THE PRESENT
The Post Truth era is characterized by the phenomenon that facts apparently no longer matter that much; the truth is pushed away into oblivion and is replaced by a frequently repeated lie or half truth.
Therefore, without any embarrassment, we are talking about alternative facts and truths. This becomes a kind of mantra, which, if you hear it often enough, is credible for many as well.
It is almost always about the fact that a proclamation of such statements is believed by its followers or that the proclaimer obtains the right on his side.
In that case it no longer concerns the verifiable facts and/or truths.
No, political populism is interested in only one thing: to convince as many people as possible of their own particular political and/or religious views.
Populism therefore is a modern method of brainwashing to achieve that one goal, to triumph over your opponent(s).
Populism in this form is not only a bad thing, but also very dangerous, as the current president of the USA, Donald J. Trump, proves.
” Trump is bent upon getting absolute power, which makes the current democratic system with all its departments to be at stake; if he gets his way, it will soon be over with the United States as we know it from the period especially after the Second World War “
In order to achieve his goals, nothing goes too far for him, such as:
– taunting and labeling his former opponent as “crooked Hilary”.
– labeling his former opponents in the primaries with all kinds of prejudices and to make accusations that are not true and therefore are just lies, such as about the father of Ted Cruz.
– Denying that the former president of the USA, Barack Hussein Obama, is an American by birth.
– playing down the influence of the Russians on the 2016 American elections.
– beating his breast about the results he achieved during his first year as president, such as the legislation he signed is the highest number of all presidents. Nothing could be more from the truth.
– The dismissal of Comey as director of the FBI because of the Russia story in order to deny this again at a later moment.
– discrediting senators and deputies of both political parties in America with lies.
– Accusing the FBI, CIA and other services of bias and lies, especially when it comes to investigating the Russian influence on his campaign of 2016 and after his inauguration in 2017.
– Taunting the special investigator Mueller, charged with investigating the collusion with the Russians of his campaign team and of himself, Donald J. Trump and accusing him of being biased.
Nothing is too ridiculous for this man to attack his supposed opponents. His twitter account alone is a whole book with lies, which are at least for his supporters, for a large part, effective.
Trump is bent upon getting absolute power, which makes the current democratic system with all its departments to be at stake.
If he gets his way, it will soon be over with the United States as we know it from the period especially after the Second World War:
– As an advocate of human rights and democratic norms and values.
– As an inviting country, where in principle everyone is welcome.
– As a country where everyone can exercise their faith in all sincerity.
– As a country that stands for doing well to others, such as humanitarian aid to those in need and where persecution of people is rejected.
Nothing is too ridiculous for this man to attack his supposed opponents. His twitter account alone is a whole book with lies, which are at least for his supporters, for a large part, effective.
Trump is bent upon getting absolute power, which makes the current democratic system with all its departments to be at stake.
If he gets his way, it will soon be over with the United States as we know it from the period especially after the Second World War:
– As an advocate of human rights and democratic norms and values.
– As an inviting country, where in principle everyone is welcome.
– As a country where everyone can exercise their faith in all sincerity.
– As a country that stands for doing well to others, such as humanitarian aid to those in need and where persecution of people is rejected.
With a certainty verging on probability , a very long list can be made of almost all values and norms that will be terminated if Trump does indeed reach his goal of becoming the only strong man, the first dictator of the USA!
Facts and truths do not matter for Trump. For instance he gets rid of authorities in the USA, which are occupied with anticipating and combating climate change, making the US an advocate of so-called “clean coal” as fuel for the future during the climate conference in Paris.
In fact, they deny the outcomes of science in order to dismantle as much as possible in terms of legislation.
In doing so, they especially fill their own pockets, and capitalism is ruling freely with all the associated excesses, particularly in American society.
However, as CNN shows in its commercials against this kind of populism, an apple remains an apple, even if you repeat it numerous times that it is a banana; facts matter!
This extreme Trumpism is life-threatening for world peace and the acceptance of people among each other.
Unfortunately, Trump is not alone.
Before he appeared on the world stage, this extreme populism was already a phenomenon in the Netherlands by Geert Wilders, in the UK by Nigel Farage, Marine Le Pen in France, but also in Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Belgium , Greece etc., these forms of populism are in vogue.
” Every leader of populism has its own sound and approach in those countries “
This with only one goal, to obtain power in the country concerned, to overthrow existing institutions and to make their ideology into popular belief.
By the way, every leader of populism has its own sound and approach in those countries.
What is the same, is the goal they are aiming for, overthrowing the current establishment.
It is also striking that both, populist leaders in Europe and Donald J. Trump, regard the Christian and Jewish roots of both continents as a support for their message.
These populists therefore defend with full force the right to exist for mostly white Christ like Europe and/or America.
Other people actually do not belong here and, if possible, they have to go back to where they belong.
If you think this through and try to understand the consequences, then it is frightening:
– All relationships are turned upside down.
– Each country stands for itself and its own interests.
– Intolerance and persecution of people with different opinions will be declared a trump card.
– Providing help to those in need, inside and outside national borders, will cease to exist. Selfinterest comes first.
How is it possible that this could develop in the USA, but also in Europe?
How is it possible that many Christians and those who identify with this Christian line of thought, openly support a man like Trump, Wilders etc.?
Are Christians not aware that figures such as Trump, Wilders, etc. are in fact wolves in sheep’s clothing?
Are Christians so blind that they cannot see behind the beautiful and sometimes pious talk of populism?
Is it no longer about the truth in Christianity, or the facts as they are?
Has Christianity lost its answer in/for this world?
Is that the reason that populism could have risen and many with a Christian background/upbringing/experience, have converted to, for example, the Islam?
Populism led by Trump and associates reveals a painful application for bankruptcy of Christianity!
In other words, are Christians and Christianity still credible these days?
