Good Thoughts

www.newsweek.com

Why Character Matters

IT WORRIES ME THAT there is a part of Bob Dole's campaign that seems obsessed with not appearing critical, or judgmental, about the Clintons' public character--as though it were more important to be nice than to win.
www.newsweek.com www.newsweek.com

Written in 1996.

Just as relevant in 2016, or 2026.
 
ALAYMAN said:
Do you have a number (of leaders that rebuked Trump) in mind which would absolve us of being labeled as Christian Nationalists, or satisfy your longing to see “the church” cleared of their collective guilt?
Click to expand...
I am not the one who claimed that Mr. Trump was openly rebuked by Christian leaders. I was asking biscuits for his list.
 
subllibrm said:
Translation: you didn't read it, or you misread it. Because he said neither of those things.
Click to expand...
he said nothing about voting for the candidate that will preserve freedom and preserve the church.... and who can actually get elected so your vote isn;t thrown away... .. things that an election is actually about....... .instead he actually appears to discourage that.....

and then he said this....

"And I realize that this practice of voting with our Bibles open may influence each of us to vote in a slightly (or sometimes largely) different way..."

that is not a recipe for how a chrisitans should share their faith or make a statement of faith either one .... those 2 things should be done daily on the street when we share the gospel with the lost..... . when we take the people we share the gospel with to church with us... ... the way we raise and care for our families...

what he is suggesting is a recipe for how to lose an election and allow those who will persecute the church to take charge....... and not just someone with no verbal filter or character flaws like donald trump.... but true masterpieces of depravity that will make it impossible for you to share your faith anywhere - even in church without risking going to jail......

do you think anyone is going to look at the vote you cast and say...."wow... look at this.... this guy really has a great christian testimony.... what a statement of faith..."... ... . do you think they will assume that about you if you lay out and refuse to vote?...................

no.... they won;t care.... and they won;t even see it..... ...what they will see is conservatives that either vote in unison for a candidate that will preserve freedom.... or a splintered group of people voting in different directions who don;t really care what kind of government they end up living under........

that betrays everything the patriots who established this country - and those who kept it a free nation afterwards fought and died for..........

so yes...... the person who wrote that and thought it was a good idea is an idiot... .

and by the way.... i always vote with my faith in mind.. .. with my bible open as he would say..... .. and that is what leads me to vote for the candidates that will preserve freedom... protect the church.... and allow me to practice my faith unhindered by those who want to destroy christians... ..not to fool myself into thinking throwing my vote at a candidate with no chance to win just because he talks nice is going to equal me taking a stand for my faith....... ..

like i said before nobody will ever see it or even know that was my vote..... .. or yours either if that is what you do..... votes are not counted and tabulated according to the personal faith the voter.... you live in a fantasy world if you think the vote counters even care......

subllibrm said:
BTW our entire life is to be a statement of faith. If you believe how you vote doesn't fall under the admonition to "do everything as unto the Lord" then it would be good for you to reconsider that position. Separating one's faith from one's voting? No thank you.
Click to expand...
and you need to read what i have said today plus every other day in the past on this subject.... ... we lose and evil wins in these elections because conservative christians won;t stand together.... ..and in many cases won;t stand at all..... ....

you obviously don;t know what it means to live under religious persecution... . but if you live a state that just turned blue or elected a muslim activist you are about to find out...... ...

and the sad thing is that it was so unnecessary ... the battles to fight against that kind of thing were won in this country long ago.....but people like you seem not only determined to relive it in your own life but to make everybody else live through it too...

it;s like i said before... . you are among that self defeated group of cult christians who actually want to see the church persecuted and want to see christians murdered for their faith.... it;s already happening in other countries.... go there and tell them how they should vote if you want to... and if they still have elections ..... but don;t try to bring it about here......
 
Last edited:
ALAYMAN said:
I just think the lines of judgment (of those who call us to refrain from political involvement) are extremely arbitrary, ambiguous, and subjective as to which (and how many) character flaws should cause my conscience to capitulate to effectively allowing socialists, baby murderers, DEI experts, and child mutilators to govern me.
Click to expand...
they are living as if we are still in the age of kings..... before God gave americans 250 years ago the rights and freedoms to govern ourselves and elect our own leaders... .....a gift no other country had been given up to that time.... but a gift that came with enormous responsibility......

now they act as if we can neglect that gift.... refuse to make use of it.....act irresponsible... and that somehow God will rescue us if and when our laziness and refusal to act wisely gets us into deep trouble......

they are like a man who shoots his own foot off then expects God to regrow it for him.....

many gifts are given to christians by God in this life.... but some gifts are only given once..... .
 
Last edited:
ALAYMAN said:
Do you have a number (of leaders that rebuked Trump) in mind which would absolve us of being labeled as Christian Nationalists, or satisfy your longing to see “the church” cleared of their collective guilt?
Click to expand...
Who labeled you a Christian Nationalist? T'wern't me. I have yet to hear of a coherent definition of the term.
 
biscuit1953 said:
https://religionnews.com/2016/06/21/7-conservative-christians-who-are-not-supporting-trump/

Franklin Graham has repeatedly rebuked Donald Trump for his potty mouth and warned him that he cannot go to heaven because of his good works. Pat Boone has called out Donald Trump’s behavior on more than one occasion even though he is a personal friend of his. I have heard John Piper, John MacArthur, Ray Comfort, and numerous other Christian leaders call out Trump’s behavior. Many on this forum including myself have criticized Donald Trump for his immoral behavior and most don’t believe he is saved. The problem is, pretending that people on social media who support Donald Trump are all Christians and are to be used as examples that typify Christians who defend his personal moral failures. Franklin Graham has also spoken out on the evils of socialism which many on this forum seemingly find less offensive than Trump’s foul language.
Click to expand...

biscuit1953 said:
“The lesson to be applied today is that the most patriotic thing we can do to love America is to stand for virtue and reprimand immorality.”

The only problem with the article is the lie that Christians have not called out Donald Trump for his moral failures. It is dishonest to pretend that is the case when multiple Christians including Pastors have done just that. The hypocrisy is pretending there is a moral equivalency between personal moral failures and those who would destroy our nation through socialism leading to the the loss of freedom and the detriment of millions of citizens. Not only do the Democrats promote the killing of unborn babies up to the time of birth and physically mutilating children who are confused about their gender identity, but they would also force Christian Doctors and nurses to participate in those evil practices. You can vote yourself into socialism but once they have control, they will never give up that control, whether through voter fraud (illegal immigrants and mail-in ballots) or by force. We need to pray for our country.
Click to expand...
The lie? Could you explain why the forum turned apoplectic when I referred to him as a despicable person? No shortage of excuses and defending him.
 
biscuit1953 said:
https://religionnews.com/2016/06/21/7-conservative-christians-who-are-not-supporting-trump/

Franklin Graham has repeatedly rebuked Donald Trump for his potty mouth and warned him that he cannot go to heaven because of his good works. Pat Boone has called out Donald Trump’s behavior on more than one occasion even though he is a personal friend of his. I have heard John Piper, John MacArthur, Ray Comfort, and numerous other Christian leaders call out Trump’s behavior. Many on this forum including myself have criticized Donald Trump for his immoral behavior and most don’t believe he is saved. The problem is, pretending that people on social media who support Donald Trump are all Christians and are to be used as examples that typify Christians who defend his personal moral failures. Franklin Graham has also spoken out on the evils of socialism which many on this forum seemingly find less offensive than Trump’s foul language.
Click to expand...
Where are the posts where you shared links to their statements, with your hearty amens for their rebukes?
 
illinoisguy said:
This author, an independent Baptist preacher, on an independent Baptist web site, comments on Trump's morality, or lack of it. No apology for the "cut and paste." If you disapprove of "cut and paste" posts, then don't read them and don't click on them.

biblenation.org

Does Trump’s Morality Matter?

Why Bible advocates should not blindly endorse the president.
biblenation.org biblenation.org
Click to expand...
The author is obviously an idiot. 😉

Good read. Thank you.
 
aleshanee said:
he said nothing about voting for the candidate that will preserve freedom and preserve the church.... and who can actually get elected so your vote isn;t thrown away... .. things that an election is actually about....... .instead he actually appears to discourage that.....

and then he said this....

"And I realize that this practice of voting with our Bibles open may influence each of us to vote in a slightly (or sometimes largely) different way..."

that is not a recipe for how a chrisitans should share their faith or make a statement of faith either one .... those 2 things should be done daily on the street when we share the gospel with the lost..... . when we take the people we share the gospel with to church with us... ... the way we raise and care for our families....

what he suggesting is a recipe for how to lose an election and allow those who will persecute the church to take charge....... and not just someone with no verbal filter or character flaws like donald trump.... but true masterpieces of depravity that will make it impossible for you to share your faith anywhere - even in church without risking going to jail......

do you think anyone is going to look at the vote you cast and say...."wow... look at this.... this guy really has a great christian testimony.... what a statement of faith..."... ... . do you think they will assume that about you if you lay out and refuse to vote?...................

no.... they won;t care.... and they won;t even see it..... ...what they will see is conservatives that either vote in unison for a candidate that will preserve freedom.... or a splintered group of people voting in different directions who don;t really care what kind of government they end up living under........

that betrays everything the patriots who established this country - and those who kept it a free nation afterwards fought and died for..........

so yes...... the person who wrote that and thought it was a good idea is an idiot... .

and by the way.... i always vote with my faith in mind.. .. with my bible open as he would say..... .. and that is what leads me to vote for the candidates that will preserve freedom... protect the church.... and allow me to practice my faith unhindered by those who want to destroy christians... ..not to fool myself into think throwing my vote at a candidate with no chance to win just because he talks nice is going to equal me taking a stand for my faith....... ..

like i said before nobody will ever see it or even know that was my vote..... .. or yours either if that is what you do..... votes are not counted and tabulated according to the personal faith the voter.... you live in a fantasy world if you think the vote counters even care......


and you need to read what i have said today plus every other day in the past on this subject.... ... we lose and evil wins in these elections because conservative christians won;t stand together.... ..and in many cases won;t stand at all..... ....

ou obviously don;t know what it means to live under religious persecution... . but if you live a state that just turned blue or elected a muslim activist you are about to find out...... ...

and the sad thing is that it was so unnecessary ... the battles to fight against that kind of thing were won in this country long ago.....but people like you seem not only determined to relive it in your own life but to make everybody else live through it too...

it;s like i said before... . you are among that self defeated group of cult christians who actually want to see the church persecuted and want to see christians murdered for their faith.... it;s already happening in other countries.... go there and tell them how they should vote if you want to... and if they still have elections ..... but don;t try to bring it about here......
Click to expand...
I don't trust in chariots.
 
subllibrm said:
Who labeled you a Christian Nationalist? T'wern't me. I have yet to hear of a coherent definition of the term.
Click to expand...
A Christian Nationalist is a person on the opposite side of the political spectrum who quotes the Bible (in context or out of context matters not) to support a political position.
 
On the question of John Mark who was correct, Paul or Barnabas?
 
subllibrm said:
On the question of John Mark who was correct, Paul or Barnabas?
Click to expand...
Barnabas should have submitted to apostolic authority even though they eventually reconciled. Barnabas was called an “apostle” (messenger) sent out by the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:22). Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:8).
 
Last edited:
For good or for bad. Trump is not one to look up to for acting in a moral manner. However early on in his first presidency A pastor friend of mine said they could preach a lot more freely about subjects that were taboo and had been watched by the socialists about Subjects LGBTQ related Some were coming down on pastors preaching against that. I see a respect for the unborn with Trump. I understand folks could put up Nativity Scenes in public again and courts could put their 10 Commandments back up. The socialists had demanded these be removed. Trump sees the country with Judaio/ Christian roots.
 
subllibrm said:
I am not the one who claimed that Mr. Trump was openly rebuked by Christian leaders. I was asking biscuits for his list.
Click to expand...
He gave one. It was an honest effort to provide counterbalance to those who would claim that people who support Trump turned their heads and ignore his character flaws.
 
subllibrm said:
Who labeled you a Christian Nationalist? T'wern't me. I have yet to hear of a coherent definition of the term.
Click to expand...
True, that’s why I said this whole discussion is based upon a lot of ambiguity. Mature people can hold two things that are not mutually exclusive in tension. Trump is a cad, and Trump has policies that many conservatives/Christians can get behind. Both things are true and I don’t have to swear off voting in order to salve my Christian conscience.
 
aleshanee said:
if God gives you a chariot you can trust it.... .. and you also better use it..... wisely....
Click to expand...
Yes, for instance, in Acts 25 Paul appealed to Caesar for his rights as a Roman citizen. The wise use of our liberties and freedoms in this representative republic is among the greatest gifts we’ve ever been given by God.
 
ALAYMAN said:
True, that’s why I said this whole discussion is based upon a lot of ambiguity. Mature people can hold two things that are not mutually exclusive in tension. Trump is a cad, and Trump has policies that many conservatives/Christians can get behind. Both things are true and I don’t have to swear off voting in order to salve my Christian conscience.
Click to expand...
And nobody is asking you to do so.
 
biscuit1953 said:
Barnabas should have submitted to apostolic authority even though they eventually reconciled. Barnabas was called an “apostle” (messenger) sent out by the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:22). Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:8).
Click to expand...
As i recall it was no small dispute. Do you suppose that both of them prayed about it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top