I guess you've set this up so that anyone who disagrees with you has "become desensitized to having our faith fused with partisan politics." I'll just flip that and say that you have become so invested in politics that you struggle to discern clearly. Perhaps you should take a break from watching politics if you find offense so easily.
In that moment, Graham was speaking to Donald Trump, who no doubt, and rightfully so, "thought it was pretty dark" during the last four years. He had the most powerful justice system in the world weaponized against him, subjecting him to possibly spend the rest of his life behind bars and costing him millions of dollars. The freedom and wealth of his children was threatened, too. In those same four years, he survived an assassin's bullet and was one golf hole away from another. During those same four years, the MSM and many of those you are concerned for - Biden, Schumer, Clinton, Obama, and their staffs, labeled him fascist, dictator, and Hitler, which surely gave energy to the injustices acted upon him. No doubt it looked pretty dark.
Why should a prophetic voice be quiet just because the offenders are sitting near by? I think you are protesting too much on this one.
You made an accusation, I asked you to substantiate your accusation. Rather than helpfully answer my question, you doubled down by saying I'm a blind partisan.
In my world, injustice, murder, and character assassination are all gospel issues. That is to say that all of them are sins against God and their intended recipients. I believe the soul that sins shall die and that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God as I have done. However, the Apostle Paul said, "Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." He meant by that what Jesus meant when he told Nicodemus "You must be born again." And as the great hymn says, "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see" Amen. By God's amazing grace, I found forgiveness of my sins in the one who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." I'm thankful for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin, judgement, and righteousness, and empowers me to walk in righteousness. I'm thankful that the triune God that I worship and seek to serve has helped me to recognize that injustice, murder, and character assassination are in fact gospel issues long before they are political issues.
Amazing Grace was written by John Newton, a former slaver. It was his song of testimony of conversion to Christ and from slaving. He believed the Atlantic slave trade was a sin because it was an injustice. Note, however, that this injustice was both a gospel issue and a political issue. It was political because it was supported by politicians. But it was never less than a gospel issue. God used the political activity of the abolitionists to eradicate an injustice.
Let me re-frame my question: How is mentioning some of the events that made Donald Trump's days dark - injustice, assassination attempts, and slander - listing worldly political gripes?
Let's take the assassination attempts out of it, because you're conflating two classes of events, and nobody would have taken issue with Graham being explicit about that particular thing. Your claims of injustice and slander are wholly subjective and partisan, no matter how much I may agree with some of the sentiment. Secondly, Franklin Graham wasn't there to give an accounting of that, he was there to ask for the blessings of God.
My issue is with how utterly incapable of solely doing that one, most important thing, especially at the most auspicious of moments, politically obsessed evangelicals are. You're only proving that point by trying to conflate what Graham did with Amazing Grace and being against chattel slavery. Graham has 364 other days of the year to fight against his subjective interpretation of worldly injustice. He had five minutes to represent the Savior to millions watching and chose to play politics instead. I don't believe his father would have made the same error.
Lastly, not even the pro-Trump Gateway Pundit took Graham's statement as a personal encouragement to Trump, but a political statement. You're the odd man out.
Gateway Pundit: "Franklin opened his prayer with an honest account of the Biden years calling out “the darkness of the last four years.”
PJMedia: "Graham's remarks, on the other hand, were meant for the people in the room. Those people were those who spent years trying to metaphorically beat Trump into submission."
I'm okay being the "odd man out." If you are aware of Graham speaking to his intentions, please direct me to them. I'm happy to read his explanation. Until then, we - you, me, the GP, PJM, etc. - are left to interpret the actions/words of Graham. I note that Graham addressed Trump directly, "Mr. PRESIDENT, the last four years, I'm sure there are times I'm sure YOU thought it was pretty dark. But look at what God has done. We praise Him and give Him glory. Let us pray ..." My interpretation is that Graham spoke a word of encouragement to Trump in the hearing of millions (perhaps, billions) that might also cut to the core of the hearts of the offenders. The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay.
In using Amazing Grace I hoped to do two things. First, I wanted to use the most globally recognized Christian hymn to describe finding personal relief from my own guilty conscience by responding to the gospel. While my guilty conscience was similar to John Newton's the specific sins under which were burdened were different. As much as I can discern, mine had no hint of political connection.
Second, I intended it to demonstrate that things can overlap in life. In the case of John Newton, the Atlantic slave trade was both a gospel issue and a political issue. It was primarily, though, a gospel issue.
I'm of the opinion that when the OT prophets railed against Israel's wickedness they were addressing a heart matter that happened to be political because the wickedness of the nation flowed down from the kings.
It's your house, so you can have the last word as l see myself to the door.
I guess you've set this up so that anyone who disagrees with you has "become desensitized to having our faith fused with partisan politics." I'll just flip that and say that you have become so invested in politics that you struggle to discern clearly. Perhaps you should take a break from watching politics if you find offense so easily.
In that moment, Graham was speaking to Donald Trump, who no doubt, and rightfully so, "thought it was pretty dark" during the last four years. He had the most powerful justice system in the world weaponized against him, subjecting him to possibly spend the rest of his life behind bars and costing him millions of dollars. The freedom and wealth of his children was threatened, too. In those same four years, he survived an assassin's bullet and was one golf hole away from another. During those same four years, the MSM and many of those you are concerned for - Biden, Schumer, Clinton, Obama, and their staffs, labeled him fascist, dictator, and Hitler, which surely gave energy to the injustices acted upon him. No doubt it looked pretty dark.
Why should a prophetic voice be quiet just because the offenders are sitting near by? I think you are protesting too much on this one.
All you've given is a listing of your worldly political gripes and not a word about the gospel. You've telegraphed what you give more energy towards.
Being subjected to injustice, assassination attempts, and slander are political issues? What makes them political issues?
I’m surprised that you’re unable to see the partisan nature of your writing here. I’m still waiting for you to mention the gospel.
You made an accusation, I asked you to substantiate your accusation. Rather than helpfully answer my question, you doubled down by saying I'm a blind partisan.
In my world, injustice, murder, and character assassination are all gospel issues. That is to say that all of them are sins against God and their intended recipients. I believe the soul that sins shall die and that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God as I have done. However, the Apostle Paul said, "Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." He meant by that what Jesus meant when he told Nicodemus "You must be born again." And as the great hymn says, "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see" Amen. By God's amazing grace, I found forgiveness of my sins in the one who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." I'm thankful for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin, judgement, and righteousness, and empowers me to walk in righteousness. I'm thankful that the triune God that I worship and seek to serve has helped me to recognize that injustice, murder, and character assassination are in fact gospel issues long before they are political issues.
Amazing Grace was written by John Newton, a former slaver. It was his song of testimony of conversion to Christ and from slaving. He believed the Atlantic slave trade was a sin because it was an injustice. Note, however, that this injustice was both a gospel issue and a political issue. It was political because it was supported by politicians. But it was never less than a gospel issue. God used the political activity of the abolitionists to eradicate an injustice.
Let me re-frame my question: How is mentioning some of the events that made Donald Trump's days dark - injustice, assassination attempts, and slander - listing worldly political gripes?
Let's take the assassination attempts out of it, because you're conflating two classes of events, and nobody would have taken issue with Graham being explicit about that particular thing. Your claims of injustice and slander are wholly subjective and partisan, no matter how much I may agree with some of the sentiment. Secondly, Franklin Graham wasn't there to give an accounting of that, he was there to ask for the blessings of God.
My issue is with how utterly incapable of solely doing that one, most important thing, especially at the most auspicious of moments, politically obsessed evangelicals are. You're only proving that point by trying to conflate what Graham did with Amazing Grace and being against chattel slavery. Graham has 364 other days of the year to fight against his subjective interpretation of worldly injustice. He had five minutes to represent the Savior to millions watching and chose to play politics instead. I don't believe his father would have made the same error.
Lastly, not even the pro-Trump Gateway Pundit took Graham's statement as a personal encouragement to Trump, but a political statement. You're the odd man out.
Gateway Pundit: "Franklin opened his prayer with an honest account of the Biden years calling out “the darkness of the last four years.”
PJMedia: "Graham's remarks, on the other hand, were meant for the people in the room. Those people were those who spent years trying to metaphorically beat Trump into submission."
I'm okay being the "odd man out." If you are aware of Graham speaking to his intentions, please direct me to them. I'm happy to read his explanation. Until then, we - you, me, the GP, PJM, etc. - are left to interpret the actions/words of Graham. I note that Graham addressed Trump directly, "Mr. PRESIDENT, the last four years, I'm sure there are times I'm sure YOU thought it was pretty dark. But look at what God has done. We praise Him and give Him glory. Let us pray ..." My interpretation is that Graham spoke a word of encouragement to Trump in the hearing of millions (perhaps, billions) that might also cut to the core of the hearts of the offenders. The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay.
In using Amazing Grace I hoped to do two things. First, I wanted to use the most globally recognized Christian hymn to describe finding personal relief from my own guilty conscience by responding to the gospel. While my guilty conscience was similar to John Newton's the specific sins under which were burdened were different. As much as I can discern, mine had no hint of political connection.
Second, I intended it to demonstrate that things can overlap in life. In the case of John Newton, the Atlantic slave trade was both a gospel issue and a political issue. It was primarily, though, a gospel issue.
I'm of the opinion that when the OT prophets railed against Israel's wickedness they were addressing a heart matter that happened to be political because the wickedness of the nation flowed down from the kings.
It's your house, so you can have the last word as l see myself to the door.
👏👏👏