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Bishop Mariann Budde

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Even before Trump was inaugurated, his apologists were busy sanitizing and justifying his acts. Most notable among those is a deacon of a church in Utah who accused the bishop of the National Cathedral, Marianne Budde, of committing the “sin of empathy” in her homily.

The good bishop spoke directly to the new president:

“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you. As you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families who fear for their lives.

“And the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in our poultry farms and meat-packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shift in hospitals — they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches, mosques and synagogues, gurdwara and temples.”

I can only imagine Jesus smacking his head and walking away as Deacon Ben Garret called the bishop “a snake” and “God’s enemy” and worthy of hate.

In all my readings of scripture I have never once seen a mention of the “sin of empathy,” though I have seen plenty about what we commonly call the “seven deadly sins.” Just in case there is someone out there who doesn’t know what those seven deadly sins are, let me enumerate and illustrate with real-world examples from none other than the man currently in the White House.

• Number one on the sin parade is LUST. A good example of lust is when a married man whose wife has just given birth to their child a few weeks before is having an affair with a porn star and then paying her hush money to cover up his sin.

• Number two is GLUTTONY. Weighing in at 300 pounds, Trump’s ravenous appetite extends far beyond the table and shows up in his quest for “more” — more power, more money, more fame.

• Number three is SLOTH. Here is a man who spends hours in front of a television watching “news” programs that praise him and his policies. He is a man who doesn’t read or accept new ideas, instead just relying on his alleged “instincts” to make decisions.

• Number four is GREED. There is hardly any need to cite examples here.

• Number five is WRATH. Just ask the White House staff, as they clean the ketchup spattered on the walls, about Trumps temper.

• Number six is ENVY. Trump has openly spoken of his envy of totalitarian leaders like Putin and  Kim Jung Un. This would qualify as lust, as well, since it is that kind of power he lusts after.

• Last but not least is number seven, PRIDE. Listen to any of Trump’s speeches and you’ll find them filled with superlatives. Everything he does is the “greatest” and his crowds are the “biggest in history.” His egotism and narcissism are undeniable.

So it seems kind of tragic that Ben Garret is criticizing someone who is actually preaching the words of Jesus himself, who delivered  the Sermon on the Mount which opens with the most empathetic words in the Scriptures:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Seems pretty specific to me which side of sin both Ben Garret and Donald Trump are on.