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temporal1 wrote:

Ernie wrote:Can anybody point me to the conversation in which evangelical leaders were saying how the term "Evangelical" has been ruined after so many Evangelicals supported Trump?

the word has been problematic long before Trump entered politics, he cannot take either credit or blame for that. it's a word that's used to mean different things to different people, and, many people use different meanings depending on context.

it's a word i've tried to avoid all my life.
when others use it, i try to figure out which meaning/context they are using, not always easy.
it's a word that's been discussed on this forum various times.

i would not agree that Trump ruined the word, or that he ruined anyone using it.

if i recall, the first groups of believers Trump met with as POTUS were Catholics.
no broo-ha-ha over that (that i'm aware.)

did Trump ruin the word, "Catholic?"
possibly Pelosi and Biden took care of that.

i hope you're able to locate the video you're searching for.

Good points. Long before Trump ran for President, I didn't like the word Evangelical because in my mind it has been so politicized that it in the larger culture, 'Evangelical' has come to basically mean "Someone who hates gays and is against abortion." Because of that, I don't like to identify myself with that term. Don't go me wrong, I believe homosexuality and abortion are both sins, but I don't want to identify myself with what has become, in the culture at large, a politicized term with a very narrow meaning.

Adam wrote:'Evangelical' has come to basically mean "Someone who hates gays and is against abortion." Because of that, I don't like to identify myself with that term. Don't go me wrong, I believe homosexuality and abortion are both sins, but I don't want to identify myself with what has become, in the culture at large, a politicized term with a very narrow meaning.

Evangelical is also typically synonymous with "gun-toting Republican"

KingdomBuilder wrote:

Adam wrote:

temporal1 wrote:'Evangelical' has come to basically mean "Someone who hates gays and is against abortion." Because of that, I don't like to identify myself with that term. Don't go me wrong, I believe homosexuality and abortion are both sins, but I don't want to identify myself with what has become, in the culture at large, a politicized term with a very narrow meaning.

Evangelical is also typically synonymous with "gun-toting Republican"

You are not kidding here. In my former evangelical church, a few families threatened to leave if all officeholders who were registered as democrats were not removed from office. I was particularly was singled out because it was felt that I "Liked Obamacare." (I am a health professional, and it enabled many of my uninsured patients to get the treatment they needed)

I think it was ruined when many of the "leaders" supported Reagan over Carter, who was clearly an evangelical. That coincided with the "moral majority " which was the other piece of that puzzle.

J.M.

KingdomBuilder wrote:

Adam wrote:'Evangelical' has come to basically mean "Someone who hates gays and is against abortion." Because of that, I don't like to identify myself with that term. Don't go me wrong, I believe homosexuality and abortion are both sins, but I don't want to identify myself with what has become, in the culture at large, a politicized term with a very narrow meaning.

Evangelical is also typically synonymous with "gun-toting Republican"

when i wrote (page 1) i only meant to describe my personal lack of confidence in understanding the word. lots of people use it, many churches use some form of the word in their name. it's a good word, but, used in various ways, sometimes to criticize and diminish, which is sad.

so, like Adam, i'm not confident using it. that's not to suggest others shouldn't.

words are misused all the time, the early history of Christians experienced the same, and harshly.
early on, the word, "Christian," was a derogatory word, and, is getting plenty of bad press today.
i read plenty of negative nearly everyday. sigh.

i will guess, there are few who are not careful about how they choose their words, and, use different words, depending on the level of trust+mutual understanding present when communicating.

i try to keep an open mind and positive attitude about the word, "evangelical," but i take nothing for granted. i try to figure out how it's being used in each instance.

i've learned more about it on this forum .. more about the positives.
the world decidedly wants it used for the negative (as is done with the word, "Christian.")

"Evangelical" is just a transliteration of a Greek word that means "good news" or "good message".

Ernie wrote:This is fine, but I was looking for a video discussion between a couple evangelicals, one of which was Piper I think.

I haven't found that yet, but did run across this little gem:
Donald Trump and John Piper Go on a Missions Trip

Here's one with MacArthur rather than Piper (hey, they have the same first name, and a similar theological orientation), that fits the description:
Donald Trump, Mark Driscoll & Evangelicals Q&A John MacArthur & Al Mohler
(Al Mohler speaking at the starting point in the link, MacArthur to the right)

ohio jones wrote:Here's one with MacArthur rather than Piper (hey, they have the same first name, and a similar theological orientation), that fits the description:
Donald Trump, Mark Driscoll & Evangelicals Q&A John MacArthur & Al Mohler
(Al Mohler speaking at the starting point in the link, MacArthur to the right)

This is the one! Thanks.

It may have been "ruined" clear back when it became a noun, instead of an adjective.

Neto wrote:It may have been "ruined" clear back when it became a noun, instead of an adjective.

yes. and, adding the capital "E:" .. "Them there Evangelicals" ..
thankfully, Jesus isn't confused, doesn't confuse.

Bootstrap wrote:I can't seem to find the video, but I'd be interested.

FWIW, if we are going to discard terms when they get ruined by misuse, what do we do with the term "Christian"?

If we were to run away from the stigma of a "ruined" name, we would have started way back in the time of James:

Do they not blaspheme the fair name with you have been called?

. James 2:7