![\"trump](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/429\/2016\/11\/trump-and-hawkins-1.jpg\")
<\/a>\u201cGet even with people. If they screw you, screw them back 10 times as hard. I really believe that.\u201d<\/p>\nThe crowd cheered Donald Trump as he taught them his keys to success. Video footage<\/a>\u00a0reveals his comments at a 2011 conference for business leaders in Australia. Trump thrilled the audience by advocating a large dose of lies mixed with vengeance as the recipe for success. What really caught my attention, however, was the example he offered for how to put this advice into action. It involved a former Miss Universe, but not the one you are thinking of.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve seen Trump\u2019s vengeance on display with former Miss Universe Alicia Machado<\/a>, but at this conference he invited Jennifer Hawkins to join him on that Australian stage. Hawkins, an Australian, was crowned Miss Universe in 2004. Trump thought she \u201cdissed\u201d him by ignoring his request for her to introduce him at the event. As she walked onto the stage, she and Trump had this exchange,<\/p>\n Donald Trump: \u201cFirst of all, how beautiful is Jennifer?\u201d The crowd cheered. \u201cBut this is about getting even. I was so angry at her yesterday, seriously, because as I said, I thought that she dissed me \u2026 I go around saying \u2018She\u2019s my favorite Miss Universe,\u2019 although I think I like the new one better Jennifer. So, I go around saying she\u2019s the greatest. She writes books, they call me. I go, ugh, I don\u2019t want to answer another Jennifer Hawkins question. She\u2019s fantastic! And then when I came here, there was no Jennifer Hawkins. <\/em><\/p>\n Jennifer Hawkins: No, no. In my defense, it was a miscommunication. <\/em><\/p>\n Trump: So, I was actually going to get up and tell you that Jennifer is a beautiful girl on the outside, but she\u2019s not very bright. (Crowd cheers.) But that wouldn\u2019t have been true, but I would have said it anyway. Because, I said, you know what, it\u2019d be great. I haven\u2019t seen Jennifer in a couple years. She\u2019s so great and she did so well, and she\u2019s a big star here, and I helped her make it. I own the Miss Universe pageant. And I heard that she wouldn\u2019t introduce me. <\/em><\/p>\n Hawkins: But I did!<\/em><\/p>\n Trump: No, but you didn\u2019t. (Crowd cheers) So, what happens is \u2013 and you know what? She came tonight. She came \u2013 came, she came, she came, she came \u2026 (Crowd cheers. Trump looking at Hawkins) See, so they have the same filthy minds in Australia. (Crowd cheers.) No, but here\u2019s the beauty. When she found out about it, she got in the car and she got her ass over here and I love her.<\/em><\/p>\n Hawkins: Can I say one thing? I found out this morning, okay? It was a miscommunication with my management, so I\u2019m sorry. I feel really bad.<\/em><\/p>\n Trump: You know, I don\u2019t know too many women who are taller than me. (Trump puts his arm around Hawkins\u2019s waist and leans in to kiss her. She turns her head so that he kisses her cheek.)<\/em><\/p>\n Hawkins: Can I go now? <\/em><\/p>\n Trump: Yes. Go. <\/em><\/p>\n Today\u00a0Americans will elect the next president of the United States. Many people are contrasting this election as a choice between the lesser of two evils. One group claims that we just can\u2019t trust Hillary Clinton. Why? Because despite the fact that the FBI has repeatedly gone through her emails and found nothing to indict, there is an assumption that she has lied. In fact, she admits to being foolish and wishes she handled the situation better, but there is no evidence she lied or broke the law.<\/p>\n Trump, on the other hand, thinks that lying is a virtue. He thinks revenge is an asset. He has repeatedly shown that women are meant to be groped and kissed without their consent. And when he\u2019s caught in the act, he makes no apology, no admission of being foolish nor does he display any desire to change.<\/p>\n As I write this, some of my mimetic theory<\/a> friends might think I\u2019m scapegoating<\/a> Donald Trump. Indeed, there\u2019s a fine line between telling the truth and scapegoating. Scapegoating hides behind truth claims as we condemn another in a way that dehumanizes them. It gives us a sense of power and moral superiority over and against our opponent.<\/p>\n But to tell the truth about Trump\u2019s behavior without scapegoating him is actually pretty easy. Nobody needs to condemn Trump or dehumanize him. The truth is that Trump\u2019s own words condemn him.<\/p>\n Jesus once warned<\/a>, \u201cI tell you, on the day of judgement you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019m not na\u00efve. I know politics is ugly. Whether we are talking about the Left, Right, or anywhere in between, gaining power in politics is often earned by scapegoating our opponents. Like everyone one of us, Donald Trump deserves to be loved, not scapegoated. He\u2019s a human being who needs his blessed humanity reflected back to him. I\u2019m convinced he\u2019s a broken and fearful man who desperately wants to be loved. And when he doesn\u2019t receive that love, like so many of us, he lashes out in revenge.<\/p>\n Trump gains power and prestige by seeking revenge. It\u2019s a power that is over and against another. Unfortunately, Trump is not alone in using that method to gain power. But there is another way. The Judeo-Christian tradition refers to the \u201cpower of the Holy Spirit.\u201d It\u2019s a power that isn\u2019t over-and-against anything or anyone. It\u2019s a power that is with<\/em>. The power of God is with<\/em> us and with <\/em>them, leading us into a world where divisions of \u201cus\u201d against \u201cthem\u201d are melted away by the nonviolent power of God\u2019s all-inclusive love.<\/p>\n No matter what happens today, let\u2019s love Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton while speaking truth to the powers of this world that are so often violent. Indeed, God loves Donald Trump, but I sure as hell hope he doesn\u2019t become president.<\/p>\n Images: Donald Trump, Wikimedia<\/a>, By Michael Vadon and Jennifer Hawkins, Wikimedia<\/a>, By Eva Rinaldi.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cGet even with people. If they screw you, screw them back 10 times as hard. I really believe that.\u201d The crowd cheered Donald Trump as he taught them his keys to success. Video footage\u00a0reveals his comments at a 2011 conference for business leaders in Australia. Trump thrilled the audience by advocating a large dose of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1651,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nDonald Trump and Another Miss Universe<\/h3>\n
Electing a President<\/h3>\n
Telling the Truth or Scapegoating?<\/h3>\n
The Holy Spirit: A Different Kind of Power<\/h3>\n
\n