Seething over President Trump’s use of vulgarity and recent revelations of paying hush money to a porn star about a past affair, the news media continues to lambast evangelicals for their moral relativism in defending him. The Washington Post ran an article saying evangelicals have lost their “gag reflex” over the President’s actions, suggesting we are not repulsed by what is reported.
Are the attacks unwarranted? Sadly, no.
Jeffress and Graham
When asked about Trump’s recent use of vulgarity during immigration discussions Robert Jeffress, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, dismissed the press’ questions saying Trump was functioning in his capacity as the President.
That was lame, the press was not asking whether the President was functioning as the President. They were justly questioning his lack of courtesy and common decency in his choice of words.
When CNN’s Don Lemon asked Franklin Graham why evangelicals were not as outraged over Trump’s affair with a porn star as they were with Bill Clinton’s affair, Franklin replied that Trump’s affair was prior to taking office. Lame again, Lemon was questioning the morality of the affair, not its timing.
They do not speak for all evangelicals
Neither Jeffress nor Graham spoke for me. But before I speak I need to preface my remarks with the following; all men, myself included, share two commonalities; we are created in the image of God and have an inherited fallen nature from our first parents. Regrettably, I have sinned and made my share of mistakes.
All of us are capable of doing good and bad things, and as we live and learn we should become wiser and do better. Ergo, I may be saddened and concerned about the things people say and do, but I am not repulsed by anyone; we share a common struggle. I write not to condemn as much as to point people in the right direction as I understand the Scriptures.
I am saddened
I am saddened about many things.
I am saddened when I hear men who claim to be spiritual advisers and should be representing Christ speak like political pawns instead of the prophets they were called to be.
I am saddened when our President who claims to be a Christian fails to act like one.
I am saddened when the news media willingly forsakes journalistic objectivity to manipulate public opinion to press a blatantly biased agenda against the President.
I am saddened when I witness our congress so entrenched in political infighting they cannot find common ground on which to enact legislation for the common good of the American people who elected them.
I am saddened when I see a judiciary more committed to social activism than faithfully interpreting the law.
I think I see the moral issues well, and make the best decisions I can based on it. But ultimately I agree with the psalmist, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord, than to trust in man,” Psalm 118:8, and I pray, because I trust no man more than I trust God.
How’s that for moral relativism?
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