. — Person · 1 mention · first at 11:25
  Around him for goodness sake Matt Gates margorie Taylor green Rudy Giuliani Elon Musk Robert Kennedy Jr Steven Miller they remind me of villains from Batman some of them from…
• George Wallace — Person · 1 mention · first at 15:53

Concepts & topics

• Matthew 7 — Concept · 2 mentions · first at 3:55
  Clean if this letter were a sermon I would tell you that the text is Matthew 7 as you know Matthew 7 is the last chapter on Jesus's Sermon on the Mount in Sunday school and in…

Full transcript with timestamps

0:10 hello friend Chuck Bennett here common sense and common decency tell me that we have troubles ahead America is at a dangerous Crossroad but I have faith in our better Angels welcome to letters from an American optimist

0:41 today's letter is dated November 21st 2024 after the 2016 election people like me spent a lot of time trying to figure out why good-hearted smart people our own family and friends why would they vote for Donald Trump we tried looking at the world from their point of view we listened to their best arguments we gave them every benefit of the doubt many of these people were the salt of the earth people we loved and admired we wanted to think the very best of them some of us have struggled for eight years to figure this out Trump's reelection is setting into motion a crisis that is threatening our democracy the time for hand ringing and searching for excuses for other people's bad decisions is over this letter is addressed to Christians who voted for Trump in the recent election if you listen to this and believe I am criticizing Christianity or Jesus or God you should listen again if you find this letter

1:49 insulting understand this I am not intending to insult you personally but I am holding your feet to the fire dear Christians who voted for Trump first I am nobody I have no special expertise certainly no power or position No Authority I have the same human frailties as you I have no doubt that many of you are better people than I and have done more to make the world a better place I also have no doubt in the sincerity of your faith in fact if you are not sincere whatever your beliefs are I wish you would just go find another podcast if you choose to continue please know this it is going to sting I am about to challenge you in a way that your pastors have failed to if my words seem harsh you should understand that these are the same words that are in the minds of some of the people who are close to you I and people like me Christians and non-christians have been astonished in fact deeply disappointed in your support

2:58 of Donald Trump some of us your friends and even members of your own family have turned away from the faith because of your Embrace of that man in their eyes you have confirmed all the negative stereotypes of Christians as Hypocrites who freely pick and choose the Bible verses and the facts that support their predetermined conclusion by the way you do not get to absolve Yourself by claiming that you may not like the man but I do like his policy or that well the alternative to Trump was worse Donald Trump and the threat he poses is unique in American history he is a man covered with tar he debases everything he touches and everything that touches him you cannot support him and come away clean if this letter were a sermon I would tell you that the text is Matthew 7 as you know Matthew 7 is the last chapter on Jesus's Sermon on the Mount in Sunday school and in history class we learned many stories about a

4:08 people losing their way think of the Israelites who grew impatient when Moses was on top of the mountain speaking with God by the time he came back down they were worshiping golden Idols think of the Germans in the 192s and 30s among the most educated and cultured Societies in Europe within a decade they went from democracy to savagery we wonder how could they ever have been so misguided were they naive foolish Wicked we never imagined that it could be us we the people around us our friends our family we too smart too good those stories aren't about us they're about those other people here's the thing nobody thinks that they are the other people many Christians have lost their way and they cannot see it they only hear the people family friends and preachers who are telling them how right they are they rely on a few handpicked Bible verses and The Familiar refrains of belief as though they are a shield

5:16 from facts and truth no one in a position of trust is holding them to account to ask them to tap the brakes and critically examine their own assumptions this is the s slippery slope that has always LED people and Nations astray I'm asking you to tap the break I think of those verses in Matthew about good trees and corrupt trees good fruit and bad fruit I think a lot of Christians think of those three new Supreme Court Justices and the Dos decision as a shiny golden apple they like that apple and think it is good fruit and therefore it must have come from a good tree Matthew 7:17 am I right after all David wasn't perfect I mean that deal with Uriah was was pretty awful but God can use any vessel right we all agree that Trump is not perfect but that is a shiny golden apple therefore Trump must be good but what if this is all just trickery isn't the Bible full of stories where good God-fearing people were

6:27 deceived think about the dos de ision this has been sold to us as a Triumph of God's will what tangible good Has It produced have there been fewer abortions maybe in your state but overall Across the Nation the number of abortions has increased are we a more Godly Nation because of those three justices and the do's decision or have they instead metastized the anger in the conflict are we any closer to being a nation where abortions aren't needed or wanted maybe that Apple isn't as golden and shiny as you think it is some Christians are upset over lgbtq Plus's place in our society especially trans people I go to Fox News every single day and I can tell you there has been a steady drum beat of trans related stories and pictures for 4 years at times these stories appear almost daily almost without exception the picture and the headline are meant to ridicule the transperson and elicit Fear and Loathing

7:36 from the reader for weeks before the election we saw the same Trump campaign ads over and over again expressing disgust over trans people and Harris's support for gender affirming care for federal prisoners I'm asking you to think of your own lived experience have you actually known a person who is openly trans maybe not likely that's because those folks know they are a pariah in your part of the world think back to high school who got picked on the most trans people either moved or they suffered in silence I know three people who are openly trans none of them are flamboyant drag queens they are just human beings doing their best to be happy in the one life they have who are we to judge them that is a conversation between them and their maker in the meantime we live in a country that says all of us are entitled to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness why shouldn't they be allowed happiness why should an American expect

8:46 someone to stay hidden out of sight just because they are different on a personal note every time I saw one of those ads saying comma is for they them Trump is for us us I felt a stab of pain in my heart I know enough of History to understand that demonizing a group that is already a pariah in order to gain power never leads to something good is this the Apple that convinces you Trump is a good tree so if the Dove's decision and Loathing trans are the fruit if this is your evidence that Trump is a good tree well let's think about that tree I I hear many Christians acknowledge that Trump is flawed but they cite King David as evidence that God can use any vessel to accomplish his AMS we know that David was not perfect he committed adultery with bath Sheba and when he learned that she was pregnant David sent her husband into battle so that he could be killed that was pretty horrible but we are told

9:52 that David acknowledged his sin and sought forgiveness David had redeeming features he was Brave he was faithful and humble before God he wrote nice poems so tell me what redeeming features do you see in Donald Trump do you see anything Christlike or David likee in him humility Grace compassion truth forgiveness self-sacrifice repentance love of God or do you see the exact opposite how about about simple honesty in every speech Trump lies dozens of times over the biggest issues and inconsequential trivia he lies to your face these are not Shades of Gray or mere political spin the ordinary lies that we expect from politicians these are outrageous and provable lies please hear this these are provably lies if you care to examine them he lies so seamlessly so often and so consistently that people are inoculated they either believe everything he says or they shrug their shoulders and see it all as a part of

11:11 the show so does he Inspire Christian qualities in others look at the people around him for goodness sake Matt Gates margorie Taylor green Rudy Giuliani Elon Musk Robert Kennedy Jr Steven Miller they remind me of villains from Batman some of them from the Adam West version of Batman some from the Christian Bale version well then has he inspired christian qualities in us ever since he came down that golden escalator he has gathered followers who idolize him he has made insults lies threats and loose thinking not just acceptable but the norm we are at each other's throats to be fair is Trump the source of all this no but he tapped into this vein of anger and resentment and built his campaign on it I hear Christians say well Trump may be bad but comma is worse then they complain about Democrats liberals progressives fascist Socialist Communist and they usually lump them all together proving that they don't really

12:28 understand what any of those words words mean this is going to sting as truth often does but what you know about kamla Harris what you know about Joe Biden what you know about trans people or Ukraine or tariffs or immigration is what Trump wants you to know your house is built on a foundation of sand supplied by Fox News and social media in one part of your brain you know that Trump is a liar and with the other part of your brain you accept his version of the world at the end of the day there is this what is the point of being a Christian according to your faith what is your overriding purpose in this life aside from your own salvation that purpose beside which everything pales in comparison is it really turning away immigrants tariffs changing abortion laws tax breaks making sure trans people stay hidden away here's the point do you know of anyone who has turned away from their faith because their loved ones Embrace

13:38 Trump if not maybe it's because it was a silent turning I have seen it and I have talked to and read many Christians who say the same let's ask the same question in Reverse has your Embrace of trump been a light to the world if you are not a light to the world what are you why are you Donald Trump is a poisonous tree and what you think are shiny golden fruit or merely bobles if you have read this far bless you that was a lot as harsh as this may have seemed I hope you read it in the spirit intended I didn't write this in condemnation of you that's not my place and I have enough logs in my own eye I am not asking you to abandon faith I want you to be Christians still I write this hoping you will re-examine what is essential to your faith use your common sense and common decency seek out and acknowledge plain facts and simple arguments rebuild your Narrative of the world on a foundation of stone the pig

14:52 already has enough pearls in it please don't throw in more respectfully Chuck Bennett one thing that occurred to me as I was reading this letter I mentioned the Trump commercial that complained about Harris supporting gender affirming surgery for federal prisoners would you like proof that this was nothing more than a cynical way to J up Fear and Loathing against trans people he spent over $70 million on those commercials and do you know how many federal prisoners actually had that surgery while Biden was President too oh and the rules allowing those surgeries they were on the books when Trump was president the first time and he did nothing to change them I have plenty more letters to write I think the next one will be to rush limau or maybe John Adams I'm also thinking of writing one to lene Wallace she was George Wallace's wife if you don't remember George Wallace we'll have a review whoever is next I hope you will be back

16:03 and if you want to like this or subscribe that it be great even better tell a friend we need all the help we can get

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Christians Still"?

Chuck Bennett (Host).

What is "Christians Still" about?

The letter addresses Christians who voted for Donald Trump, urging them to reflect critically on their choices and the implications for democracy, while emphasizing sincerity in faith and the importance of accountability in their beliefs. It calls for an honest evaluation of the motivations behind their political support, acknowledging both shared humanity and the need for moral introspection.

What is mentioned in this Letters from an American Optimist episode?

5 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Donald Trump, Matt Gates, Matthew 7, Robert Kennedy Jr., George Wallace. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Christians Still"?

The episode runs 16 min; the transcript is about 2,297 words in 15 timestamped sections.

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