I had someone comment on my post about presidential character and James Dobson’s comments that we aren’t electing a pastor. He’s right in that regard. I guess my ultimate issue with the post is that is was written by someone professing to represent Christianity.

Dr. Dobson’s post essentially was saying that the end justifies the means. That, in order to keep his version of religion, he was willing to overlook everything wrong with the character of the current president that is far opposed to the faith he, Dr. Dobson, espouses. The letter was written with an email his wife received as inspiration. The following in blue is an excerpt from the letter

“‘This is not a junior high or high school popularity/personality contest. I’m not voting for the person—I’m voting for the platform!

I’m voting for the Second Amendment. I’m voting for the next Supreme Court justice. I’m voting for the electoral college. I’m voting for the Republic in which we live. I’m voting for the police and law and order. I’m voting for the military and the veterans who fought and died for this country. I’m voting for the flag that is often missing from public events. I’m voting for the right to speak my opinion and not be censored for it. I’m voting for secure borders. I’m voting for the right to praise God without fear. I’m voting for every unborn soul that is at risk of being aborted. I’m voting for freedom and the American dream. I’m voting for good and against evil. I’m not just voting for one person.

I’m voting for the future of my country!”

I couldn’t have said it better, although I want to add to the writer’s list. I’m also voting for candidates who will exercise sound leadership internationally. I’m voting for those who will support Israel. I’m voting for those who will protect children from leftist curricula. I’m voting for the nation’s fiscal integrity. I’m voting for parental rights. I’m voting for school choice and home education. I’m voting for freedom in the suburbs. I’m voting for Little Sisters of the Poor and other Christian organizations. I’m voting for racial unity. I am voting to support “In God we trust” and school prayer. I’m voting for freedom of conscience for physicians and other professionals. I am voting for marriage. I am voting for life in all its dimensions. I am voting against euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. I’m voting for wisdom in handling the pandemic. I am voting for protection for the Church from oppressive politicians.”

First of all some of the points he makes presuming he is talking about President Trump is ridiculous. “Sound leadership internationally” for a guy that sucks up to dictators and alienates our allies. “Wisdom in handling the pandemic” for a man who understood early how dangerous it was and kept it under the carpet and now continues to downplay it when thousands of people have died and thousands continue to get sick even today. “Racial unity” – you’ve got to be kidding!! President Trump has done everything to promote continuing racial divide. Boggles my mind that Dr. Dobson thinks these things are exemplified by Donald Trump.

Some of the things Dr. Dobson promotes as his version of Christian values are not consistent with my view of what Jesus represents. Dr. Dobson says he wants racial unity and then says he wants to protect marriage – an intentional statement to oppress the rights of LGBTQ people. The focus on money and where kids go to school and the second amendment are not issues that should matter for people who represent Jesus to the world. In all honesty this letter to me represents the 2020 version of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Dr. Dobson and other evangelicals have framed their version of Christianity and the power they wield with it and are willing to do what it takes to maintain it – including backing a person who only serves himself, mocks and degrades people, and in no way represents Jesus to the world. It makes me wonder how they would react to Jesus if he came back today and challenged their “platform”. Would they recognize him and embrace him or destroy him for the sake of their “Christianity”?

This shouldn’t be interpreted to say that Joe Biden is of perfect moral character. No one is as we are all sinners. While the commentator on my original post was right that we are not electing a pastor, to have someone known to represent Christianity tell people to ignore the character of a person who represent 1/3 of our government structure for the “platform” disgusts me in ways I cannot even begin to express.

I rarely talk publicly about my political opinions. This is especially true since Travis and I married. I grew up in a Democratic household. Travis grew up in a Republican household Generally I think we are both more in the middle and try to vote for the best candidates, but policy-wise I tend to lean a little left and he leans right. Knowing that we look at politics differently, it isn’t a subject discussed at family gatherings. I love his siblings and respect their faith. As such, I have wanted to ask more that once how they reconcile supporting President Trump and the way he behaves. My sister-in-law shared a post that I suppose is intended to answer that question, but honestly leaves me even more conflicted.

The post is written by Dr. Dobson of Focus on the Family. The gist of the post is that this election isn’t about the person, but the platform. It goes on the list all of the platform issues he finds important. Some of them in the light of the last 4 years are insanely ironic to me. I could rehash them, but I won’t. A statement near the end is what really struck me…

“That is why the notion of choosing a president based on frivolous personality characteristics is so unfortunate.”

Read that again…

“That is why the notion of choosing a president based on frivolous personality characteristics is so unfortunate.”

The leader of a large Christian organization is giving the President a pass on character….

As Christians our whole goal is to be Jesus to the world. And Jesus is all about character. Service…. Compassion…. Love…. Forgiveness… Commitment… Prayer… Gentleness… Patience… Humility… That is the whole of Jesus. No where in that description is maintaining fiscal security or picking where our kids get to go to school or the second amendment.

No I think there is no explanation for the character of Donald Trump that fits the Christian narrative so he just wants us to ignore it.

But when you compromise character…. How is that honoring Jesus? How is that demonstrating Christianity to the world? It makes me want to ask “Do you worship Jesus or do you worship the platform?”

Gun laws and abortion have been hot topics in our nation the last several years. Mass murders and other shootings are driving some to demand tougher laws to try to stem the violence. Others are very vocal proclaiming gun laws won’t keep guns out of the hands of criminals. “They’ll find a way to get them, maybe on the black market.” Many of the same people claiming gun laws won’t stop criminals from getting guns are the same people demanding more restrictive abortion laws. I find it ironic that there is genuine belief that more restrictive abortion laws will stop abortions. They didn’t before Roe v. Wade. “They’ll find another way to get them, maybe on the black market.” Laws are being written to make access to abortions more difficult and, with the current Supreme Court opening, many fear Roe v. Wade is in jeopardy. To further add to the irony, many of the same people demanding that these babies be born don’t want to extend social services to them like food stamps and affordable health care to help in raising them. What a predicament for the pregnant woman. But of course none of this lands on the father. Our courts make it so expensive to get child support in what are often unmarried scenarios. So now the burden is on the pregnant woman to figure out what to do. I can hear the arguments now…

“She should’ve used birth control.”

“She shouldn’t have sex if she thinks she might get pregnant.”

“She shouldn’t have sex if she can’t afford birth control.”

“Too bad she got raped, but she’ll just have to suck it up and deliver that baby anyway.”

“The pregnancy will likely kill the mom, but at least she didn’t have an abortion.”

In the fall of 1990, I was that unmarried, pregnant woman trying to figure out what to do. We used birth control, but it failed. I was 22 and a college senior. And I was faced with a choice. So many anti-abortion activists want to demonize Planned Parenthood. What a crock. As a poor college kid, I went to Planned Parenthood and they provided me with a well woman exam and helped me with birth control. And I went to Planned Parenthood to confirm my pregnancy. They explained my options, without promoting one over another, and offered unbelievable support a very scared young lady.

For me the choice was relatively easy. I say relative because an unexpected pregnancy throws your whole world upside down. I thought my life was heading in one direction and then it suddenly took a hard 90 to the left. Despite that, I chose to raise my child. But let’s examine my situation. My child would be born the summer after I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I anticipated a well-paying job with good benefits to help me. I was healthy. Sex was voluntary. Not every woman experiencing the hard 90 left of unexpected pregnancy is as fortunate as I was in my situation.

If anyone were to read this, by now they are probably labeling me as pro-abortion. No, I am not. I am pro sex education in the schools. I am pro access to free or affordable birth control. If we can stop the pregnancies then we can stop abortions. I am also pro affordable health care. I am pro giving women in unimaginable situations an option that might work for them. I am pro changing the court system to make it easier to hold fathers of these babies more accountable. They should have to account for their sexual behavior, too.

In a perfect world their would be no abortions. As a Christian, that would be my fervent desire. But we live in a broken world. Things will happen that put women in difficult situations. And right now, mostly older, male politicians who have likely never had to account for their sexual behavior are politicizing abortions and trying to dictate the choices we women have with our bodies. They are waving their “Champions of the Unborn” banners trying to get elected. Maybe laws will become more restrictive and maybe more babies will be born… But then what? Who is going to be there to champion for them? Certainly not those older, male politicians…

I have been thinking a lot lately about political leaders and religion. So many seem to want to put on their Christian badges so Christians in their electorate will want to vote for them. But what kind of Christian are they – if they are really Christians at all?

Are they trying to be the forceful savior so many wanted Jesus to be – riding in and smiting down anyone who doesn’t believe what they believe? If not smiting, perhaps striking people down by enacting laws that hurt those who are different than they are or who live lives differently then they think should be allowed?

Perhaps they are like the Pharisees and Sadducees with all of the intellectual understanding of their religion and want it to be on display so others might think highly of them. But behind the scenes their lives don’t reflect what they say they believe. When the spotlight is on, they say and do what they think Christians expect of them but could care less when the spotlight is off.

Or are they Christians who strive to be like Jesus? A man who rode humbly into Jerusalem knowing that soon He would sacrifice Himself for the likes of me and many other like me. A man who associated with the lowest in society. A man who healed and taught and LOVED. He met (and still meets) people where they were and offered them love and the opportunity to follow Him. He never forced anyone to believe Him or follow Him. He never punished or condemned people who weren’t Christians. because salvation could come even at the last minuted. Spotlight or not, Jesus loved and cared for ALL people with everything He had.

I look at the way people are being treated across our nations by political leaders wearing their Christian badges and I can’t help but wonder what god they follow because it certainly isn’t the God I follow.

I am the book “Grace, Food, and Everything in Between” by Aubrey Solbek. She made a connection that was revolutionary to me: “Jesus IS grace. He’s the unmerited, undeserved, unearned forgiveness and favor of God sent down for us.” I have perceived those as gifts He provided through His death on the cross, but never that Jesus himself is the full manifestation of grace. It was a “WOW” moment indeed.

The book’s author shared that, in her early walk with Christ, grace started and stopped at salvation and that she had cleaned up some of her behaviors on the outside. Her heart, however, still struggled with pride – her sins weren’t as bad as other people’s sin – and insecurity – a certain belief that God’s blessings and favor was earned through good deeds. As her faith matured, she came to understand that she hadn’t earned a thing and never would.

“If we hold onto the truth of grace, even when it goes against everything we’ve learned out in the world, and especially when we mess up, then we will experience ultimate freedom in Christ. On the contrary, if we treat grace like a one-time loan Christ made on our lives that has to be paid back, we will remain in bondage to our debt.”

I didn’t grow up attending church. My faith is something I am working to develop as an adult. I don’t have a specific memory of the day I accepted Jesus as my Savior – it just happened. I, like the author in her youth, struggle fully embracing the grace that has been given me. It’s a hard realization. There are areas of my life where I can see attempts at works to gain favor. There are areas of my life where I haven’t embraced forgiveness for sins. My logic mind knows there is nothing I can do to earn the gift of Jesus and nothing I could ever do that was so bad that His death on the cross wouldn’t cover it. My emotions, however, tend to fall back on self and self-condemnation.

It is a bitter pill to say that these feelings exist because I don’t fully trust God. God has done nothing to prove himself unworthy – I simply haven’t let Him have all of me. I have treated grace like a debt, not embraced it as a gift. I have neglected my relationship with Him, relying too much on myself and my own strength. Thankfully Jesus IS grace and is meeting me where I am today to move me, day by day and moment by moment, toward the person He wants me to be. But here’s the rub – I have to choose to allow Him to be the sole captain of my life and to fully trust Him. I haven’t been all that successful with that in the past, but thankfully I can choose a different path from today, forward.

Earlier this summer Pastor Don shared a more modern version of the 10 commandments.

• Practice loyalty to the Sacred.
• Care for those who have cared for you.
• Do not allow productivity to dominate your life.
• Remember every image of God is only a glimpse.
• Do not use God’s name to do harm.
• Do not be unnecessarily destructive.
• Be faithful to the commitments you make.
• Do not take what does not belong to you.
• Do not hinder justice from coming to fruition.
• Do not use power over others to get what you want.

Several of these stand out in light of events in our world today, but first and foremost “Do not use God’s name to do harm”. This is a different take on “Do not take the Lord’s name in vain”. I think many always took that as an admonition simply not to curse. “Do not use God’s name to do harm” seems to be a better commandment in the time of Jesus. In the old testament there were rules to follow for the atonement for sins. If you commit sin X, you must sacrifice Y in atonement. Nowhere in this process is a conviction of the heart. Jesus then comes along in the Sermon on the Mount, however, and says that isn’t enough. As He says in Matthew Chapter 5 regarding murder and adultery, it isn’t enough to say you never acted on them if you have thought about killing another or lusted after someone who isn’t your spouse. Those actions of the heart are just as sinful. In this way, using God as the justification for doing harm is cursing his name after all.

In the context of the United States today, God is being used as the justification for doing harm all too often. People claiming to be Christians condemn all Muslims as evil based on the actions of some. People claiming to be Christians still claim white supremacy as the only truth. People use Christianity to condemn the LGBTQ community. the mingling of politics and the church is also causing great harm. The President had peaceful protestors attacked to clear a path for him to take a photo in front of a damaged church holding a Bible to presumably appeal to Christians who follow him. I’ve heard of pastors from pulpits telling their congregants who to vote for and, if they vote the other way, they are going to hell. Where is the separation of church and state when political rallies are held in churches?

Hate and judgement are being spewed by so many people across this country who claim to be Christians. Where are these people getting that this is Christ-like behavior? the Christ I follow is the one who humbly rode into Jerusalem before his crucifixion on a donkey. He is the one who spent time with the outcasts of society. He is the one who brought love and healing to people who desperately needed it. He didn’t ride in with a battle ax to strike down any who dared not to follow Him. The religiously pious people of the time were threatened by His inclusivity, among other things, and had Him executed. I wonder what some of the people who so easily use God as justification to do harm would do to Jesus if He were to come back today. Would they recognize Him for who He is and beg for forgiveness and repent? Or would they see Him as a threat to their version of “Christianity” and execute Him all over again?

No where in the character of Jesus was hate. I can’t imagine how devastated Jesus must feel every time someone uses Him as an excuse to harm others. I am far – very far – from a perfect Christian. I struggle daily to love and not to judge. But I struggle because I am trying to be who Jesus wants me to be – someone like Him. Too bad so many who say they follow Him really aren’t trying to be like Him. Imagine what the world would be like if they did….