Evangelical Leaders React to Mohler Supporting Trump
Mohler recently said “that he’ll vote for Trump this November because of his conservative leadership record. Mohler adds that he intends to vote Republican for the rest of his life, as long as the GOP platform continues to oppose abortion and support religious liberty.” - Church Leaders
- 1 view
… I didn’t arrive at my own approach to these questions by asking “What would Mohler do?”
Character and qualification for leadership are upstream of of political issues. Christians should evaluate that first, and then, if it turns out to be relevant, consider a candidate’s potential policy outcomes.
The most disappointing aspect of Mohler’s latest views is fidelity to the GOP. It’s never been more abundantly clear than now that the GOP has no principles at all beyond defeating the other guys… by any and all means. If by some weird Twilight Zone event, the left suddenly started championing protecting the lives of unborn humans, the GOP would quickly become the pro-abortion party. Because it’s not about “winning” for anything in particular anymore. It’s about defeating the other guys and increasing their own power. The issues, values, and principles are just rhetorical weapons for fighting.
I hope the GOP can eventually be about principles again. It sure isn’t now. If it’s ever been less worthy of loyalty, it was long time ago.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
Aaron, the vehemence with which you continue to promote your political position is beginning to make you sound a lot like an ideological zealot. I hope we don’t need to stop getting political information from you. :)
If the Republicans reverse course on abortion, they will lose so many supporters that they will not be able to win again. Nobody but God knows the future, but I think you are way off on that particular subjective supposition. Mohler made it clear that his primary reason for voting Republican is abortion. It is my observation that many Christians have made the same decision for the same reason. That is a principled decision. I find it difficult to understand why you believe it is not sufficient.
G. N. Barkman
It is not sufficient for the exact same reasons that Mohler articulated in 2016.
“It’s never been more abundantly clear than now that the GOP has no principles at all beyond defeating the other guys… by any and all means.”
That is a strong statement that requires an immense amount of insight into the motives of a large number of people that comprise the Republican Party’s elected officeholders and their political appointees. Respectfully, I would be very surprised is anyone posting/commenting on this or 99% of other sites could actually have that kind of knowledge.
I mean this with true respect, but just don’t see how we make such absolute statements, since none of us are likely to have the comprehensive knowledge required. Surely we may make summations from the incomplete evidence we perceive, as we all do when we debate and when we vote. But to claim that a broad group of people are guided soley by pragmatism and are pursing a singular ambition, to wit crude power-grubbing, is in my view, quite a bit too far.
Thanks, and may I have the same patience with others as Christ continues to show to me.
Well, there’s zeal for political parties and leaders, and zeal for principles. I aim to be as guilty as I can be of the latter.
Character and qualification for leadership are upstream of of political issues. Christians should evaluate that first, and then, if it turns out to be relevant, consider a candidate’s potential policy outcomes.
This is principle-driven ethics, not ideological zealotry. It’s the way “conservatives” used to approach things. If words still mean anything, it’s still the way conservatives approach things.
… anyway, FWIW, I never argued that people shouldn’t get political information from ideological zealots. I was talking all the non-political information they’re getting from them these days.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
Why would Mohler mention who he’s voting for? It won’t accomplish anything good.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
Call me cynical, Tyler …. but ….
Heh, I forgot he was running. You’re probably right.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
There is no SBC presidential election this year. It was canceled right when the corona shutdown started. J D Greear will be president for a third year. Looks like you are gonna need another reason to explain Mohler not agreeing with you that Trump is an amoral worthless scumbag.
Next year, Mark. Next year. Unless, of course, you have some insider knowledge that Greear is going to remain SBC prez in perpetuity.
Am I safe in assuming that “amoral”is a typo? Because, I most definitely (based on his actions and words) understand that Trump is disgustingly immoral.
[John E.]Am I safe in assuming that “amoral”is a typo? Because, I most definitely (based on his actions and words) understand that Trump is disgustingly immoral.
Take your pick. Fill in the blank. You got it. Enjoy the Democrat paradise.
[John E.]Am I safe in assuming that “amoral”is a typo? Because, I most definitely (based on his actions and words) understand that Trump is disgustingly immoral.
Yeah but that’s like 14 months away… sigh. No chance Mohler actually thinks Trump has been a good president? Nah… no chance of that.
David French did a terrific job of dissecting this carcass on his blog yesterday
https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/evangelicals-have-abandoned-the-c…
And Resurgent agreed with him and made some more salient points of their own today:
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
Only 2 theoretically winnable choices in the 2020 election: Trump/Pence or Biden/??? . If your personal ethics requires you to not vote for Trump, then I assume you will not vote for Biden either. That leaves you with not voting at all or voting for someone who has zero chance of winning. Although those options may help you personally sleep better at night and take comfort that you are following your personal principles and conscience, if Christians not voting in large numbers allows Biden to win, don’t complain at all about the policies he will implement. You had an opportunity to prevent those policies, but chose not to. We live in a very imperfect political environment. Even the Millennium will eventually have its problems as people begin to rebel against the Lord. Work with what you have, work to make it better. But don’t criticize those of us who are trying to make it better with the imperfect choices available to us.
Wally Morris
Huntington, IN
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