reply for discussion board

 First, as I noted the other day, I have posted a thread to discuss questions about the election. Since I am currently working on a research project that involves politics, religion, and media credibility, I would definitely be interested in hearing your responses relevant to those areas--and any other thoughts relevant to class concepts are fine as well. (Did socialization play a role in people supporting Clinton or Trump, how does Trump's election relate to the concept of civil religion, how will religion play a role in American society and politics going forward, etc.?) So please feel free to respond to that! It's good for discussion points, too!

Second, those of you who haven't yet participated, please feel free to do so and get the participation points. Those tend to come in REALLY handy at the end of the semester, and as pointed out in several places, they can't be made up after the discussion board closes. So please post away!

Third, let's please try to discuss on existing threads whenever possible. In particular, don't add other threads on topics that already exist in threads that have already been posted, as in the Profound Questions instructions. We don't need any more threads on the MTB project, for instance; please, please use the existing threads for discussing questions that might come up. Fair warning: Effective immediately, any additional brand-new MTB threads will be deleted without being read, along with replies. So please just post any further MTB-related questions and comments on the threads that already exist. Thanks, everyone! Sincerely

Original post: For class participation, I am posting my thoughts on the Presidental Election otherwise I would not speak of it.  I can not relate a concept or theory to what has just happened in America.  If I were to speak of it, it would not be respectful. I was taught that in order to receive respect, you must give respect.  Clearly, that was not the case in this election.  It was "ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL!"

Example reply: This election has been an interesting one. I personally have never cared as much to pay close attention to the details as I have in this cycle. Following from start to finish has given us an interesting roller coaster. Most of the U.S. conservative Christians were opposed to Trump at the beginning, but given the options became single issue voters and focused exclusively on a pro life stance from Trump as the foundation for their reasoning. However, the fact that most of the U.S. faced election anxiety proves that not many of us were thrilled with the possible outcomes. Because the media in our culture allows no thing to go unnoticed, we see every angle of this debate and the fall out from people who have disagreed with the out come. From the opinion ofmillennials, to celebrities, to veterans, to rural farmers and big city entrepreneurs, every person has something to say, and it has taken a while to both process and feel prepared to respond with a reasonable mindset.

The problem with Trump is that he talks about conservative policies, that would give a sense of safety in one form or another. But his behavior has betrayed him as a person who does not care about minorities or people that are different from him. So even if people don't like him, they prefer his "safer" policies, and his apparently "Christian" affiliations. 

As a Christian, I understand the Bible to mean we are to be loving to all people, not just the ones we agree with, not just the ones who are nice to us. Many of his ideas would hint at an American Civil religion, and carry hints at Christianity which has been common for almost every president in recent history, (even Obama attended mass on Easter Sunday). I couldn't reconcile the two pieces of Trump in order to commit to a vote for him. Not because I found him not Christian enough, but because I found his policies unamerican. If patriotism is the civil religion, and upholding the values of our founding fathers indicates a man capable of the job of Commander in Chief, then Donald Trump has not been that man. Whether civil religion is a good or bad thing, is probably beyond my capabilities here, but we have, by our established processes elected a man to run this country. As the tradition goes, we must interact with this authority, because it is a government by the people, and for the people. In order for that last statement to be true we can not elect a man or woman and then wash our hands of it, and we cannot demand that he step down. We must now work together.

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