Bear with me for the rather sensational title but I hope the connection will soon become apparent.

I entered into full time community work around the turn of the millennium when I was around 50. While I am now officially retired I continue to be active in the community, e.g. in the area of homelessness. Around 5 years ago, I told my story in a book titled “Outside the Camp”. Soon after I became active both on Facebook and as a blogger. It seemed to me that as a Christian seeking to operate outside of the camp, I needed to be aware of what was going on around me and make my own positive contribution.

It became apparent to me that many who contributed to the social media I was aware off were anti far right (whatever that means). Soon after came Brexit and soon after that Donald Trump. Many, including among my spiritually minded good Christian friends, were anti Brexit and Trump. I was faced with the challenge whether or not to engage, and offer alternative perspectives on these and many other subjects. Given I was retiring from paid employment and I was not a minister as such of a church and, moreover, certain unpopular things that needed saying someone needed to say (if not by me then who), I decided to wade in. It has been a roller coaster ride so far; I have upset some and lost friends; I wasn’t always wise in what I wrote; but I have sought the truth and tried to share it with grace.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” Ephesians 6:12

I don’t want to go over what exactly what I did say, and for those who are interested, check out the writings and blogs found on my website. I recognize that good people see things differently to me. Even today, Christian friends have posted articles that I strongly disagree with, about Christians who oppose Trump: “Trump’s Strategy of Fear” and “‘Our faith compels us’: Christian resistance to Trump gathers steam”. I do not wish to disrespect my brothers and sisters who think different to me but rather use this opportunity as a blogger to say why I say/do as I say/do. Much of the reason is to do with spiritual warfare.

The first thing is to say is while my Christian beliefs lead me to see a great spiritual battle going on between the forces of darkness and the Devil and the forces of light and God, that the people I support are not necessarily on the side of light any more that those my Christian friends who think differently support are on the side of darkness. I reject what was instilled in me in my early Christian indoctrination that Christians should not be embroiled in politics and merely focus purely on our heavenly destiny, leaving matters of this world to others. It seems to be right that while we live in the world we should seek to be forces of good and sometimes getting involved in the murky world of politics is unavoidable and one where Christians will differ. There comes a point when to get involved and when not and it is a question anyone who takes faith seriously needs to answer for themselves according to conscience.

In this world of shades of grey, when it comes to politics I have long ago concluded it is not a simple matter of deciding what is better: left or right? I recall a few years back voting for the UKIP candidate in the local elections and the Green candidate in the national elections, both being well thought out and principled decisions. When I wrote recently about Trump, I included the statement: “There are still large areas of the swamp to drain: the insidious agenda driven deep state, covert operations to undermine those opposed to those in high places notably under Obama, a Federal Reserve bank system that is morally repugnant, a culture of political correctness that exalts the baddies and puts down the goodies and a network of pedophiles operating at the highest levels”.  I felt these were important matters, and related to the spiritual warfare I am trying to engage in, and that Trump was more likely to deliver than the alternatives. I therefore favoured Trump but understand why other Christians may think differently.

But it is the matter of pedophiles I wish to return, and I particularly refer to those in the highest places of power, worldwide, but here I want to focus on the USA. This is not very well covered in the mainstream news media and one may wonder why. A related news story today is titled: “Trump signs law to punish websites for sex trafficking”. The problem we all face is relating this to the big picture. In recent months disturbing information has come to light about child trafficking by the rich and famous, including from the world of entertainment, business and politics. I am not ready yet to share this. Some of this needs further corroboration and I know dealing this area will likely bring one into contact with dark forces. But it is becoming evident that high level pedophile rings, involving child sex trafficking, ritual abuse and murder, are now being actively pursued and prosecuted. This is an area where people who get involved or challenge are effectively blackmailed or gagged on the threat of death. In my judgment, and often deciding on such matters comes down to judgment, Trump. despite all his faults, is more likely to be the instrument to expose and deal with this wickedness.