Arrogance is not equal to Abortion…

Tim Keller, the long esteemed theologian and pastor in NYC not long ago began demanding that the church make room for progressive politics.

He argued that while the Bible addresses great sins, that it is silent on the ways of best addressing such sins. He argued that while it is clear that the Bible doesn’t condone abortion, but then turned to say that the Bible is silent on ways to best eliminate, reduce, or slow down the rates of abortions.

He is correct, in a sense that there is no chapter and verse that says, “you must vote pro-life.” But no serious student of scripture argues that they way to best reduce the killing of innocent children is to exalt, vote for, and campaign for those who have promised to *expand* the practice if elected.

Christians firmly believe that if we take the wisdom of God, as revealed in the scriptures, in its totality we can and will come to fairly strong certainty on the “Godly” approach to not merely abortion, but every issue of our lives.

It’s why the scriptures have been given to us.

Now, another esteemed teacher of scripture (amongst evangelicals) is weighing in with similar vageries about why he can’t make a distinction in the voting booth between the two candidates this year.

John Piper argues straight forwardly that Donald Trump’s sin of arrogance is in essence equal to Joe Biden’s sin of child killing.

Piper makes a definitive distinction from Keller in that Piper claims clearly that this is his own personal quandary and he does not put his criteria on other people to struggle with. Keller took the exact opposite approach–commanding the church to accept fuzzy thinking and lack of clarity, instead of seeking the total wisdom of scripture.

But Piper does have a logic/rational problem. His entire argument is based on the comparison of personal sin (immorality, vulgarity & arrogance) as being equally destructive as public sin (abortion, sexual anarchy, etc.)

And on a personal level they may be.

But they are woefully different when it comes to the impact on innocent lives beyond one’s own.

They also ring a bit hollow.

Does Piper think that Joe Biden is a blank slate on immorality? Does he believe any man is? Scripture says to “look” and “lust” is to commit adultery. By that standard no man alive, not Piper, not Keller, not me is innocent.

Does Piper think that Joe Biden is not vulgar? The day President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, Joe Biden whispered in his ear (but on an open mic) and said, “This is a big f–king deal.”

Does Piper think that Joe Biden is free of arrogance? “Oh shut up man!”

Likewise Trump has been pro-choice earlier in his life. Has he said and done sexually immoral things? Perhaps. Has he done them recently and specifically during his time serving the nation? If he had–Christian voters would be the first to call them out.

This isn’t a tough equation. There are different standards in the effects of these sins. To pretend otherwise is one’s prerogative. Thankfully Piper says his choice in doing so is for him alone to wrestle with. Keller has been more authoritarian in his view by saying the church must see these things in this light.

And if you’re wondering if the Biblical mandate is on their side… It isn’t.

So follow scripture to the best of your ability and understanding. All of it.

He will illuminate your path, and you’ll have a clear conscience–with clarity!

 

 

 

When you vote…

When you vote in an American general election there are two outcomes possible.

There is a proactive consequence and a reactive consequence. In binary math the ultimate outcome is not the proactive outcome but the reactive one.

Primary elections are entirely pro-active. A huge field, multiple realistic options, and an extended season for candidates to raise money and make their case. Had the GOP hand-wringers really wanted to put forward someone that had a different resume than Trump’s they should have worked together proactively to do so. Cruz would have fit the perfect bill. He had the money, the organization, and a bit of the grassroots anger against the establishment. The GOP could have still sported an “outsider” for this disruptive election process, but with a bit more pedigree, and a heck of a lot fewer misfires.

But they didn’t… And now we are on to a binary election.

By the way… ALL General elections in which the binary formula is applied (one of two will be the result) the reactive becomes (by the laws of mathematics) the more important outcome.

Meaning: stopping the greatest negative takes precedence.

You should always attempt to elevate the greatest good in the primary. I know that I did that with clear conscience. But my guy did not win. And now defeating the worst option is what by necessity of saving the republic (or even delaying the decay) is what has to happen.

I’m not a Trump fan, I didn’t vote for him in the spring.

I’d LOVE for him to step aside and give it to Pence, or name Cruz…

I’d support any of those options and good deal many others.

But I would also take those names and people like them in cabinet positions, heads of committees, sitting on the Supreme Court, undoing the Iran deal, stripping the regulations throttling the small businesses of America, stopping Hillary’s quadrupling of Planned Parenthood of tax funds and abortions, and stocking our courts with constitutional purists as vetted by the Federalist Society.

It’s not 1 person we are electing, it is the 3000 appointments that go with it. It is a worldview. Ironically the guy implementing the movement isn’t the strongest on that worldview, but everyone he is putting around him is more conservative than any nominee of my lifetime. I’m not focused on Trump. I see the deficits. But every single person that focuses on him, removing the reality of what 3000 bureaucrats appointed by Clinton will render (Abedeen, Mills, Podesta) — are lying when they say the two sides are equally unacceptable.

They aren’t.

Fact.

And my entire focus is defeating the reactive outcome of the worst option. And as a believer I do this with a clear conscience.