Voting for Godly People for President or Other Public Office ?

[sprknjc]

A Christian friend recently suggested to me we need more Godly people to serve in public office. Question - Who is your choice be for US President in this challenging election season and good Godly reasons why?

Some possible choices at the end of this paragraph, though sadly none have much of the vote, have suspended their campaigns, or have chosen not to run. None are perfect, and as humans we have all fallen short of the glory of God, but reasonably searching for a candidate having an above average grade school score of say 85 out of 100. Though mixed opinions about write in votes, but Question - more importantly, who would God choose? Even King David God picked from as a lowly shepherd, a man after God's own heart, but David failed with Bathsheba and Uriah. In reading the entire Bible through several times through over years, I am not finding much about specific guidance about voting, other than prayer and talking with other Christians. Feel free to suggest others who are yet living besides the following. Some of my personal choices are: 1) Ryan Binkley on primary ballots in most states, a pastor, 2) current FL state Governor Ron DeSantis, also on primary ballots primary ballots in most states, believer in our God, 3) former VP and IN state Governor Mike Pence, also a devout believer, 4) Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, a Baptist, 5) current VA state (where I live) Governor Glenn Youngkin, not running, a Christian including having a retreat center, 6) former President Jimmy Carter. I can provide web links on any candidate items above you question.

As I went to high school and college around 1980, decades of life experience to come up with these Godly qualities below, if you it will help you in responding to questions I am really seeking an answer to above. Again, I have not found anyone totally perfect in all of these, but hoping from your thoughts to find one or two persons closer to perfection than others.

* Seeking God's will through prayer in decision making in public office.

* Holding Biblical values including pro-life, traditional marriage one man to one woman, and following the Ten Commandments.

* Good Godly character - humble, taming the tongue which is a tough one (Eph 4:29), and not bad behavior in own household (deacon qualities in New Testament) and publicly.

* A True Servant for others, emulating Jesus's example, including getting legislation passed to help constituents.

* How well do they deal with hostility and fight evil? Not excessive public display of anger, though only righteous anger on exception i.e. Jesus and money changers in the temple.

* With combination of qualities above, is this someone you can have your children look up to as a good Godly example to others?

Not a God requirement, but the Constitution requires the President to be a natural born United States citizen and at least 35 years of age.


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[Yttrium]

* Holding Biblical values including pro-life, traditional marriage one man to one woman, and following the Ten Commandments.

Why not Jesus' two commandments? Do you not expect your politicians to follow the Golden Rule?

Personally, I would kinda hope they follow the Golden Rule.

 

[sprknjc]

Yttrium - Why not Jesus' two commandments? Do you not expect your politicians to follow the Golden Rule?​

Personally, I would kinda hope they follow the Golden Rule​

Agree, love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself, and that politicians would follow the Golden Rule which some do, which generally goes hand in hand with being a True Servant of God.

Another verse came to mind since my OP, Romans 13:1 God establishes the authorities. So in the Old Testament, there were kings who did right in the eyes of God, and those who did evil. History repeats itself, even today. Obviously, we prefer people in public office and elected leaders who do good and fight evil. Can think of a number of Presidents decades ago no longer living here on earth who really followed and obeyed God's word in working for the people. There is a still subset today in high political office who still do, but those are harder to find and get them elected, if the position is not a political appointee or a job hire. With this election season, the President, VP, all of the House of Representatives, 1/3 of the Senate, and all of the state and local races that are up for grabs in 2024. In an ideal world, all those elected would be God fearing and God obeying in word and action. Question - Reality is in a fallen world, only part are, and it be helpful here to voters here to identify some of these people? If more leaders were elected who follow the Golden Rule, Ten Commandments, etc., the course of this nation could be changed for the better.

 

[Paulos23]

There is a reason for the separation of religion and government. I know the OP makes it seam harmless, until I remember what some Christians post here. Then I don't want them anywhere near a public office.

 

[Larniavc]

How do you know if someone is really a good Christian and not just pretending to get the Christian vote while grifting?

 

[godisagardener]

God puts people in positions of authority. We don't always understand why, but the reasons are His. We need to pray for our elected leaders. We need to pray that we elect the right people. We need to go to the polls and vote for those we believe can lead our country in the right direction. And not just as president, but as senators, legislators, and state and local representatives. We need to study the candidates, learn about them and compare them.

As you mentioned, no one is perfect. No one out there will meet all the criteria you listed. And just because someone is a pastor or a Baptist, it doesn't mean they'd be a good leader in any of those positions I mentioned. Pastors fall because the world calls, just like anyone else. Someone once said "absolute power corrupts absolutely". I look for Christian qualities in candidates, but we Christians can be hypocrites with the best of them.

Ron DeSantis dropped out of the campaign.
Jimmy Carter is 99 years old. He won't be running any time soon.
I think Mike Pence has had enough of the muck inside politics.
The others you mentioned are worth a look.

Unfortunately, there are probably quite a few good people out there who could do a lot for our country, regardless of party affiliation, but they don't have the money to spend to make a name for themselves. And maybe they're too smart to want to run for office.

 

[sprknjc]

Paulos23 - There is a reason for the separation of religion and government. I know the OP makes it seam harmless, until I remember what some Christians post here. Then I don't want them anywhere near a public office.​

There is a good Wikipedia article on this Separation of church and state in the United States - Wikipedia . In it,
1) "Thomas Jefferson wrote 'I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or **prohibiting the free exercise thereof**" This is also in the 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights, and sadly the prohibitions today are growing.
2) "Supreme Court in Zorach v. Clauson (1952) upheld accommodationism, holding that the nation's "institutions presuppose a Supreme Being" and that government recognition of God does not constitute the establishment of a state church as the Constitution's authors intended to prohibit."
3) According to another Wikipedia article "Christianity is the most prevalent religion in the United States. Estimates from 2021 suggest that of the entire U.S. population (332 million) about 63% is Christian (210 million)."

This is for good thought and discussion. I agree different belief systems can be basically shared, but none should be pushed down people's throats, which this nation in a downward spiral with the Freedom from Religion Foundation and the ACLU pushing secular humanism. Like in the Old Testament, denying God did not bode well for lot of people, such as the Great Flood and Noah's Ark and fire burning Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis and the invasion by Babylon later on in the Old Testament with people doing evil in eyes of God, part of the Old Testament punishment and restoration motif. More recently, 9-11-2001 changed this nation for a while. With politicians today, a simple prayer which one can choose to or choose not to participate is one matter, but giving a long sermon in the public square by a politician may be out of order, depending on the specific audience. If they only remember Ephesians 4:29 when they have a large and much diverse audience.

Would you rather have a politician who mostly does good as a True Servant of the people and not widely share their religion except when appropriate In Iowa Home Stretch, DeSantis Focuses on Faith, Family and ‘Culture of Life’ , but same leader does not go about sharing his religion to more secular audiences, with actions speaking louder than words OR one seeking his or her interests primarily and not of others ?

 

[sprknjc]

Larniavc - How do you know if someone is really a good Christian and not just pretending to get the Christian vote while grifting?​

Only by doing one's homework on the Internet from reliable sources I found from the last several elections voted in. Wikipedia is a good start, but other sources who are not biased too much politically left or right (one source to check as an example Politico Bias and Reliability | Ad Fontes Media ). Also C-Span TV during their down times between multiple daily events, where they have a live call in show from voters who identify as Democrat, Independent/Other, or Republican with separate call in phone numbers for each on the current issue of the day. Really insightful, when a voter there expresses what is wrong with a particular high official or candidate. Also social media posts, particularly if Christian or often conservative. Sadly, so many, including Christians, go blindly to the polls without doing their homework. That said, need to find out more about a candidate than from TV, USPS mail or polls will tell you to determine which ones hold Godly qualities.

 

[JustOneWay]

God puts people in positions of authority.

God also took Trump, Bush the elder and Carter from a position of authority.

 

[sprknjc]

godisagardener - Ron DeSantis dropped out of the campaign. Jimmy Carter is 99 years old. He won't be running any time soon. I think Mike Pence has had enough of the muck inside politics. The others you mentioned are worth a look.​

Thanks for your feedback. Ron DeSantis may well be in the Presidential running in 2028. Agree Jimmy Carter is old and on hospice care, but many on both sides of the aisle have spoken well of him as a Godly example (only reason mentioned him last).

 

[sprknjc]

JustOneWay - God also took Trump, Bush the elder and Carter from a position of authority.​

​

True of many Presidents who only served only one term, and not reelected for a second one.

​

 

[WolfGate]

I'm about the same age as you. I've been heavily involved in church leadership, and had some minor involvement in the political sphere. One of my wife's close friends holds a statewide elected office in NC. FWIW, my experience has shaped my views a bit different from yours.

We live in a country that consists of a wide range of people, only some of whom are Christians. Our government was not designed to be biased towards any particular religion. It also was not designed to be devoid of religion. So I first care more about the quality of the person and then their policies. As part of the quality of the person, I do expect a couple of things. One is that their actions align with who they tell us they are. If they claim to be Christian, I expect to see the fruits of the spirit in how they act (Carter, despite his policy failures did this well). I also care greatly about their respect for freedom of religion in our country, which includes allowing the church to operate independently of societies whims around cultural issues. It also includes respecting and supporting people of all religions, or no religion, to be active participants in public life, and to therefore respect that their religious beliefs will impact how they view issues.

So, it is entirely possible I will find a non-Christian candidate to be a better choice than one who is Christian but either doesn't act consistent with that declaration or leans towards excluding non-Christians from the square of public debate. I do give grace in what policies Christian may support as I recognize there are true followers of Christ who do not hold my more conservative views on some political issues. I think the single issue litmus test is often too simplistic a criteria and can result in worse candidates getting elected.

 

[sprknjc]

In reply to Wolfgate, got myself thinking more deeply and amazingly quickly found excerpt below from Wikipedia article which is interesting. 3/4 pray often or sometimes, and the Christian influence is great in Congress.

So often in recent times, some Christians bend to some leftist evils, rather than us following Christ's action in words and action. It has happened with principals with prayer in schools which a large percentage of the population support, so why bend to the 25% who do not? Holding traditional views, this country is primarily based on majority rule. Inspiring to watch live the Iowa caucus in selecting candidates on C-Span earlier in January which started with prayer by a clergyman and the Pledge of Allegiance, so refreshing!

Religion in the United States - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The U.S. has the largest Christian and Protestant population in the world. According to Gallup, 75% of Americans report praying often or sometimes and religion plays a very (46%) or fairly (26%) important role in their lives. Judaism is the second-largest religion in the U.S., practiced by 2% of the population, followed by Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, each with 1% of the population. Mississippi is the most religious state in the country, with 63% of its adult population described as very religious, saying that religion is important to them and attending religious services almost every week, while New Hampshire, with only 20% of its adult population described as very religious, is the least religious state. Congress overwhelmingly identifies as religious and Christian; both the Republican and Democratic parties generally nominate those who are. The Christian left, as seen through figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Jimmy Carter, and William Jennings Bryan; along with many figures within the Christian right have played a profound role in the country's politics.

 

[Hans Blaster]

God also took Trump, Bush the elder and Carter from a position of authority.

And here I thought they all lost elections. The American people spoke.

 

[sprknjc]

As just joined christianforums today, as shared in my new member intro Hi, decades long believer of Jesus Christ and God I am from the outer suburbs of Washington, DC. Sadly have to hear how some, not all, local elected schools board members which many fail to research before voting, the evil that is there in both Fairfax and Loudoun county schools as reported by these examples from Christian media

Loudoun County Schools mishandled sexual assaults, obstructed probe: grand jury

Virginia school district administrators were looking out for their own interests and likely lied to parents as efforts to quell controversy ahead of the enacting of a transgender bathroom policy led ...

www.christianpost.com

Judge orders Christian teacher who opposes trans pronouns be reinstated by school district

A judge has ordered a Virginia school district to reinstate an elementary school teacher who was placed on leave after criticizing a proposed policy that would require him and other teachers to use ...

www.christianpost.com

Christian teacher quits in front of school board to protest 'highly politicized agendas'

A Christian public school teacher resigned in front of her school board Tuesday night to protest its embrace of what she calls highly politicized agendas that contradict her beliefs

www.christianpost.com

Gov. Youngkin pardons Loudoun County dad arrested at school board meeting after daughter's rape

Virginia Gov Glenn Youngkin granted an absolute pardon to Scott Smith, the Loudoun County father arrested at a school board meeting in 2021 after school district officials lied about his daughter s ...

www.christianpost.com

https://www.christianpost.com/news/...orn-in-on-stack-of-inappropriate content.html

Fairfax sworn stack of inappropriate content books

Are these good examples of elected leaders children of faith of the same God here can look up to, whether Christian, Catholic, Jewish, or Muslim? I and those like minded say Not. Those here and other localities elected across the nation who hold God-like qualities in word and action are better examples for our children.

 

[Laodicean60]

How do you know if someone is really a good Christian and not just pretending to get the Christian vote while grifting?

There isn't any such thing as a good Christian we all have our egos.

 

[RoBo1988]

- Who is your choice be for US President in this challenging election season and good Godly reasons why?

Ron Paul (Senator Rand's Dad) he's not running.
He would be much more frugal with your tax dollars, and would not seek out monsters to destroy with our military.

 

[WolfGate]

Sprknjc - that is a nice summary of statistics and some history. But you said it was in reply to me, and I cannot tell what point you were trying to make related to my post.

 

[SimplyMe]

Paulos23 - There is a reason for the separation of religion and government. I know the OP makes it seam harmless, until I remember what some Christians post here. Then I don't want them anywhere near a public office.​

There is a good Wikipedia article on this Separation of church and state in the United States - Wikipedia . In it,
1) "Thomas Jefferson wrote 'I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or **prohibiting the free exercise thereof**" This is also in the 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights, and sadly the prohibitions today are growing.
2) "Supreme Court in Zorach v. Clauson (1952) upheld accommodationism, holding that the nation's "institutions presuppose a Supreme Being" and that government recognition of God does not constitute the establishment of a state church as the Constitution's authors intended to prohibit."
3) According to another Wikipedia article "Christianity is the most prevalent religion in the United States. Estimates from 2021 suggest that of the entire U.S. population (332 million) about 63% is Christian (210 million)."

This is for good thought and discussion. I agree different belief systems can be basically shared, but none should be pushed down people's throats, which this nation in a downward spiral with the Freedom from Religion Foundation and the ACLU pushing secular humanism. Like in the Old Testament, denying God did not bode well for lot of people, such as the Great Flood and Noah's Ark and fire burning Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis and the invasion by Babylon later on in the Old Testament with people doing evil in eyes of God, part of the Old Testament punishment and restoration motif. More recently, 9-11-2001 changed this nation for a while. With politicians today, a simple prayer which one can choose to or choose not to participate is one matter, but giving a long sermon in the public square by a politician may be out of order, depending on the specific audience. If they only remember Ephesians 4:29 when they have a large and much diverse audience.

Would you rather have a politician who mostly does good as a True Servant of the people and not widely share their religion except when appropriate In Iowa Home Stretch, DeSantis Focuses on Faith, Family and ‘Culture of Life’ , but same leader does not go about sharing his religion to more secular audiences, with actions speaking louder than words OR one seeking his or her interests primarily and not of others ?

I think if you are going to quote Thomas Jefferson, you should look at the the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which Jefferson wrote. The second paragraph is the key paragraph there and states, "Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."

This is where the interpretation he used in the letter to the Danbury Baptists comes from, the idea of a separation of Church and State. Notice that Jefferson's actual thought was that the idea of religious liberty went both ways, both that religious exercise would not be restricted but, at the same time, religion would not restrict Americans, nor should they be forced to "support" religion.

 

[Larniavc]

There isn't any such thing as a good Christian we all have our egos.

Seems odd to want one in charge then. I’d rather have a good person at the helm than a bad one.