I have in the past written about why it is problematic for a Christian to support Donald J. Trump's candidacy for president of the United States of America. I have however not disclosed that I do in fact support Hillary Clinton. In this election many have spoken as if it makes no difference, especially if one is a Christian, whether they support Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. I this brief post, I want to suggest that it makes a great difference who we support.
Christians who support Donald Trump, especially those Evangelicals who throw their weight behind him, should know that they are doing so not only as Americans but also as Christians. From my experience in the church in the United States, I have noticed that most Christians I have met are first Americans before they are Christians. This means that being Christian ranks lower for them than being American. Many would of course deny that this is the case but their actions often prove otherwise. For example, decisions about who to support for president or other elected offices is often based not on Christian beliefs but rather on some other thing - such as the desire to "make American great again." There is nothing particularly Christian about this and there is nothing particularly Christian in supporting Donald Trump. I challenge any Evangelical supporting Donald Trum to explain the Christian basis on which their decision is made.
A similar challenge may be thrown to me - that I should explain the Christian basis on which I support Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton is said to be just as detestable as Donald Trump. She is said to be a corrupt liar whose incompetence brought about the events of Bengazi. To evade the normal governmental process she used a private email system when she was Secretary of State, deleting those that may incriminate her. She is said to be in the pocket of big business, giving speeches to Goldman Sachs and refusing to provide the transcripts so that we may see what is in them. On the whole, it is said, people do not trust her. I am not going to defend any of these, even though we must admit that there are many layers to the Bengazi affair about which she has not be found to be directly responsible. As Secretary of State, however, the buck stopped with her.
On the side of Donald Trump, he has given legitimacy to racists, insulted women, the disabled, and people who fought to defend America. He has criminalized whole groups of people like Latino and Muslims and refused to pay people who have worked for him. He has refused to show us his taxes so that we may get a better picture of his business activity, saying that it is none of our business. He has lied over and over, such as when he repeatedly said that he saw thousands of Muslims celebrating the 9/11 attack. I am going to leave aside his recent call for Russia to hack the computers of his opponent, Hillary Clinton, which some are describing as treasonous. I am not going to talk about his divorces because they are no longer seen as sinful these days.
On what basis should a Christian then support the one and not the other? There is no Christian principle that may be used here to decide who to vote for. No principle of love or forgiveness or the fact that we are all fallible will work here. Some have claimed that you need to see it as a binary choice of two bad candidates. That is however not true. One may decide not to choose at all! On the whole, however, Donald Trump has said and done things that are worse than Hillary. In fact, on the whole, Donald Trump is ethically worse than Hillary. In the end, it needs to come down to the kind of formation Christians have received. What kind of people has the church in America formed? Has the church in America formed people who are comfortable with racism, bullying, insult of women and the disabled, etc.? Voting for Donald Trump is voting to accept these things as the lesser evil. I do not see what Hillary has done as even close to all to the heineous things Trump has said and done. She has not humiliated people and divided society as Donald Trump is doing. She has been far open, especially with her taxes, than Donald Trump. More especially, she is appealing to the better angels of our being rather than to our fears. She is calling us to come together rather than driving us apart, as Donald Trump is doing.
I would rather vote for one who inspires a better dream for humankind than for one who inspires racists and bullies. I will be voting for Hillary Clinton.
Christians who support Donald Trump, especially those Evangelicals who throw their weight behind him, should know that they are doing so not only as Americans but also as Christians. From my experience in the church in the United States, I have noticed that most Christians I have met are first Americans before they are Christians. This means that being Christian ranks lower for them than being American. Many would of course deny that this is the case but their actions often prove otherwise. For example, decisions about who to support for president or other elected offices is often based not on Christian beliefs but rather on some other thing - such as the desire to "make American great again." There is nothing particularly Christian about this and there is nothing particularly Christian in supporting Donald Trump. I challenge any Evangelical supporting Donald Trum to explain the Christian basis on which their decision is made.
A similar challenge may be thrown to me - that I should explain the Christian basis on which I support Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton is said to be just as detestable as Donald Trump. She is said to be a corrupt liar whose incompetence brought about the events of Bengazi. To evade the normal governmental process she used a private email system when she was Secretary of State, deleting those that may incriminate her. She is said to be in the pocket of big business, giving speeches to Goldman Sachs and refusing to provide the transcripts so that we may see what is in them. On the whole, it is said, people do not trust her. I am not going to defend any of these, even though we must admit that there are many layers to the Bengazi affair about which she has not be found to be directly responsible. As Secretary of State, however, the buck stopped with her.
On the side of Donald Trump, he has given legitimacy to racists, insulted women, the disabled, and people who fought to defend America. He has criminalized whole groups of people like Latino and Muslims and refused to pay people who have worked for him. He has refused to show us his taxes so that we may get a better picture of his business activity, saying that it is none of our business. He has lied over and over, such as when he repeatedly said that he saw thousands of Muslims celebrating the 9/11 attack. I am going to leave aside his recent call for Russia to hack the computers of his opponent, Hillary Clinton, which some are describing as treasonous. I am not going to talk about his divorces because they are no longer seen as sinful these days.
On what basis should a Christian then support the one and not the other? There is no Christian principle that may be used here to decide who to vote for. No principle of love or forgiveness or the fact that we are all fallible will work here. Some have claimed that you need to see it as a binary choice of two bad candidates. That is however not true. One may decide not to choose at all! On the whole, however, Donald Trump has said and done things that are worse than Hillary. In fact, on the whole, Donald Trump is ethically worse than Hillary. In the end, it needs to come down to the kind of formation Christians have received. What kind of people has the church in America formed? Has the church in America formed people who are comfortable with racism, bullying, insult of women and the disabled, etc.? Voting for Donald Trump is voting to accept these things as the lesser evil. I do not see what Hillary has done as even close to all to the heineous things Trump has said and done. She has not humiliated people and divided society as Donald Trump is doing. She has been far open, especially with her taxes, than Donald Trump. More especially, she is appealing to the better angels of our being rather than to our fears. She is calling us to come together rather than driving us apart, as Donald Trump is doing.
I would rather vote for one who inspires a better dream for humankind than for one who inspires racists and bullies. I will be voting for Hillary Clinton.
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