We are living in interesting times. We are witnessing moral erosion in governments. But no-one anticipated that Evangelical leaders would steep so low as to justify infidelity in the guise of political policy or material acquisition. I will lay parity to three issues: Rising moral turpitude in the Age of Trump; Evangelical secularism; and Corruption unrestrained.
RISING MORAL TURPITUDE IN THE AGE OF TRUMP
In any epoch, where great privilege is given, great responsibility is demanded. In the old ages, Babylon, Greece, Rome, British and now American empires, those who conquered the world also had a great responsibility to influence behavior. But even at its vilest echelon, leaders of empires and mighty nations knew that their example was necessary to the sanity, stability and vitality of their nations.
Powerful leaders, such as presidents of the United States, do not just say, do or react to things. Whatever they say, do or decide has, directly or indirectly, impact on their people and the world at large. In the past, America has prided in electing men who, admittedly have been weak, but who were expected (in fact) to display great moral stamina in the governance of their people’s affairs. They were expected to stand on principles, respect the Rule of Law and lead their people with unquestionable integrity. Trump is eroding all these, slowly and surely. The American president has failed to stand on principles, is brutalizing press freedom, cannot admit to his own moral foibles, has uttered degrading and racist statements against minority groups, women and immigrants, and has taken advantage of a materialistic evangelical church in America. For sure, this may fulfill some political point, but in the end, the world is at risk of demagoguism and lost moral vivacity.
EVANGELICAL SECULARISM
Jesus said that the love of money, not money itself, is the root of all evil. Wasn’t he right? Generally, the Evangelical church is becoming more secular and devoid of moral gravitas than in any age. The working mantra in many an Evangelical church is hypocrisy. It is deficient in strong leaders who cannot be tossed to and from by the wild winds of enticements. All these leaders are preoccupied with is “money”: money for this, money for the kingdom, money for material “blessings.” They are willing to support politicians who promise them free money or who will “align their policy according to the Bible.” This last issue is very deceptive. A politician ought only to recite “The Lord’s Prayer” or declare he is anti-abortion or anti-same-sex marriage, and these leaders will be bought. The result is that they will shut their eyes to the moral short-comings of the politician and accept all of his incendiary and tribal politics as truth. They will justify his election as the will of God (but they will not accept all those previous presidents and politicians before him as God’s choices, too).
CORRUPTION UNRESTRAINED
The marriage of the first two points will only strengthen corruption, especially in economically struggling and politically undemocratic nations. Why, because America (in its own weaknesses) is generally seen as a moral leader in the world. With its being weak on morality under Trump, authoritarians all over the world will justify their own behaviors. They will abuse the law, discard principles, undermine justice, erode morality and engage in corrupt practices. They will not fear reprisal, because the United States are themselves under siege. Why again, because the Christian voice which has sanitized morality and provided fidelity to politics is wanting. Church leaders are more interested in “making money” than in Christ-like leadership. Church leaders are lukewarm, complicity, unforgiving (unless the forgiveness will create them opportunities with political echelons), and in the name of God, are stealing their congregants’ wealth and savings!
I posit that the worst culprit of this moral erosion and corruption will be Africa. The West, and to some extent, South-East Asia, may be able to weather this moral tsunami. The West will manage Trumpism, because they have strong institutions and growing free voice, but Africa may not.
By Charles Mwewa
I might not a church goer, but I think and believe at the same that SDA is only genuine denomination that to salvation….
Because they don’t preach prosperity and other nonsense.
Shameless, stupidity, greediness and no self-esteem by some pastors.
Don’t even try to compare USA and Zambia. There is big differences.
In Zambia the state and religion are inter twined together while USA state and religion are seperate. In Zed the sitting president can declare prayer and fasting while in America this can not happen. Paul said believers should respect law of land but in Zambia that is not the case, we have local and central government laws which are never respected. E.g our so called faithful Christians over speed breaking laws and bribe the cops but in USA you break the law you pay. People let us work on our institutions and make them strong. Zambia will change.
SDA like other churches have their own scandals. No church is is free scandals.SDA has conducted funerals of people who have berm killed in adulterous relationships.To avoid avoid causing pain to famillies I’ll not name them.
Faith in a denominations will bring disappointment.
The core of the Christian faith is a personal faith in Christ and not any organization, divine as it may claim…
The writer of this article sounds like baptised by S..THOLE CNN that spends all its time- Trump this, trump that. Those fossils and UFOs at CNN cant stomach the fact that their preferred candidate weakling Hilarry lost.
S..THOLE CNN doesnt even realise its s..thole media is watched around the world by pipo with nothing to do with their personnal battle with Trump.
Pentecostals are not a church. On top of this please don’t delude yourself about the seventh day Adventists being clean. I am Catholic but I would be naive to claim that my church is clean. The difference between the Pentecostals and traditional churches is that in the pentes the whole thing revolves ar
Evangelicals, no they’re not GAINING. They’ve sold the SOULS to the DEVIL. Therefore, they’re the REAL devil’s disciples and it’s just another LUCIFER in our time.
What do you mean? You are not even a church goer
I notice characters in these people, they only portray real Christianity, and i once attended their 7 day camp meeting…
Pastors and elders preached nothing else but only JESUS, SALVATION and HEAVEN.
Salvation is through Jesus only and is personal!
This is one reasoning of sincere lost Christians like you….
Only grace without law can not save you…..
The reason the evangelicals are still supporting Trump is that he committed acts like sexual harassment when he was not in office. They will stop supporting him if he commits them while he is in office according to a CNN report.
@4 JUNIOR ENGINEER Rtd
Does that s..thole, the most disgraceful and highly discredited news media has anything to qoute from. You seem to live in the stone age era, the CNN of the past and the current S..thole CNN are on two different planets and only low life pipo like you can qoute SHI-NN
all zambians join me in asking multichoice to remove CHI SHI-NN (CNN) from all its bouquets as we cannot be paying for a news media that doesnt inform but targets only one person in its s..thole fights with trump. CHI SHI-NN OUT!OUT!OUT!
Shut up. CNN is an American news organization. They are going to report about their idiyoti and racist President anyway they deem fit. Trump and his base don’t give a damn about negroes like you. They despise you. Slow down on your cooning and jiving. Massa Trump doesn’t rent his properties to people who look like you. Neither does he employ people like you because he doesn’t like your kind touching his money. Maya Angelou already told unwoke negroes like you that When at first a person tells you who he is, believe him. How many times is Trump going to tell you that he only likes his kind?
@Akashambatwa, clearly you are so deluded, am amazed you a black African person can see a hero in trump!
You are bizarre, even more bizarre than your hero trump.
Your anger at CNN is very strange indeed.
@5.2&5.3
The problem we have as s..thole blacks is that we are more racists than whites. we always on the look out to see what a white person will say about us, what do you call this …low self esteem.
As for you mafikizolo i thot your kwaito music opened you up alas i was wrong, you still hate whites from your history with boers.
5.2 your language and tone sounds like you are one the low life DACAs or Illegal aliens. you two guys have amazed what does s..thole CNN fathom that makes you see good in it, you need your brains examined.
@Akashambatwa, dude you are lost. It is even worse that you are such a self-hating house-nigga for Trump. Dude, CNN is doing you a favor by pointing out how morally bankrupt your NAZI LOVING baffoon in the White House is. Wake the freaking h3ll up you brainless FOX NEWS loving sycophant!
The writer Charles MWEWA must be what POTUS Trump call illegal alien or DACA. He is so bitter coz trump wants to chuck out all illegal aliens like charles out of the USA. Charles! this sounds more of sour grapes than indepth analysis of the Trump presidency.
Just come back to zambia , ukutemwa ifyalo fyabene mwakulemba nefya bufi. Leave Trump alone, he doesnt talk about your s..thole life, why shud you?
The Apostle correctly said “the love of money is root of evil and it has come to pass indeed. If you want to become rich easily, form a church and start preaching what look like quick solutions to people. People simply believe in miracles for solutions. The late Bishop Dennis De Jong always reminded us that nothing can come without hard work. Prayer is there to bolster morality and with morality comes honesty and with honesty comes hard which produces prosperity for all.
This is God exposing the fake within Churches. We should be happy about this in fact. Even in Zambia also there is fake ones imwe.
The evangelicals were brutalized by the last administration in USA. So, Trump always said he was going to defend christianity. You just check the record law-suits that were issued against christians by either atheist or LGBTQ.
Much as trump is brush, for the christian folk, he has delivered and restored their dignity. From judge Neil Gorsurch (dont argue with me if you donty know the implication of that one judge on the supreme bench), to decleration of Jerusalem as Isreals Capital, he has staayed true to what he promised in the campaigns. And somehow, they have let him do the mischief with polotics (malema’s voice) because the political establishment is a serious battleground where many have suffered brutality.
Somehow, trump has managed to take them on. My understanding is that…
SDA is the waist church Full of the Masonic traditions and symbols . Look at the Path finders , scouts , Royal Rangers etc founded by Bavarian illuminate don’t be cheated Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life . Not sabbath .
The only well paid job in the last days is in the army why the devil is forming up the super satanic soldiers, preparing for the tribulations period that’s why most churches are forming up the boys Bridget and girls auxillary by ignorance even Jehovah’s witnesses look at the symbols on their books especially the cover not brochures .