#TrumporHillary
“Of two evils, choose neither.” Charles H. Spurgeon
Disclaimer: voting for Trump does not mean you are not a believer. The atonement of Christ should not be contingent upon who one casts his or her ballot for concerning Trump. I still love you, but disagree with you.
At any rate, what are your thoughts on that quote from Spurgeon? When it comes to Trump and Hillary, I will not abide to this philosophy: “vote for the lesser of two evils.” I must admit, I do think we need to be more nuanced when explaining this concept of the lesser of two evils and be as accurate as possible because people perceive it from different angles. That way, it could clear-up the airwaves. The statement can become more cumbersome when discussing it in context of politics. That is why having a biblical worldview is vital. Moreover, the glory of Christ is at stake.
With that said, some will view Trump and Hillary as equally evil because they are both pro-abortion and pro-gay. Therefore, the lesser of two evils does not apply here. Therefore, one is advised to not vote for either Hillary or Trump. Biblically speaking, both are totally depraved and show no evidence of salvation. So in that sense, both are equally evil. Both stand condemned before Christ and both equally need Him. Make no mistake, both are wicked candidates. But one could probably make an argument of which evil from the two candidates is more pervasive and how are we to see it in light of Scripture and how should we approach “the lesser of two evils?”
Now, when employing it in the political environment, a different vernacular arises and that is where the lesser of two evils becomes relevant to the discussion and can also lead to different interpretations. One could probably argue that Trump, in general is lesser of an evil when it comes to Planned Parenthood because he has said, that there should be no funding of abortions for P.P., whereas Hillary would advocate for the funding of P.P. Either way, both candidates perpetuate the cycle of abortion by not prosecuting abortion. Practical ramifications vary in different degrees, but morally, both are in the wrong. Governing authorities are responsible for wielding the sword of justice for society. The Imago Dei should be protected because bloodshed is not a light matter. Our government has failed in that area.
As for Hillary, it is self-evident as to why I will not be voting for her. As for Trump, I can not consciously vote for a man who approves of men using girls’ bathrooms, loves Planned Parenthood (child-sacrifice center, murder mill) for their other services while being okay with them running as a hegemony, blasphemer of Christ by calling oneself a Christian while slandering the Gospel, and a deceiver (judgment starts at household of God first). What has the philosophy of voting for the so-called lesser of two evils contribute to our nation? Our nation has slowly turned its back against God when it compromises God’s morality. A little gagging of God is enough to impregnant the nation with sinful seeds that would eventually produce havoc later.
Trump and Hilary are both immoral choices and I will not utilize moral gymnastics for a vote for wickedness because some deem the other choice to being less worse (open to interpretation I guess). I liken the lesser of two evils here concerning Trump and Hillary with a doctor that is forced to wrestle with either performing the dark art of utero-infanticide or murder outside the womb (euthanasia). I think abortion is worse, but both are destructive to society and must all be avoided at all costs. When presented with both, he must reject them all because it does violence to the Imago Dei.
We still deteriorate morally as a nation when the lesser of the two evils are applied (however that lesser of two evils looks like varies); and the implications of upholding the lesser of two evils can be catastrophic. It could give rise to the likes of future dictators. Does Stalin, Hitler, or Mao Zedong come to mind? How so? The lesser of two evils has never sealed or prevented the Hitlers of the world. I think it slowly becomes a breeding ground for us to slowly slide into the evil that is being acceptable and normative over time. Will we be like Israel who trusted in foreign alliances and relied upon the strength of horses and chariots, instead of the sovereign words of Christ?
Can we employ the ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward (deferred gratification)? Trump promises with this slogan: “Make America Great Again.” That belief is a lie. Only a culture that cherishes the Gospel can make America great again.
At any rate, God’s anger will not be appeased when the institutional celebration of so-called gay marriage and child sacrifice is still in operation.
I can’t control this political system we have, and I will not approve or foster the perpetuation of moral deterioration, but I do know that I am called to uphold righteousness that comprises of defending the voiceless and oppressed. I will not operate under the guise of political pragmatism when there is gross and perpetual immorality being celebrated by our inconsistent two-party system.
Christ, is my King and I will bow my knees to Him, even at the expense of personal comfort. I am thankful for the freedom we have here, but upholding righteousness is more viable for me.
It’s a tough situation, isn’t it? It is hard to fight the tug of pragmatism. Although, if I went with pure pragmatist I wouldn’t vote for Trump. Yet the pragmatic alternative makes me sick to my stomach. My prayer is that somebody I can live with morally might run as an independent. I could vote that way even if I knew they could never win.
Thanks Wally. Pray for America. Just an FYI, I had to make some minor changes for clarity.
Yes, pragmatism kills. God’s Word is not always easy to follow, but they are truthful and stable.
Indeed. But not voting also seems wrong. Sigh.
Interesting comments. You’ll like my blog message entitled “Do NOT Fail to Vote–Ever.” Find it at lloydstebbins.com. It’s not long, but perhaps a bit too long for a comment here.
Thank you. I will check out your post.
Great insight and I love the Spurgeon quote.
I have always hated the idea of not voting at all to make a philosophical or political point or the send a message to the establishment but this time I am truly torn.
The two choices we have are both absolutely terrible and I cannot in good faith endorse either one.
What this political season has taught me is that God’s people need to fully rely on God and His providence and that politics can’t save us. In all honesty, the interest some people have in politics borders on idolatry.
If America is destined to have a horrible president who will lead us into the darkest days we have ever experienced, so be it, it will be ordained by God for His purpose.
What many Americans fail to understand is that we are not God’s chosen people and He never promised to either protect or save our nation.
Good post, as always.
James
True. God promises suffering for those who desire to live counter-cultural.
Yep…I’m torn. Part of me wants to scold you for not voting but the other part of me is in your corner.
Not an easy issue for some, brother.
You don’t have to choose between voting for and evil candidate and not voting at all. Many overlook the fact that the Democrat and Republican parties aren’t our only choices. There are a lot of minor parties and if the Republicans choose Trump I am going to check out their candidates. If enough Christians get behind one of these parties there is a chance it could become one of the major parties in the future.
True, brother.
Good post, good to see others’ thoughts on here.
Thank you brother for helping me think through this issue.
I have been a missionary in Mexico for over 22 years now. I have asked many Christians here if they think it would be better to vote for the lesser of the two evils from the two major political parties here or vote for someone who has no chance of winning but has Christian principles. All of them have told me that they would vote for the candidate who has Christians principles, even though he or she has no chance of winning he election.
It really grieves me to see so many believers in the U.S. who plan on voting for Trump because he is “the lesser of the two evils”. I asked them in a newsletter if the Lord really approves of this. I told them that we will have to answer to the Lord for the way we vote. Therefore, I plan on voting for a third party or write-in candidate who represents Christian values. I am registered in Texas. Unless a more viable Christian candidate comes along, I will be voting for Darrell Castle of the Constitution Party as a write-in candidate. (The Constitution Party is not registered in Texas yet, but he will be a write-in candidate.)