A 1953 sci-fi movie, “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” also applies to our current social climate. Those possessed by alien pods don’t realize their personalities have changed; they’ve become emotionally cold, indifferent to the needs and suffering of others.

We hear friends and strangers voicing concerns for family members, in-laws and friends who are, individually, good-natured, caring, smart, interesting citizens. Except, their minds and morality have apparently been taken over, influenced by President Trump and his agents. No longer are they the ones we know when they unthinkingly repeat, by rote, the propaganda. This disturbs those who cannot comprehend such drastic changes. What happened?

I decided to read all the Gospels for myself, without a Bible study group. Jesus is greatly compassionate in his acts and teachings, insisting his followers must be. He’s healing, consoling, curing, forgiving. But also raging against hypocrisy, especially of the clergy.

It baffles Christians when they see other Christians rejecting Jesus while supporting and defending his opposite: a lying hypocrite whose policies and decisions are cruel, indifferent, sociopathic. He and his servants create laws depriving the most helpless of life-saving food, medicine, clothing and the right to be free from frightening seizures. They are suffering and dying, and will continue to do so. The ignored Jesus said that whatever we do to them, we do to him.

It’s fascinating when Christianity rejects Jesus. And tragic.

Carl Scheiman
Damariscotta