What Can We Really do?

[Always in His Presence]

I think focus on issues rather than people might be a good idea.

Well said and I agree 100%. It doesn't matter your age - it doesn't matter if you have children and/or childless - Your opinion is valuable and persons who are so weak on the subject they have to comment on you personally - are not worth the time of effort.

They're certainly not following Scripture either

 

[2PhiloVoid]

For those of us who feel that our government is being dismantled, turned upside down and perhaps irreparably damaged, what can we do?

Posting here is useless. In fact any social media is pointless.
We can get involved at our local level politics but that is unrelated to the bigger picture.
Gerrymandering has pretty much determined who gets our votes.
I have not been one form demonstrations and protests. They may do more harm than good.

It seems to me that more energy into our House of Representatives and Senate candidates is about our best option.

Probably the best course of political action for a Christian in the U.S. is to pray and be a good neighbor. Beyond that, I think we run the risk of making (and pushing) plans that might not be meted out by the Lord. In this, some things James said come to mind.

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

Well said and I agree 100%. It doesn't matter your age - it doesn't matter if you have children and/or childless - Your opinion is valuable and persons who are so weak on the subject they have to comment on you personally - are not worth the time of effort.

They're certainly not following Scripture either

We should not consider age, marital status, or whether a candidate has children. Instead, we should focus on their character, integrity, and moral values. By focusing exclusively on the issue we care about, we have been led to choose the "lesser of two evils" for the past 40 years.

 

[Always in His Presence]

We should not consider age, marital status, or whether a candidate has children. Instead, we should focus on their character, integrity, and moral values. By focusing exclusively on the issue we care about, we have been led to choose the "lesser of two evils" for the past 40 years.

I was not addressing a candidate - but a poster who was told first that she only had 30 years left to live so why bother - rude
and then if she was childless - her opinion wasn't important. rude also.

We were not addressing candidates, but posters.

As for issues - that is what matters - Right to Life - 2nd amendment - strong borders - all issues that helped Mr. Trump be re-elected.

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

As for issues - that is what matters - Right to Life - 2nd amendment - strong borders - all issues that helped Mr. Trump be re-elected.

I respectfully disagree with your perspective. These issues are important to core Republican voters, but the independent voters who supported President Trump in November were primarily concerned with economic matters. They were dissatisfied with President Biden's handling of the economy and did not trust Vice President Harris to address these economic challenges effectively.

Furthermore, some Democrats became disillusioned with the DEI policies, woke agenda, and transgender policies promoted by liberal extremists; they also cast their votes for President Trump. One of President Trump's superpower is building a coalition that includes individuals from both the right and the left, as well as attracting minority voters.

 

[BCP1928]

I was not addressing a candidate - but a poster who was told first that she only had 30 years left to live so why bother - rude
and then if she was childless - her opinion wasn't important. rude also.

We were not addressing candidates, but posters.

As for issues - that is what matters - Right to Life - 2nd amendment - strong borders - all issues that helped Mr. Trump be re-elected.

Right to life: I think you've already gotten all you are going to get. When Roe v. Wade fell you still had late-term abortions. In a civilized country you would have moved on to abortion laws typical of those in Europe. But not in this country, I think. Of course they provide prenatal care as well as family leave. But Pro-Life wants the whole hog. and none of those benefits civilized counties provide. You will never convince more than half the country that a fertilized egg is a "baby" and some of the more heavy-handed Pro-Lifers have overplayed, with police investigation for miscarriages, talking about hacking menstrual cycle apps on women's phones, etc. It's beginning to look to too many people more like an attempt to control women's sexs lives. And that's not what got Trump the swing vote.

2nd Amendment: As long as gun control of any kind is nothing but a left-wing conspiracy to disarm Real True Christian Patriots you've got all you are going to get there too. And, no, that's not what got Trump the swing vote, either.

Strong Borders. Now you're on to something. Everybody is concerned about the border, but not all for the same reasons. Maybe you voted for strong borders because you believe in the Great Replacement conspiracy. Other people voted for strong borders--even those who would not object to having pet-eating Haitians as refugees--because our immigration policy sucks and has for years and Biden made a mess of that. You definitely got a swing vote there. But you have to be careful not to lose it. The ICE clown show is beginning to annoy people.

So as others have pointed out, the real swing vote came on the economy, and the circumstances of the working class. Here you had an initial advantage. The Democrats have not spoken for the working class for years, and their identity politics helps divide and alienate them. But you have to be very careful here, too. What it boils down to is that the working class wants a bigger share of the pie. Trump promised but he won't deliver. What are you going to do then?

 

[Always in His Presence]

Trump promised but he won't deliver. What are you going to do then?

What will you do when he does deliver?

 

[bèlla]

I have no intention of doing a thing politically. If it crashes and burns so be it. I have a lot of years ahead and they’re better spent focusing on the Lord and the work He’s called me to perform. Impacting lives is more important than worrying about the government. It’s overrun with wickedness and the same will follow suit. It isn’t the first of that stripe and won’t be the last. Make a difference where you can and enjoy your days.

~bella

 

[d taylor]

Good advice for the child less who have no stake in the future for those of us who do have descendants whom we love, we want them to have a good future.

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You can not do anything about the future and your descendants. You may at most put in a government to your liking at the moment you pass into eternity , but at best that will last 4 years, maybe 8

 

[d taylor]

I have no intention of doing a thing politically. If it crashes and burns so be it. I have a lot of years ahead and they’re better spent focusing on the Lord and the work He’s called me to perform. Impacting lives is more important than worrying about the government. It’s overrun with wickedness and the same will follow suit. It isn’t the first of that stripe and won’t be the last. Make a difference where you can and enjoy your days.

~bella

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Instead of just giving you a winner, i will compliment you on your post it is definitely a winner

 

[bèlla]

Who's going to take the hit after that? Blacks? Non-Christians? Or is it the turn of the women?

I can’t speak for the others but I promise you blacks won’t take the hit. They’re taking their own to task at the moment and aren’t concerned about the government the way others are. There’s a growing movement of separation within the ranks and they’re more inclined to focus on themselves and let rest play out.

That’s the thing about adversity. Once you know how to survive you can weather anything. You learn how to move with the current and pick yourself up when required. The only people panicking are the ones who can’t climb. When you know how to stand you roll with the punches.

~bella

 

[NxNW]

Who's going to take the hit after that? Blacks? Non-Christians? Or is it the turn of the women?

It's always women's turn.

 

[Richard T]

We can get involved at our local level politics but that is unrelated to the bigger picture.

The rest I mostly agree with. However, I will give you this exception. A good number of those in Congress entered the ranks starting the local level.

It seems to me that more energy into our House of Representatives and Senate candidates is about our best option.

We need more primary options for moderates of both parties.

Just pray because God is in control of this. Even the worse outcome, war can win more people to Christ. I do not pray for that. The status quo or even the MAGA movement will not continue for long due to economic and cultural constraints. Midterms are usually strong for the opposing party too.
You are right to look at ways to move to more moderate positions.
Texas too is on the verge of turning blue.
I actually worry the GOP is more out of sync than the democrats for the long term. When the harm comes the reality is going to hurt.

 

[eclipsenow]

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Yes, i am sure there are some people going to hell that would like to know how to receive God's free gift of Eternal Life by belief in Jesus. But i guess it is more important to worry about and argue over american politics.

UNENGAGED?
Your 'either / or' fixation is a false dichotomy.
Read Romans 13. Paul was talking about obeying and honouring the government. Part of that today is the government expects us to be engaged citizens - democracy requires that. Sure - keep the gospel primary. But why are you disparaging those who are engaged citizens of your country, who you just see in these political posts? The Christians are probably also involved as heavenly citizens as well. Read some Augustine! It's not either or, but both and.

CHRISTIANS VOTING?
Now for Christians, there's subtlety and nuance in this engagement. I think that even if the whole world was Christian, we would still need democracy, and still need political parties, because there would still be different perspectives on how to solve things.

In the messier, complicated world of politics we have now, positions are compromised. We can only vote for what we consider the 'less bad' - not the perfect. Voting will always be something we do 'holding our nose'. There will always be a compromise that stinks!

WAS PAUL WORRIED ABOUT THIS?
Paul was not saying honour the government as long as it pushes Christian morality! He was talking about the ROMANS! Wow. Let that sink in for a minute as we consider the implications for the separation of church and state. The Romans practiced EXPOSURE of full grown babies they didn't want - especially baby girls. Just leave them out in the woods. What does Paul say about that? Does he condemn it in his letters? Does he even mention what they do? Does he expect secular Roman law to somehow have a spiritual influence on the citizens? No, no and no. He just told the Roman church to respect the Roman government for keeping basic law and order!

THE SEPARATION
1 Corinthians 5:12-13: ESV

"For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. 'Purge the evil person from among you.'"

Under a dictatorship like the Roman government - Paul took your stance of disengagement from politics. He was also very clear in developing his arguments that the Old Testament ceremonial law could not save - and would probably have pointed the same thing out about secular law and governments.

But under Romans 13 we see a glimpse of what Paul might have considered grounds for Christian engagement had he been living in a democracy. The government ASKS for our input, and it is honouring God by honouring the government to do exactly that.

So what does that look like? Does every Christian have to vote Republican, because ... abortion or something?
I don't think so. We can only vote for the less bad. There are ethical perspectives to have on all sorts of 'right-to-life' issues. Dumbing down politics to "I vote for Trump because he's against abortion!" ignores the fact that his overseas aid cuts might kill twice as many people as abortion annually, just making abortion illegal does not stop it, and abortion actually went up under his first term. Abortion is primarily and ECONOMIC issue - and I would be surprised if it was not climbing faster than he can say "More tariffs!"

Then how to Christian Republicans support his hatred of refugees and immigrants? His constant lying about them? That is completely alien to God's care for the stranger and vulnerable.

Finally - are not Christians supposed to celebrate and defend TRUTH? How is Trump's denial of climate change helping anyone?

So no - Christians do NOT 'have to' vote for one side or the other. It's all 'less bad' and not perfection anyway.