Posted on 10/24/2020 10:27:39 PM PDT by robowombat
Your thoughts on forgiving Donald Trump
Oct 23, 2020 by NCR Staff Opinion
This article appears in the Your thoughts feature series. View the full series.
In the latest Soul Seeing column, Mike Leach talks about how he need to forgive President Donald Trump, even though it's hard to do so. "How do I forgive someone I don't even know but who drives me nuts every time I see him boast and lie and cheat?" he writes. Following are letters to the editor responding to the column. The letters have been edited for length and clarity. You can join the conversation by following the guidelines below.
I have a few thoughts for Michael Leach about forgiving President Donald Trump.
Try walking in the shoes of the president of the United States. When he supposedly heard news of the pandemic and didn't immediately report it, don't you believe it may have been a prudent decision considering the millions of people that would have gone into sheer panic? It was new news that needed to be discerned and researched further before making a widespread announcement. And there still would have been those that didn't believe it and kept doing what they were doing. It was inevitable that many people would have died either way.
mail-2237468.jpgLetters to the Editor As of this date, numbers are spiking like crazy. Everyone knows about COVID-19 and they're out partying anyway. I suppose that's Trump's fault too? How is that? The opposite side wants to and erroneously prove that everything wrong in the world is because of the current president. God knows the man is not perfect and neither are you, me and everyone. As for dissension in our country, that started way before Trump had an inkling of becoming president. The president's job is to protect this country.
How has Trump ignited violence? It is the cities and states that have allowed their cities to be torn down and have allowed violent groups to literally get away with murder at the expense of the lives of many good people and law enforcement. Again, this violence was brewing and active way before Trump became president.
I have heard my Christian liberal friends say, "I hate Donald Trump. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." These are the very people who proudly display the sign in their front lawns stating, "Hate has no home here." Really? That is so hypocritical. Who has room for that?
So the president has a controversial personality. Live with it. Probably some don't like your personality. Who are we to cast a stone on anyone? Chew on that and peace be with you.
MAUREEN O'NEILL-LASZLO Valley City, Ohio
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I am voting for President Donald Trump because he supports school choice, congressional term limits, strong military, limited government and ending excessive regulation.
He supports, more than any other president, the rights of the unborn and to tell the world America is a land of good people.
HERB HARKINS Palm City, Florida
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Michael Leach challenges all rational beings to have the need to forgive President Donald Trump. In his confession he urges us to be more God-like. That's a tall order, indeed, when the object of that forgiveness tells one and all that he doesn't need our forgiveness because his sins are at best venial — so minor that he doesn't see why he could possibly need to ask for our mercy.
I, like so many others, struggle perpetually with the two-edged sword of forgiveness: an ardent wish to be able to "forgive those who have trespassed against us" while at the same time desperately needing absolution for the "things I have done and failed to do."
The Code of Canon Law 987 tells us one "must reject sins committed and have a purpose of amendment." Trump neither acknowledges his sins nor has any inclination of correcting his behavior. It would therefore seem he does not meet the requirements for reconciliation.
JOHN C. TUFFY Endwell, New York
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Jesus said to forgive 70 times 7 times. President Donald Trump gives me this opportunity every day. I know I will be judged as I judge.
Between my country and the organizational church, I pray God will be merciful to me a sinner. I have voted and I have closed the door on this. I pray God spare me from doing this with my church since birth.
JANE FRANCISCO Charlotte, North Carolina
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The 20th century German martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote about forgiveness in this manner: "Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."
The theological question then becomes: How can one forgive someone who claims to have no need for it?
LOUIS J. REITH Seward, Nebraska
OUTSTANDING homepage, robowombat. Thank you.
Thumbs up for 1 thru 4, which I have read so far. I tried reading this article again to make some sense that I could relate to. It is not there. Pres Donald Trump is not the person I need to work at forgiving. It is the author and those like him, who are so pretentious with their implied righteousness, that need forgiving by God. They are willing to vote for the communist democrat party which is attempting to destroy this Republic. And for what reason? I do not forgive their jealous treachery and betrayal of this country that God has blessed from it’s founding. A personal pox on all of them.
Passing, no; posing, yes.
I so agree. For decades Marxists use the “faith” of good Americans to manipulate them.
President Trump doesn’t need to be forgiven. I know plenty of Democrats who may need to be, however, I want justice first.
I cannot stand these types of Christians. The phony ones. The ones who insist that certain thing are in the Bible which are not and categorically deny passages which are in there but since it does t fit their myopic viewpoint, decide to make edits like the words aren’t there on paper.
They also claim that the Creator of the Old Testament is t the same as the New Testament. That Jesus is god n the New Testament.
They are also the most judge mental persons with a type of superiority complex that iam sure is detailed in the DSM-R.
They say they’re republican but act and speak like democrats.
I’m glad your faith tells you this. While my faith with god would probably be considered heretical to many, I don’t take the approach that it was gods will that our president is Donald Trump. I merely see a man who is wealthy enough to understand the moneylenders in the legislative branch we’re going to come after his wealth and would leave him as penniless as those who live on the street. He has enough money to play their game so he decides to fight back. What better way to fight than in the executive branch,he has the judicial and military at his disposal. He is just getting his ducks in a row.
While it’s fully understandable why many see this as divine Intervention, god hasn’t needed to help him yet. Why help someone who walks the path of truth? The vermin In the legislative are morons. Doesn’t matter what degrees they have. We saw several years ago that the Ivy League sells degrees. While the families of the politicians have been inbreeding with themselves since before the civil war. That form of eugenics program is sure to stifle their intelligence as well as weird health issues. Everything they throw at Mr Donald are lies which have no basis in facts just mere projections coming from their side. Why would god intervene? Now once everything comes out and their side decides it wants to fight back, if there are many Innocent survive who otherwise would have been in crossfire, or worse. I would then say god had a hand in that.
When the rebellion starts in early November I think Portland, Seattle,and Kenosha will be dwarfed in comparison. I would t doubt the dems trying to make a stand set off a nuke in an American city. I also would t doubt if one is not already in play. Brought and paid for by Soros.
Not disrespecting you, or your faith,but god is still watching the play out. It’s been too easy so far
What does DJT done as a public figure that requires forgiveness?I don't know but he probably didn't rape any Choir boys and then have a bunch of holier than thou men in robes cover it up for him.
Trump has been pretty clear on his kid diddling policies from day one and he has been reliable in his practice of not permitting kid diddlers to remain under his employ. Catholic Church? Maybe not so much. Let he who is without a kid diddling priest under their employ cast the first stone.
You would be correct in all of your thoughts the election of 2016 was a divine intervention and the election of 2020 will also be a divine intervention!!!
The Lird prayer is specific
Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive others
Trump has not sinned against me.
I have nothing to forgive him for.
Our own ebb tide informs me, “ ...and the mafia don is Satan’s doorman.”
These people are everywhere, implanted apparently.
Millions panicked over TOILET PAPER, for heaven's sake.
There could have been runs on banks, street riots, ...
Bob Woodward is a danger.
Forgive him for what? Putting America first and being the best darn president of my lifetime? I didn’t need POTUS to tell me anything about the Virus—Video from China told me that it was either really dangerous or they were trying to scare us all to death.
Whatever DJT said to the nation, he’d also be telling our enemies. Initially, no one knew for sure-regardless of what was suspected. I knew all I needed to know soon enough.
Besides, the DemonKKKrats were lying through their teeth about everything and they have deliberately followed draconian and tyrannical policies. They deserve to be tarred and feathered.
Trump is bad because msm told me to believe Trump is bad!
How do I forgive someone that the msm tells me to hate!
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Which god is that mouth breeder worshiping?
The left claims that it is only because of Trump that we have it and further infers things would be fine otherwise. The reality is that while this 'dissention' is directed at Trump it really is directed at us. Against what we all believe and hold dear. Core beliefs that strike at a way of life.
Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined - Patrick Henry
The NCR is a leftist rag, full of the likes of James Martin, SJ, etc. but that said, I have never understood what they think Trump has done that is so evil.
I walk around my very liberal neighborhood in Florida and I see Biden signs next to signs (sometimes homemade) saying the most insane, hate-filled things about Trump, going all the way to wishing for his death. I honestly don’t know how they can be so full of hate, or why.
“Mike Leach talks about how he need to forgive President Donald Trump, even though it’s hard to do so.”
You don’t forgive people who did not sin against you.
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