Thread by @DarthCalculus

Noticing a common theme in the responses to #ChristiansAgainstTrump is abortion.

In my latest lapse of judgment, I will explore the complex variables behind this tendency.

1/

The accusation usually goes like this:

So, you're a Christian against Trump, huh?
What's worse, Trump or abortion?
But the democrats push abortion!

The implication is that withdrawing support for Trump is an extension of support for abortion.

2/

In reality, the questions are completely separate:

1) Do you (dis)approve of Trump's personal behavior?
2) Do you (dis)approve of Trump's policies?
3) Do you (dis)approve of abortion?

You can answer either way on all three questions.

3/

Someone who disapproves of Trump's personal behavior on moral grounds has not made any statement about their position on abortion, LGBT+ issues, freedom of religion, or any other topic.

Same thing with his (or the GOP's) policies.

So why the comparison?

4/

As best I can tell, the dilemma isn't whether we support Trump or support abortion.

It's that the leadership of the country is almost certainly going to be running on the DP or the RP. Politics is a zero-sum game.

5/

This is where the accusation comes in. As voters, we each bear responsibility for affecting the outcome of our elections. As moral agents, we bear responsibility for having right beliefs. And since this is #ChristiansAgainstTrump , those right beliefs are very specific.

6/

There is no perfect candidate, which means we must judge how our choices will result in certain outcomes. There are times when a greater good is served by compromise. There are other times when no compromise is acceptable because the cost is too high. These are judgment calls.
7/

These are the important questions:
Which ethic are you elevating in this decision?
Which ethics are you sacrificing in this decision?
What outcome are you seeking to bring about?
What outcome are you seeking to avoid?

8/

I am not omniscient, but I can imagine the answers for some hypothetical voters.

For myself:
Elevated ethic: Christian character
Sacrificed ethic: Moral legislation
Outcome sought: Christianity's reputation in USA
Outcome avoided: Dismissal of Christianity in USA

9/

If I had to guess, (and please correct me) a pro-Trump Christian might answer:

Elevated ethic: Moral legislation
Sacrificed ethic: Christian character
Outcome sought: No abortion
Outcome avoided: Secularization of USA

(answers may vary)

10/

Let me try to tie this together.

What bothers me about the "what about abortion" response to the Christians who distance themselves from Trump is its seeming ignorance of the position that I hold.

I'm against Trump *and* abortion. (shortened for Twitter)

11/

This makes no sense in the zero-sum game of American politics because if Trump and abortion are opposed, I can't simultaneously oppose them both.

Yes I can.

I just can't simultaneously vote against them both.

It is assumed I must pick one and vote against the other.

No.

12/

I love this country very, very much. But being a #ChristiansAgainstTrump , I keep my citizenship at arm's length, because when my King comes back, I'm not looking back. There will only be one nation that is not scorched in the end, and it's not America.

13/

So, if a ballot is handed to me with two choices:
A) Big sin
B) Little sin

I will vote B as long as I can do it in Jesus' name, with thanksgiving. Because nothing on Earth is perfect.

But at some point, the choices became:
A) HUGE sin
B) Big sin

14/

At some point, the lesser of two evils is too evil.

When I say I refuse to choose the lesser of two evils, I am not saying I choose the greater evil.

If the cost of stopping the greater evil is to *choose* evil...I'm done playing. I will not be coerced into sin.

15/

Wow! 16 tweets? I should stop.

I refer back to this one for my closing.

https://twitter.com/DarthCalculus/status/1208272435407212544

There was a time when I thought America could be a good nation, and the GOP would lead it. That time is past, and I have nothing to look forward to but mercy preceding judgment.

/end