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lees1975

(5,962 posts)
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 08:47 PM Aug 2024

"So how can you be Christian and vote for Democrats?

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-answer-to-question-how-can-you-be.html

My initial response to this question is, "How can you be a Christian and vote for someone who is the opposite of everything you claim to believe, like Trump?" That rarely gets a response or an answer. The most common response is, "He's the lesser of two evils." And that's an excuse, not a reason, since, in conservative Evangelical doctrine, there is no such thing. Evil is what it is, and there are no greater or lesser degrees of it. And there is no political party that is exempt from the label by virtue of its political platform.

Character is a qualification for the Presidency, in my personal opinion, and Trump's total lack of it, from any perspective, disqualifies him, especially when compared to the Democrats against whom he's run. He cannot be trusted, and that undermines his ability to serve, regardless of the issues. From a Christian perspective, a man who has mistreated and cheated and broken promises to the women he claimed to love, and married, is total disqualification. Once was enough. Three times is proof he is evil.

Clearly, there is no expectation on the part of conservative, Evangelical Christians who support Trump that character is a qualification required for their vote. And even though most of them are Christian nationalists in some form or another, being a convert to Christianity is also not a qualification they apply to Trump. In fact, he has openly stated that he has never done anything in his life which requires God's forgiveness, which is a denial of the Evangelical interpretation of the Christian doctrine of conversion. Denial is the only explanation coming from Evangelical leaders for following someone as a political leader whose character is a total disqualification based on their own standards for leadership.

Frankly, their willingness to support an evil man like Trump relieves me of any obligation to justify or explain my votes for Democrats. That gives me the moral high ground when it comes to political choices, and because character is at the top of the list of my own consideration of qualifications when it comes to casting my ballot, that's my justification for voting for Democrats on the ballot. It's been very clear, for the past eight years, which party's candidates have the character necessary for leadership and which party's candidates don't have any character. All we get from Republicans is caving in on this issue when it comes to Trump.
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msongs

(70,178 posts)
1. christians can do anything rotten they want cuz after all, they are forgiven - that's the official
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 08:51 PM
Aug 2024

party line

Thav

(949 posts)
9. go forth and sin no more.
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 09:49 PM
Aug 2024

That part is always forgotten. They're just forgiven, again, and again and again and again and.......

justhanginon

(3,324 posts)
3. My answer would be because Trump is a convicted felon, a criminal an ajudicated rapist and an amoral
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 09:13 PM
Aug 2024

leper even by the lowest standards possible. It is demeaning to the millions of good American citizens who love their country and value basic moral character in the United States President's office for him to be even running for the highest office in our land. It is a shame on anyone who supports or votes for him.

keithbvadu2

(40,126 posts)
8. With Bill Clinton, republicans used to say "character matters". They've gotten over that now.
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 09:45 PM
Aug 2024

There are two types of Christians: political Christians and Christians of faith.

Trump's Christians are the public face of Christianity in America today.

Thav

(949 posts)
10. Christianity(tm)
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 09:53 PM
Aug 2024

I'd add the circle r for registered trademark but don't know how. "Christianity" is more of a business and "yoke of oppression*" for many people. There are those who are followers of Christ who facepalm at "Christianity" every day.


*oppression meaning whatever offends me today.

anciano

(1,532 posts)
4. Although I am personally agnostic,
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 09:14 PM
Aug 2024

I have read the Christian holy book and how can someone be a "mainstream Christian" and not vote Democratic? (Mainstream Christianity and this mutant "Christian Nationalism" that supports Cheesus and the magats are not the same thing). Jesus was a socialist, and I say that as a compliment. When Jesus fed the hungry, how much did he charge them? Or when he healed the sick, how much did he charge them? Just saying.....

lees1975

(5,962 posts)
5. It's not a coincidence that conservative Christians are calling the teachings of Jesus, "woke talking points"
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 09:22 PM
Aug 2024
https://www.npr.org/2023/08/05/1192374014/russell-moore-on-altar-call-for-evangelical-america

Dr. Russell Moore, Editor of Christianity Today
Well, it was the result of having multiple pastors tell me essentially the same story about quoting the Sermon on the Mount parenthetically in their preaching - turn the other cheek - to have someone come up after and to say, where did you get those liberal talking points? And what was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, I'm literally quoting Jesus Christ, the response would not be, I apologize. The response would be, yes, but that doesn't work anymore. That's weak. And when we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we're in a crisis.

keithbvadu2

(40,126 posts)
12. Donald Trump Jr. tells young conservatives that following Jesus' command to 'turn the other cheek' has 'gotten us nothin
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 10:22 PM
Aug 2024

Donald Trump Jr. tells young conservatives that following Jesus’ command to ‘turn the other cheek’ has ‘gotten us nothing’

https://baptistnews.com/article/donald-trump-jr-tells-young-conservatives-that-following-jesus-command-to-turn-the-other-cheek-has-gotten-us-nothing/#.Y0SyKEzMLyQ

usonian

(13,861 posts)
6. I heard the words and beatitudes for years.
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 09:36 PM
Aug 2024

In real life, Democrats behave in a Christ-like manner and the others quite the opposite.

And Joe Biden is a person of great character, virtue humility and grace complemented by great power of righteousness that springs from compassion for all.

And yes, he has worked miracles (In my humble estimation)

He has selected a successor to accomplish even more, with youth and vigor, building on the "rock" of integrity and service he established.

lees1975

(5,962 posts)
7. They never wore it on their sleeve, but there's a lot of irony in the fact that
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 09:43 PM
Aug 2024

Harris would be the fifth Baptist church member to serve as President of the United States. She is a member of Third Baptist Church of San Francisco. The others were all Democrats except for one. Warren G Harding, Harry S. Truman, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Trump doesn't go to church, claims that a spiritual wacko nut job "prophetess" and prosperity gospel preacher, Paula White, is his "spiritual advisor," which fits with his worship of money, and openly denies the basic doctrine of Christian conversion.

usonian

(13,861 posts)
13. I was just chatting with my ex yesterday. Apple (problems) keep us in touch ;-)
Fri Aug 2, 2024, 10:45 PM
Aug 2024

She couldn't find how to print from her phone. Fixed that.

Anyway, she's still a devout Catholic. Conversation turned to the phony "preachers" out there, like Joel Osteen, who locked flood victims out of his mega-chapel in Houston, and so many others. I remember Elmer Gantry. And of course, there's



The "reverend" Joe Butcher from "License to Kill" on the take.

I am sure you know MANY others.

And yes, he really did say he's "Not a Christian"

https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=19257483

Part of this thread.
https://democraticunderground.com/100219256289

And Lo and behold, the video that we referenced is gone!



But I took a screensnap.

milestogo

(17,833 posts)
15. The Republican party has always been based on greed and contempt for the poor.
Sat Aug 3, 2024, 04:56 PM
Aug 2024

So how can you be both a Christian and a Republican

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