Despite Trump’s Indictments, Evangelicals Continue to Back His 2024 Run

I've heard this reasoning several times in SI, but where's the evidence that it works? It's an unproven theory. While Christians are attempting to get the attention of the Republican Party, they help elect Democrats who continue to assault everything righteous and drag public morality ever lower. After a few rounds of attempting to force Republicans to produce better candidates, I'm afraid all we will get is a big "Whoops, I guess that didn't work very well after all," and our nation will be further mired in destruction. That doesn't sound like a good strategy to me. Parties have distinctly different philosophies and agendas, and which party controls the levers of power makes a difference as to what kind of country we will live in.

The only thing important to the republican and democrat parties is political power.

The Republican Party doesn’t care about Christian values; it cares about winning elections.

Once you understand that, the chains begin to break.

Since neither party is composed of one person, it is foolish to declare that all "they" care about is political power. Many members do, many don't. Likewise it is nonsense to say that "The Republican Party doesn't care about Christian values." Some in the party do, and some don't. What you overlook is that both parties have platforms that spell out their political principles, and both have a track record of what they have done in office. Democrats generally support anti-Christian values, and Republicans usually support Christian values. Not always, and every time, but that's the public record for all to observe. I'm not sure why you would have no preference in this matter. It matters a lot to me and to most Christians.

Democrats generally support anti-Christian values

I think there a lot of Christian Democrats who would disagree with that assessment. They would say compassion toward the poor is a Christian value that they support in more ways than the Republicans do. They would say that being a good steward of the environment is a Christian value. They would say that attempts to curtail violence (such as gun violence) is a Christian value.

Republicans usually support Christian values.

But if the individual who is trying to gain office as a Republican does not personally hold to the Christian values of honesty and humility, and if he has proven himself to be resistant to listen to advisors unless they agree with him, then how can that person be trusted to uphold while in office the values spelled out in the party platforms.

Abortion, gay marriage, transgenderism, drag shows for children, attacks upon law and order (defund the police, reduced penalties for shoplifting), and many others that could be listed.

Christian values: anti-abortion, traditional marriage, to name a few. Many others could be added in both categories.

As to honesty and humility, too few candidates of either party manifest these. But the constant assault on traditional public morality (based upon Christian values) by Democrats is seriously dangerous to the society in which we live. Much of the increase in crime and violence flows from progressive philosophy.

Don't confuse policies that affect public morality (based largely on the ten commandments) with personal virtues. Personal virtues matter, but public policy matters more. I do not necessarily expect individual elected representatives to be genuine Christians and to act as such. (Although I am delighted when that occurs.) But I do want them to legislate on the basis of righteousness and truth when crafting laws and influencing public decisions. To put it another way, a Christian individual who supports anti-Christian values in public policy will not gain my support. A non-Christian who generally supports policies in line with Biblical morality will have my support.

"attacks upon law and order (defund the police, reduced penalties for shoplifting)"

Neither the Republicans or Democrat Politician's vision of law and order (justice) is close to what we see in Scripture.

Most Republicans advocate a deterrent theory of justice. The tougher one is on crime, the more likely crime doesn't happen, which is, in fact, anti-Blblical. In fact, let me say that today's Republican politician's view of law and order have more on common with Muslims than Scripture. To stop stealing, deterrent theory makes laws as tough as possible and shames potential criminals in order to deter thieves from stealing (robberty, shop-lifting, embezzlement, fraud) It is not only a felony, but one can spend decades in prison for these crimes, depending on which felony. A restorative theory of justice examines the harm that was done towards the victim (lets say stealing) and then determine the right course of action where the perpetrator pays reparations (at least double of what was stolen) to the victim, which is what we see in Scripture (Exod. 22:7)

Most Democrat law makers in America seem to want to model their criminal justice when it comes to theft after Norway, which combines minimal prison time and community service, but as far as I can see, does not require the perpetrator to pay reparations to the victim). This is anti-Biblical too because there is no attempt for the offender to make ammends to the offended so they experience the extent of how their actions harmed the victim and for the possibility of restoration/reconciliation between the offender and offended.

For stealing I am for minimal prison sentences and community service as well, but even more importantly, I believe that the perpetrator paying reparations to the victim for what they stole (+ interest, fees, etc...) is the biggest step towards restoring the the offended and offender, because it most closely resembles what I see in Scripture, which is restorative justice when it comes to non-violent crimes.

As for defunding the police, sadly people on Sharper Iron are still believing the lies that most Democrat lawmakers and/or democrats want to defund the police. It simply isn't true. Check out what I've already written about Defunding the Police and Democrats, for a more truthful accurate perspective. https://sharperiron.org/comment/131423#comment-131423

Trump has been indicted again (as expected). This time for conspiracy, racketeering, solicitation of violation of oath by public officer, filing false documents, and false statements and writings.

But, none of that matters, apparently. Trump is the victim. Trump is still qualified to sit in the oval office. Trump's only issue is his sexual immorality ... which isn't really an issue. So...

Trump 2024.

If the evidence offered in court proves Trump guilty, he needs to be sentenced under the law the same as anyone else. (Same for Hunter Biden or Joe Biden, etc.)

Much of Trump's continuing support in spite of several indictments can be traced to Democrat over-reach in using fabricated evidence and other lies to try to impeach him earlier. That tends to make a lot of people think the present indictments are probably more of the same. It's pretty hard to convince millions of Americans that we are not witnessing a two tiered system of justice. Republicans go to jail for minor infractions, or even for fabricated charges. Democratics get a wink and a nod for illegal activities no matter how serious. Whether true or not, it's hard to dismiss that impression.

After being indicted four times, maybe it's time to consider that there's something wrong with Trump rather than something wrong with the justice system.

It shouldn’t even need to be said, but indictments are not convictions, and the presumption of innocence applies even to someone with 4 indictments. If convictions actually occur and are solidly based on good evidence and not thrown out after appeal, I can judge guilt at that time.

It shouldn’t even need to be said, but indictments are not convictions, and the presumption of innocence applies even to someone with 4 indictments. If convictions actually occur and are solidly based on good evidence and not thrown out after appeal, I can judge guilt at that time.

Dave Barnhart

Agree with everything you said. I just wonder why some are assuming that the justice system isn't working in Trump's situation. Four times a grand jury has found that there is enough evidence to warrant an indictment. We'll see how these turn out, but it seems pretty crazy to me when some say that this is a case of a weaponized justice department rather than the justice system at work as it's supposed to be. As for the quantity of indictments, that's a lotta smoke, which usually means a fire somewhere. Legally Trump must be presumed innocent until proven guilty. I'm allowed to have my own personal suspicions though.

For what it's worth, I'd be saying the same thing if it was Biden (which it may be at some point).

The major reasons that people are assuming that the justice system is not working for Trump is that, given numerous chances to enforce the same laws against Democrats, the DOJ has stayed out of the matter.

Mishandling of classified documents? I seem to remember somebody basically putting them on the Internet while she was Secretary of State, and the DOJ didn't even bother to issue any subpoenas. Same thing with the documents held in Biden's garage.

Trying to overturn an election; um, ever heard of Al Gore, John Kerry, Hilliary Clinton, or Stacey Abrams? Remember the entire "Russiagate" thing--the major conviction of which is a source for the Steele Dossier being convicted of spying for Russia?

Like it or not, a large portion of Americans perceive a heavy thumb being placed on the scale of justice.

>>As for the quantity of indictments, that’s a lotta smoke, which usually means a fire somewhere.<<

True, but after about 6 years of “the walls are closing in…” and various variants of that, with absolutely nothing coming of it, it seems quite reasonable to think that most if not all of that smoke is from smoke bombs thrown by his enemies rather than a fire of his own making. I’m still hopeful the truth will come out one way or the other, but I’m not expecting it from the mainstream media.

And everything just mentioned by Bert goes along with this. There are very good reasons to think that the scales of justice are not evenly weighted at the moment.

Yep ... Trump's a victim. Nothing to see here.

Meanwhile, there are a handful of good, strong, unindicted republican candidates that can't get even a nod from Christians.

Just two or three cycles ago, anyone with this many indictments (or any at all) wouldn't have stood a chance at the oval office. Now, the more the better.

Simply astounding.