Category: Politics

As you read this post, it is Election Day in the United States. Due to the COVID pandemic and for other reasons, a very large percent of the population has voted, but there is still a very large number of people voting on election day.  There is great controversy over some states having extensions for counting votes by mail well after Election Day.  This is especially troubling in battleground states that can decide the election. Hence, in the midst of all this division in the United States, such a delay, which is very possible, could be a disaster.  I will not speak on my personal views and what I recommend for voting. I have laid out my reasons and the pros and cons very explicitly and in detail on this page in the past.  I want to comment on the present situation. 

Educated observers say that the United States is more divided today than at any other time since the Civil War.  There are many factors.  I think there are two major factors.  One is the President’s public persona.  Due to the testimony of many friends, people who have worked for him, and his family, I think the judgment that he is a narcissist sociopath by psychiatric standards is certainly not true.  Making such a judgment without direct psychoanalysis is unethical.  But his gruff persona, braggadocio, his stretching the truth, his lies, and his past life have his opponents in an uproar.  However, the division from the other side comes from the rise of the leftist influence in the Democratic party which pushes it from being a center leftist to potentially far-leftist.  Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the Black Lives Matter Protests.  When these protests began after the death of George Floyd, the country was quite supportive.  However, when the protesters were joined with violent agitators from Antifa and other anarchist and Marxist oriented groups, plus others who just saw that they could take stuff and loot, the protests for legitimate redress of problems lost much of the support.  It goes on month after month. People are deeply upset that the Democrat leaders did not condemn this strongly and then after months only tepidly. Other issues like abortion, religious freedom, and patriotism in general, feel more upset.  It appears that the Democrats are soft on Marxism but if not, certainly on socialism.  There is Alexander Ocasio Cortez. Ilhan Omer, and Ariana Presley (the squad) whose positions and influence strike fear into the voters who oppose them.  The country appears divided right down the middle.  It is a massive cultural divide. The Jerusalem Post today carries an editorial calling for prayer to heal America!  Riots are predicted after the election in the Post no matter who wins.  

However, I want to point to a phenomenon at a level we have never seen before.  That is the amazing enthusiasm of a good number of the Trump voters shown in the Trump rallies.  I have never seen anything like it.  It is in my view beyond Obama’s rallies.  In the midst of the pandemic and with amazing passion, despite the dangers, the crowds come and cheer and sit for long but entertaining speeches by the President.  He is loved by these crowds.  Some point to the idolatry of Trump and say it is a Hitler like phenomenon.  I don’t think so.  I recently connected by Facebook to a woman who was a high school classmate. She went to a rally and reported an atmosphere of warmth, love, and excitement.  She said there were whites, blacks, Jews, Hispanic,s and Asians.  They were peaceful and happy in the mix of peoples.   Why this enthusiasm?  Idolatry of a man?  Maybe for some, but I don’t think this is the case for most.  Rather I think it is rather explained by a population that was in despair over the politically correct culture and perceiving a coming darkness and loss of American values and freedoms, sees a champion who gets them and champions them.  It is about the whole culture for many.  We have never seen such energy on the stump.  Trump flies to several states and does rally after rally in the last days before Election Day.  The people?  They have hope, but it could be a hope that is crushed.  Let us look at how these people see it.  There are blue-collar workers who saw the decline in high paying jobs due, they believe, to them being shipped to China and other low wage destinations.  Finally, someone is speaking up for them.  They may be too simplistic in analysis, but they feel in their hearts, finally.  There are the anti-abortion pro-life people who were given lip service and limited action from George W. Bush, but now they believe they have a champion.  There are the Evangelicals who believe their religious liberty is in jeopardy and that they are being required to bow at the altar of the LGBTQ agenda, which is not just about civil rights, but about cancel culture and shaming all who stand for traditional morality as though they were promoting hate speech. (Read the story of the firing of Mazilla leader Brenden Eich who was removed for supporting a petition against gay marriage.  Note the football coaches fired for praying).  The son of the famous Bobby Beathard of the Washington Redskins was fired for supporting the phrase All Lives Matter on his door at his college.  There is really a great offense at the cancel culture.   There should be legislation to protect free speck and religious moral convictions.  These folks need equal civil rights to minority groups.  I have recommended the amazing book on the growing totalitarian power of the left by Rod Dreher, Live Not By Lies.  This is a very justified concern. These people see how the campus has gone left and embraced cancel culture. 

Then there are the pro-Israel people who see the Embassy move to Jerusalem, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital, the recognition of the strategic territory of the Golan Heights as belonging to Israel.  Then there are the peace treaties with Muslim countries.  The pro-Israel people feel there has never been such support.  

Amazingly there are black and Hispanics who believe that Trump has delivered for them in wage growth and economic efforts for the marginalized.  Together they make up this group that my high school friend reported on. Trump is polling higher percentages in these groups. 

Finally, there is a great consensus of prophetic people that are for Trump’s re-election.  This spans from Mark Taylor’s prophecy in 2011 that Trump will be elected. The prophetic movement is of two presentations.  One is that Trump can be re-elected if we pray.  They are obviously are pro-Trump.  The others have gone out on that limb and predicted a Trump victory.  See also the 10 prophets interviewed by Sid Roth.  Then there is the scholarly book by James Beverley from Tyndale Seminary in Toronto who is only reporting not taking a position. But the catalogue is amazing in his God’s Man in the White House.  Right now, Trump’s election by the polls looks very unlikely.  However, these folks are not shaken.  

If Donald Trump loses, one of my biggest concerns is how devastating it will be to the number of these prophets’ voices.  Some are seasoned and in their older years.  How will it affect them and those who believed their words?  But if Trump wins, imagine their credibility.  Some have been very specific with regard to what Trump will do in his second term and even predicted that he would have a transforming encounter with God.  

I do not believe Trump’s loss will produce riots, but it will produce despair. We have to remember that our progress for the Gospel does not depend on a political outcome.  God can advance his people under all kinds of situations.  Look at China. This would be our radical foundational conviction and confidence. No matter the outcome, we will win.  However, there will be looting, rioting, burning, and maybe death if Trump wins.  We are glad to many are praying.  Revive Israel, one of our key ministries is hosting an international prayer meeting on-line on election day.  We are now in Kansas City where IHOP has a day of prayer on Election Day.  We pray for the will of God and not are not making an endorsement in these prayer meetings.  Many others have had days of prayer and fasting with large participation.  So, let us double down in prayer above all else that this season fraught with danger and possibilities. 

I hold to a position on the separation of Church and State that was very common until the Supreme Court decision against school prayer in 1962.  It was the consensus in the 19th century.  In that interpretation, the separation of Church and State meant that the two spheres were independent, and neither was to exercise any legal control over the other.  It also meant that there would not be an official State Church such as Anglicanism in Britain or Judaism in Israel.  However, the State was responsible to submit to the Law of God for its sphere of responsibility.  Civil Law was to show agreement with the Bible.  This agreement with the Law of God was codified under Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian in the Justinian Code.  To the extent that a state, a people, and its government, violated the foundational truths of Biblical Law, to that extent the nation or people would come under God’s judgment.  One sees such prophetic announcement of judgment as applying to all nations in the early chapters of Amos, the middle chapters of Isaiah, in Ezekiel, and more.  It was a mistake, in my view, that the Constitution did not say that the United States would be accountable to God and his Law.  I think most at that time assumed that it would be so.  Statements by Washington, Adams, and Madison indicate this clearly.  This is the view expressed by the founder of Wheaton College, the great anti-slavery fighter Jonathan Blanchard who said that Wheaton existed for the purpose that the Law of God would become the Law of the Land.  The great revivalist Charles Finney held the same view.  Abraham Kuyper, Prime Minister of Holland 120 years ago, expressed the same view and governed accordingly.  Two Arminians and a Calvinist here agree. 

Our primary orientation then as citizens who are submitted to the Bible should be the same as that view historically expressed, that the Law of God would become the Law of the Land.  Yes, that Law has to be interpreted and applied for the New Covenant Age and for our contemporary realities.  However, as much as possible, we should seek to see the Law established and to stave off the judgment of God.  As a citizen of both Israel and America, I want to see my nations more in conformity to God’s Law.   The primary determination of my vote for candidates and for parties is which will move us closer to conformity to the Law of God and which will not.  This question is one that should take into account a more long term view.  

I have Christian and Messianic Jewish friends who are both pro-Trump and anti-Trump.  Some of my relatives and friends, seniors like me, who have lived godly and consistent lives look at the present circumstances and will vote for Donald Trump.  Some young people I know as well have come to the same conclusion. I wish my anti-Trump friends would be sympathetic to them rather than to claim that they are morally compromised by voting for Trump.  They look at the Democratic platform on abortion, the LGBTQ agenda that has religious restriction aspects, religious freedom, Israel, and more and will vote for Donald Trump.  They look at the number of committed Christians in the Trump administration.  They may not have a worked-out philosophy of Church and State, but they believe that the alternative to Donald Trump will be destructive, socialist-oriented, and anti-Christian.  The Little Sisters of the Poor will be required to cover contraceptives.  Private school vouchers will end, and this will hurt the poor and especially poor blacks.  Christian adoption agencies will no longer be able to choose married heterosexual couples as their priority for adoptions. Charter schools will be restricted, again hurting the poor.  And I can go on and on with the reasons.  The fact that Joe Biden wants to repeal the Hyde Amendment means that against conscience, they will have to pay for abortions through their taxes.  These issues to them far transcend issues with Donald Trump’s character and offensive tweeting or exaggerating.  His past behavior does not matter compared to the present issues. The Supreme Court appointments give some hope for restricting abortion. That is one great hope for so many. Some argue that Trump has changed, and his character deficits are now greatly exaggerated.  Trump has been amazingly consistent in doing what he promised to do. 

However, some of my Messianic Jewish and Christian Friends believe that voting for Donald Trump is wrong.  They believe that his public character is so terrible that an Evangelical alignment with him will greatly hinder the progress of the Gospel because it ruins our witness.   In my view, most of these friends, but not all, do not hold to the idea of the Law of God and the Law of the Land that I explained.  They may look for a more pluralistic society that can support freedom for gays, homosexual marriage, LGBTQ rights, etc.  This does not mean that they want to see Christians and Messianic Jews forced against their conscience to use their artistic creativity to serve gay weddings (the cake baker and wedding planner).  However, in their view, the best way to make progress in society is to see a grassroots growth of the Gospel.  Abortion numbers do not best decline by the force of law, but by evangelism and the promotion of information.  In addition, if we hinder the credibility of the Gospel by support for a person whose character is so grossly deficient, progress in the society through Gospel advance will be set back that any temporary political victories in the agenda of conservative Christians will be at a steep price.   In addition, they argue that Trump has been erratic in his governing, and this has been very damaging to our standing in the larger world.  One very dear and godly pastor friend of over 40 years holds to this position.  We can live with Joe Biden for four years and then elect a credible conservative with a good character.  Otherwise, we can no longer argue that character counts in those who are to receive our support. 

I think that we both can agree that the best way to see society more in conformity to the way of God is by the progress of the Gospel.  In my view, revival is such reset that these questions of for whom to vote will pale in the glory of such an outpouring.  The evaluation of who one should vote for and how this affects our credibility and enhance or damage our progress in the Gospel is based on our rational reflections can all be swept aside as God shows himself in signs and wonders and sweeps millions into the Kingdom.  In this, we will see the greatest advance.  However, in the interim, we still have to vote (that is if we choose to vote) for the party and candidate that in our best and prayerful understanding is most likely to stave off the judgment of God and lead to greater conformity to the Law of God. In addition, we are not locked into the limits of our own reasoning but can hear the Holy Spirit speak to us. I think there has been so much rational argument and not enough listening to the Holy Spirit.  I do still think that when one weighs up the policies on religious liberty, conservative judges, abortion, Israel, and more, the choice is clear.  However, I do not dismiss the perspective of friends who disagree.  Let us all stop with the claims that you cannot be a believer if you . . .  or if you vote for so and so, you are a compromised believer.  Both sides have made these accusations.

President Trump’s statement America First does not mean America only.  Foreign policy is a very difficult area of challenge for American leaders and Israeli leaders.  We deal with what is in the national interest of the United States or Israel.  When one studies foreign policy, altruism is rarely front and center. President Jimmy Carter professed a commitment to put the furtherance of human rights in the nations as a top priority, and that the United States would favor relationships with those making progress in human rights.  At that time there was criticism of past policies that engaged in partnerships with authoritarian regimes in South America for the purpose of resisting communism when these regimes tortured political opponents.  Others would see such policies as Carter’s as not realistic and that we have to live on the basis of national self-interest, and if this means working in unity with harsh authoritarian regimes, then so be it.  One historic figure stated that nations do not really have friends but common interests. Then the pendulum swings again.  George W. Bush and the neo-conservatives promoted the idea of seeking to bring democracy and its transformation to the nations.  His first experiment in this was in Iraq.  Some of us observing the Iraq war (Bush and others really did believe there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq) did not think that Bush’s plan was realistic.  I thought that he could remove Saddam but should leave the Baathists in power.  Their removal and the attempt at elections would lead to a Shiite majority, and the Shiite Muslims would then turn around and persecute the now Sunni minority that previously that had oppressed them.  (That led to ISIS.)  It would also give power to Iran in Iraq.  Previously a Sunni ruled Iraq was a buffer against Iran.  Bush argued that promoting democracy in the nations was a matter of national self-interest since democracies do not attack their fellow democracies and this would lead to a safer world.  Looking at all this history, President Trump now seeks to withdraw from foreign adventures and rejects the neo-conservative views of military involvement, nation-building, and fostering democracies thereby.  Under President Obama, there was hope for democratic progress in the Arab Spring uprisings.  Again, others of us observing this concluded that this would lead to a radical take over since they had the weapons and motivation to turn these revolutions for freedom toward the furtherance of radical Islam. 

Generally, nations will enter into trade and military alliances for their mutual benefit.  Tyrants will seek power and sometimes like in China and Turkey to dominate and take over other nations. 

Are there some guidelines that come from the Bible that can be a guide to foreign policy?  The Bible does not promote a democratic governmental ideal (democratic republic).  It is skeptical to a centralized monarchy in the book of I Samuel.  The Bible does hold national governments accountable for basic law, justice, and treating their citizens well.  The first chapters of Amos make this very clear.  All nations are accountable to God.   However, I do argue that fostering human rights and movement toward democratic norms is valuable but has to be done with realism. 

The first thing is to recognize the sad truth taught by Mao of China that authority comes from the barrel of a gun.  If this power is held by tyrants and they are willing to use it to slaughter their opponents (for example, Tiananmen Square, China), the movements for democracy will fail.  What is to be done? 

1. We can work with the leaders of the nations who want a relationship with the United States or Israel to encourage them to move toward greater freedoms and human rights.  Maybe it will be a long slow process after their leaders become convinced of the values of human rights and checks and balances.  But it would take decades to really attain the education of a populace and to change a culture to move forward.  I recently studied a large tom on the history of China.  The idea of regimental order is not foreign to Chinese culture and partially explains how the control by the Communist party is accepted by the population. 
2. We can give greater favor to nations that really seek mutual cooperation and mutual benefit. 
3. We can also give greater favor to nations that make steps toward greater human rights.  We can show them greater favor in free trade, development help, and more.
4. We can distance ourselves from nations that are cruel and belligerent.  It is not necessary to act in ways that empower them.

In all this, we have to realistically access the possibilities of revolutionary change when those seeking massive change do not have the guns to bring about their take over and those with the guns are willing to liberally use them.  Those seeking to overthrow tyrants can also succeed if the tyrants are not willing to use their full power to defend their regimes or if they do not have the full power to do so.   So, some say that the U. S. should have supported the Iranian protests during the Obama administration, but it is difficult to think that it could have succeeded when the regime is so fanatical, ruthless, and responds with no reservation.  However, we can always speak out for freedom.

I am not in favor of using military power to overthrow evil regimes unless there is really good potential for good results and sufficient power in new leadership to come forth to really attain the leadership of the nation.  We saw this in Granada in Reagan’s time and might see it again in Venezuela. 

We do want to foster freer societies but only when it is realistic.  We have to stop thinking that deep down everyone in the world is a Jeffersonian democrat and would prefer to live under our values. This is just not true. It will be a long educational process for many decades for many people of the world to embrace those values.

However, there is one text that is a mandate for us. Proverbs 24:11, 12 says,

Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
¹² If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
    does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
    Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

I apply this to genocide. When a nation or nations together have the power with little risk to themselves to stop a wholesale genocide and then do not act, I think this brings the judgment of God. I here give three examples of this.  The first is the failure of President Roosevelt to order the bombing of the trains to the Auschwitz death camp and maybe other camps.  This could have saved countless Jewish lives.  Then when the Clinton administration failed to use air power to stop the horrid genocide of the Tutsis by the Hutus in Rwanda, it was a terrible failure of responsibility.  One of President Obama’s foreign policy team said that the Rwanda failure was a terrible failure that should not be repeated.  Finally, and yet the President failed in Syria when gas attacks and military genocide was being practiced against the Sunnis by Bahir Assad in Syria.  500,000 are estimated to have been killed, innocent civilians!  I think President Trump could have had a more rigorous policy to rid Syria of this criminal. 

Also, one more thing is important.  That is that we do not betray partners who sacrifice with us in that partnership.  I think the Kurds are now being abandoned and that is really very painful. 

So, here are some thoughts on foreign policy.

My Facebook friends are in the thick of the political debate.  My son and daughter have spoken their concern to me to not be too politically involved.  However, so many of the Facebook posts I receive are responding to the present battle between the Republicans under President Trump and the Democratic leaders with Joe Biden.  I think the intensity of the present political situation is such that this will continue with both sides among my friends until after the election.   I have found that many do not deal with the policy issues, which to me is crucial. What are the policies professed and what is the likelihood that the professed policies will be pursued and implemented?  Though our primary thrust is the power of the Gospel to change lives and societies, we do have an important civic responsibility, especially in a democratic republic.  Many only debate about how bad a person President Trump is or that he is not such a bad person or does do the right things in policy. For those who think he is terrible, it seems to supersede concern for policy issues.  

The place to find the policy is in the Democratic policy platform. One should also look up the agreement between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.  Some are denying that this has any weight for what a President Biden would do.  But if not, then he has been lying about his intentions with Bernie Sanders and his followers. 

The place for the Republican policy is the 2016 platform and the professions of Trump and the Republican leaders on their plans, though there is no platform. 

My greatest issues are:  1.  abortion policy including the appointment of judges.  2.  Israel issues.  3.  Lifting the black underclass and overcoming the intergenerational poverty and underclass situation.  4. Religious liberty and liberty for educational choice for religious reasons would be the fourth.  

Test yourself.  Do you know what the parties’ views are on these issues below?  Do you know what the issues are and where you stand?  I do not favor one party or the other on all of these. 

 

Domestic 

1. Abortion restrictions 
2. Appointment of Federal and Supreme Court Judges
3. Religious liberty and education 
4. Education including Private school vouchers and charter schools
5. Environmental issues including Global Warming/Climate change and the Green New Deal.  The use of fossil fuels, renewal energy tec.  International accords. 
6. Medical and hospitalization system; coverage and costs, disclosure of hospital and doctor information, pre-existing conditions. Socialized medicine (Medicare for all or something else?)
7. Police reform and funding
8. Tax policy and economic growth and job growth (connects to international and trade policy). 
9. International trade policy, free trade, tariffs, and fair trade etc. 
10. NATO and commitments and contributions
11. International Anti-Semitism concerns. 
12. Overcoming the intergenerational underclass situation of the black community. Welfare policy and the underclass. 
13. Dealing with crime in the black community and the drug wars
14. MS-13 type gangs, drugs and crime
15. Immigration policy: Legal immigration and illegal policy, sanctuary cities etc. Border wall and v-verify, dreamers policy.
16. Hi-Tech monopolistic corporations 
17. Levels of wealth and influence from super-rich
18. Monopoly and information domination from a few tech companies 
19. The politicization of the universities and colleges. 
20. The media and control by liberals etc.
21. Criminal justice reform
22. Drugs and legalization and fighting organized crime
23. Surveillance of citizens and privacy concerns   
24. Military policy and spending

 

Foreign 

1. China policy, military, trade, and espionage and domination issues. 
2. Iran, terrorism, and nuclear danger.  
3. Russia and responses to their actions.
4. Israel and the peace process. Jerusalem, settlements, and the Land.  
5. Turkey and its new thrust for domination in the Eastern Med and the Middle East. Her involvement in Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Northern Cyprus. 
6. Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Kurds
7. Africa policy
8. Latin America policy and Venezuela 
9. Religious freedom and American responses to oppressive regimes 

In Mike Brown’s book on Will Evangelicals Pass the Trump Test, he argues that one key to that test is how we treat those who will vote for and against Trump (if they expose themselves and engage in debate). If we do not treat them with love and respect and credit that they have reasons we err. While I think the reasons on platforms and all else favor the Republicans, I well know that there are some good counter reasons. Some very precious people in my life will vote against Trump, including one best friend of 56 years, the retired Pastor of the Church where I was a charter member in 1966, the wonderful Pastor of a Presbyterian Church who took my courses at the King’s University when it was in Van Nuys, California. I will not arrogantly treat them as moral idiots though I see such darkness coming much more from the Democrats. Soon, in a few years, the proof will be in no matter who wins on the basis of what happens.

My daughter pointed out the arrogance of people and was very disturbed by my Facebook page at the amount of arrogance on both sides. Not the majority, but enough posts show this arrogance. If you are not in agreement, you are a moral/ethical idiot. I have had posts where some say that if you vote for Trump you can’t be a believer. Others, especially on the abortion issue, that if you vote against Trump you are a moral idiot. Yet these folks are anti-abortion and want to fight it by the Gospel and not by legislation. I think they are wrong, but they are not idiots.

One thing that is very disturbing is the painting of the other side like Hitler. Both sides do it. Yes, there is the cancel culture and some of the things Antifa is after is totalitarian. Then we hear that Trump is like Hitler. First, I think this violates the command of Scripture to not vilify our civil leaders. We can speak correction but with humility. Scripture is very clear on this. Secondly, as one historian of Hitler said in Germany recently, this is a terribly wrong comparison. There is no evidence that Trump seeks ethnic cleansing, and Hitler revealed this all along. Jews should especially be offended that such a comparison is made when Hitler and the Holocaust has no comparison. To draw such comparisons is such slander against all those who have reasoned positions to vote for him. If Trump is like Hitler, then a Bonhoeffer needs to rise up and assassinate him. If the volant protesters and cancel culture is like Hitler, then we need to rise up a militia and kill them off like the Jewish resisters in Warsaw. I have posted on what I think is the outlandish behavior of the left. Do my friends understand that when you bring in Hitler comparisons you slander all those who support their side as such moral idiots that they are supporting a Hitler and are as dumb as can be? I can give a list of the most fine and sensitive people who are supporting Trump, including Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, and Asians. I can point out the years of ministry integrity of some of his supporters, including pastors, evangelists, and rabbis. Most of the most sensitive people in the prophetic that I know, support, Trump. What does it say about all of these people to say they support a Hitler. I also can make a list of fine people, best friends, sensitive people who are totally anti-Trump. What does it say about them if we accuse them of supporting a Hitler like direction or that they are supporting Bolsheviks? It really is accusing them of being moral/ethical idiots. So, let’s stop with the arrogance. Let’s stop with the incendiary rhetoric. Let us accept that each side has at least some good reasons. This is a challenging time for all of us. In Mike Brown’s book, again, the key issue in passing the Trump test is how we treat those who don’t agree with us among the believing community and how we prosecute our cases. If we stoop to vilification and treating the other side as “a basket of deplorables,” God help us. And as Mike also argues, let us never think that the solution is in the political realm despite our civic responsibility and its importance. Our hope for people is in the Gospel, so let’s not make an idol of politics. For many who are not committed to God, politics is their religion. We must not go there. By the way, Mike is measured and gracious. He gives the reasons against voting for Trump. I think he left out some key policy issues where I disagree with Trump. However, I strongly recommend his book because he passes his own Trump test.