{"id":143,"date":"2016-08-07T14:50:36","date_gmt":"2016-08-07T19:50:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tjdaughertyblog.wordpress.com\/?p=143"},"modified":"2016-08-07T14:50:36","modified_gmt":"2016-08-07T19:50:36","slug":"why-the-2016-presidential-election-is-so-critical-for-american-christians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/tjdaugherty\/why-the-2016-presidential-election-is-so-critical-for-american-christians\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the 2016 Presidential Election is So Critical for American Christians"},"content":{"rendered":"

WHY THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS SO CRITICAL FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS<\/p>\n

As November approaches, the 2016 Presidential Election looks sure to be a train wreck for the American people. At this stage in the electoral process, options for American citizens are extremely bleak. In particular, American Christians find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place for their collective vote.<\/p>\n

The Republican Party presents Donald Trump, a candidate who is brash, arrogant, insensitive, erratic, immoral, offensive, lacking character, and filled with hate.<\/p>\n

The Democratic Party offers Hillary Clinton, a candidate who is corrupt, dishonest, restrictive to religious liberties, favors a liberal agenda, and promotes the mass slaughtering of unborn babies.<\/p>\n

Clearly, neither candidate closely resembles anything remotely close to Christian morality. And clearly neither candidate can possibly be fully embraced by Christians without some concessions. Voting for a third-party or write-in candidate might provide relief for personal convictions, but realistically will likely not positively impact the future of the presidential office.<\/p>\n

As a result, Christians find themselves choosing between the lesser of two evils. Ultimately, Christians must decide if Donald Trump can be trusted in any capacity and is worth the risk in order to potentially defend religious liberty and actively fight against abortion or whether they should strictly follow their conscience by voting for a third-party or write-in candidate while ceding their opportunity to positively impact the results of the election.<\/p>\n

A great number of opinions have been written on this political season, including several from many respected pastors, church leaders, and theologians. Some endorse Donald Trump. Others endorse write-in votes. Some suggest that abortion is the critical issue. Others argue that the open Supreme Court seat should guide Christian voters.<\/p>\n

I do not have the answer to this problem for Christians. It is a very complex and morally compromising situation, and every potential solution can be met with an array of arguments against it.<\/p>\n

On the surface, Christians do not have much hope during this election season.<\/p>\n

However, despite this bleak outlook for Christians, there is a critical component to this election season that should not be overlooked. Although American Christians are divided on the direction of their collective vote in November, there is an unlikely optimism to be discovered.<\/p>\n

This election has the potential to be very good for the future of American Christians.<\/p>\n

Because in this election, perhaps more than any other, Christians can finally begin to understand in a dramatic way that there is no hope in a particular candidate or a particular political party.<\/p>\n

The Republican Party is not designed to represent God\u2019s chosen people in this nation. More importantly, the next president of the United States is not going to be a savior for American Christians. This has always been true, but it has never been so blatantly clear in our nation.<\/p>\n

The Bible is abundantly and specifically clear about the problem of trusting in men, and even political leaders:<\/p>\n