A stark contrast between Donald Trump and a fundamental tenet of Christianity was revealed at Charlie Kirk’s funeral.
Kirk’s widow, Erika, adhered to the embodiment of Christian faith when she said that she forgave her husband’s killer. “That man, that young man… I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do,” she said.
“The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the Gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us,” she said.
Her words at a most painful time were an unassailable testament to what it means to be a Christian. It is hard to imagine a more heartfelt and accurate interpretation of Jesus’s message on the cross. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Contrast that with Trump’s comment. “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them,” he said. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry Erika. But now Erika can talk to me and the whole group and maybe they can convince me that’s not right. But I can’t stand my opponent.”
Many in the crowd laughed, even though Trump’s apparent ad-lib was antithetical to the essence of the Gospel.
The defense of Trump from the Christian right is that Trump has flaws just like everyone. Evangelist Reverend Franklin Graham, a Trump supporter, said of Trump, “Remember when Jesus told the crowd, ‘Let the one without sin cast the first stone,’ and slowly the entire audience began to disappear. All of us have sinned.”
The Christian right also justifies its support of Trump with the argument that he is fighting for what they value most. “We believe this president will defend religious freedom where the Democrats would not,” Graham said.
That is a decision Christians must make for themselves, but it always feels like a perverse justification. Yes, we all have imperfections, but the Christian faith instructs us to acknowledge our sins and follow the path to salvation—to love instead of hate. To forgive instead of seeking retribution.
It is notable that at a time of unimaginable personal pain, the individual who has suffered the most from Kirk’s death, Erika Kirk, relied on her faith and knowledge of what Jesus said in his final moments to begin healing.
Trump also said at the funeral, “We want religion brought back to America.” If he is sincere about a spiritual revival, he could start by practicing what Erika Kirk preaches.