Political Disagreements and Enemies

[KenH]

Do you think that any fellow American citizen who disagrees with you politically(on policy or on candidates) is your enemy and/or an enemy of the United States?

 

[Charlie24]

Do you think that any fellow American citizen who disagrees with you politically(on policy or on candidates) is your enemy and/or an enemy of the United States?

There is currently no law in American politics that forces me to choose between God's law and man's law.

That day will come soon enough, then we believers in Christ will have our political enemies.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Had to say "yes" since I figured no one would dare to say that

Reality? Ignorant or willingly ignorant, fer shur!!

 

[MrW]

Do you think that any fellow American citizen who disagrees with you politically(on policy or on candidates) is your enemy and/or an enemy of the United States?

I think democrats are enemies of the United States and even of themselves; some unwittingly, hopefully.

I say hopefully, because maybe someday they will come to some semblance of sanity.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

80K views · 3K reactions | Donald thinks debate is a Spanish word#preschoolapprentice #donaldtrump #presidentialdebate #joebiden #sketch #reels #skit | Noah Ryan Pekari

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

There is currently no law in American politics that forces me to choose between God's law and man's law.

That day will come soon enough, then we believers in Christ will have our political enemies.

What political enemies…only the devil is the enemy of humans.

 

[DaveXR650]

Do you think that any fellow American citizen who disagrees with you politically(on policy or on candidates) is your enemy and/or an enemy of the United States?

Of course they are. In healthcare a pharmacist may be forced to dispense meds they know are aborting babies, nurses and doctors and hospital administrators are being forced to assist in the procedures. If you own the wrong kind of gun you can instantly become a potential felon, subject to imprisonment or fines for doing nothing different than what you have been doing for years. As a teacher you may be forced on pain of losing your job and even your license for not teaching things that are immoral and were not even considered when you entered the profession. If you run a construction company you may be forced to hire quotas of minorities, racial or sexual, thereby forcing you to discriminate against more qualified applicants. You could go on an on for ever.

Bottom line is if I am a peaceful citizen and by doing nothing wrong I can be made subject to fines, imprisonment or losing my job or career because of your politics then you are indeed my enemy. That is not to say that our admonition to love our enemies is no longer in effect. It is. But we are under no obligation to pretend that an enemy is not an enemy, or act like we don't know what they are doing.

Other differences, like whether tariffs would hurt or help our country long term or how much money we should spend on infrastructure or whether to put in a park - of course those are disagreements that would not make opponents enemies. If you notice a party that has as part of their agenda things that will directly harm you, your family, or innocent people then they are indeed your enemies.

 

[MrW]

Amen to DaveXR650.

 

[Scarlett O.]

The question was is any "fellow American citizen" my enemy because they disagree with me.

I voted no, but wish there was an "absolutely not".

I have friends who are voting for Kamala. Not many About less than a dozen. I also have friends who believe Trump is perfect, does no wrong, is a great Christian, and is God's man for 'Merica" because his right ear was bleeding like Aaron in the Bible.

I can't agree with any of those people. We disagree wholeheartedly. But they are not my enemies.

 

[Charlie24]

I was thinking there are enough non-Christian Republicans to take the hammer to the liberals.

Should we Christians help lift that hammer, losing any chance at all to be a witness for Christ?

Or is it that we believe these liberals are beyond the point of coming to Christ?

 

[JonC]

I answered "no". Our struggle is not with flesh and blood. I do believe that the parties seeking to dominate worldly kingdoms are our enemy (or at least the forces behind these parties) but not the people themselves.

I agree with @Charlie24 . When we think of these people as our enemies we compromise our effectiveness in witnessing to those people.

 

[DaveXR650]

What's more. Politicians who are deliberately trying to replace the native population for whatever reason are enemies of the native population. Politicians who subscribe to philosophies where the official stated goal is that the United States is so based on racism and unfairness that it has to be destroyed are your enemies. This is not rocket science. When someone says they are your enemy, want to replace you and destroy your country and say so if you don't listen to them then you are an idiot.

We as Christians are limited in what we can do about this because we have to love and look out for our enemies which is not the way the world does things. But there is absolutely no reason why we cannot call out the evil and destructiveness that is being promoted - and vote them out, block them in court, and defend any weaker victims of their violence. I think there was starting a few years ago a movement designed to turn Christians into weak, morally ambivalent, doubting beings so soft and smiley that they cannot even take a position on something obviously wrong and harmful. They would have taken Jesus to task for wrecking the money changers tables in the temple yard.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

My way with dealing with government corruption

become self sufficient

1) grow your own food… I have a vegetable garden.

2) buy from local vendors & farmers.

3) raised chickens… the eggs are a great source of protein and vitamins.

4) stop the buying and consuming. Cook at home and invite people… socialize more.

connect with a church that is grounded in scripture… not woke.

5) home school.

 

[JonC]

IMHO there are several problems with viewing people as enemies because of political differences.

One is we are talking about people in a worldly system. Scripture tells us our fight is not with flesh and blood but these powers. The people are not enemies even though they belong to a system that belongs to the enemy.


Second is pet political issues. Obviously we can look at the DNC as evil. But we can also look at the GOP as evil. If political differences makes one an enemy then every Republican should be our enemy because of issues that are contrary to God (like the protection of immoral lifestyles).


Third, and perhaps most important, is that there are Christians supporting each political camp. A believer may support the DNC or GOP because they believe that party has a better plan to care for the poor. When we make politics rather than Christ the criteria determining whether one is an enemy we also make Christians (and Christ) an enemy.


I view the DNC and GOP as an enemy (actually, different parties fighting to dominate a world kingdom...essentially the same enemy). The DNC is obviously demonic and more dangerous to our nation. But Scripture warns us of "wolves in sheep's clothing" (this is not the DNC, as they don't try to look moral). The GOP, however, gives us prophesies as a warning to gain power while trying to appear as a sheep (Christian to Christians, libertarian to libertarians, supportive of the gay community to the gay community, pro-Muslim to Muslims, etc.).

So if I were to make politics the issue to define "enemy" then Democrats would be because they support a proudly immoral platform and Republicans would be because they support a platform that has destroyed so many churches in America.

BUT if Christ is my criteria then the fight is not against political differences but against spiritual powers.

 

[DaveXR650]

The Bible is clear that we must love our enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to them who despitefully use you. It does not say to pretend like enemies don't exist, or to make it seem like all views are equivalent. You say "prove it". The proof is that now you often see Christians actually having trouble deciding between a party that says they are coming for your children, and one that has a foul mouthed leader as if there is some kind of equivalence.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

The Bible is clear that we must love our enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to them who despitefully use you. It does not say to pretend like enemies don't exist, or to make it seem like all views are equivalent. You say "prove it". The proof is that now you often see Christians actually having trouble deciding between a party that says they are coming for your children, and one that has a foul mouthed leader as if there is some kind of equivalence.

I like history and have exhaustively studied both Greek & Roman society. Bluntly DT has nothing on the leadership of Julius Caesar, note the cunning, intellectual prowess.Frankly, I don’t believe he has the ability to MAGA this nation but many want to believe he has. Conversely I view Harris as another flawed personality with absolutely zero leadership capability. What they both have in common is the desire to manipulate the public by anything but honorable tactics… so my view is if you get Harris you get a extension of Genocide Joes administration (with Obama pulling the strings) and with DT you will get another inept government but with promises to stop the border crisis, reduce proxy wars, reduce inflation (I don’t buy that one for a minute because he prints and spends money allot.)


So pick your poison ladies & gentlemen…the next 4 years will prove interesting.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

The Bible is clear that we must love our enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to them who despitefully use you. It does not say to pretend like enemies don't exist, or to make it seem like all views are equivalent. You say "prove it". The proof is that now you often see Christians actually having trouble deciding between a party that says they are coming for your children, and one that has a foul mouthed leader as if there is some kind of equivalence.

I like history and have exhaustively studied both Greek & Roman society. Bluntly DT has nothing on the leadership of Julius Caesar, note the cunning, intellectual prowess.Frankly, I don’t believe he has the ability to MAGA this nation but many want to believe he has. Conversely I view Harris as another flawed personality with absolutely zero leadership capability. What they both have in common is the desire to manipulate the public by anything but honorable tactics… so my view is if you get Harris you get a extension of Genocide Joes administration (with Obama pulling the strings) and with DT you will get another inept government but with promises to stop the border crisis, reduce proxy wars, reduce inflation (I don’t buy that one for a minute because he prints and spends money allot.)


So pick your poison ladies & gentlemen…the next 4 years will prove interesting.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Caesar was a great leader who was hailed as a hero in Rome for his fair policies, care for his people, and respect from other nations. He ruled by taking into account the needs of all the people of Rome, not just the wealthy.

so as citizens of the United States of America, can we say that we have a representative leader that has these characteristics today?!

 

[KenH]

so as citizens of the United States of America, can we say that we have a representative leader that has these characteristics today?!

The U.S. Constitution was sold to the people that the president would not have much power, but would only be there to execute what the Congress(which is where the federal power was supposed to be largely located by being able to pass legislation) has legislated.

Now, the anti-Federalists warned against leaving the Articles of Confederation of 1781 and adopting the Constitution. Patrick Henry warned in a speech that the president would become a king. The anti-Federalists have been proven correct, Patrick Henry has been proven correct.

That whomever is president has become such an over-sized part of the federal government and in people's thinking, shows that those who voted to adopt the Constitution were just flat-out wrong.

 

[Dr. Bob]

In working with churches that have had horrific issues with a pastor, I say that a church gets the kind of pastor they deserve. They saw a man with ability and power to solve problems and a few years later realize he was a dictator actually destroying the fabric of the church.

Methinks that it is the same with our nation/states. We get the kind of President and congress we deserve. Sadly.