The Evangelical Universalist Forum

How To Live Under An Unqualified President by John Piper

Practices Christian Living
#973

Political wise, I’m an independent. I support all the values, that conservative evangelicals, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox - hold dear. But I’m also an advocate, for universal health care. And I only get active in politics - via social media - if the AARP feels an issue is important (like health care for seniors).

What I’m saying is that no politician will save you. No system will save you. If that were so, we would find examples - in the Old and New Testament. However, what we see is examples of God saving the faithful. Same message that is preached today. Just turn on TV evangelist Joel Osteen - for example

Hillary vs Trump was like being caught, between a rock and a hard place. But my main concern with Trump, is he doesn’t listen to advisers (i.e. Mike Pence, his social media and public relations team, his speechwriters, etc.). There should be NO reason, why fellow republicans would speak out - again a republican president.

As far as media being bias against Trump - including international media. Perhaps they just don’t like him. He’s not “Mr. sunshine, lollipops and rainbows” (see song youtu.be/w5Fgp-KihIA). It’s like this old country song: youtu.be/zO9q7hwbGUE

But I stop short of saying ANY republican is better than a democrat. Or vice versa. Most of the time, members of both parties - fall somewhere in the glorious middle, on issues and concerns.

#974

Thoughtful essay. What is being called the ‘Paris Statement’ -
thetrueeurope.eu/a-europe-we-can-believe-in/

#975

Hillary vs Trump was like being caught, between a rock and a hard place. But my main concern with Trump, is he doesn’t listen to advisers (i.e. Mike Pence, his social media and public relations team, his speechwriters, etc.). There should be NO reason, why fellow republicans would speak out - again a republican president.

Trump definitely listens to his generals and they have wiped out the ISIS Caliphate. Trump personally is very unappealing but his policies mostly are awesome IMO. Economic growth has doubled from Obama and every economic indicator is good and getting better after getting through 3 hurricanes. So Obama was suave,intellectual,sophisticated and persuasive but worse then ineffective and Trump often acts like a buffoon but his policies for the most part really rock!
Thanks but i’ll take the crazy man after all, it just might be a lunatic we’re looking for!

#976

Oh, no. More right wing stuff - from Steve and David. I’m sure they will trigger - the upcoming zombie apocalypse.

Here’s an interesting article, in today’s Patheos newsletter:

God Bashes Fake News

But first, let’s have some mood music - from the zombie band. :laughing:

#977

The article I linked to is not right wing, Randy, you zombie lover you.

#978

Oh, no. More right wing stuff - from Steve and David. I’m sure they will trigger - the upcoming zombie apocalypse.

This is what it’s come to, economic growth is right wing stuff! Under Hillary we would have soon all be required to wear green pants suits to demonstrate our allegiance to the great Environmental goddess of the universe!

#979

Actually, you can have both. I’m all for economic growth. But I like the research benefits of environmental initiatives. :laughing:

Not that I was ever a Hillary fan - mind you. Trump is probably, a much better choice - given the two options. :laughing:

#980

Actually, you can have both. I’m all for economic growth. But I like the research benefits of environmental initiatives. :laughing:

So do i and who wouldn’t? The issue boils down to free choices or government imposing rules on us. Within a free market system we have cut down emissions 16% recently and this trend will continue because of technology.

#981

Which…without knowing all the statistical variables involved…it could be due to technology advances alone. :wink:

#982

Which…without knowing all the statistical variables involved…it could be due to technology advances alone. :wink:

Yes most of it is because of technology making equipment more and more efficient and the motivation for this improvement is a capitalistic word called “competition.” :astonished:

#983

And yet. Japanese, Korean and German vehicles, still outrank their American counterparts - in terms of quality. And Chinese products, are giving us - a run for our money. I have NO problems with capitalism. But don’t make it the ONLY system - that produces technology advances. :wink:

Hence, we have “competition” in capitalistic, communistic and socialistic systems.

And we can continue the chess game - of point and counter point - until the end of time. :laughing:

Unless you are trying, to “sell” us something. :laughing:

#984

“Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man… It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.” ~~ C.S. Lewis

The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking about sexual morality, I warned you that the center of Christian morals did not lie there. Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind. ~~ C.S. Lewis

In the passage where the New Testament says that everyone must work, it gives a reason ‘in order that he may have something to give to those in need’. Charity - giving to the poor - is an essential part of Christian morality: in the frightening parable of the sheep and the goats it seems to be a point on which everything turns. Some people nowadays say that charity ought to be unnecessary and that instead of giving to the poor we ought to be producing a society in which there is no poor to give to. They may be quite right in saying that we ought to produce this kind of society. But if anyone thinks that, as a consequence, you can stop giving in the meantime, then he has parted company with all Christian morality. ~~ C.S. Lewis

#985
#986

And yet. Japanese, Korean and German vehicles, still outrank their American counterparts - in terms of quality. And Chinese products, are giving us - a run for our money. I have NO problems with capitalism. But don’t make it the ONLY system - that produces technology advances. :wink:

Hence, we have “competition” in capitalistic, communistic and socialistic systems.

Japan and Korea have capitalistic systems and Germany is a mixed economy and Chinese products are from private cos. So i don’t know what competition you envision from Communist systems since by definition the government runs the means of production which explicitly eliminates competition.

#987

But China is a communist country and Germany is a socialist country. Both do allow folks to make money. The only “unwritten rule” for China, is NOT to criticize the Chinese government.

So what are you and Dave trying to “sell”? Become a Republican and all your problems will be solved? I prefer to watch TV evangelist Joel Osteen,… where all my problems - might possibly be solved. :laughing:

#988

Why would I try to sell republicanism? Or Trumpism? Or conservatism?

But I will be continuing on, Randy, so maybe for your peace of mind you should not bother reading this thread? Don’t want to cause you any more distress!! :unamused:

I’ve tried to bring up things related to the OP. Under this heading, health care, Islam, Korea, Hillary the crook, Clinton scandals, P***y grabbing, erosion of the educational system, attacks on Christianity in America, Black LIves Matter thuggery, black on black crime, inner city violence, white ‘supremacy’, snowflakes, safe spaces, - oh it’s a rich topic, usually represented by the so-called ‘drive-by-media’. Needs some balance, imo - which does not mean I am on one ‘side’.

#989

But it just brings up one step closer, to the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie_apocalypse :laughing:

You might be trying to exercise some control, over events you have little - or no control over - Dave. Perhaps you MIGHT persuade one or two folks, to join your crusade. But it will be little, to change the overall picture.

What I have learned, from hanging around the Buddhists (i.e Zen masters)…Native American medicine men and women… and reading Russian Orthodox Holy Fools - is this. Folks really need to develop, a strong sense of humor. It’s the best tool, to ride out the storms of life. :laughing:

But I do step in to warn people - when their lives might be in danger. Like today in church, when they announced a missionary trip to Chad.

From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer

#990

Randy, you don’t HAVE to read it, really - there are other threads here and maybe you can convince someone else that the ZA is real and imminent. :laughing:

I will continue to plug along on this thread, even if noone reads it. There are some things that I feel need to get ‘on the record’ just out of principle. That’s the way it’s going to be.

#991

By golly, I was just thinking about these particular things and up pops MavPhil’s post today. You’ll love it. :laughing: Here it is in full.
quote
Which Side Are You On?
It is an appropriate question to ask in politics, though not in philosophy. Politics is warfare. If you call yourself conservative and don’t support Trump, then you are helping the enemy. Which side are you on?

In philosophy we strive for objectivity. We take our time; we consider all points of view. We show respect for our interlocutors. We are civil. But one cannot be objective in a fight for one’s life and way of life especially if one’s way of life includes free speech, open inquiry, and resistance to the Left’s totalitarian politicizaton and ideologization of everything, including pure mathematics! (More on this later.) One has to secure, with blood and iron if need be, the space of objective inquiry against the ideologues who, at the present time, are chiefly leftists and Islamists.

You don’t like Trump? Tough shit. He’s all we’ve got. Face reality and its limitations. Don’t let the best become the enemy of the good. The milque-toast McCains haven’t done jack and won’t do jack, except talk and obstruct. David Horowitz:

The movement galvanized by Trump can stop the progressive juggernaut and change the American future, but only if it emulates the strategy of the campaign: Be on the offense; take no prisoners; stay on the attack. To stop the Democrats and their societal transformation, Republicans must adhere to a strategy that begins with a punch in the mouth. That punch must pack an emotional wallop large enough to throw them off balance and neutralize their assaults. It must be framed as a moral indictment that stigmatizes them in the way their attacks stigmatize Republicans. It must expose them for their hypocrisy. It must hold them accountable for the divisions they sow and the suffering they cause. (Big Agenda, Humanix, 2017, p. 142)

Trump alone, an outsider who doesn’t need a job, has the civil courage and is in a position to deliver the needed punches. That’s why we like him. He punches back. And for other reasons…
unquote

#992

Social Darwinism Is What Truly Guides Trump

His father taught him that the rich are better people. Who in the GOP disagrees?

nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/06/social-darwinism-is-what-truly-guides-trump.html