Posted on 02/12/2019 6:10:05 PM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
We can learn a thing or two from Trump in the midst of his flaws and imperfections.
1) Don't avoid confrontation. We often try so hard to be "nice." At all costs, we do not want to offend. But sometimes confrontation is necessary and important, and there are scores of biblical examples for this...
2) Don't be a slave of public opinion. It's becoming increasingly clear that Trump controls the media much more than the media controls Trump. This is not to say that he doesn't care about polling and negative reports. Nor is this to say that we should turn a deaf ear to the voices of others...
But all too often, as Christian leaders, we are more concerned with human opinion than divine opinion, more wanting to please other people than to please the Lord. And all too often, we tell people what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear.
3) Don't be afraid to ride out the storm. Some would call this stubbornness, others conviction, others foolishness. But it's clear that Trump is not afraid to take a stand, take some hits (as in day and night media bombardment), and hold to his guns, believing that, over time, he will be proven right.
How many times do we waffle when the pressure builds? How often do we cave in right before the breakthrough? How frequently are we marked by cowardice rather than courage?
Proverbs states, "If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!" (24:10)
President Trump sets an example of strength, whether you love him or loathe him, and that's why so many have rallied around him.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
Obama, of course, had no flaws or imperfections.
Too many Christians have conceded the culture to Satan, because, after all, their personal salvation is secure. “Screw everybody else!”
And this ties in, with how there is a great fear of the left in this country.
There is great fear of what leftists and the NY Times, etc. will say about us, if we stand in opposition to leftist or politically correct views.
We all know the drill:
If you oppose affirmative action, you are a racist.
If you aren’t on board with all this transgender bathroom business, then you are bigoted against the “LGBT” types.
If you oppose illegal aliens, you are xenophobic and also racist, because so many illegals are not white.
If you oppose abortion on demand, oppose laws such as passed in New York, oppose Roe vs. Wade, then you hate women. In fact, you want women impaled on coat hangars.
if you oppose global warming, then you are hating mother nature, and in point, of fact, you are in favor of dirty air and dirty water.
I’m sure there are other examples we could think of.
But in all of these cases, the left twist the debates into situations such that, you hate someone or are some kind of bigot, if you oppose the leftist views. Then we are always on the defensive. And not everyone wants to get into such debates. Unfortunately, remaining silent paves the way for the leftists to prevail in all these social/political battles.
I caught some Pat Robinson on CBN this morning and he made me mad. He apparently supports the illegal immigration and doesn’t want the wall either. Being compassionate? Hoping for converts? Hope he’s not holding his breath for converts cause they ain’t coming. In fact he might lose some Christians with this direction he’s going.
Number 1 takes moral courage which Christians have become shy about since the 1960s - in my opinion
Bump
Excellent article. If only the clergy would read it and take note. Thanks, CP
Niceness is a disease in Churchianity. It is not true charity (disinterested love) nor true civility.
As I understand it, the word, nice, had a negative connotation many centuries ago, since it implied superficiality.
Amen: Moral courage, which is not the same thing as physical courage.
Amplifying on Point 1 of the article, my experience working in the institutionalized church (what I now call Churchianity) in two denominations has convinced me that:
A. Niceness is generally substituted for kindness (charity: disinterested love).
B. Doctrine is generally substituted for wisdom.
C. Tradition is generally substituted for discernment.
D. Propriety is generally substituted for righteousness.
These are all interrelated, especially C and D, but each has a subtle distinction. Tradition is more congregational (corporate); propriety is more individual (personal).
Niceness without kindness is selfishness.
Doctrine without wisdom is legalism.
Tradition without discernment is religiosity.
Propriety without righteousness is hypocrisy.
Correct. I notice you use the term, illegal aliens. That is just the sort of term they denounce - which is why we must use it, because it is true. Kudos for not using the leftist propaganda term, undocumented immigrants (doubly false).
We must not let the left dictate the terms of the debate. I refuse to use the terms, gay or homosexual, because neither is accurate:
They are often not gay (whereas many heterosexuals often are), and they are not homosexual, because there is no such thing.
There is no such thing as a functional form of human sexuality (reproduction, which is what sexuality is) between two persons of the same binary sex. They are homoerotic.
Excellent example of what Orwell said (I paraphrase): "If you can control the language, you can control the people."
“Obama, of course, had no flaws or imperfections.”
Very few people who cared about being Christlike themselves ever considered Obama to be a Christian.
Too many Christian leaders are sociopaths—and support the perversions of the popular culture.
They know who they are.
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