How to Stop the Orange Menace

Seriously, I don't have time for authoritarians.

I've been thinking about how to stop Trump. Here's what I think:

This is a bottom-up fight. The people at the top have bent the knee because their voters demand it. Their fealty to Trump is based on the cult-like world he's created, a world that is based on lies and misinformation.

Since the leaders are now followers, a successful campaign must change enough people's minds. But how do you change a cult follower’s mind?

The key is to have people they relate to point out the absurdity of Trump's behavior gently. For example, evangelical Christians need to be gently reminded by members of the clergy that Trump's words and behavior fundamentally contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37), an “expert in the law” asks Jesus how to achieve eternal life. Jesus replies with a question: What does the law say? The man quotes the Old Testament, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5)” and “Love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18).”

Jesus says, “Boom. That’s your answer, counselor.” Or something like that.

Then, because lawyers are gonna lawyer, the man asks Jesus to define “neighbor.”

Jesus, with what I’d like to imagine was a sigh and an eye roll, tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. You've probably heard it if you’re a Christian, and even non-Christians may be familiar. In the story, a Jewish man is robbed and beaten on the road to Jerusalem. Both a Jewish Priest and a Levite (something like a Deacon) pass the man and leave him suffering. Then, a Samaritan passes and stops to help the man, taking him to an inn and paying for his care. The Samaritans were the sworn enemies of the Jews.

So Jesus ends the story with a question, “Which of these guys loved his neighbor?” Reading the room, the lawyer says, “The one who showed mercy.” And Jesus says, “Right again, counselor. Be like that guy.”

When, at any time in his public life, has Donald Trump been like that guy?

So, evangelical Christians, if you want to go to heaven, you have to ask yourselves whether Jesus would think you and Donald Trump are being like the Samaritan. And remember what’s at stake if you are wrong. ETERNAL LIFE OR ETERNAL HELLFIRE!!! (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.)

Sermon aside, my point is that a message like that, delivered by actual clergy in a far less snide way, might actually plant a seed of doubt in some evangelical Christians’ minds.

This goes beyond just the hellfire-and-damnation MAGAheads. If rural farmers are gently reminded by other farmers that Trump destroyed the agreements that secured overseas their markets, and that the government payouts he used to buy them off won’t last forever, they might begin to wonder whether another four years is actually in their long-term interests.

Initially, this messaging has to be very gentle, of the “Hey, I’m just asking questions!” type. But, as people start to exhibit a little bit of skepticism, the questions can start becoming more pointed and serious.

The idea is to slowly, gently, — but decisively — bring our fellow Americans out of this cult by providing an autonomous way out. Instead of telling them that they are wrong or crazy, or worse, we can and should help them walk away of their own volition because they decided MAGA wasn't for them anymore. Not because someone else told them that.