Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. ) Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “middle ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

New York times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who has roots in Oregon, wrote this week about the subject contained in this blog headline:  Helping the poor is one mark of being a true Christian.

Real Christianity is very different from what Donald Trump says and does in recruiting voters to his side of the political ledger, which is marked by invective and burnishing his own image, regardless of the adverse effect on the country, as well as no relationship to real Christianity.

I thought of this for one, major reason.  As I participated in a Bible study last week, the leader called us to react with joy during this Christmas season, which commemorates the birth of Christ.

From my youth, I remember the definition of the word “joy.”  It was expressed to me as “Jesus, others, and you.”  Which is a good order.

Love Jesus.  Take care of the poor.  And then, at the end, look after yourself.  Which can spark joy in your life.

In the Kristof column, he wrote that he spoke with Bart Ehrman, a prominent new testament scholar at the University of North Carolina and the author or editor of more than 30 books.

He asked questions of Ehrman, so here is his first:

“You have a new book coming out soon, “Love Thy Stranger,” arguing that Jesus taught a revolutionary message that transformed western moral thinking.  What was that message?”

The answer: 

“The heart of Jesus’ message is that loving ‘others’ means caring not only for family and friends but even for strangers — whoever is in need, whether we know them or whether they are like us.  This kind of altruism was not promoted — or even accepted — in the Greek and Roman worlds that Jesus came out of.  But it is a view that completely transformed the thinking and ethical priorities of the western world down till today.”

Kristof goes on to ask another question:

“I admire that message of Jesus about helping strangers, but did it really transform the moral conscience of the west?  White evangelicals overwhelmingly voted for President Trump, and he’s not helping strangers but deporting them and breaking up families.”

The answer:

“That’s right:  A number of outspoken Christian leaders and Christian communities promote views that are quite contrary to the teachings of Jesus.  Even so, his teachings continue to affect most people in the west, whether Christian or not.  When a hurricane hits, many of us feel inclined to send money for disaster relief.  or we volunteer in soup kitchens to help people we don’t know.  These practices are rooted in teachings of Jesus that became ethical norms once Christianity became the dominant religion of the west.

“Public hospitals, broad social programs that focused on the poor, orphanages, poor people’s homes, disaster relief — these didn’t really exist before Christianity took over the empire, and they obviously have made a huge difference in the lives of millions.”

My reaction is two-fold:

1. First, without trying to gain credit, my wife and I set out to use our commitment to Christ and portions of our money to support programs that help the poor.  One example is Salem Free Clinics.  Another is Salem for Refugees.  Still another is Church at the Park.  All do great work and we are glad to help, with God getting the credit for our “good works.”

• Second, I cannot believe how Trump has turned real Christianity on its head.  Instead of caring for the poor, he sets out to deport them.  Instead of supporting federal programs that provide food for people who don’t have much, if any, Trump cuts those programs.  And, then he claims that his actions are Christian, as he tries to round up more supporters who value themselves, not others, just as he does.

To this, I say “no,” emphatically!

The Bible emphasizes helping the poor as a core Christian duty, with verses like Matthew 25:40 (“whatever you did for one of the least of these… you did for me”), Proverbs 19:17 (generosity to the poor is a loan to the lord), and Deuteronomy 15:7 (don’t harden your heart to a needy brother) showing God calls his people actively to provide for the needy, upholding justice, and demonstrating love through tangible acts of kindness.

Here are a few key bible verses underlining our responsibility to help the poor:

• Again, Matthew 25:35-40:  Jesus connects serving the poor, sick, and imprisoned with serving him directly, promising rewards for acts of mercy.
• Luke 14:12-14:  Jesus advises hosting the poor, blind, and lame, promising blessings for those who serve those who can’t repay.
• Acts 20:35:  Paul reminds believers that Jesus said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
• 1 John 3:17-18:  Warns that if someone has material wealth but closes his or her heart to a person in need, God’s love doesn’t remain in them.
• James 2:2-4:  Condemns favoritism toward the rich and neglecting the poor, showing God’s impartiality. 

Back to one of my main points:  By his actions and conduct, there is no way Trump is expressing Christianity.  Instead, he uses religion as just another attempt to create political support — support he doesn’t deserve by his conduct.

What we need in this country is more real Christians who will follow Christ’s admonition to help the poor and downtrodden, as well as honor their savior, while, at the same time, turning their backs on Trump and what he stands for.