The pope got this one right – Donald Trump’s behavior is not Christian behavior.

Anyone can claim to believe in Christ and have “faith” in the miracles. The hard work is living one’s life as a reflection of Jesus.

Jesus was kind, generous and humble, a healer. Think Mother Teresa. No one would use any of those adjectives to describe Trump.

Jesus taught the importance of kindness: “As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31).

Good Christians don’t humiliate and berate people. Jesus taught the importance of caring for the poor, “inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).

A Christian is more concerned about the well-being of a child born in this country than its mother’s immigration status.

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Jesus taught that great wealth makes it virtually impossible to be a Christian: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:25).

And “if thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21). This is a major challenge for Trump.

Whether we are religious or not, simple humanity would suggest that we should strive to live up to the principles that Jesus lived by. None of us does a particularly good job of meeting those standards. But proclaiming that you are more faithful than someone else, and the candidates’ shameful groveling as they pursue the evangelical votes, is an exercise in narcissism and deceit.

Talk is cheap. The hard work is in living your life as Jesus lived his short life.

The pope got this one right.

Edwin Chester

Portland


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