In my own personal life, I have an aversion to accepting advice and even to human touch. I react in similar ways to both of these expressions. If someone touches my arm, intending only kindness, I tend to scratch it off, as was observed by a past partner. If someone pushes their advice into my life, I often do the same: Scratch it off. Another friend once told me that the only way to get me not to jump in a puddle was to tell me to jump into it. At age 47, I'm not much involved with jumping into puddles — but if someone told me not to do it I must admit I probably would.

Dealing with this element of my own intimate human experience can help explain the love affair between Donald Trump and American evangelicals. Trump is the "bad boy" that many liberals have been warning Christians about — and now, the more dangerous he seems. the more they like him.

Another way to look at this is that someone only ends an unhealthy relationship if they can come to that conclusion on their own. Evangelicals will never dump Trump because of some clever argument by Rachel Maddow, or a brilliant takedown by Bill Maher. Such a breakup, if it ever happens, must come from within the evangelical movement itself.

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The impetus for a breakup also cannot come from the more progressive or leftist elements of the Christian church. Most of the Christian left has no backbone or force when it comes to speaking out against their evangelical brethren. There is an understandable reluctance to........

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