Tag: vote
Reason #1 for Not Supporting Donald Trump: He is Clueless About Religious Freedom
Posted on May 17, 2016 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
It seems Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for the 2016 presidential election. While many are extremely happy about that possibility, I am more concerned than ever about the future of our country.
First of all, let me say that I believe God is alive and well and continuing to be sovereign over all that takes place. As the Bible clearly indicates, God uses rulers (presidents) to bless and to punish nations. How Donald Trump will be used by God should he become president is not for me to prophesy about; I’ll leave that in God’s hands.
However, statements by Trump from a few months ago give me little reason to be excited by his nomination and possible presidency.
It was reported a few months ago that Trump wanted a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” until elected officials can “figure out what is going on.”
Trump went on to say that he would like to stop all Muslims from entering the country
The Evangelical Theology of Donald Trump…or…Lack Thereof.
Posted on April 20, 2016 in Public Policy, Theology by Nathan Cherry
I’ve written several times about the concerning reality that any self-identified “evangelicals” are supporting Donald Trump for president. This curious truth says less about Trump and more about the people supporting him; especially the theology of those people.
Michael Horton is a brilliant scholar of biblical theology. He is a professor and author whose books are often used as text books in many college classes. Horton has penned an article analyzing the connection between Trump and his Christian following. In particular Horton highlights the theological implications behind the strong support for Trump from America’s believers.
After sharing a brief history of the shallow extent of Trumps religious upbringing in a controversial church setting, Horton recounts the support from well-known evangelical sources:
Hillary Clinton Has Some Shocking Comments Regarding the Unborn
Posted on April 13, 2016 in Life, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
Significant progress has been made concerning the defense of the unborn across our country. State legislatures are enacting pro-life laws to defend the unborn at a record pace. Abortion clinics are closing in historic numbers and currently there is far fewer clinics than there was just 15 years ago. As a nation, we are moving towards defending the unborn as science continually affirms the humanity of children in their mother’s womb.
But despite the reality that a majority of Americans want abortion reform; despite a majority of Americans claiming to be pro-life; two presidential candidates want to move us backwards and undo the significant progress made.
In an interview recently, candidate Hillary Clinton made it clear that she believes abortion is more of a right than life for the unborn. She made this statement:
Is Donald Trump What American Christians Deserve? Maybe?
Posted on April 6, 2016 in Public Policy, Theology by Nathan Cherry
If you didn’t know better, you would be convinced that a vast majority of evangelical Christians support Donald Trump for president. If you didn’t know better.
There is no doubt that the mainstream media is propping Donald Trump up in his bid to be elected president. No one says the crazy things Trump has said on the campaign trail and survives unless the media is helping. Liberal outlets even seem joyful in their reporting that “evangelical Christians” are lining up to support Trump. But is it true that evangelicals en masse are prepared to vote for Trump in this year’s election?
I don’t think so.
Yes, it’s true that Trump has secured (for now) a large part of the Christian vote. We could have a discussion on the difference between “self-identified Christian” and those that are truly Christ-followers, but I’ll save that for another time. For now let’s just agree that many church-going people intend to vote for Trump in November and that reality is causing a stir.
Never in my years of presidential elections have I witnessed so many prominent evangelicals vocally oppose a republican candidate. For the most part church leaders and other prominent evangelicals remain silent. Not because they don’t have opinions and prefer one candidate over another; but because they prefer to focus on the Gospel instead of politics. (That’s also another conversation.)
Is Voting for “The Lesser of Two Evils” a Biblical Position for Christians?
Posted on March 23, 2016 in Public Policy, Theology by Nathan Cherry
Is it appropriate for Christians to vote for the “lesser of two evils” in an election where there is not a good candidate?
I was in a discussion with some friends recently in which the question was raised of who Christians should vote for if the candidate choices were Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. On one hand, Clinton is pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” and pro- many other things that Christians oppose. She is not a fit candidate for any Christian to support.
But on the other hand is Donald Trump. Trump claims to be a Christian but says he has never asked God for forgiveness and doesn’t need to, he is belligerent, insulting, and proud of his own sins. His brand of “Christian” is false and has the potential to drive people away from Jesus rather than to Him. Overall he is not an expression of Christianity or an example of Christ that a Christian should endorse.
The conversation turned to the idea of voting for the “lesser of two evils” and it was quickly decided that Trump is that choice. This bothered me. I knew I could not vote for Trump just because he was a little less “evil” than Clinton but I wasn’t sure how to articulate why. Then I read an article by Dr. Albert Mohler on the subject and it made perfect sense.
URGENT: Bill to Ban Dismemberment Abortions Headed to Governor Tomblin
Posted on March 8, 2016 in Life by Nathan Cherry
A bill to ban dismemberment abortions in West Virginia has made it through the legislature and been strongly supported by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The “West Virginia Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act, SB 10,” is now headed to Governor Tomblin’s desk to approval after passing through the legislature with a 86-13 vote of approval.
The problem is that Governor Tomblin has already shown his lack of support for pro-life laws. Tomblin vetoed a bill to make abortion on unborn children over 20 weeks illegal. Thankfully the legislature over-rode his veto and the bill became law. What Tomblin will do with this new bill designed to further strengthen West Virginia’s defense of the unborn is anyone’s guess.
A recent article carried comments from supporters of the bill from across the state. Each comment recognizes the humanity of the unborn and the absolute barbarity of allowing an unborn child to be torn limb from limb in the womb. The reality that such a procedure is legal anywhere in the world reflects the evil profit for murder mentality that is so pervasive in the abortion industry.
Defenders of the bill said:
Do You Know Where the Presidential Candidates Stand on Important Issues? Check Out This 2016 Voter Guide
Posted on March 3, 2016 in Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
As the 2016 primary season begins to hit its stride, being armed with the right information is critical. This election could be pivotal for our country as we are dangerously close to a path that, I believe, could be ruinous for our once great nation. With that in mind, I found a recent post by Citizenlink, a Focus on the Family affiliate, very helpful.
It’s hard to know where to turn to get reliable information on where candidates stand on important issues. But the folks at Citizenlink have been helping to create voter guides for many years. Citizenlink has partnered with the Florida Family Policy Council to produce an informative voter guide intended to shed light on specific positions held by both Republican and Democratic candidates.
The voter guide addresses the issues of abortion, immigration, common core, and religious freedom. The explanations for answers given by candidates makes this a reputable voter guide that bears a few moments of your time. I found it interesting that only one candidate answered all the questions in the same way I did. That puts the current race into perspective for me.
You can see full-size versions or even download the PDF versions of these voter guides here.
Common Sense Wins in Houston as Men are Not Allowed in Women’s Bathrooms
Posted on November 10, 2015 in Public Policy, Sexuality, Uncategorized by Nathan Cherry
What does not seem to be so common is common sense. The HERO ordinance would have allowed transgender people to use whatever bathroom, shower, locker room, or facility they chose. This means, in very simple terms, that any person can claim to be any gender they want in order to gain access to the facility they want. To put it plainly, men, particularly sexual predators would have immediate access to women’s bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms.
George Washington Law School professor John Banzhaf put the measure in perspective by noting that women would see it as an invasion of their “sexual privacy.” He said:
Two Reasons Why Many Churches Are Dying…or…Killing Themselves. Part 1: Unbiblical Structure
Posted on February 12, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
This is likely to be a short blog post. But one I hope to build upon and expand into a cohesive doctrinal teaching regarding the church.
Recently I was in a discussion with a group of people about the church. We were talking about being hurt by the church; something I’m afraid too many people have in common. In fact, when I asked who had ever been hurt by the church I am fairly certain every hand went up. I jokingly quipped that those hands not going up represent some “really good liars.”
Call me a skeptic, but anyone that claims to have never been hurt by the church strikes me as dishonest. After years in ministry I’m just not sure there is anyone left that has not been hurt by the church.
As I reflect back on my life growing up as a pastor’s kid, ministry education, and time spent in various ministry roles, I have concluded that two things lead to much of the hurt that takes place in the church: unbiblical church structure, and unbiblical expectations placed on pastors.
What the Historic Mid-Term Elections Mean for the GOP and America
Posted on November 7, 2014 in Life, Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
To say that the 2014 mid-term elections were historic is an understatement. The first black senator from the south since reconstruction was elected when Sen. Tim Scott won his race in South Carolina. The first black, female, conservative woman was sent to Congress when Mia Love won her race in Utah.
Blue states such as Illinois, Maryland, and Massachusetts, elected Republican governors.
West Virginia sent its first-ever woman to Congress – and she’s a Republican!
The GOP made gains in the House of Representatives, giving them their largest majority since World War 2.
And the GOP took control of the Senate, firing both Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi from their speaker positions.
President Obama made the statement that his policies were on the ballot during this election. He said America would voting on his policies and leadership of our country at the polls on Tuesday.
America has spoken. America has soundly, loudly rejected the policies of President Obama and sent a clear message that we do not support his agenda. It’s a message that continues to ripple across the country.
But what does this historic win for conservatives mean for the Republican Party and for America?