» Bereans VLOG: Trump and Evangelical Support, Part 2 (3/21/2018)

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Bereans VLOG: Trump and Evangelical Support, Part 2 (3/21/2018)

22 Mar 2018

Mark Caleb Smith

The Bereans spend more time discussing Donald Trump and Evangelical support.

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Theophilus says:

March 22, 2018 at 1:59 pm

I really appreciate the thorough breakdown. You guys hit the major breaking points right on the head.

One thing I don’t think you weighed in on that I’d love to know your response to: An argument (which I made in the previous comments, but which is not mine originally) that supporting conservative policies does not require either praising or supporting President Trump. He was not elected, primarily, for his governing philosophy, but because of his opponent. Being vocal now does not risk a coup by Mrs. Clinton, or that Gorsuch will vanish into the aether. Turning on Trump will not stall conservative policies that the Congress wants to push. In fact, it would seem to be empowering the opposition within the party, something I think most of us would prefer. Is there something about this argument that just doesn’t hold water to you?
- Jeff Haymond says:
  
  March 22, 2018 at 7:38 pm
  
  Theophilus–
  I think that is generally what I am saying, except I am willing to praise him for good policy actions, even when he is consistently a scoundrel personally. I’ve generally praised him for good policies, condemned him for bad policies, and seldom written on his personal issues. Do you think that because of his personal shortcomings (which are massive), that we shouldn’t ever praise him for any policy actions that we think are good?
  - Theophilus says:
    
    March 22, 2018 at 8:06 pm
    
    I think for a lot of the us it comes down to proportionality. He’s doing so much damage that praising the things that are good (which often aren’t even his policies) comes across as a lack of perspective. Which is an unfair assumption, but it can feel like we’re just grasping for something nice to say as a bandaid for everything else.
    
    There is a divide, that I swear wasn’t there before Trump, between Christians who think his personal failings are significant enough to affect his governing, and Christians who are able to separate them. I’m one of the former, and I think that divide can account for most of the difference in perspective in the comments. It came up a lot last week.
    
    For someone who thinks like me, his character flaws are enough to bring his fitness for office into question, and at that point praising his achievements feels like a moot point. Maybe that’s unfair to him, it just seems like he doesn’t need it in the status quo.
    
    That and I’m seriously worried about him becoming normal. Anything that would encourage that frightens me.
  - Theophilus says:
    
    March 22, 2018 at 8:08 pm
    
    I feel I should also clarify, people who say nice things about him don’t bother my, I don’t think it’s a mistake to point out when he’s done something good. I’m just opposed to him on a spiritual level.
  - Daniel says:
    
    March 22, 2018 at 8:22 pm
    
    To clarify, how much damage, in your perspective, is to himself, to the United States, and to Christians?
  - Theophilus says:
    
    March 22, 2018 at 11:55 pm
    
    Severe, to all parties involved. I think I’ve made it clear elsewhere what I think of Trump. Not trying to be rude, I just don’t think it’s going to help with Dr. Haymond’s question to go into much more detail. I can say a lot, and it’s not all useful.
  - Daniel says:
    
    March 23, 2018 at 5:15 pm
    
    I understand where you come from on damage to himself and to Christians even if I disagree somewhat on the latter. But what is the severe damage being done to the country? Not saying all he does is right cause it’s not, but we are definitely on a better track than we were the past 8 years.
  - Theophilus says:
    
    March 23, 2018 at 6:12 pm
    
    I think we’ve talked about this, I’m almost positive I can’t convince you of what you’re asking me to explain.
  - Daniel says:
    
    March 23, 2018 at 7:05 pm
    
    Is it your contention that his demeanor and handling of foreign affairs makes him, and us by extension, look immature and naive? Or is your concern about the actual policy he goes for?
  - Theophilus says:
    
    March 23, 2018 at 7:30 pm
    
    Daniel, if you want to have this conversation we need to find another place to do it.
  - Daniel says:
    
    March 23, 2018 at 8:08 pm
    
    I wasn’t planning on a dragged out conversation, I thought it was a simple question.
  - Theophilus says:
    
    March 23, 2018 at 8:16 pm
    
    It’s not a small answer, unfortunately, even if the question is simple. I’m happy to take this somewhere else if you’d like, though.
Carter Miedema says:

March 23, 2018 at 4:14 pm

Contact your representatives! Let them know what you think! Voting cannot communicate opinions on particular issues. It may be true that representatives never actually read emails from constituents; however, it is the only way that citizens have to directly influence their representatives about particular issues.
- Nicholas Redic says:
  
  March 24, 2018 at 1:38 pm
  
  I agree. Calling representatives is probably the best bet we have to make our voices heard.
- Matthew Beal says:
  
  March 27, 2018 at 9:14 am
  
  I would simply add that it’s not a bad idea to work on those around you as well. Regardless of how much we disagree here on the blog, it’s at least a place where we are hopefully refining our ideas as iron sharpening iron. Not to say that every single person needs to go to a blog and debate, but there are tiny things we can do here and there to overcome the rational ignorance of everyday voters.

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