Posted on 02/24/2016 7:17:27 AM PST by TurkeyLurkey
Like the Blind Leading the Blind: Donald Trump and Evangelicals
This morning, like most mornings now, I found myself reading an article on Donald Trump’s candidacy. Everyday I ask myself the question, “How can so many American Evangelicals support such an openly narcissistic, power driven man?†Sarah Palin endorsed him, Jerry Falwell Jr., the president of Liberty University, endorsed him,[1] and not too long ago, a poll was released that showed that Evangelical Christians as a whole are gravitating to Trump.[2]
But, this article I read today gave me a much needed answer as to why Americans and specifically republican “anti-establishment†Evangelicals are gravitating toward Donald Trump. The author, Gina Dalfonzo, asserted, and rightfully so, that when fear is driving a certain people group, they will seek safety and power in the wrong places. The author then went on to make the connection that the American people, specifically “anti-establishment†republicans, are putting their faith in Donald Trump, because he projects an unwavering, albeit narcissistic, strength. She even takes a particular jab at American Evangelicals it seems, when she states, “Some who have professed faith in Jesus Christ are lured by a man who openly puts all his faith in power and money, the very things Christ warned us against prizing too highly.â€[3]
Americans are scared. And, when humans fear they look for security. And, what appeals to humans seeking security? Strength. This is why Trump is so appealing; he exudes a certain unwavering cockiness that somehow appeals to people as “strength.†But, Evangelical Christians must remember that to exchange morality and virtue for strength and power is to reject an important Christian principle.
American Evangelicals, by voting for Trump, are rejecting a key principle from the message of Christ and his incarnation: personal power is not to be prized.
I could to try and sway Evangelical voters by pointing to Trump’s not so morally consistent business and personal history. I could easily point to Trump’s multiple divorces,[4] his business endeavors, the fact he owned the nation’s first-ever casino strip club,[5] the fact that he preys on the weak by using his power to take their land through eminent domain,[6] his previous support of abortion, his sexist[7] and racist remarks,[8] and much more.[9] But, more than all of these actions, the reason why Trump should cause Christians to cringe is what seems to be his deep, personal, one could say philosophical, love of power and not virtue.
Trump fails to realize that power is neither good nor evil in and of itself. Power can be a good, or it can be an evil. Power can be likened to a hammer. In the right hands it is a tool that builds up and strengthens a structure. In the wrong hands it can be a tool used for destruction or tearing apart a structure. It is the character of the man wielding the hammer that matters not the hammer itself. Power needs virtue in order to be good. But, Trump insists that because he is successful, because he is rich, because he is powerful, he deserves your vote. Remembering our illustration, it is as if Trump is saying, I’ll be a good builder cause I have a hammer. This, I believe, contradicts the virtue ethic of the Bible. And, the question every voter, not only Evangelical Christians, must ask is “How has he used his power? How has he used his tools?â€
The Prophet Jeremiah writes, “Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.â€[10] This is a summary of the Christian message. The Christian message and ethic is that man’s boasting whether it be in money, power, or wisdom, gains him nothing. It’s worthless. But, God delights in men of virtue, of love, justice, and righteousness. Trump does not live a life of virtue, rather he boasts of all his money, power, and accomplishments to gain your trust and vote. Trump is successful; Trump is rich; Trump is powerful. I am not denying this, but American Evangelicals must question how he uses his money, success, and power. And, I believe if one questions this, he will realize that Trump’s actions show that he consistently uses his money and power unethically.
The Apostle Paul states in his first epistle to the Corinthians (not One Corinthians), “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast.â€[11] Jesus as our Leader, our Savior and King, did not rule this world with king-like power or with earthly riches. Jesus Christ lived a lowly life, a life of healing the sick, a life of serving the poor and the outcast. Christ lived a servant’s life, and he died a humiliating death to save mankind, even those who crucified him. Christ does not claim followers because of His mere power. Jesus Christ claims followers because of how he uses His infinite power. Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection show that true power comes from understanding virtue and enacting love, justice, and righteousness in our broken world. Virtue and morality is what builds and structures our communities, our cities, our states, and our union. This is what is called a Virtue-ethic. Man living for virtue’s sake not for personal gain.
That being said, there was a time when American Evangelicals voted from this Christian virtue ethic. Russell Moore says it well,
“One may say that Trump’s personal life and business dealings are irrelevant to his candidacy, but conservatives have argued for generations that virtue matters, in the citizenry and in the nation’s leaders. Can conservatives really believe that, if elected, Trump would care about protecting the family’s place in society when his own life is — unapologetically — what conservatives used to recognize as decadent?â€
Some American Evangelicals want to elect a man who stands for the exact opposite of Christ’s message of virtue as true power. They want a leader who mocks, scoffs, and ridicules his competitors and dissenters. Some Evangelicals want to elect Trump as their political “savior,†but sadly they cannot see his blatant rejection of their very Savior’s virtue ethic. Like the blind leading the blind, so Trump leads scared and impressionable Evangelicals.
I am not saying that Christians can only vote for verified Christians, there is no religious test for office; I am not saying that Christians cannot vote for rich men; I am not saying that Christians cannot vote for powerful men. The point I am wishing to make is that Christians cannot vote for rich, powerful men who reject virtue and have both a flawed character and ethic. As previously stated, I do not care if Trump is rich; I do not care if Trump is successful; I do not care if Trump is powerful. But, I do care how Trump uses his money, success, and power. Therefore, I care that Trump is immoral; I care that Trump is arrogant; I care that Trump is narcissistic. And, all of these characteristics paired with his personal and business actions show his blatant opposition to Christ’s message of true power as virtue. Thus, to vote for Trump is to accept the message of this world: that the powerful, the rich, the successful deserve power and leadership. And, if that is true, then Jesus Christ would not have been a good leader according to modern standards.
Evangelical Christians must understand that to seriously support Trump is to politically forget that morality is to be prized over earthly power; that divine virtue is greater than human strength.
Any argument can be reduced to ridiculous extremes that misrepresent the position being taken. As an evangelical that has been watching these fights for over half a century, I can tell you that Trump is only successful among evangelicals today because so many evangelicals have drifted away from their very conservative roots.
The OP is right. Morality had been a regular feature of the political conversation, because Christians by and large believed that morally good leaders were essential to the nation’s well-being. Conservatism itself had been an embodiment of essential moral commitments, the work ethic, respect for private property, the sanctity of God-given life, the right of conscience and freedom to worship, the sanity and beauty of the natural family, etc.
So no, we anti-Trump evangelicals are not trying to cast ourselves as “all seeing.” Surely that would be blasphemy, as only God is all wise. But we do come from a place where men like Trump would be the last sort of person we would choose to put in authority over our lives. It’s not about trying to *be* God. It’s about trying to *please* God. God gives grace to the humble, but he resists the proud.
Peace,
SR Surely that would be blasphemy, as only God is all wise. But we do come from a place where men like Trump would be the last sort of person we would choose to put in authority over our lives. It
Nobody had problems with Mittens being a Mormon?
Thanks for #32
Truth speaks volumes to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear (which also come from our Sovereign God).
People can have a change of heart at any age, if God gets a hold on them. But I question the depth of Trump’s conversion based on his own words. He says that he changed his mind about abortion after his friends who were considering abortion changed their minds and the kid turned out to be a “superstar”. When asked whether he would still have changed his mind about abortion if the kid turned out to be a “loser”, he said probably not. So his position on abortion doesn’t appear to be based on the value of every innocent life, but based on the fact that this one kid turned out to be a “superstar”. So while I am glad he seems to have moved in the pro-life direction, I question how strongly he will actually fight for that principle. I suspect he will be willing to make deals on that subject if he thinks he can get something more important to him personally.
Why would God hand pick characters like Samson, David, and his son Solomon to be His representatives?
Because that’s all he had to work with that could handle the job. Trump is all WE have....who can break up the Corrupt Bastards Club in DC.
We have a BINGO.
Good points. At one point he made it sound like he was unaware how awful abortion is. I wonder what the heck he thought abortion was all the years before?
It is not long until every knee shall bow and every mouth declare the Jesus Christ is Lord!
P.S. And today he gave an address at Regents University.....one of the belt loops on the Bible Belt.
Maranatha!
Error with my iPhone editor (”Opera” browser). Sorry ‘bout the extra text after my signoff.
I did.
God works all things after the counsel of his own will, and not just at "critical points."
But we will be called to give an account for choosing the blessing: Cruz rather than the curse: Trump.
Malachi 2:2
If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
No, God could have picked any number of others. His plans are not always obvious to us. God used the pagan king of Babylon to punish His people Israel. That doesn’t mean God’s people would be right to voluntarily choose pagan Nebuchadnezzar as their king. Nor should Christians take Philistine girlfriends like Samson, or commit adultery like David, or drift into idolatry like Solomon.
God demonstrates His own power by taking flawed people and using them for His purposes. But that gives us no justification to endorse those flaws, or to overlook them when making choices that affect the well-being of our families and our nation. In America, we get to choose. That’s our responsibility. That means we uniquely own the consequences for a poor choice. Trump is a poor choice, and choosing him over better men will come back to haunt us.
Peace,
SR
God wouldn’t use Trump..... Can you say Obama?
Glenn is that you?
I’ll stick with my Samson over some false prophet of Dominionism.
Cruz is Southern Baptist. No evidence has ever been presented to suggest he is a dominionist. I live next door to real dominionists. They are nothing like the Southern Baptists.
Peace,
SR
God wouldn’t use Trump..... Can you say Obama?
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Albert Einstein once said about Quantum Mechanics, “God does not play dice!”, to which, IIRC, Fermi responded, “Don’t try to tell God what he can do!”
Telling God what He can and cannot do has not future.
Msgr. Charles Pope discussed this today. The main point is humility.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3401222/posts
Well, you are exactly correct, but he was raised Dominionist.
“Dominion theology is predicated upon three basic beliefs: 1) Satan usurped man’s dominion over the earth through the temptation of Adam and Eve; 2) The Church is God’s instrument to take dominion back from Satan; 3) Jesus cannot or will not return until the Church has taken dominion by gaining control of the earth’s governmental and social institutions.”
Take a look at this video. Introduction of Rafael Cruz at about 1:02. Rafael Cruz clearly states that he has “shared the message of Dominion” around the world. At 1:34 he talks about God giving you material blessings so that you have the power to establish God’s Kingdom on Earth. This it the Prosperity Gospel on steroids. Rafael Cruz explains it all, very convincingly, so that, if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy074QLV2D8
Hebrews 2:8
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Our hope should not be in Trump or Cruz but in Jesus.
Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
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