Posted on 07/10/2020 8:12:15 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
After reading Leonardo Blair’s article in The Christian Post, “82% of white evangelicals would vote for Trump despite concerns about job performance: study,” I was disturbed by the fact that a majority of white evangelicals would still vote for Trump even though his job performance has been among the poorest in presidential history.
As an evangelical who is both a conservative and a Republican, I’m writing to suggest that voting for Trump should be tied to his character, not his job performance. It is out of one’s character that presidents generate the policies they come up with and how well or poorly they execute them. A president’s policies and performance don’t take place in a vacuum, and, when both are bad, you can be reasonably sure their character is as well.
At the risk of inflaming pro-Trump evangelicals, Trump is a deeply flawed human being when it comes to his characterological make-up. Allow me to use two passages of Scripture to make this point, both of which speak to the why Christians who support Trump should seriously reconsider whether or not to vote for him in 2020.
In Proverbs 6:16-19, the Bible says, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
Trump frequently manifests many of these troubling traits in how he conducts himself in the White House. I would think it hard for any Christian to truly believe a holy and righteous God would want His followers to support someone who regularly and remorselessly practices the things He hates.
In 2 Timothy 3:1-4, the Bible says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
Once again, Trump exhibits most of these character defects. If this is true about the president, he can’t possibly be God’s choice to lead our country. God is clear about how we are to deal with someone as deeply disturbed as Trump: “Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:5). Nothing means nothing.
Trump is a racist, misogynist, xenophobe, narcissist, and sociopath. He is someone who has a “seared conscience” (1 Timothy 4:2) in that he never admits to doing anything wrong and is utterly unrepentant about his sins. Remember, this is the man who said he has never asked God to forgive him because he hadn’t done anything bad enough to warrant doing so. Most followers of Christ are more aware of their fallenness than that.
I’m under no illusion that my words are going to persuade any of the 82% of white evangelicals who support Trump to start opposing him. It’s probably the case that those who back the president strongly disagree with what I have written and are greatly bothered that I would say such negative things about his character.
Nevertheless, character in a president matters, and it matters a great deal. When character issues in a president are this problematic, his policies and performance inevitably follow suit. Do we need to look any further than Trump’s malevolent border policy mishandling of the coronavirus, or the mean-spirited way he stokes racial unrest in this country to know this is true?
My hope is that evangelicals who support Trump will be willing to think through the passages of Scripture mentioned and be honest about whether or not they fit the president. If these passages describe Trump, I would further hope pro-Trump evangelicals would be willing to admit as much and have nothing to do with this president.
Trump has had three-and-a-half years to prove he is up to the task of being a competent and moral leader, and he has fallen short in the ways that truly matter. Trump’s immorality, ignorance, and incompetence clearly demonstrate he is not fit to be president and should not be given another four years to further prove it.
When the dust settles from this presidency, we are going to see that Trump was the king who had no clothes, an unrepentant “lover of self,” and someone who conned the majority of white evangelicals into believing he truly cares about them, our nation, and, most importantly, God.
Ours is a great nation. Our country deserves a leader who doesn’t spend his day devising wicked schemes, pouring out lies, rushing into evil, and stirring up conflict in the community. It deserves a leader who is loving, forgiving, honest, self-controlled, genuine, humble, compassionate, and kind. Trump is the former, not the latter.
When it comes time to cast your vote in 2020, vote for the person who best personifies the character of Christ, not someone who personifies the opposite.
Chris Thurman, Ph.D., is a psychologist and author of The Lies We Believe.
2 Samuel 11:1-27
Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
1 Kings 19:1-5
Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
Jonah 1:1-3
The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Matthew 26:69-75
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and *said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Example-Of-Godly-Men-Who-Failed
- - - “Ours is a great nation. Our country deserves a leader who doesn’t spend his day devising wicked schemes, pouring out lies, rushing into evil, and stirring up conflict in the community.” - - -
I totally AGREE! Where was your voice when Obama was devising his schemes, rushing into evil, and stirring up conflict in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Ferguson, Missouri?
In Genesis 12, we learn that Abram lied to the Egyptians about Sarai, which caused great plagues upon Pharaoh and his house. A few verses later in Genesis 13:2 we learn that “Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.”
Yet God blessed Abram and the nations he founded.
Personally, I believe that DJT sometimes plays his cards close to his vest, but is not deceitful, except to the enemies of our country.
And, I believe that Abram became wealthy by making sharp deals that benefitted him. We do not have to get very far into the Bible to see that God does not despise men who know how to work things to their own advantage.
To the author: Isn’t that stance a little shortsided?
Or is this just agit-prop designed to pick off the rare someone who is a bit weak-minded and get their vote?
President Trump has many flaws. However, sometimes the right man for the job is not the “good” one.
Well, I am one of the EIGHTY-TWO PERCENT of White Evangelicals who WILL Vote for Donald Trump, so there.
Severe lack of discernment. Makes me question what the writers faith and belief is in.
Look at the personal histories of some of Christ’s apostles. I rest my case. We are all sinners.
He uses leftist terms like racist and xenophobic and calls himself a conservative Republican? Doubtful
Most important part of a president’s character is his loyalty to and love of America and his love of and loyalty to the American people.
Didn’t we have a thread awhile back about the editor being a pillow biter or something similar?
So, by this person’s logic, all Christians would have to either abstain from voting or write-in the Lord Jesus Christ... Moron, bless their heart.
There is almost nothing worse than a hypocrite Christian, which this person definitely is.
Does the name David ring any bells for this fellow? Choosing God’s instruments for Him isn’t exactly an exercise in faith. Either way, frankly.
Oh, my! Pass the smelling salts.
There is a pearl-clutcher in our midst.
He’s a fool. If he’s not going to stand against abortion, he’s part of the massacre.
He should be banished from all Christian media if he doesn’t stand for basic Christian values. If Trump doesn’t win, we’ll be funding more abortions all over the world again.
This man wouldn’t be allowed to speak in my church. Why give this man such a stage to spew his evil?
The guy has a history of not only hating Trump but Trump supporters also. I don’t know his theology, but I bet he’s an apostate.
In a democratic republic, a faction of people who think for themselves will ultimately be out-voted by a faction which does not.
... And who did this doofus vote for in 2016??
Great!!! So this “Christian” supports the pro baby killing candidate ... pretty sure God won’t honor your choice Chis
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