U.S. Elections

thirty biblical reasons to vote democratic in 2020: # 28 Disrespect

/ Apple Hill Cottage / 2 Comments

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules the people groan.—Proverbs 29:2 (NKJ)

The character and moral direction in which the leader takes the country causes the people either to rejoice or mourn.

…the morning after presiding over the signing of Middle East accords, what is President Trump up to? He’s on Twitter, retweeting doctored videos of Joe Biden, name-calling Nancy Pelosi, and undermining Dr. Anthony Fauci. His fundamental disrespect for truth and the dignity of the Office of the President diminishes the work of the U.S. government, and insults the intelligence of the American people. Our leaders must maintain a higher standard. Pay close attention to the warnings from a diverse and growing chorus of normally apolitical voices in our society speaking out. Scientific American, the esteemed science journal, which in its 175-year history has never made a presidential endorsement, joined that chorus yesterday, publicly opposing the president and endorsing Biden. Trump represents a historic threat to our liberty and lives. All Americans should unite against him. —Evan McMullin, The Topline, 9/16/20

No matter what you think of Biden, Pelosi, and Fauci, it is degrading and unpresidential and embarrassing for the president of this country to resort to name calling like a second grade bully.

His disrespect for the Constitution is even greater, proven by his antagonistic comments about voting, the election being rigged, and generally casting aspersions on every voter’s constitutional rights. (Unless one is a felon in Florida…) Not only that, but threatening to not leave office unless there is a fair election (which he has already set up to be not fair by tweeting every day about ballots, the post office, the states…ad nauseam). What country do we live in people????? Is he a dictator who will refuse to accept defeat? He has made us the laughingstock of the world. Our democracy is in peril in this election.

 

 

thirty biblical reasons to vote democratic in 2020: #27 Peace & Harmony

/ Apple Hill Cottage / 1 Comment

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. — Romans 12:16-18 (NIV)

Peace. Understanding. Fellowship. Unity. Compassion. Accord. Sympathy. Order. All synonyms. All have their own verses…

  • Peace — Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18
  • Understanding — Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
  • Fellowship — If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 1 John 1:6
  • Unity — How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. Psalm 133:1
  • Compassion — Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
  • Accord and Sympathy — So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4-6
  • Order — Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

The opposite of harmony is division, and the president is a master at it. Former National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster was interviewed on 60 Minutes tonight, and whatever you think of him or his policies, he said something that was striking: While we are bickering, arguing, and divided, the rest of the world has gone on: China in its quest for superiority and Russia in its quest for weakening us. And we have isolated ourselves and forgotten what a democracy should look like.

General Jim Mattis, former Secretary of Defense, kept silence on his firing for some time, but just lately he wrote an OpEd for the Atlantic: “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.”

Several days ago the President was asked if he would depart peacefully if he lost the election. He refused to say that he would.

This is a promotion of chaos.

This is out of order.

We live in a democracy, not a dictatorship. For a president to suggest something other than a peaceful transition of power is, in the words of Senator Mitt Romney, “unthinkable and unacceptable.”

Let us applaud former Trump supporters who are speaking out about the division, and let us pray for some of those synonyms for harmony to rain down on our country.

thirty biblical reasons to vote democratic in 2020: #26 Lack of excellence

/ Apple Hill Cottage / 5 Comments

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. — Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

I saved this verse from Philippians because it is one of my favorites. When I worked at a private k-12 school as the librarian, I had this poster on my bulletin board for years.

Finally a student helper in the library told me I should really change that bulletin board… But what I loved about that poster is that it took the bored Whatever to a noble and pure and lovely level. Just listen to all those adjectives! True, right, admirable, praiseworthy, excellent….

Yes, those are the things we should be thinking about. I have to confess: it’s been difficult to keep my mind on those things this past year. Because each day there is something that comes from the White House that is Un-excellent, ignoble, or just plain false. There is no excellence from the top, and the lack of excellence has trickled down throughout society. Correction: It’s been more than a trickle; it’s been a tidal wave…

I could write forever on this lack of excellence, but I will instead refer the reader to something important that happened two days ago. 489 Generals, National Security officials, Military personnel, and Ambassadors signed an Open Letter to America endorsing Joe Biden for President. Part of the letter reads, “The current President has demonstrated he is not equal to the enormous responsibilities of his office; he cannot rise to meet challenges large or small. Thanks to his disdainful attitude and his failures, our allies no longer trust or respect us, and our enemies no longer fear us.”

Here is the link to read the letter for yourselves. Please check it out: “An Open Letter to America”

We need a leader in the White House who will take responsibility for their actions. Not like the infamous quote of DJT: “No. No. I don’t take responsibility at all….” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cs_1iYWIhI