I don't know if you can say that the debate continues....because through digital research it appears to have exhausted all avenues of proving that Abraham Lincon said....in his senate campaign against Stepehen A. Dougles in 1858...."You can fool some of the people all of the time....and all of the people some of the time....but you cannot fool all of the people....all of the time." Personally I believe that Abraham Lincoln said it....because the reason and the wisdom in the quote is extremely profound....and Abraham Lincoln over the course of this life made many equally wise and profound statements!
If he didn't say this....then someone else fabricated it. I would then have to wonder why that man would not have given whatever opinion he wanted to give about Lincoln....and then add that wise and profound phrase as his own sentiment....thereby himself getting the credit for an extraordinary observation? Add to this that if someone did fabricate this quote....then what we would have would be a basically dishonest man....come up with a very profound statement....an oddity in itself....but a statement that would be directed right back at him....in that he might fool some of the people....much of the time....but not all of the people....all of the time?
This post is about Donald Trump....the very antithesis of everything that Abraham Lincoln was and stood for! There is another famous quote attributed to Lincoln....and he may have said it....but he may not have been the first to give this observation...."He who represents himself....has a fool for a client." Can you the reader....think of anyone....past or present....who has so consistently and blatantly and shamelessly....defended himself....and more than defend.....but exalted himself....more than Donald John Trump?
I did not like Trump back in 2015/2016. His constant demeaning of people....and even how they looked....disgusted me....but when Ted Cruz abandoned his bid for the nomination....and Hillary loomed menacingly on the horizon....I wound up voting for Trump....and even celebrating the victory! He fooled me. I thought that he was just despicable....but he turned out to be much worse than that!
God's very Word to us throughout the Old Testament....described people to stay away from and not be deceived by....false prophets and the greedy and the uncompassionate and the vane and those claiming to faithful to God but were not. Has not Donald Trump consistently....almost every day....prophesied to all of us....and evangelicals....that our best is yet to come....and that we are a glorious people under God? And does not God's Word prophesy to us the exact opposite?
Jesus and Peter and Paul and John and Jude....warn us....time and again....on who not to be deceived by....and from whom to stay away. Paul in 2 Timothy 3....speaking of the last days....lists eighteen traits of people to...."and from such people turn away!"....lovers of themselves....lovers of money....boasters....etc....of which is Donald Trump's resume!
So....how do evangelicals deal with God's Word on this? Well....they obfuscate! You see....they live their life quoting God's Word....and are faithful to it....until it becomes a little too much....as in this case with Trump....when it is all conveniently pushed aside....because as important as the Bible is....we cannot let socialism or wokism disrupt our American dream! It therefore is...in essense....all about us!
On a personal note....this whole thing is difficult in more ways than one. These evangelicals....and I know so many of them....are wonderful people who want the best for their families....and when most of them grew up....patriotism was a good thing....but patriotism when it distorts the gospel of Jesus Christ....and sets up idols....and leads Christians away from compassion in order to get what a mercenary pied piper tells them is rightfully theirs....is not a good thing. God's Word warned us about this....vehemently....telling us to be vigilant and awake and sober-minded....for wolves and false prophets were coming....and here they are! It is not easy to tell them these things....but the pulpits are not warning them of any of this....because if the pulpits warned against Trump....the church would lose a good percentage of its income....right away....all this because we fell asleep....and let MAGA come in and infected most of the church.
