Gaslighting

Matthew 24:26 - So, if they say to you, "Look, he is in the wilderness, do not go out, or, "Look, he is in the inner room," do not believe them.

Apparently, these false Christ's and false prophets have followers who will try to mislead others. Some will be deceived, or deceive themselves, or even use the false saviors for their own ends. Mitch McConnell is in this latter category. All three are present among Donald’s supporters. Their entire goal is to gaslight anyone they can, to deceive them into believing that Donald is somehow playing 3D chess, or that they’re not racist, or that the camps at the border are not concentration camps because reasons.

Yet, as Jesus told us – or I should say will tell us in the next chapter – that he will judge based on our actions and their outcomes. Their outcomes. This is one big difference between Republicans and Democrats; how we define racism. Republicans point to their heart, “We can’t know what’s in their heart.” Democrats point to outcomes. If any given action hurts Black people more than white people, it’s racist. Even if the act itself is neutral.

Perfect example. Clinton’s crime bill. At the time, Black people wanted this bill and worked to get it passed. However, it was implemented such that more Black people were convicted under it than white people; even though both groups commit crimes at the same level. The outcome was racist, even if the bill itself was neutral and had no such intent. If the outcome of a person’s actions hurt people of color more than white people, it’s racist. Of course, the concentration camps at the border are racist – they don’t care about detaining white people. Of course ICE detentions, which routinely harass American citizens as well as immigrants based solely by looking at their skin color, are racist. Of course police shooting Black people for no reason and getting away with it is racist, it hurts Black people! Supporting any of these policies is a racist act.

There are people who try to tell us otherwise, but Jesus warns us not to believe these false saviors or their followers. Those, like Donald, who tell us lies that are provably untrue, such as he’s not racist, are gaslighting us. They tell us to deny the evidence of our eyes and ears, the opinions of experts, or facts that are provable. Whether they do so because they believe the lies, they want them to be true, or they’re cynically using Donald for their own ends, it’s still gaslighting. 

Let’s educate ourselves and make sure they don’t get away with it. 

B