Replies

Trebb, you say:

Wow! I believe your position is called looking a gift hose in the mouth because you can elicit a holier than thou attitude. A man makes a sensible statement and condemns the act of abortion (perhaps not with spittle flying from his mouth, but still comes out against it) and instead of appreciating it, "Elite Christians" have to carp about it.

I don't know what The Donald believes. I'm not certain he knows what he believes.

1999: “I believe it is a personal decision that should be left to the women and their doctors,”
2000: I support a woman’s right to choose, but I am uncomfortable with the procedures. When Tim Russert asked me on Meet the Press if I would ban partial-birth abortion, my pro-choice instincts led me to say no. After the show, I consulted two doctors I respect and, upon learning more about this procedure, I have concluded that I would support a ban.
And further evolution up until now

OK, so I know people can change over time and that's fine. But when he flips and he flops, I'm not sure he actually has a stance. At the most conservative, he is pro-life with exceptions for rape, incest, and health of the mother. "Health of the mother" is simply a canard ("Doctor, I'm getting headaches. I need an abortion."). And that is the most conservative position he's taken.

To me, it sounds like he's a campaign pro-lifer. And while that's better than a campaign pro-abort, it doesn't mean that he is authentically pro-life.

There have been 1.3 billion (yes, BILLION) abortions around the world since 1980. If pro-life is not an issue to take a stand on, I do not know what is.

Trebb, you said:

Question - what about the guy who can't go into jails anymore because he wouldn't sign a paper saying he wouldn't preach that homosexuality is a sin? I'd assume you think he was standing by his Christian principles and made the right choice.

St Polycarp lived between 70 AD and 155 AD. His death gives us an example:

Polycarp was arrested on the charge of being a Christian -- a member of a politically dangerous cult whose rapid growth needed to be stopped. Amidst an angry mob, the Roman proconsul took pity on such a gentle old man and urged Polycarp to proclaim, "Caesar is Lord". If only Polycarp would make this declaration and offer a small pinch of incense to Caesar's statue he would escape torture and death. To this Polycarp responded, "Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" Steadfast in his stand for Christ, Polycarp refused to compromise his beliefs, and thus, was burned alive at the stake.

You are asking that Christian to offer just a tiny pinch of incense. If you take a look at a lot of Catholic Bishops, like Dolan, Cupich, Wuerl, et al, they have offered just a tiny pinch of incense themselves. And there are plenty of Prostestants who have that same attitude themselves (not being Protestant, it would be presumptuous of me to name names).

I would, if I was in that position, prefer to be like Polycarp. Consider this: But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)

Peter was right about obeying God vs. men, but the guy wasn't asked to support homosexuality, just barred from focusing on it as a sin - Paul liked to 'infiltrate cultures by becoming like the people of that culture so he could be more effective in carrying the Word. How can making a choice that negates one's ability to carry the Word be "the more noble and God-obedient" way?

I can understand some folks "ideals" but it seems to me that only real use we can be to God is to reach out to people with His Word and the Good News of the Gospels. You can teach/preach about the incredible sacrifice of Jesus w/o focusing on homosexuality. In this case, homosexuality wins by preventing the carrying of God's Word and Salvation because one is so obsessed with homosexuality that it' omission for an environment's preaching is a game stopper.