Don't fall for that secular prejudice. If God is real and faith is true, then God-fearing men of faith are exactly who should be leading our country. Resist the call to hand over our society and culture to godless men.
You raise a very good point. I took his comment in jest but I’d rather have a baptist President than a secular bonehead.
Baptist vary quite a bit. A long time ago, I was a summer missionary in Montana. We went to a different church each week. There were some great ones, but a couple had some of the meanest people you would ever wish to meet.
I believe the wheat & tares parable presents a real problem for ALL churches - how do you make sure the wheat dominates? Church discipline is a real part of what is meant by ‘power to loose and bind’, and all churches must exercise that power, or become corrupted by false christians - such as the party of circumcision that Paul opposed and Peter feared in Antioch.
I’m all for godly men affecting our country, but I believe this is done by evangelism. If we have a majority of believers in the country, or even a large minority, the country will do fine. Our current political trends are caused because America has, on the whole, turned its back on God. The coarsening of our culture since I’ve been born is terrifying to anyone who cares for America and loves God.
When I was young, a person who cussed in front of children would have been reprimanded by those around him. TV glorified families, not homosexuals. Shoot - even 20 years ago, I would never have thought anyone would take ‘homosexual rights’ seriously. You have a right to stick what where?! That’s GROSS!
But now it is accepted by the President of the USA.
When I was born, abortion was illegal. Now, Notre Dame honors a baby-killer who would allow post-birth abortions! Where is some of that ‘teaching authority’ & ‘binding’? Why didn’t the Pope step in and TELL Notre Dame to withdraw its invitation, and then investigate how anyone associated with the church could think that was a good idea?
One of the problems with the Catholic Church is that they tried to mix religious belief and political power together - for 1500 years! Not surprisingly, the tares became Popes, and gaining money and power overtook preaching to the lost. That was a huge factor in Luther’s work.
The Reformation took place because of corruption in the Catholic Church. That corruption was inevitable once the Popes became confused about who they needed to follow - Caesar or Christ.
I don’t condemn a state church for the state’s sake - I condemn it for the church’s sake!