Musings on Trump's Kaleidoscopic Strategic Vision and Hypernormalization

   By Rudy Barnes, Jr., May 31, 2025

Trump has a kaleidoscopic vision of America’s geopolitical role that changes with his  whims.  The NY Times described that vision as “One World, with Three Powers”: America, China and Russia.”  But Trump recently criticized his “old friend” Putin as “going absolutely crazy” after his heaviest bombardment of Ukraine since the beginning of the war.

Trump said “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,” 

Trump told reporters: “I’m not happy with what Putin is doing. He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin.”  But criticizing a demagogue like Putin for killing people is unusual for Trump, who never criticized Netanyahu for killing over 50,000  Palestinians in Gaza, even after Netanyahu was accused of genocide by the UN.

When a nation’s leader, whether it’s Putin or Netanyahu, orders bombing that kills civilian noncombatants, it’s not just bad politics, but it's also a crime under international humanitarian law.  Both Putin and Netanyahu should be charged with war crimes, but Trump has never considered that strategic option since all of his policy decisions have been personal and transactional.     

     

Trump’s anger with Putin’s aggression in Ukraine was likely caused by its failure to conform to Trump’s preferences for peace in Ukraine, and Putin's obvious failure to notify Trump of his planned aggression. Trump may have thought that Putin was his “friend” but he has proven to be a typical Russian adversary; and Trump has traditionally berated and humiliated his adversaries.

Unlike previous U.S. presidents, Trump will not likely issue a national security strategy that would limit his power to support Netanyahu’s expansion of Israel, while ignoring the 50,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza.  At the same time Trump will likely avoid any reductions to Social Security, Medicare or other popular entitlements that would violate his campaign promises.

The House has already approved Trump’s budget; and there’s not likely to be any serious opposition in the Senate to funding defense priorities that will increase America’s massive national debt of over $36 trillion.  Trump once said that he could pay off the national debt with crypto currency, and he has since made family investments in crypto currency a priority.

Trump’s political strategies have always been relative and changing concepts to keep his adversaries off balance, but his recent anger with Putin and threats of WWIII have aggravated a public disorder known as hypernormalization.  “It captures the juxtaposition of the dysfunctional and mundane”, and raises troubling uncertainties about the future of America.

Notes: 

Trump’s Geopolitical Vision: One World, Three Powers? (America, Russia and China) Is based on traditional geopolitical considerations  “Trump’s recent actions and statements suggest he might want an arrangement where the United States, China and Russia each dominate their spheres of influence.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/26/us/politics/trump-russia-china.html. 

Following Putin’s massive attack on Ukraine, Trump asserted that Putin “has gone absolutely crazy.”  “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,” Trump posted on Truth Social.  Hours earlier, Trump had told reporters: “I’m not happy with what Putin is doing. He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin.”  https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/25/politics/trump-putin-ukraine-airstrikes.

With Trump challenging America’s Constitutional democratic framework and with his Republican Party that puts loyalty to Trump over supporting and defending the freedom and democracy of the Constitution, it’s little wonder that American people are experiencing a neurotic malaise known as hypernormalization.  It “captures the juxtaposition of the dysfunctional and mundane,” and the result is a growing sense of extreme unease that accepts the greed, hedonism and moral corruption exemplified by Trump and his loyal minions such as Musk, as the values of a new American era replacing traditional American values we have known in the past.  Traditional Christianity seems complicit with Trump’s Republican regime, since most white Christians elected Trump as their President twice, and democracy is ultimately the rule of the majority. 

In short, hypernormalization has created a depressing realization that America’s values have changed for the worse with Trump’s Republican regime, and we need to accept that ugly reality.   

Systems are crumbling – but daily life continues. The dissonance is real. See https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/ng-interactive/2025/may/22/hypernormalization-dysfunction-status-quo.

Musings on the Limits of Reconciliation in a Divided Democracy

By Rudy Barnes, Jr., May 24, 2025

Jesus was crucified by a coalition of Jewish leaders and Roman authorities, and the crowds cheered his crucifixion.  During the crucifixion Jesus lamented “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ?” (Mt 27:45, and Mark 15:33); and Jesus later said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:32).

There is a distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation.  We can and should forgive others when we feel wronged if we expect God to forgive us, as mandated in The Lord’s Prayer;  but reconciliation requires more than forgiving our adversaries.  It also requires peacemaking, and forgiving our adversaries is only the first step to peacemaking.

Jesus was the Word of God, with his teachings summarized in the greatest commandment to love God and all our neighbors as we love ourselves.  It’s a moral imperative that emphasizes reconciliation, and in America’s polarized partisan politics, the need for reconciliation is evident in the animosity between those who support and oppose Trump.

Reconciling with Trump supporters requires more than claiming to love them.  It requires an altruistic alternative to America’s polarized partisan politics.  If the 2026 midterm elections don’t transform Trump’s GOP or create a viable third party, there will be no political alternative to the polarized partisan politics that will sustain the dominance of Trump’s Republican Party.

Popularity is the measure of success in both politics and churches, and the popularity of America First Christian nationalism and racial partisan preferences in most church congregations seem to defy reconciliation. The result is that 11:00AM on Sunday mornings remains the most divided racial and partisan time of the week.

Churches are divided by race and partisan politics by choice.  The separation of most Black and White churches by race and partisan politics has been voluntary, and has become part of America’s culture.  Reconciling polarized racial and partisan divisions in our churches will be difficult, but it should be a top priority.

In America’s libertarian and pluralistic democracy differences in race, religion and partisan politics can be either an asset or liability.  If those differences become polarized in our churches they will corrupt our political legitimacy and our democracy.  America’s churches must exemplify God’s moral imperative to reconcile the racial and partisan differences that divide us.  

A diminished American church must initiate a moral reformation to save itself and its divided democracy from self destruction.  Only then can America begin to restore its racially divided social structure and its moral legitimacy as a Constitutional democracy, and save itself from the corruption of Trump’s regime.

Notes:

On religion, race and politics:

(7/12/15): Reconciliation in Race and Religion: The Need for Compatibility, not Conformity   http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/07/reconciliation-in-race-and-religion.html

(3/12/16): Religion, Race and the Deterioration of Democracy in America

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/03/religion-race-and-deterioration-of.html

(3/26/16): Religion, Democracy, Diversity and Demagoguery

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/03/religion-democracy-diversity-and.html

(7/9/16): Back to the Future: Race, Religion, Rights and a Politics of Reconciliation

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/07/back-to-future-race-religion-rights-and.html

(7/16/16): The Elusive Ideal of Political Reconciliation

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/07/the-elusive-ideal-of-political.html

(10/22/16): The Need for a Politics of Reconciliation in a Polarized Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/10/the-need-for-politics-of-reconciliation.html

(11/19/16): Religion and a Politics of Reconciliation Based on Shared Values

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/11/religion-and-politics-of-reconciliation_19.html

(11/26/16): Irreconcilable Differences and the Demise of Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/11/irreconcilable-differences-and-demise.html

(2/18/17): Gerrymandering, Race and Polarized Partisan Politics

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/02/gerrymandering-race-and-polarized.html

(8/19/17): Hate, History and the Need for a Politics of Reconciliation

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/08/hate-history-and-need-for-politics-of.html.

(11/11/17): A Politics of Reconciliation that Should Begin in the Church

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/11/a-politics-of-reconciliation-that.html.

(12/9/17): Religion, Race and Identity Politics

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2017/12/religion-race-and-identity-politics.html.

(1/6/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Diversity in Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/01/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(12/29/18): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Justice in Religion and Politics

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/12/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on_29.html.

(3/9/19): Musings on the Degradation of Democracy in a Post-Christian America

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/03/musings-on-degradation-of-democracy-in.html.

(7/13/19): Musings on Sovereignty and Conflicting Loyalties to God and Country 

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/07/musings-on-sovereignty-and-conflicting.html.

(7/20/19): Musings on Diversity in Democracy: Who Are Our Neighbors? 

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/07/musings-on-diversity-in-democracy-who.html.

(11/2/19): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Polarization and Reconciliation

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2019/11/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(2/1/20): Musings on the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Altar of Partisan Politics

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/02/musings-on-sacrifice-of-jesus-on-altar.html.

(7/11/20): Musings on America’s Culture War, Racism and Christian Morality in Politics

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/07/musings-on-americas-culture-war-racism.html.

(8/1/20): Musings on Echoes from 1860 as America Seeks Truth and Reconciliation

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/08/musings-on-echoes-from-1860-as-america.html.

(9/12/20): Musings on the Demise of American Democracy: Is It Deja Vu All Over Again?

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/09/musings-on-demise-of-american-democracy.html.

(9/19/20): Musings on Law and Order, Reconciliation and Racial Justice

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/09/musings-on-law-and-order-reconciliation.html.

(11/7/20): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Good and Evil in Religion and Politics

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/11/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-good.html.

(12/5/20): Musings on the Preference of White Christians for Demagoguery over Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2020/12/musings-on-preference-of-white.html.

(2/15/21): Counterpoint: The Danger of Racial Reparations as a Means of Restorative Justice

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/02/counterpoint-danger-of-racial.html.

(3/27/21): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on a Civil Religion in a Divided America

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/03/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on-civil.html.

(6/12/21): From Hammond and Tillman to Trump: A Legacy of Shame for South Carolina

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/06/from-hammond-and-tillman-to-trump.html.

(6/26/21): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Critical Race Theory and The 1619 Project

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/06/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(7/10/21): Musings on the Need for Racial Reconciliation in America’s Divisive Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2021/07/musings-on-need-for-racial.html.

(2/19/22): Musings on Reconciliation to Resolve the Dilemma of Diversity in Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/02/musings-on-reconciliation-to-resolve.html.

(8/6/22): Musings of a Maverick Methodist on Moderating Hatred in Partisan Politics

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2022/08/musings-of-maverick-methodist-on.html.

(6/10/23): Musings on Popularity and Altruism as Competing Values in American Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2023/06/musings-on-popularity-and-altruism-as.html.

Musings on Who or What Is God? And Why That Matters

By Rudy Barnes, Jr., May 17, 2025

Many people of faith don’t believe in the vengeful God of the Hebrew Bible, but believe in a God of love and mercy exemplified by Jesus.  Many progressive Christians believe in a demiurge, or lesser man-created god; and many progressive Christians who believe that Jesus was the universal Word of God, or Logos, share that Gnostic belief in a dimiurge.

As an octogenarian retired United Methodist pastor, I’m a Maverick Methodist who believes in a universal God of love and mercy who sent Jesus as His Word to be followed, not worshipped as God’s human sacrifice and the only means of salvation.  I believe that the teachings of Jesus on altruistic love are God’s universal will for all humankind.

The moral teachings of Jesus are summed up in the greatest commandment to love God and our neighbors of other races and religions as we love ourselves.  It’s considered a common word of faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike; but its universalism is heretical to exclusivist Christian beliefs that Jesus never taught.

According to Jesus God’s will is that his universal and timeless teachings are relevant to both our social and political lives.  While Christians have neglected their stewardship of the moral teachings on sacrificial love, the church has promoted exclusivist doctrines that don’t  require a moral commitment to follow Jesus, only exclusivist belief in Jesus as God.

Jesus never taught that he was divine or that God preferred Christianity over other religions.  My commentaries have promoted the universal relevance of the teachings of Jesus to politics, with an emphasis on discerning the difference between good and evil.  Jesus never promoted church doctrines that asserted Christianity as the one true faith.

The Trump regime represents the worst of Christian nationalism and populism, with no assurance that America’s Constitutional government can be restored.  With a weak Democratic Party and Trump’s dominant Republican regime, the future of freedom and democracy in America remain uncertain until the 2026 midterm elections.

Jesus taught that God’s will is to reconcile and redeem humanity, while Satan’s will is to divide and conquer; but Satan does a convincing imitation of God in politics and the church.  The teachings of Jesus on sacrificial love have never been popular, but church doctrines based on belief in Jesus as God but never taught by Jesus remain a popular source of cheap grace.

What American Christians think of God is shaped by popular ideals in American politics and the church.  It should be obvious that it matters greatly to America’s future who or what Americans think of God.  In the cosmic battle between the forces of good and evil our fate is shaped by our concepts of God.  It’s one battle that America cannot afford to lose.         

Notes:

It is not a new phenomenon that horrors have happened in the name of God. The Crusades were wars fought to convert the infidels; during the Inquisition, folks were tortured in the name of keeping Catholicism pure; smart, strong women were hunted and killed as witches both in Europe and in colonial Massachusetts. Africans were enslaved; Indigenous were slaughtered; land was stolen; theologies of Apartheid were created in South Africa and Jim Crow in the U.S.. Blacks were lynched and Jews were exterminated in the name of God. Queer and Trans people are banished and tortured in the name of God. Lies, deception, broken hearts, poverty, capitalism run amok, environmental raping and pillaging, all happen in the name of God.

In the name of God. Which God? Whose God? Does God want the death and destruction of people and planet?

Honestly, we don’t fully know who God is. God is mystery, that we can’t quite comprehend. Is there a God at all? I think so. I believe so. But to be honest, much of what many people call “god” is made up from the worst of our thoughts, fears and projections. In other words, though some Holy texts say God creates humans in God’s image, humans also create god in ours.

Too often that made-up god is a bully, hates all the people we hate, and will smite our enemies. That made-up god is on the side of the rich and powerful; the poor and disenfranchised be damned. In fact that made-up god wants us to believe that the tragedies of poverty and sickness are the fault of the poor and sick.

God is love, and God’s will is that we have peace, well-being, and an everlasting love. 

Notes:

Who is (Your) God? What we believe about God shapes how we treat our neighbor.  See 

 https://progressivechristianity.org/resource/who-is-your-god/

On the greatest commandment as a common word of faith and love over law:

(1/11/15): The Greatest Commandment: A Common Word of Faith

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/01/the-greatest-commandment-common-word-of.html

(1/18/15): Love over Law: A Principle at the Heart of Legitimacy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2015/01/love-over-law-principle-at-heart-of.html

(1/23/16): Who Is My Neighbor?

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/01/who-is-my-neighbor.html

(1/30/16): The Politics of Loving Our Neighbors as Ourselves

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2016/01/the-politics-of-loving-our-neighbors-as.html

Other related commentary:

(3/31/18): Altruism: The Missing Ingredient in American Christianity and Democracy

http://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2018/03/altruism-missing-ingredient-in-american.html.

(6/15/24): Musings Why Churches Ignore the Moral Teachings of Jesus https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/06/500-musings-on-why-most-churches-ignore.html 

(8/3/24): Musings on Popularity as the Measure of Success in the Church and Democracy 

https://www.religionlegitimacyandpolitics.com/2024/08/musings-on-popularity-as-measure-of.html.