True in 98, True Now: Resolution on Moral Character of Public Officials
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Resolution on Moral Character of Public Officials
Salt Lake City, Utah – 1998
WHEREAS, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34 NAS); and
WHEREAS, Serious allegations continue to be made about moral and legal misconduct by certain public officials; and
WHEREAS, The Bible calls upon all citizens to submit themselves to their governing authorities as ministers of the Lord (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:13); and
WHEREAS, Scripture further teaches, “Whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves” (Romans 13:2); and
WHEREAS, Governing authorities are not themselves exempt from the rule of law and must submit to the nation’s statutes, rather than mocking them (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:14; Proverbs 19:28-29; 2 Samuel 12:7; Mark 6:17-18); and
WHEREAS, Some journalists report that many Americans are willing to excuse or overlook immoral or illegal conduct by unrepentant public officials so long as economic prosperity prevails; and
WHEREAS, Tolerance of serious wrong by leaders sears the conscience of the culture, spawns unrestrained immorality and lawlessness in the society, and surely results in God’s judgment (1 Kings 16:30; Isaiah 5:18-25); and
WHEREAS, Many public officials and candidates deserve our gratitude and support for their consistent moral character and their uncompromising commitment to biblical principles of right and wrong, resulting in blessing upon their people.
Therefore, be it RESOLVED, That we, the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting June 9-11, 1998, in Salt Lake City, Utah, affirm that moral character matters to God and should matter to all citizens, especially God’s people, when choosing public leaders; and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we implore our government leaders to live by the highest standards of morality both in their private actions and in their public duties, and thereby serve as models of moral excellence and character; and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we urge all citizens, including those who serve in public office, to submit themselves respectfully to governing authorities and to the rule of law; and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists and other Christians to fulfill their spiritual duty to pray regularly for the leaders of our nation (1 Timothy 2:1-4); and
Be it finally RESOLVED, That we urge all Americans to embrace and act on the conviction that character does count in public office, and to elect those officials and candidates who, although imperfect, demonstrate consistent honesty, moral purity and the highest character.
Reposted, with permission, from www.sbc.net.
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I give up
[Mark_Smith]I give up
Mark, there’s no point in spending a lot of time arguing with most any stripe of “never Trumper.” Unfortunately, that’s even proven true here on SI. Godwin’s law has been proven correct again. Just as with pretty much any other internet discussion, when any remotely possible reasons come up for for taking a position (or voting) in opposition to what others think, it was a foregone conclusion that someone would bring up a comparison with Hitler (and/or Stalin as the case may be). Trump has been compared to Hitler too many times in the media to count, and more than once here on SI. I completely respect those who want to make a different voting decision (even if I don’t agree), but when those I disagree with then compare my position to picking between Hitler and Stalin (or questioning my Christian principles), it’s time to tune it out and move on. Not that much different from “giving up.”
Dave Barnhart
[Mark_Smith]but Trump is the president, and either he or Biden will be president starting in January.
So what are you going to do? Complain for 4 years?
I’ll do what I did in 2016. Vote for a candidate that I can actually support, even if he has no chance of winning and ignore the false dilemma that has been used to strong arm so many into supporting an unqualified candidate.
[dcbii]Mark, there’s no point in spending a lot of time arguing with most any stripe of “never Trumper.” Unfortunately, that’s even proven true here on SI. Godwin’s law has been proven correct again. Just as with pretty much any other internet discussion, when any remotely possible reasons come up for for taking a position (or voting) in opposition to what others think, it was a foregone conclusion that someone would bring up a comparison with Hitler (and/or Stalin as the case may be). Trump has been compared to Hitler too many times in the media to count, and more than once here on SI. I completely respect those who want to make a different voting decision (even if I don’t agree), but when those I disagree with then compare my position to picking between Hitler and Stalin (or questioning my Christian principles), it’s time to tune it out and move on. Not that much different from “giving up.”
Not a case of Godwin’s law at all. Not sure if I was unclear but I have actually proposed that EXACT scenario, just to take the “lesser of two evils” scenario to the extreme, here on SI and someone said they might vote for one over the other. Please show where I compared Trump to Hitler. Quote me. My point was that there are those that don’t vote for Trump for reasons more important (to them) than character, and that is his policies.
[Joeb]I think Character matters but the extremes Right and Left have been HYPOCRITES. Biden with his Me To issues is going to cause him problems with Democrats. A lot of Bernie people will vote for Trump.
Also how do you explain Kentucky and Nebraska going against Trump’s picks and endorsements for Republican Governors. Why because both picks were Extreme Christian Republican Righties in the ilke of the Gothard Duggar category. That to me says a lot especially in Nebraska. Kentucky was fed up with their nut case Governor. The voters tossed Walker out and Walker’s State Supreme Court pick.
The right wing voters love Trump but don’t want these NUT JOBS neither do most Democrats want the likes AOC and the rest of the squad. Kansas Republicans totally rebelled against Brown another extreme Christian Right nut job.
These voters see the things happening with Paige Patterson who was allegedly very involved with Bannon and the Donors to SWBTS threatening to use Republican State legislative power to reinstate Paige Patterson. The voters don’t miss that gross hypocrisy. I think the same thing that is happening in Oklahoma that happened in Kansas to Brown. The Republicans there are starting to rebel against another Christian Righty Nut.
Just my opinion if I’m wrong then why did Trump’s pick in Nebraska one of the reddest states in the Union not get elected to Governor. Bert a little insight.
Joeb,
Regarding the Kentucky and Nebraska governor elections. I can’t speak to Nebraska, but I can speak to Kentucky. It had zero to do with Bevin’s alleged extremism. It was all about the teacher pension issue. For background, there wasn’t/isn’t enough money in the budget to continue funding the teachers’ pensions. Bevin wanted to restructure the fund and it was massively unpopular. It was this issue that cost Bevin re-election. The race between Bevin and Beshear was very close, so close that Bevin didn’t concede right away and called for a recount.
[josh p]Not a case of Godwin’s law at all. Not sure if I was unclear but I have actually proposed that EXACT scenario, just to take the “lesser of two evils” scenario to the extreme, here on SI and someone said they might vote for one over the other. Please show where I compared Trump to Hitler. Quote me. My point was that there are those that don’t vote for Trump for reasons more important (to them) than character, and that is his policies.
Actually, I didn’t say you had compared Trump to Hitler. That was never my intention. I just went back and re-read what I wrote, and it does read as if I was referring to you in my contention about Godwin’s law. I apologize for that. I was actually meaning the original post that you were referring to (and I still believe that other comparison is indeed a case of Godwin’s law), but not to yours. I stated it poorly, and I’m sorry it came out that way.
I still have no intention of trying to justify my choices to either those who question my Christianity or compare my voting strategy to a choice between Hitler and Stalin and having to not vote for either. I know lots of people who didn’t vote, or went 3rd party, my own pastor among them, but I decided (for me) that that was a strategy that was ultimately self-defeating, so I didn’t go that direction.
Dave Barnhart
In effect, that’s exactly what the United States did during WWII by supporting Stalin (#2 genocidal maniac ever) in hiss war against Hitler (only the #3 genocidal maniac ever by total # killed).. We also supported Mao (#1 genocidal maniac ever) in his battle against the Japanese (#4 or so).
Obviously in “politics by other means”, we might consider that we don’t have easy choices, no?
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
Dave, thanks for the clarification.
[Bert Perry]In effect, that’s exactly what the United States did during WWII by supporting Stalin (#2 genocidal maniac ever) in hiss war against Hitler (only the #3 genocidal maniac ever by total # killed).. We also supported Mao (#1 genocidal maniac ever) in his battle against the Japanese (#4 or so).
Obviously in “politics by other means”, we might consider that we don’t have easy choices, no?
Bert, yes these are difficult times given the extreme polarization. I don’t really see the parallel there with voting. Certainly there is a pragmatism there but supporting a country in warfare is not the same (to me) as electing an official to govern one’s country. I do think the US has largely made foolish decisions in who it supported in history but, in the case of Stalin, he was respected by a lot of US politicians at that time and the revelation of the Terror hadn’t come to light yet.
Well, Josh, are we suffering the cold blooded murder of nearly a million pre-born babies per year?
If preserving a core of democracy in England, France, Germany, and Japan allows us to partner with the #1 and #2 genocidal maniacs in the world, perhaps mitigating the modern Holocaust allows us to vote for an adulterous liar when he’s running against a liar who ran interference for her adulterous husband.
Or put differently, the character issue is one of many, and policies and results are also a moral issue. You make the best choice given the circumstances, and I’m quite frankly pleasantly surprised at the results with my vote to keep Hilliary Clinton out of the White House.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
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