By Filings on
Church & Ministry
2020 Election

“We’re in, I’m breathlessly told, a ‘battle for the very soul of America.’ Zat so? I sort of thought that the recent unpleasantness of 1861-1865 locked in that description, what with 620,000 casualties of war, all Americans and the issue of all issues for our country – the enslavement of other humans.” - SBC Voices

Discussion

Thu, 10/15/20

I’d love to see evangelicals/the Right actually get interested in a battle for the soul of the nation. They would back very different tactics… and better candidates. They wouldn’t put all their energy into coercive approaches that are simultaneously anti-persuasive.

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.

Thu, 10/15/20

I’ve said this before, and it’s still true. The Republican party treats evangelicals like the Democrats treat African-Americans. There is a coercive expectation that if you’re evangelical you must vote for Trump just as there is a coercive expectation that if you’re black you must vote for Biden.

Time to wise up and demand better, for both constituencies.

Thu, 10/15/20

To quote Amy Barrett: “I assure you I have my own mind.” My votes and positions are not bound to any party, and if I choose to vote for Trump (I haven’t voted yet), that doesn’t change the fact that my positions are my own, one of the reasons I’m registered in my state as “Unaffiliated.”

Dave Barnhart

Thu, 10/15/20

[T Howard]

There is a coercive expectation that if you’re evangelical you must vote for Trump just as there is a coercive expectation that if you’re black you must vote for Biden.

CASE IN POINT

Thu, 10/15/20

I’d love to see evangelicals/the Right actually get interested in a battle for the soul of the nation. They would back very different tactics… and better candidates.

Remember, evangelicals did back very different candidates when there was another option.

Fri, 10/16/20

Politics has always been about choosing among the best available options, not bewailing the options that are not available. We sometimes call this the lesser of two evils. That’s the way it is, and that’s the way it has always been. When did some evangelicals suddenly become so purist in regard to Trump, but so unconcerned about the alternative? The only alternative to electing Trump is electing Biden and the enormously ungodly leftist agenda. Is this what Jesus meant when He told us that the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light? Think. Think. Think!

G. N. Barkman

Sun, 10/18/20

1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

How any Christian can think that voting for Biden-Harris will facilitate our being able to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty is incomprehensible to me.

Sat, 10/24/20

1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

How any Christian can think that voting for Trump-Pence will facilitate our being able to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty is incomprehensible to me.

Sat, 10/24/20

[pvawter]

1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

How any Christian can think that voting for Trump-Pence will facilitate our being able to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty is incomprehensible to me.

You are guilty of plagiarizing by using my exact words. You need to remove this comment and use your own words.

Sat, 10/24/20

[RajeshG]
pvawter wrote:

1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

How any Christian can think that voting for Trump-Pence will facilitate our being able to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty is incomprehensible to me.

You are guilty of plagiarizing by using my exact words. You need to remove this comment and use your own words.

I think the use of your comment is acceptable under the Fair Use guidelines. One of the questions to be asked regarding fair use is “Has the material you have taken from the original work been transformed by adding new expression or meaning?” Switching out Biden-Harris for Trump-Pence definitely adds new meaning.

Sun, 10/25/20

[Kevin Miller]
RajeshG wrote:

pvawter wrote:

1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

How any Christian can think that voting for Trump-Pence will facilitate our being able to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty is incomprehensible to me.

You are guilty of plagiarizing by using my exact words. You need to remove this comment and use your own words.

I think the use of your comment is acceptable under the Fair Use guidelines. One of the questions to be asked regarding fair use is “Has the material you have taken from the original work been transformed by adding new expression or meaning?” Switching out Biden-Harris for Trump-Pence definitely adds new meaning.

At the Judgment Seat, Christ will render judgment on the plagiarist of my creative work.

Sun, 10/25/20

Rajesh, You are being oversensitive here. He quoted your words to indicate that they could just as easily be said in the opposite way. That is not plagiarism in any meaningful sense, particularly in an informal conversation. Feel free to respond to the substance of the discussion but leave aside this charge of plagiarism.

Sun, 10/25/20

[Larry]

Rajesh, You are being oversensitive here. He quoted your words to indicate that they could just as easily be said in the opposite way. That is not plagiarism in any meaningful sense, particularly in an informal conversation. Feel free to respond to the substance of the discussion but leave aside this charge of plagiarism.

Larry, I am not objecting at all to the content of what he said when he altered my exact words. He did not acknowledge in any way that those words were mine.
He could have done so, but chose not to do so. To me, that is totally unacceptable conduct.

Sun, 10/25/20

[pvawter]

…

How any Christian can think that voting for Trump-Pence will facilitate our being able to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty is incomprehensible to me.

But seriously, Rajesh, this asinine post and your objection is plagiarism?

Sun, 10/25/20

[Dan Miller]
pvawter wrote:

…

How any Christian can think that voting for Trump-Pence will facilitate our being able to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty is incomprehensible to me.

But seriously, Rajesh, this asinine post and your objection is plagiarism?

In my mind, those are two separate matters.
My comments have necessarily been about the impropriety of what was done with my original words. I’m disgusted with that whole matter and am not interested in getting started on the other.