President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Events occurring and how they relate/affect Anabaptist faith and culture.

POLL: What do you think about the Trump presidency so far?

 
Total votes: 0

temporal1
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by temporal1 »

Josh wrote:I’m still having trouble seeing how anyone who promotes abortion (like past Democratic presidents) can be seen as moral or ethical even if they do say polite things and aren’t caught using foul language.

Of course, past presidents were no different than Trump. LBJ was exceedingly foul and JFK was a notorious womaniser. Obama presided over legalising and promoting same sex marriage.

These things seem unethical and immoral to me.
i agree.
the internet-24/7 “news” simply magnifies biased notions, consumers buy into various talking points.
possibly, a “game” mentality exists more than before (?) - diplomacy really isn’t a topic. winning is.

in all honesty, i believe President Trump uses more diplomacy than the former admin.
he was a Democrat most of his life, diplomacy, negotiating are REQUIREMENTS of successful business, not of ideology. so, while his “legendary” raw words make the internet explode! -
his diplomacy is downplayed to crickets. consumers of “news” (propaganda) must be mindful.

but, the idea that anything justifies rampant abortion as a party platform, i can’t go there.
that does not add up. those in the DNC who dare to disagree are .. quieted, at the very least.
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Most or all of this drama, humiliation, wasted taxpayer money could be spared -
with even modest attempt at presenting balanced facts from the start.


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Sudsy
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by Sudsy »

[bible]Philippians 4,8[/bible]

This is a great verse for maintaining a peaceful, joy filled, trusting (no fear) Christian life. Imo, most discussions around politics do not major on these areas.

[bible]Isaiah 26,3[/bible]

So, no matter what any earthly leader or government may be doing in these other kingdoms, really doesn't need to concern me as I'm really just a 'stranger passing through'. An alien. This ain't my home. However, I'm to be an ambassador of another country, another Kingdom where a King is true and just and pure and trustworthy and we soon will be with Him.

With all the enticements in this temporal world on what to think about, it is certainly an area of spiritual warfare. God help me to focus on Jesus and better represent His Kingdom.
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MaxPC
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by MaxPC »

Sudsy wrote:[bible]Philippians 4,8[/bible]

This is a great verse for maintaining a peaceful, joy filled, trusting (no fear) Christian life. Imo, most discussions around politics do not major on these areas.

[bible]Isaiah 26,3[/bible]

So, no matter what any earthly leader or government may be doing in these other kingdoms, really doesn't need to concern me as I'm really just a 'stranger passing through'. An alien. This ain't my home. However, I'm to be an ambassador of another country, another Kingdom where a King is true and just and pure and trustworthy and we soon will be with Him.

With all the enticements in this temporal world on what to think about, it is certainly an area of spiritual warfare. God help me to focus on Jesus and better represent His Kingdom.
Amen and amen :up:
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Dan Z
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by Dan Z »

Josh wrote:I’m still having trouble seeing how anyone who promotes abortion (like past Democratic presidents) can be seen as moral or ethical even if they do say polite things and aren’t caught using foul language.

Of course, past presidents were no different than Trump. LBJ was exceedingly foul and JFK was a notorious womaniser. Obama presided over legalising and promoting same sex marriage. These things seem unethical and immoral to me.
I hear what you're saying Josh...but I respectfully disagree here with the idea that "past presidents were no different than Trump." None were perfect in terms of personal integrity I'm sure, but there is a vast spread between the likes of principled people like George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter on the one end, and less honorable leaders like Richard Nixon and Donald Trump on the other.

And this is my main issue with President Trump (let me drop the other shoe at this point) - policies aside, in terms of personal integrity and behavior befitting the role of the presidency, he is continuously setting new (disappointingly low) standards that are not only harming the office, but the stability of our democratic system, and the state of world and internal relationships. I don't think you can put Trump along-side of Carter or Bush (or even Reagan or Obama) and say "they are all the same."

I believe Trump was put into office not because most people thought he would do a good job, but as a result of a significant voter dissatisfaction resulting in a fit of anti-establishment cynicism bent on upending the system - and perhaps the cynics are happy to see the system undercut like this, but the rest of the country (and the world) is being dragged along for the ride.

My beef is not so much with his policy positions (although I seriously take issue with a good many of them- especially those that seem to disadvantage the disadvantaged), but with the man himself: how he behaves, talks, relates, thinks, decides, and leads. I have given my life to the study and teaching of leadership - and as far as I'm concerned he is an objectively a unfit leader - especially if leadership is about doing good and bettering others. Furthermore, I believe him to be an unacceptable role-model (even by Washington standards), an embarrassing and divisive representative, and (I'm choosing my words carefully here) a narcissistic bully who's behavior should have been corrected in childhood - but wasn't.

I'm honestly not an alarmist, but I think we all should be especially diligent in the days and years ahead, ready to stand for the right, and ready to serve those who might be harmed if the system goes off the rails.
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KingdomBuilder
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by KingdomBuilder »

The entire "positive" vote tally is now only 1 ahead of the "very negative" category. Interesting...
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Ernie
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by Ernie »

Dan Z wrote:For some of us, politics is just plain interesting. So is psychology, and sociology, and leadership, and the study of human behavior in general for that matter. People are the crowing jewel of God's Creation, and there is nothing more fascinating to some of us than trying to figure out what motivates them, and how they organize themselves, and how and why they do the things they do.
Yes!!!

And I might add ecclesiology and ethonography to the list. These are probably on your list as well. :)

Here are the definitions I am referring to.
Ecclesiology: the study of churches
Ethnography: a type of anthropology that involves studying people in a particular society or culture by observing them in their natural setting.

I had the delightful privilege of spending three weeks in China this fall doing both.
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Ernie
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by Ernie »

Dan Z wrote: My beef is not so much with his policy positions (although I seriously take issue with a good many of them- especially those that seem to disadvantage the disadvantaged), but with the man himself: how he behaves, talks, relates, thinks, decides, and leads. I have given my life to the study and teaching of leadership - and as far as I'm concerned he is an objectively a unfit leader - especially if leadership is about doing good and bettering others. Furthermore, I believe him to be an unacceptable role-model (even by Washington standards), an embarrassing and divisive representative, and (I'm choosing my words carefully here) a narcissistic bully who's behavior should have been corrected in childhood - but wasn't.
I couldn't have said it better.
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The old woodcutter spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge?"
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Josh
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by Josh »

The idea of evaluating which heathens are “principled” and “respectable” seems like an odd exercise.

What is God’s perspective? All men are called to repent and obey the gospel. There is no “respectable” alternative path.

Ultimately I don’t find the actions of the past few presidents particularly in the area of war either principled or respectable; they have condoned with full knowledge torture, murder, assassinations, drone strikes, and in general behaved like warmongers. And the abortion issue still sits front and centre. Anyone who wields the kind of power the executive branch holds and tries to expand abortion rights condones murder, plain and simple.

I’m not sure why some people want a murderer who is respectable, speaks eloquently, and has “principles” about who and how he engages in his wicked acts.
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Joy
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Re: President Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by Joy »

A principle we might want to keep in mind as our (current) leaders are discussed:

Honor the king. I Peter 2:17c

We can't expect the secular media to observe this command, but God does expect us to.
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temporal1
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Re: Trump: A MennoNet Poll

Post by temporal1 »

Robert wrote: .. I wonder if the creator of the poll is holding some latent hostility or disrespect towards our current President, like part of the "he is not my president" group. :o
so, Robert was correct, however, i would not use the word “latent” in this context. :P
Dan, anyone who followed your posts very long would expect similar to Robert.

i retain the view that if these men were exposed in all fairness, differences would quickly blur. their sins might vary, but the seriousness of the different sins probably would not.

MLK, Jr, was a womanizer, remembered as a god.

i’m unsure of lumping Nixon and Trump together. that’s a brain challenge (for me.)
in retrospect, one thing about Nixon i learned to appreciate (a lot) was that he voluntarily resigned!
Clinton demonstrated, and continues to demonstrate, that sort of integrity is passe’, for chumps!

i am also interested in how leadership works.
i’m certain i’m not in your league with quality of study, but, i have noticed lots of things in my life. good leadership can works wonders, and, quickly.

godly leadership is a gift.
we must pray to never ignore or take for granted times when we are blessed with inspired leadership. however, i would not look to political leaders to be godly leaders.
i’m thrilled if they will simply respect believers, and allow civilized protections for us, as they govern.
Trump seems to be doing this.

i read a lot of vitriol aimed at Trump everyday. it’s sad.

if the former administration had employed some level of diplomacy to half of U.S. citizens that did not vote for (them) .. i don’t believe Trump would be POTUS today.

further, i do not believe Trump will repeat that mistake - although, it’s seriously doubtful he will receive fair recognition for what he does.

i agree with what some others are saying, the DNC is terrified Trump will be successful. they are more afraid of success than failure, failure would be fabulous, in their minds.

i was convinced Trump was NOT seriously interested in serving as POTUS, i ignored his campaign, etc.
i did not watch election night, was as surprised as any the next morning. flabbergasted.
i think he’s doing fine.
in face of the formal daily attacks, the determination to UNSEAT him, over literally anything - who else would hold up in that position?! who?! anyone? (i do not believe the DNC would have responded differently to ANY non-DNC candidate; to imagine otherwise is a fantasy.) hillary was in no mood to concede, to anyone.

it’s a strange thing.
time will tell the tale.

no surprise: others have posted. :D
now, to go back and read those entries.
0 x
Most or all of this drama, humiliation, wasted taxpayer money could be spared -
with even modest attempt at presenting balanced facts from the start.


”We’re all just walking each other home.”
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