President Donald J. Trump: A Sober-Minded Christian Analysis (updated 8/4/2020)
by Paul D. Little
In recent months the pervasive attacks on the President, never-ending assaults that have persisted since his election, have ramped up sharply. Most troubling is that in addition to the daily barrage of cannon-fire from the overtly-biased mainstream media, which is something to be expected, we now find ourselves bombarded with op-ed after op-ed written by supposedly well-meaning “Christians” on the subject of Donald J. Trump. Specifically, we’re entreated to head-hanging, hand-wringing, doomsday dissertations on what his Presidency “means for Christianity”. These opinion pieces range from slightly odd, not-well-thought-out or rambling musings, to absolutely ludicrous, thinly-veiled, left-wing political hit pieces. Some of the authors make no effort to disguise the fact that their TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) is what drives the opinions in their articles.
Almost without exception, those opining, hoping to make their “Christian case” against the President, invoke the term “evangelicals” with poisonous, dripping contempt to describe Trump’s Christian supporters; as if “evangelical” is a euphemism for a misguided or wayward believer. Being called an “evangelical” isn’t the horrid slur these people intend it to be. Not in the slightest. It simply doesn’t carry any sting to it. Those who believe that it does might want to explore what the word actually means before attempting to wield it as a polemic. Some might even argue, and from a strong standpoint at that, that evangelicals are the only Christians who are truly encompassed by the descriptor that bears Christ’s name.
When we see the term “evangelical” used in a derisive way, put forth as a contemptuous invective, what follows after is almost assuredly a mishmash of hogwash, Biblical misrepresentation, spurious “logic”, naivety, and left-wing political activism rolled together and presented as truth. Whitewashed, spit-shined, and packaged as “concern for Christian testimony”…or some other nonsense.
Where did these newcomers and their sudden deep concern for “Christian testimony” come from?
Why only now, with the appearance of Donald J. Trump on the political scene, did they feel the urgent need to voice their anxieties about the waning morality of our political leaders?
Have these same, previously unheard from voices, those standard-bearers who’ve deemed themselves, “protectors of Christian testimony”, been asleep in a dark and remote cave for the last fifty years?
One must ask, where was their wailing outcry during the Obama years?
Did these same cultural warriors vociferously protest when former President Obama, who likewise claims to be Christian, unbelievably lit the“People’s House”, our White House, up in the colors of LGBTQ rainbow to celebrate the second worst SCOTUS decision in US history? Where were their voices crying out from the wilderness then?
A diplomatic phone call filled with typical political rhetoric, toughened border policies, and a few unsavory comments are enough to raise “deep moral concerns” from these people when it comes to President Trump; yet when President Obama literally celebrates the hijacking of God’s institution of marriage, literally spitting in the face of God- while using our taxpayer dollars to do so, it’s not even worthy of a cursory groan from these morality police? Trump is deemed a “spiritual danger”, but Joe Biden who’s a homosexuality advocate, abortion advocate, pathological liar, supporter of socialism and far-leftwing liberalism isn’t?
Where was this same weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth during the entire eight years of the Obama Administration policy-making machine; one that was rooted in immorality at the basest levels?
Not a peep.
And they expect us to take these same “left-wing Christians” serious now, with their complaints about Donald Trump and his moral failings? Where was their sackcloths and ashes when Obama made derisive comments about Christians “clinging to their religion”?
Did I miss their loud protests when Bill Clinton told millions of impressionable young girls worldwide that “oral sex isn’t sex” during his administration? A proclamation that is still wreaking physical, mental, and spiritual havoc on our youth today? Or did those protests never happen?
As Bill Clinton turned our White House into a veritable whorehouse of young interns, where were these same voices, decrying the most morally bankrupt man to ever sit in the oval office?
For that matter, where was their outcry when Hillary Clinton publicly stated on the 2016 Presidential election campaign trail that “Christians will have to change their beliefs” on some things? What could be more immoral than a Presidential hopeful literally stating she’d dictate what beliefs are valid for Christians to hold? Did the wolves in sheep’s clothing raise an alarm when Clinton uttered these words for the world to hear?
Those criticizing President Trump, and even calling for his removal from office, under the guise of concern for “Christian testimony” have about has much credibility as a prostitute preaching abstinence to her clients…after taking their money and sleeping with them. They haven’t a bit of moral clarity or credibility on this issue. Here’s why:
1. As mentioned above, when the Obama Administration spit in God’s face by lighting the White House up in the banner of the LGBTQ to celebrate the redefinition of marriage, they said nothing.
2. When the Obama Administration spent eight years trying to roll back all restrictions on abortion they said nothing.
3. When the Obama Administration appointed not one, but two, radical far-left SCOTUS Justices who were pro-abortion and pro-homosexuality they said nothing.
4. They failed to criticize or question Obama’s Christian or moral credentials though all of his policies seemed to point directly away from Christ. They said nothing.
5. While some of Trump’s critics have mocked his attempts at invoking scripture, such as his “two Corinthians” comment, they never once called out Obama for multiple misuses of Scripture during his political tenure…including making Scripture up out of the blue or botching Scripture by combining multiple, non-connected verses and passages. They said nothing.
6. When Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Nancy Pelosi all at various times claimed their political stances are driven by their “love for the Lord”, these critics of Trump never questioned how abortion, support for sexual sin, pathological lying, and purposefully misleading voters factor into their “faith”. They instead said nothing.
7. When Obama told us that boys could be girls, and that girls could become boys, they said nothing.
8. When Obama gave guidance to schools, telling them to allow boys into the girls lockerrooms, bathrooms, and showers, they said nothing.
9. As Joe Biden proclaims he’s going to try to fund abortion with taxpayer monies, they’ve said nothing.
10. As Nancy Pelosi and other leading Democrats have tried to include funding for Planned Parenthood in Covid-19 relief bills, literally withholding aid to hurting Americans, they’ve said nothing.
11. As Democrat controlled city after city faces rioting, looting, shootings, rape, and violence against their citizens, they’ve said nothing.
12. As the mainstream media engages in half-truths and whole lies, with no other goal than to defeat Donald Trump, they’ve said nothing.
To the “liberal Christian” authors of smear books about Trump, Mark Galli, his cohorts at Christianity Today, other left-leaning "Christian publications", and to all those who support these political hatchet jobs, thinly veiled as concern for “Christian testimony”, I say this:
“You are wrong. Period.”
In his political hit piece, before resigning from Christianity Today in disgrace, Mark Galli came close to hiding his condescension and contempt for Christians, but not close enough. His political leanings however, were not even close to being obscured. The following paragraph from his misguided and wrongheaded dissertation reads like an excerpt from an official DNC talking points memo:
“But the facts in this instance are unambiguous: The president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit one of the president’s political opponents. That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral…”
He’s wrong when he claims that the facts bear out that Trump abused his power. The facts in the case would lead no unbiased person to arrive at any such conclusion. President Trump has often, and accurately, used the term “Presidential harassment” to describe the three year witch hunt he’s endured, one that has occurred on multiple fronts, to describe the smear campaign that Democrats have subjected him to. All of this done in an effort to "harass and discredit" him.
Where was the outcry on this? Isn’t this virtually the same thing that Mark Galli, accused Trump of doing?
If a phone call asking the President of another country to investigate the obviously corrupt business and political dealings of Joe Biden and his son in the Ukraine constitutes “coercing a foreign leader to harass and discredit” them; thus his logic for calling for Trump to be removed from office, then he needs to explain his position. I’d respectfully ask him to please explain why he’s not called on Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and ALL of the leadership of the Democratic Party to be removed from office?
If a diplomatic phone call asking a foreign power for an investigation into obvious political corruption is grounds for removal from office, and in Galli’s words is "profoundly immoral", what does he call the leadership of a political party who have engaged in a three year campaign to smear, malign, and demean a “political opponent” largely using a known false “dossier” that was paid for by Hillary Clinton’s campaign?
A false dossier that was provided by Russian agents? A hoax investigation that stalled a presidency for three years when they knew the allegations were false from the start?
Simply put, Mr. Galli puts forth the opinion, as he was quick to point out later in his article, that Trump engages in “mischaracterizations, lies, and slander”, while failing to note the irony that many people reading his words would level the very same accusations directly at him. Yes, based on the above paragraph from his article, we could easily lay the same allegations at his feet. His statement is simply not true based on the evidence and facts at hand.
And the last two words he used to describe Trump’s actions in regard to the phone call with the Ukrainian President? “Profoundly immoral”? That’s pretty strong rhetoric to describe the contents of a diplomatic telephone conversation; especially coming from a man who seemingly didn’t condemn Barack Obama for supporting and celebrating the Supreme Court’s terrible and devastating 2015 marriage decision. If the Trump/Zelensky phone call was “profoundly immoral”, I’d love to hear the way he’d describe Obama’s actions. “Profoundly evil” and “Skipping hand-in-hand with Satan” come to mind immediately.
Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Galli? Liberals? Hello? Crickets…
I’m sure they must’ve likewise called for Obama’s dismissal on moral grounds?
Or did I miss something?
They’re also wrong when they laughably try to equate Clinton’s impeachment with the sham impeachment trial of Donald Trump. They aren’t even in the same stratosphere. In Clinton’s
case, it was obvious to all that he not only abused his Presidential power, engaged in a massive cover-up, and broke all moral standards known to man in the process…he also committed very real federal crimes in doing so. Among those crimes were felony perjury, witness tampering, and destruction of evidence. As a result of his corruption, Bill Clinton was disbarred from ever practicing law again. Clinton, in essence, got away with committing crimes that would see the average citizen serving substantial jail-time. Let’s not forget the genesis of the Clinton probe came from a lawsuit over whether he sexually assaulted/harassed a woman who previously worked with closely him. A lawsuit that he later settled by paying the woman $850,000, a very substantial amount, in exchange for her silence and dismissal of the suit. In his efforts to obstruct the original investigation, Clinton committed perjury, obstructed justice, attempted to bribe potential witnesses, and attempted to destroy physical evidence…all as a sitting US President.
To equate the two impeachment scenarios is just as wrong, and frankly just as dishonest and morally reprehensible as Mr. Galli, accuses President Trump of being.
Now, to the reader reading these words I have to say this: I DO share Mr. Galli’s lamentation that personal morality no longer seems to matter to Americans, as it once very much did, when it comes to our elected leaders. However, I strongly disagree with the false narrative that he presented. A false narrative seeking to lay the blame for this sad downturn in moral standards for our leaders at the feet of “evangelicals”. In fact, it’s not their fault at all. The other side (Democrats) long ago, nay decades ago, abandoned any semblance of caring about the personal morality of the prospective leaders they put forth.
This became painfully evident in 1992 with candidacy of one William Jefferson Clinton. Although this slide into a moral-less morass had started well before then, this was the first time the modern Democratic Party openly said: “We will support whoever can win, regardless of how immoral and corrupted they may be.” It was well known that Clinton was a wanton serial womanizer, an adulterer, a blatant liar, a shady politician, a real estate fraudster, and quite possibly a violent, repeat rapist… before he ever secured the Democratic nomination for President.
The Democratic Party has continued this sad record of promoting whoever they thought could win an election, regardless of moral standing, ever since they discovered that personal morality didn’t matter to their voters. Because, let’s face it…it simply works for them. It seems the less moral a person is, the more palatable they are to the left, both among the party politicians and their voters. Al Gore, John Kerry, Obama, Hillary…all morally bankrupted, compromised, and unfit to serve in a nation that purports to care about God. Sadly, after decades of this trend, the right finally followed suit with the nomination Donald J. Trump. Seemingly, the voters on the right, decades after those on the left, adopted the similar attitude that has persisted inside the Democratic Party for nearly three decades.
Twenty years ago Donald Trump would have never made it past the first Republican primary. He’d never have become the eventual candidate of the GOP. This much is true. However, the left would've had no problem with a candidate embodying the very same moral morass that they now decry. Had Trump given full-throated support for abortion, gay “marriage”, ballooning entitlements, enslavement through entitlements, and the rest of the left’s unholy policy stances, while running as a Democrat, they’d have embraced his immoral past with gusto. They would be the first to tell you that we’re voting for a President, not a church leader.
That said, setting political concerns aside for a moment…If we apply Mr. Galli’s, and his liberal cohorts, concerns to every other aspect of public life, who would we find worthy to serve us in any capacity?
That waiter who served you last night at the restaurant where you took your family for dinner? He watches porn. Using the Galli model, you shouldn’t have allowed him to wait on you.
That benevolent police officer who helped you when you broke down on the roadside? He’s a thrice adulterer. He can’t possible serve his community effectively.
That beloved Principal at your child’s elementary school? She’s bisexual. She must be fired immediately.
Where does it end?
Do the same people currently decrying President Trump’s past moral failures utilize the same purity tests for everyone else who serves them daily? Or do they instead gauge the person’s ability to serve based solely on the merits how they perform their jobs?
That waiter performs his job at a level above and beyond his calling. Isn’t that enough?
That police officer takes his duty to protect and serve seriously and goes far beyond his colleagues in doing so. Isn’t that more than we can ask for?
That Principal loves the kids she serves and fiercely devotes herself to them...and to the task of making their school the best it can be. As a result, her school ranks among the best in the country. Isn’t that the level of dedication we seek from others? Isn’t it good enough?
Simply put, we’ve all fallen short of the Glory of God, and we always will. If a person is committing moral atrocities while in their public positions, by all means remove them. If that waiter is watching porn during his shift, fire him. If that police officer is committing adultery on the clock, by all means fire him. If that bisexual Principal is having illicit affairs on the school grounds, get rid of her as quickly as possible.
But that’s not what’s happening with Donald J. Trump, is it?
God is using a deeply flawed man, a man with a past that’s littered with moral failures, to do a good work. Mr. Galli, and others, liberals pretending to be the “protectors of Christian witness”, act like God’s never done this before.
It’s a totally new concept, right?
One has to wonder if Mr. Galli, and those of his ilk, have ever heard about a man named Moses? Or Paul, formerly known as Saul? If we were living in Paul’s time, Mr. Galli, and these others of like mind, would be the loudest voices in the crowd decrying Paul and his powerful ministry. After all, Paul was a persecutor of the faithful. A man with the blood of many of the early believers and preachers on his hands. Yet he ended up being the second most influential preacher in the Bible, second only to the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
These apostate liberal “Christians” would likely have said to the Jews that Moses shouldn’t be listened to or followed either.
"Don’t follow this man out of Egypt! Don’t you know he KILLED someone!? Run him out of Egypt, quickly! Alert the Pharaoh! There’s a traitor in our midst!”
I can almost hear them now.
Let’s look at Trump’s record of performance…the same way we agreed to look at that waiter, police officer, or Principal…and let’s evaluate the merits of what he’s done, while in office.
1. Lowest unemployment rate in recent history; record lows among minorities. (Pre-Covid 19)
2. The appointment of two constitutionalist jurists to the SCOTUS-prolife justices.
3. The appointment of nearly 150 constitutionalist jurists to federal benches.
4. Improved international trade deals.
5. A more secure border- smaller numbers of illegal crossings and apprehensions.
6. The rollback of certain Obama-era transgender and pro-lgbtq policies.
7. 50 year lows in new unemployment claims (Pre-Covid-19)
8. A drastic decline in those needing Food Stamps and Welfare programs. Nearly 4 million less people on entitlements. (Pre-Covid-19)
9. A revamping of the VA to better serve our Veterans
10. A booming economy and record stock-market levels. (Pre-Covid 19)
11. The US becoming a net exporter of natural gas for the first time since 1957.
12. It’s estimated that the US will become completely energy independent before the end of his second term.
13. An overall change in attitude where it concerns Christianity, Christian values, and the US Government: From an openly hostile view in the Obama years to a positive, even supportive view, under President Trump.
14. Holding China accountable for the first time in US history for their intellectual property theft, spying, and human rights violations.
Now, if we view his record of achievements and his goals, many of which were not mentioned above, stripping away all his inflammatory rhetoric and stumbles, viewing only his record of achievement itself, what kind of Christian wouldn’t support this agenda and record of success? If you stripped Donald J. Trump’s name from this list, how many more people would support these things on their merits alone?
Does it matter that Trump is twice divorced?
Or that he’s had illicit affairs in the past?
Or that he's said some mean, and even vile, things in the past?
If we were electing a pastor, then yes, absolutely these things would matter. But we elected a President in 2016, not a pastor or church leader. And the only other viable option up to fill that position in November 2016 was a woman who, for all of Trump’s personal flaws and moral failures, managed to make him the more moral choice by far. That’s saying a lot about the state our current political climate, when Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the best we have to offer.
It’s not even debatable that as a country, we’re seeing a sharp decline in morality. Not just on personal levels, but on a scale that encompasses everything; all aspects of life. Nothing could be more evident in that steep decline in morality than the current political narrative. Just a few short years ago, Christian publications were once asking “Can a Christian vote Democrat?” …and for good reason. Now, fast-forward a few years and we’ve regressed to asking whether we, as Christians, should be supporting a pro-life, pro-Christian, constitutionally sound, Republican President who has a record of success in office simply based on moral failings in his personal life, many of which occurred years, or even decades, prior to him taking office. Never mind that the alternative would be to allow a candidate from a political party that’s been unabashedly morally bankrupt for decades to take office. A candidate who’d boldly roll back all restrictions on abortion, and who would likely be hostile toward Christianity and religious freedoms. Every single 2020 Democratic candidate supports abortion and has vowed to install pro-abortion, pro-homosexual agenda justices. Every single 2020 Democratic candidate supports gay “marriage” and other immoral stances as a matter of stated policy. Every single 2020 Democrat candidate holds views that are hostile toward Christianity or Christian beliefs.
Now that Joe Biden has been revealed as the Democratic Party nominee for President, can there be any doubt that Donald Trump is once again the only moral choice between these two men?
So, what would Mr. Galli from Christianity Today, his followers, and those who disparage Trump as a “spiritual danger” have us do?
Who would they have us vote for as Christians?
The angry socialist atheist, Bernie Sanders?
Pete Buttigieg, the homosexual candidate who flaunts his “marriage”, a union that mocks God ? A man who blames God for his own sin?
The habitually liar and socialist, Elizabeth Warren, who falsely claimed to be a minority her entire adult life to obtain political, economic, and social advantages?
Joe Biden, who’s has a past history of racism? A man who’s as dishonest and morally bankrupt as any politician who’s ever walked this earth? A pro-abortionist walking cesspool of immorality? (Note: since I original wrote this piece, Biden IS the nominee of the Democratic Party.)
Not a single one of these candidates on the Democrat side is more morally sound than our current President; and I’d daresay their collective support for abortion alone makes them all less so.
In closing, the Bible warns us that as Christians we are to be sober-minded in all things, at all times. It’s a theme that’s repeated at least seven times in Scripture. What it means to be sober-minded from a Biblical standpoint is this: Thinking things through clearly. Setting aside personal biases while attempting to see things as Jesus might. Thoughtfully and prayerfully making decisions through the lens of the Bible and a path of righteousness. In doing so, I think you’ll see the undeniable fact: Donald J. Trump, despite all of his warts and flaws, despite his past moral failings, is doing more for the Kingdom of Heaven, even if indirectly, than any of these other candidates ever possibly could. But beyond that, he’s doing far less to inhibit the work of God than any of the Democrat candidates admittedly would. He’s been a staunch ally to the Christian cause; while on the other side, they’ve all voiced their openly hostile, solidly anti-Christian views.
For those Christians who can’t bring themselves down from their own moral high-horse to support Trump now, and in the 2020 election, thereby holding him to a standard that they don’t hold anyone else in their life to, I say this: Remember that to let evil triumph all you have to do is fail to stand against it. It’s really that simple. And, if Evangelicals were to take the advice of
the “Christians” who are “anybody but Trumpers”, they’d be empowering evil; thereby making themselves guilty of it.
Why?
Because if we fail to vote for Trump, as a collective Christian voting-block, we ensure a Democrat win in 2020…and moral high-horse aside, in doing so we’re just as guilty as if we pulled that lever for Joe Biden ourselves. It means that all of the anti-Christian policies rolled out by Joe Biden would be on our heads. It means we’d be responsible for the federal judges and Supreme Court Justices that he would appoint. Federal judges and Supreme Court Justices that would assuredly be hostile to life and Christian values would be appointed because of us. It means that we would lose a chance, possibly forever, to swing the SCOTUS back to a constitutionalist bent; one the founders would have found more in line with their vision for this country. More than that, all of the current abortion restrictions would definitely be rolled back by Joe Biden; he’s actually said as much recently and that he would try to make taxpayers fund abortion. These current abortion restrictions would vanish. This means the innocent blood of the unborn would forever stain our hands. And, quite possibly, YOUR tax dollars, and mine, will facilitate the murder of the unborn.
Don’t play the role of Pontius Pilate in this election. Don’t allow your distaste for Trump as a flawed person taint and cloud your better judgment, thereby helping Satan more easily achieve his goals. Not when you, like Pilate, could have avoided the physical, spiritual, and metaphorical blood on your hands.
That’s my sincere, sober-minded Christian analysis of Donald Trump as President of The United States; and my answer to those who ponder “what his presidency means for Christianity”...thus far, and in the future, naysayers aside, it means positive things.
...Paul D. Little...
Paul D. Little is an ordained preacher, the author of Who Stole Jesus? (& four Christian children’s books), a public speaker, a dedicated husband, and a loving father of six. His books can be found at all major online book retailers, and he can be reached for speaking engagements, appearances, readings, or for questions or comments at pauldlittle1120@gmail.com