The Evangelical Universalist Forum

How To Live Under An Unqualified President by John Piper

Yes, so far he has, Michael. I’m not really anti-Trump. But then again, I’m not really pro-Trump either. But the US has elected him.

Since I am a member of AARP, 'll be getting alerts, on Medicare and Social Security. And I’ll have early indications, if Trump is keeping, his promises or not. So far, he has. But then again, nothing has been done - with these items, so far.

While all media has bias (either conservative or liberal), I do think the BBC is fairly objective at bbc.com/news. I was a Peace Corps volunteer teacher, at a Catholic mission school, in Liberia, West Africa - during the seventies. Shortwave was big back then and I got news from:

France
Russia
America (i.e. VOA)
BBC

I can tell you this much. The US government run radio (Voice of America) station, was every bit as bias and full of propaganda - as its Russian conterpart.

Today Trump is meeting with Pharma cos to start to negotiate drug prices that Medicare/Medicaid pays. It will save consumers and taxpayers billions.

Will NBC,ABC,CBS,CNN,MSNBC, RCC Cardinals, the Pope, Angela Merkel comment on this? Will it even be covered?

Well, the truth of a position is not determined by the majority view. There are countless examples wherein the majority view is incorrect.
Yes, of course the majority considers my view heretical. This is the very meaning of “heretical”—taking a view contrary to the majority. As for “dangerous,” perhaps you could explain to me why it is dangerous. Is it dangerous because it would require us to believe that some of the OT writers were mistaken?

How could the following two statements concerning the same event, both be true?

2 Samuel 24:1 Again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”

1 Chronicles 21:1 Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.

If Samuel was right, then it seems odd the God who incited David to number Israel, later punished David for doing so.
Ezra, or whoever wrote 1 Chronicles over 500 years later, says it was Satan. This makes sense if we can accept a progressive revelation of God’s character. The early Israelites believed God was the source of both good and evil—that Satan was his agent who could do only what God commanded or “allowed” him to do. Therefore, if Satan did a thing, you might as well say that God did it, since it was done by God’s agent. But by the time 1 Chronicles was written, Satan was beginning to be viewed as an independent author of evil who continuously worked against the will and purposes of God. The latter view continued on into the days in which Jesus and his disciples lived.

So many of the actions recorded in the Old Testament and ascribed to God, were actually acts of Satan. The very essence of God is LOVE
(1 John 4:8,16) and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). God neither creates nor allows evil; LOVE entirely opposes it, and sooner or later overcomes it.

No.

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16387940_372710026441718_4791804434765255663_n.jpg?oh=7eee7552fc76597decaae6e16f2a908b&oe=590A2540

Well, Michael, you can find scholars - who agree with you. For example - this artice by Christopher Malone, Ph.D.:

Donald Trump, American Social Darwinist

Note: I’m just saying here that Michael can find academic scholars, that side with his social Darwinism position. And I’m not sure if you need to be a LinkedIn member…in order to see the article.

And we do have a variety of views on Trump here. Like:

He’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. And Democrats have messed up big time - with Obama and Hillary. Now the Lone Ranger rides again.
Trump is a social Darwinist
“I’m from Missouri - show me.” But I reserve the right, to ask questions like Socrates…be a satirist - like Johnathon Swift…And engage in lobbyist political and social media actions…Like Henry David Thoreau might do now
Etc.

Randy said :

No offence Randy, but you are not from Missouri. :wink:

Don… how might this be a problem, given you are well on record boldly declaring… I don’t care what is written in the Hebrew Scriptures.

YES… and wouldn’t that be the most natural, logical and likely conclusion for them to draw given their Exodus experience where “the destroyer” laid waste any uncovered firstborn. Such death and destruction was retributive, NOT remedial, as is plain here…

Now Don, sure, this can be swept aside using your MO above, but I’m not convinced this does justice to the biblical text. Take for example your thoughts here…

Someone like Jesus might beg to differ in attributing the Hand of God to that of Satan…

If one believes such blasphemy is still possible then it’s skating awfully close to the thin ice, or as Tom Wright expresses it on these texts…

The whole Evangelical Universalism idea has to be qualified by the historic narrative. :open_mouth:

Oh boy let’s let stuff happen. :slight_smile:

Can anyone here benefit, from the sagely advice of Joyce Meyer? I’ve shared that on Twitter today.

From the BBC today:

Trump: Pharmaceutical executives told to cut drug prices

You’re right, Chad. I’m from Illinois. Where we elected the Republican governor Bruce Raune. And we had a 2 year standoff, between him and the Democratic controlled house and Senate. Where we really had no budget for 2 years.

And things like mailing out license renewals, etc., never happened.

To be fair, I did vote for Bruce for governor. And Donald as a Republican nominee. After all, I am an independent. And I wanted to see Donald in the race.

Now will things be like Illinois - at the US government level?

It depends. I look at things this way. We have the good ship Donald, navigating the arctic waters. And folks want to put up icebergs.

The RINO’s in Congress
The Democrats
The disgruntled (will they vote Democrat - 2 years from now?)
The Lobbyists
The court challenges (like the state of Washington and other states - with the current Muslim ban)
The press coverage
Unexpected crisis movements (i.e. natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc.)
Etc.

The F.F.A. (AKA Fanatical Fans of America), are on the Good Ship Donald. But let’s see how the captain, manages the icebergs.

And I keep busy these days. Like:

Someone wants to interview me via Skype - from Japan this week. Business stuff. Even though I’m officially retired. Am I really that fascinating - to the Japanese?
A Catholic family from India - near Chennai, asks me (via Skype and WhatsApp), for spiritual advice. What can I possible tell them, that the R.C. priests can’t? And I’ll only agree to this, if they also consult an RC priest.
Etc.

I’m really Mr. Nobody. But folks still seek me out, for some strange reason (or reasons).

I came across this article on MSN today:

Steve Bannon: ‘we’re going to war in the South China Sea … no doubt’

How do you Trump supporters feel, about a prolonged war with China - over some uninhabited islands? It’s reminiscent of the Falklands war. And it’s a lose-lose idea.

And where would Russian stand, considering they are both friends with…and share a border - with China?

Speaking of which. Isn’t Russian also friends with Iran? Or at least, share some joint operations?

Taken as a floating headline, it made me think, “Bannon is saying that Trump intends to start a war with China.” I immediately thought, “That sounds very uncharacteristic of Trump.” So I clicked on the link, and my skepticism was justified:

Let’s put Steve Bannon’s statement in context: He made it in May 2016, and the full quote is “We’re going to war in the South China Sea in 5 to 10 years.”

In other words, Mr. Bannon said that before he was first employed by Trump on Aug. 17, 2016, and Mr. Bannon was expecting the war to start sometime between 2021 and 2026–not even during President Trump’s first term as president. (It was not clear back in May that Trump would be elected president. It is also not clear at this early date if Pres. Trump will even run for a second term, much less win.)

Back in May 2016, when it looked like we were going to get yet another CIA candidate (i. e., the Bushes, the Clintons, and their lackeys) for president, I wouldn’t have doubted Mr. Bannon’s grim prediction. Ever since George Bush I invaded Iraq in 1990, the Bushes/Clintons/lackeys have kept the U. S. in a constant state of war. If Hillary Clinton had been elected in 2016, I would have expected a U. S. invasion of Russia in April of this year. We really dodged a bullet marked “World War III”.

As for your question, I would be thoroughly against such a war with China.

As for your question, I would be thoroughly against such a war with China.

As any sane person would! MSNBC & CNN have been exposed. An incredible percentage of their political stories are misleading by design to advance their leftist agenda!

I came across a couple of articles today, on the Christian site Patheos email:

The Scandal of the Evangelical Soul
Is There Anything We Can Take for Granted (that All Americans Agree about)? A Challenge

Let me quote from the first article:

Let me share some interesting content - from the second article:

Please read both articles. They are very interesting.

In India, the cow is considered sacred - by Hindus. And Mohammad is considered sacred by Muslims. So don’t butcher the cow. Don’t make cartoons about Mohammad.

And we have the religion of Trumpism. And it’s not started by Trump. It’s more the result, of some of the followers. And the same is true, of some protesting against him.

Don’t poke fun at him
Don’t ask questions about his policies and agenda
And accept everything he does and says.

Well, I’m an independent. The libertarians and green party, doesn’t cut the mustard. So I’m stuck choosing the best Democratic and Republican candidates - for the job.

Maybe Trump might surprise me. I hope so. If he keeps his campaign promises, on social security and medicare - guess what? He has satisfied what I need. What AARP wants. And what elderly Americans want.

The other items, I’ll take - on a case by case basis.

Some I will agree upon
Some I will disagree on
And some I’ll poke fun at (whether I agree or disagree)

Enjoy the articles. They are very interesting.

And please. Don’t label media as liberal or conservative. Unless some reputability university, has conducted current scientific research on it.

And let me add a quote from an article: (note: I’m **much more **conservative than liberal).

CHRISTIANITY VS. TRUMPISM

I can’t see why it is reminiscent (for you) of the Falklands war. Can you expound?

And please. Don’t label media as liberal or conservative. Unless some reputability university, has conducted current scientific research on it.

With all due respect i don’t need a university study to tell me the sky is blue or the sun is coming out tomorrow or MSNBC & CNN and most networks are very liberal. These truths are self evident and have not even been disputed the media itself.
So far Trump has repeated many times that Social security and Medicare will be maintained no matter what, i think he takes this issue personally. Just for the record i evaluate Trump on an issue by issue basis and i suspect everybody here does too.

And let me add a quote from an article: (note: I’m much more conservative than liberal).

CHRISTIANITY VS. TRUMPISM

Something that has always irritated me is that conservative republicans act as if they have the patent on Christianity in the US. Their attitude is that one can not be a liberal or a democrat and a Christian as if the two are mutually exclusive. This always made me very angry because I am a bleeding heart, liberal Democrat AND a born-again Christian.

As has been oft been repeated here, we did not vote for Trump to be our Pastor but to be President. The two most important issues with conservative Christians were abortion and the appointment of Supreme Court Justices and so far Trump has delivered.

Just that they both are islands, miles and miles away. But when I think about it, the Falkland Islands had British citizens. These islands China is claiming - are really unmanned - except for the Chinese now (doing military things). And other Asian countries, like Japan and the Philippines, also lay claim to them.

Do you have a method, Steve, of gauging how liberal? If I were to take a poll here…say MSNBC or CNN…Would some say:

A little bit liberal
Middle of the road liberal
Super liberal
Off the Charts liberal
Etc.

I’m betting (given a sufficient size sample), all the about entries…would have a sufficient number of respondents.

Or if I ask this question…on a scale of 1 to 100, how liberal is CNN and MSMBC…Would all pick the same number…or come close, to a common number? Can we predict that everyone would pick around 75, with the low 70 and the high 80?