What Does the Bible Say About This?

I've been blogging a few times a month since early 2015, and I find that I get the most page views whenever I write about Rush. That's not surprising. Given my long-time friendship with the band, I understand that fans would be interested to read whatever I write about that topic (interestingly, the posts I've written about Neil are among my most-read). For some reason, I get the fewest when I write about politics or religion. So I'm prepared for a lot of folks to skip this one, since it contains elements of both.

 But I hope they won't skip it, because I'm trying to understand something, and I'd like to get a few opinions. What I'm trying to make sense of is something a friend of mine said to me about the president. She said President Trump was the best friend Christians ever had. She relies mainly on conservative Christian media, and much of that seems to be pro-Trump too; the message that the president is a friend and protector of Christians is constantly reinforced. Some sources speak of him in almost messianic terms.   

I've really tried to make sense of those attitudes, but I'm getting nowhere. I used to be a chaplain. I used to teach Sunday School. Okay fine, I'm Jewish and not Christian, but we both use the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). I've also taught World Religions for years, and I'd like to think I know a few things about scripture.

So, consider this: The Bible clearly states that we are supposed to love our neighbor. It doesn't equivocate or make exceptions-- it doesn't say to only love our neighbor if they were born here, for example. The Bible also states repeatedly that we should "welcome the stranger." It does not qualify that commandment: it doesn't make exceptions for a stranger who is an immigrant or undocumented or non-white. It just says to love and welcome the stranger, and to treat the stranger with respect. The Bible also tells us not to worship money, and to make sure we take care of the poor. 

Does this president exemplify any of these values? Does he do what the Bible says? Rather than follow the scriptures, he ignores its basic tenets. He has monetized his presidency, making millions for himself and his cronies, while doing little to help the poor. He has made a mockery of the justice system, granting pardons to convicted criminals if they were willing to donate money to him. He champions policies that treat immigrants with cruelty; he even defends having ICE agents shoot at them, whether they did something wrong or not. He has turned nearly every part of the White House into a gilded monument to himself. He is crude, vulgar, mendacious, and lacking in compassion. And yet, my friend sincerely believed he is a role model and a champion for Christians.

So what am I missing? From my perspective, there is nothing Christian (nor ethical) about this president, yet a vast network of conservative media sources lifts him up as some sort of role model, and people like my friend insist he is a hero for Christians. So, this is where you come in, those of you who have read this far (and I thank you). I'd appreciate some sensible explanations, because I feel like I'm living in a different universe from my friend, and it would be helpful if I could at least see the person she is seeing-- because what I see looks entirely different.