eChristianity
Friday, March 5, 2021
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Christian Life
  • Ministry
  • Vatican News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Christian Life
  • Ministry
  • Vatican News
eChristianity
No Result
View All Result

Trump in the belly of the whale

October 4, 2020
in News
0
0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Read More

Recommended Post

Being ‘godless’ might be good for your health, new study finds

ELCA leaders call on Congress to pass US Citizenship Act of 2021 in new letter

Bethany Christian Services’ decision on gay adoption makes the church shine brighter

(RNS) — After President Trump was taken to the hospital Friday (Oct. 2), my wife asked me what I thought the chances were that he would change his approach to COVID-19. Would he unambiguously tell people to wear masks and social distance in public, dial back his push for schools and businesses to open, even acknowledge that he may have done too little to combat the disease?

“One in ten,” I said.

Then, Saturday evening, a pallid and subdued Trump spoke up on video from the basement of Walter Reed, praising his doctors, expressing his appreciation for the support of the American people “almost by a bipartisan consensus,” thanking world leaders for their “condolences.” Rarely has this president appeared so human.

It brought to mind Jonah, that most narcissistic of prophets, praying to God from the belly of the great fish. People who are consumed by “lying vanities” forget the mercy that’s been given them, Jonah says, but not me. I’ll keep my vow, sacrifice to you, give thanks.


RELATED: Did RBG beat Trump in cosmic court?


God has the fish vomit him out, and again orders him to go to Nineveh and announce its destruction. This time he does as he’s told, and lo and behold, the whole city repents, averting the evil decree.

But Jonah is not happy. It’s precisely because you’re so merciful that I fled from the mission the first time around, he tells God. Kill me now.

So God teaches Jonah a lesson about mercy, one that gets to the heart of his self-regard. When he builds himself a hut to see what will become of the city, God prepares a plant to give him some much appreciated shade — then has the plant killed off and bakes him in the hot sun. Again, Jonah asks to die. The book ends with a rhetorical question from God:

Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Whether or not Jonah takes the lesson to heart, the message is clear enough. Fear of imminent death tends to bring out the piety in us. But what happens once the danger is past?

A few will mend our ways. Many more will revert to our lying vanities.

Previous Post

Fratelli tutti: ‘Don’t just read it, pray it’

Next Post

Did RBG beat Trump in cosmic court?

Related Posts

Being ‘godless’ might be good for your health, new study finds

Being ‘godless’ might be good for your health, new study finds

March 4, 2021
ELCA leaders call on Congress to pass US Citizenship Act of 2021 in new letter

ELCA leaders call on Congress to pass US Citizenship Act of 2021 in new letter

March 4, 2021
Bethany Christian Services’ decision on gay adoption makes the church shine brighter

Bethany Christian Services’ decision on gay adoption makes the church shine brighter

March 4, 2021
This rabbi got Kentucky to adopt an anti-Semitism resolution. But not all Jews are happy.

This rabbi got Kentucky to adopt an anti-Semitism resolution. But not all Jews are happy.

March 4, 2021
Netflix docuseries “Murder Among the Mormons” is TV worth watching

Netflix docuseries “Murder Among the Mormons” is TV worth watching

March 4, 2021
‘The Witch of Kings Cross’ finds the woman behind the scandal

‘The Witch of Kings Cross’ finds the woman behind the scandal

March 4, 2021
Next Post

Did RBG beat Trump in cosmic court?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top Stories

Being ‘godless’ might be good for your health, new study finds

Being ‘godless’ might be good for your health, new study finds

March 4, 2021
ELCA leaders call on Congress to pass US Citizenship Act of 2021 in new letter

ELCA leaders call on Congress to pass US Citizenship Act of 2021 in new letter

March 4, 2021
Bethany Christian Services’ decision on gay adoption makes the church shine brighter

Bethany Christian Services’ decision on gay adoption makes the church shine brighter

March 4, 2021
eChristianity

© 2020 eChristianity News

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Christian Life
  • Ministry
  • Vatican News

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Christian Life
  • Ministry
  • Vatican News

© 2020 eChristianity News