Is the support for Trump contrary to Christian values?

[Danmark]

Does evangelical support for Trump create a crisis for Christianity?
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archi ... cn2gnaekoQ

Are his policies and personal character consistent with Christian values?

Related to this, should a Christian who wants to bear witness for the risen Christ sell all he has, give to the poor, and follow Jesus?
Or should he or she accumulate wealth to show he is blessed by God?

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 60 by Danmark]

Civil disobedience is not a legal American principle, is it? It's an international principle of moral protest. There's a difference.

[Bust Nak]

[Replying to post 59 by Elijah John]

Hence my question on the difference between non-pro-Christianity and anti-Christianity. The latter sounded very much like persecution.

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 59 by Elijah John]

Hence my question on the difference between non-pro-Christianity and anti-Christianity. The latter sounded very much like persecution.

I believe the phrase I used was "antithetical to Christian values". How about "not-compatible with traditional Christian values"? Is that better?

[Danmark]

[Replying to post 60 by Danmark]

Civil disobedience is not a legal American principle, is it? It's an international principle of moral protest. There's a difference.

It is definitely a moral principle and that is what we have been discussing. HD Thoreau was an American who wrote a book with that title and was a pioneer of the concept championed by Gandhi and ML King, jr. It is a very Jesus* concept.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5vm1jr

Civil Disobedience was required reading in my public high school in Seattle, Queen Anne, in 1966.

Resistance to Civil Government (Civil Disobedience) is an essay by American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau that was first published in 1849. In it, Thoreau argues that individuals should not permit governments to overrule or atrophy their consciences, and that they have a duty to avoid allowing such acquiescence to enable the government to make them the agents of injustice.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Dis ... _(Thoreau)

Jesus practiced civil disobedience when he stood up to and lectured the Jewish leaders; when he turned over the tables of the money changers. Right or wrong, he was brought up on charges that he was a subversive.

__________________
*'Christianity' has become such an abomination today, especially among some Christians, that I will be looking for substitutes. For me, 'Christianity' has become synonymous with idolatry, particularly as advocated on this forum.

[Danmark]

[Replying to post 59 by Elijah John]

Hence my question on the difference between non-pro-Christianity and anti-Christianity. The latter sounded very much like persecution.

I believe the phrase I used was "antithetical to Christian values". How about "not-compatible with traditional Christian values"? Is that better?

What do you mean by "traditional Christian values?" I don't think TCV are practiced much in the US today, at least not by those public 'christians' that tout their GOP allegiance. Jim Bakker's ilk are not Christian. Jesus may have been the last Christian. Gandhi and my non religious wife were/are true Christians even tho' (perhaps because) they did/do not see Jesus of Nazareth as a god.

As I say Jesus practiced civil disobedience, or at least was perceived to have.

“We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding us to pay the tribute tax to Caesar and claiming that he himself is Christ, a king� (Luke 23:2).

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 65 by Danmark]

He was suspected of, and charged with subversion, call it "civil disobedience" today, whatever.

I agree with the OP in this regard. The emphasis on the accumulation of wealth by many conservative Christians and Evangelicals today does seem antithetical to much of what the historical Jesus stood for.

What used to be called the "Protestant work ethic" is now the "prosperity Gospel".

Kudos to your wife, by the way. Christians can certainly learn from people like her.

[Danmark]

[Replying to post 65 by Danmark]

He was suspected of, and charged with subversion, call it "civil disobedience" today, whatever.

I agree with the OP in this regard. The emphasis on the accumulation of wealth by many conservative Christians and Evangelicals today does seem antithetical to much of what the historical Jesus stood for.

What used to be called the "Protestant work ethic" is now the "prosperity Gospel".

Kudos to your wife, by the way. Christians can certainly learn from people like her.

I am one lucky guy and my mother, children, siblings and friends and others never let me forget it. Frankly, it's getting a little tiresome hearing how lucky I am and what is a person like her doing with a _________ like me.

[AgnosticBoy]

Does evangelical support for Trump create a crisis for Christianity?
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archi ... cn2gnaekoQ

Are his policies and personal character consistent with Christian values?

Related to this, should a Christian who wants to bear witness for the risen Christ sell all he has, give to the poor, and follow Jesus?
Or should he or she accumulate wealth to show he is blessed by God?

Support of Trump is against Christian values because the Bible says to resist all evil.

The problem here is that some Democrats use this point to get people to vote for their candidates or not vote at all. It's about increasing their chance to win. Apparently, some Democrats don't realize that they are also not perfectly consistent with Christian values. I view both political parties as being corrupt when they are bought and paid for by big organizations - it's about power and money. Donald Trump, the businessman, used to pay BOTH democrats and republicans to sway them.

Therefore, voting nowadays is not a matter of Christian values, but a matter of which person you agree with the most. In other words, just because a Christian votes for Trump does not mean that they agree with every single policy that he dishes out. Nor does it mean that they agree with his character. But rather they liked him more than Hillary Clinton who was accused of stealing money through her organization that was supposed to help Haitian victims, questionable cover up about her computer servers, and please don't bring up her husband.

It's impractical to vote based on Christian values.

[RightReason]

[Replying to AgnosticBoy]

Support of Trump is against Christian values because the Bible says to resist all evil.

Then I clearly hope you did not vote for Hilary Clinton who pushed the gravest evil of our time – the slaughter of the unborn.

The problem here is that some Democrats use this point to get people to vote for their candidates or not vote at all. It's about increasing their chance to win. Apparently, some Democrats don't realize that they are also not perfectly consistent with Christian values.

Ha, ha, ha . . . ya think?

Therefore, voting nowadays is not a matter of Christian values, but a matter of which person you agree with the most.

It’s a matter of having to choose between the lesser of two evils, which unfortunately is sometimes something we have to do.

In other words, just because a Christian votes for Trump does not mean that they agree with every single policy that he dishes out. Nor does it mean that they agree with his character. But rather they liked him more than Hillary Clinton who was accused of stealing money through her organization that was supposed to help Haitian victims, questionable cover up about her computer servers, and please don't bring up her husband.

And her horrific stance on abortion.

It's impractical to vote based on Christian values.

Not true. God understands the dilemmas we human beings face. Render unto Caesar . . .

[Danmark]

It is interesting to note that 'Christian' Trump supporters do not use their own scriptures to help them evaluate. In Matthew 7 Jesus reportedly said:
Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

It is abundantly clear that Donald Trump is a sexual predator, a multiple bankrupt, a bigot, a racist, a constant liar and money grubber who stands for the opposite of every thing Jesus stood for. Yet so many who claim to follow Christ expect to receive truth and Christian virtues from this obvious conman and cheat.

That is their choice, but they might reflect for just a moment on the contempt their views heap on the words of Jesus.