Does the Moral Character of Public Officials Matter?

[PastorMatt]

God answered that question when he allowed Hitler to be born, knowing the evil he would do. Voting is not a command, and we can choose not to vote if we feel led by the Lord.

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

You're the one being obtuse, Tony. It was a response to Salyan's comment, "But for Christians to abstain from voting because they don’t have a perfect candidate to vote for, is a waste of the opportunity that we have been given."

The unlikely scenario might be manifesting right under your nose.

17 minutes ago, PastorMatt said:

God answered that question when he allowed Hitler to be born, knowing the evil he would do. Voting is not a command, and we can choose not to vote if we feel led by the Lord.

God answered what question?

Edited May 20 by Dr. Robert S. Morley
Added final sentence

[Joe Chandler]

2 hours ago, Dr. Robert S. Morley said:

What if the choice is Hitler or abortion? Which is the lessor evil? We're not commanded by God to always vote. Abstaining has its place.

In point of fact, a vote for Hitler was a vote for abortion. Let's discuss the moral character of Biden.

On 4/26/2023 at 5:23 PM, BrotherTony said:

I see nothing wrong with praying the wicked be removed. 

Maybe we could remove all the deprecatory Psalms from the Bible.  

Edited May 20 by Joe Chandler

[PastorMatt]

16 minutes ago, Dr. Robert S. Morley said:

God answered what question?

Maybe I misunderstood you. When you said Hitler or abortion it seem to me that it implied the choice was to have Hitler being born or not (that is why my comment said what it said). One you mentioned was a person and the other was an action, so I naturally put them together.  

16 minutes ago, Dr. Robert S. Morley said:

You're the one being obtuse,

I do not believe any one is being abusive here, but rather just a personality conflict. 

[BrotherTony]

4 minutes ago, PastorMatt said:

Maybe I misunderstood you. When you said Hitler or abortion it seem to me that it implied the choice was to have Hitler being born or not (that is why my comment said what it said). One you mentioned was a person and the other was an action, so I naturally put them together.  

I do not believe any one is being abusive here, but rather just a personality conflict. 

I wasn't trying to be abusive to anyone. I was just pointing out that the Dr wasn't using good reasoning by adding hypotheticals to the conversation, especially by bringing a dead dictator into the conversation.

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

41 minutes ago, PastorMatt said:

Maybe I misunderstood you. When you said Hitler or abortion it seem to me that it implied the choice was to have Hitler being born or not (that is why my comment said what it said). One you mentioned was a person and the other was an action, so I naturally put them together.  

I do not believe any one is being abusive here, but rather just a personality conflict. 

Perhaps you misread. No one said anything about being abusive. Tony accused me of being obtuse.

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

47 minutes ago, BrotherTony said:

I wasn't trying to be abusive to anyone. I was just pointing out that the Dr wasn't using good reasoning by adding hypotheticals to the conversation, especially by bringing a dead dictator into the conversation.

Wisdom forsees the ability of unchecked power to quickly corrupt. I would rather discuss the hypothetical and be prepared than be under a dictator and find it's too late.

Edited May 20 by Dr. Robert S. Morley

[PastorMatt]

My reply still applies as things seem to be getting to a point of verbal abuse. 

To all: stick to discussions and leave personal attacks out. No need for that in Christianity

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

58 minutes ago, PastorMatt said:

My reply still applies as things seem to be getting to a point of verbal abuse. 

You initially said, "I do not believe any one is being abusive here, but rather just a personality conflict."

Edited May 20 by Dr. Robert S. Morley

[PastorMatt]

20 minutes ago, Dr. Robert S. Morley said:

You initially said, "I do not believe any one is being abusive here, but rather just a personality conflict."

Thank you, I'm well aware of what initially said as it is written publicly. It still stands. 

Let's get on with the topic at hand rather than pick on semantics. 

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

8 minutes ago, PastorMatt said:

Thank you, I'm well aware of what initially said as it is written publicly. It still stands. 

Let's get on with the topic at hand rather than pick on semantics. 

Which do you want to retract as you advise us on our behavior? Because you tell me one thing and then the group another. 

[PastorMatt]

2 minutes ago, Dr. Robert S. Morley said:

Which do you want to retract as you advise us on our behavior? Because you tell me one thing and then the group another. 

Please stop and re-read. I specifically said "to all".

Please get back to the topic at hand.

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

2 hours ago, Joe Chandler said:

Let's discuss the moral character of Biden.

Yes, we should. We should weigh all officials by biblical standards, like those the SBC put forward.

2 hours ago, Joe Chandler said:

Maybe we could remove all the deprecatory Psalms from the Bible.  

I don't understand why you said this, Joe.

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

19 minutes ago, PastorMatt said:

Please stop and re-read. I specifically said "to all".

Please get back to the topic at hand.

You responded to me, saying to Tony, "You're the one being obtuse," with, "I do not believe any one is being abusive here, but rather just a personality conflict."

I then pointed out that the word abuse hadn't been used to which you responded, "My reply still applies as things seem to be getting to a point of verbal abuse. 

To all: stick to discussions and leave personal attacks out. No need for that in Christianity."

I agree with your intention, but can you please acknowledge that your initial advice to me differs from your final advice. "I do not believe any one is being abusive here" does not correlate with "things seem to be getting to a point of verbal abuse. 

To all: stick to discussions and leave personal attacks out. No need for that in Christianity."

Edited May 20 by Dr. Robert S. Morley

[PastorMatt]

Can we please stop with these semantics and stick to topic at hand? PM are meant for these exact situations. 

I asked nicely 3 times and it been ignored each time.

[Joe Chandler]

16 minutes ago, Dr. Robert S. Morley said:

Yes, we should. We should weigh all officials by biblical standards, like those the SBC put forward.

I don't understand why you said this, Joe.

I said this because you responded to Tony that Psalm 109:8 was an horrible thing to pray. I was arguing to the extreme for illustrative purposes.

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

On 5/20/2023 at 9:22 PM, Joe Chandler said:

I said this because you responded to Tony that Psalm 109:8 was an horrible thing to pray. I was arguing to the extreme for illustrative purposes.

Imprecatory psalms, like Psalm 109, which deal with vengeance rather than forgiveness, require very careful application. "Let his days be few; and let another take his office" (Psalm 109:8) calls for judgment through untimely death and was applied to Judas.