To the editor: What has Donald Trump done to suggest that he is in any way aligned with Jesus? It is one thing to say that King David was also imperfect, but being totally imperfect and proud of it does not reflect Christ. (“Jesus is his savior, Trump is his candidate. The former president's supporters say he shares their faith and values,” May 20)
Rather, it is becoming an increasingly evident reality that what passes for “conservative Christianity” is not even remotely Christian at its core.
What did Jesus ever say to justify the forced suppression of other beliefs? What did he say that justifies denying urgent medical care to women? Did he really tell his followers that the Samaritan was good because he didn't stop to offer help?
This is the Catholicism of the Spanish Inquisition or the murderous insecurity of Iran's Islamic theocracy. When people insist that their security requires that anyone not on their team be subject to their every whim, I see that as the furthest thing from Christ.
The Golden Rule is not limited in its application to one's own culture, race, gender or any other group.
Jack Quirk, Porter Ranch
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To the editor: I've read at least half a dozen articles from different media outlets about evangelical Christians supporting Trump. Everyone seems to be asking the same question: Why?
I remember a survey conducted in the 1990s in which Christians were asked a variety of questions to get a sense of their thinking. I remember a question that went something like this: How do you know you are a Christian?
The problem was that many different answers were given. There is only one correct answer that I know, and it is this: I know that I am a Christian because I have put all my trust in Jesus Christ for my salvation.
This is the central problem with asking Christians why they support Trump. The assumption that all people who call themselves Christians are actually Christians is erroneous. Just because your parents are Christians or you've gone to church all your life or you're American doesn't make you a Christian.
Simply put, in religious terms, some of these people simply do not know the Lord. But most people know at least a little about Christian ethics, and this is what causes confusion and disbelief on the part of non-believers regarding evangelicals' support for Trump.
Robert Pacheco, Whittier
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To the editor: This article reports that conservative Christians maintain that the former president shares their values.
My advice to these people is to look closely at Trump's character and ask, “How would Jesus have voted?”
Herb Weinberg, Marina del Rey
