Donald Trump's Election: A Call to Christians to Get Back Into The Political Arena

President-elect Donald J. Trump

First, I would just like to express my elation over Donald Trump's election as the next President of the United States. What a relief to know that a true leader will soon take up residency in the White House and "make America great again." 

Donald Trump's election was well deserved as he and his campaign team executed a perfect election strategy throughout the campaign. The "#TrumpTrain" showed America and the world what sincere love for country can accomplish through: hard work, determination, perseverance, and a burning desire to not let the country be destroyed. It was a much needed and wanted victory! Praise the Lord!

Trump's election is so necessary to remedy the social, political, and economic problems that have existed for far too long in America. Trump's common-sense-conservative approach and Christian values are exactly what is needed to not only "drain the swamp" in Washington and rid it of political corruption, but to begin the process whereby God's plan for humanity is implemented within government and established at law once again; in particular the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the defunding of Planned Parenthood, and the appointment of Conservative pro-life and pro-family justices to the Supreme Court, much in the mold of the late Antonin Scalia.

There are many more critical issues that Trump will begin to tackle after his inauguration on January 20, 2017, which he has made clear during his election campaign: the stopping of businesses from leaving the country; bringing jobs back to America; repealing and replacing Obamacare; rebuilding America's schools, airports, roads, bridges and other parts of its infrastructure; suspend Syrian "refugee" resettlement that was imposed upon so many communities under the Obama administration, that contributed to the growing demographic nightmare of unwanted Muslim communities; deportation of illegal aliens; putting an end to radical Islamic terrorism; and building the wall on the southern border with Mexico.

I would like to thank President-elect Trump for showing Christians what it means to be a Christian in this day and age, by his willingness to enter into the political arena, demonstrating in the process, faith put into action.

I think many of us Christians can learn from Donald Trump's example. He has said on numerous occasions that he has had a very good life, he did not have to enter into politics, but taking into consideration the many problems America is faced with, he felt compelled, for love of country, to get involved.

Trump was also well suited to make a such a decision in that he has proven himself in the private sector with the building of a huge business empire; a man who has clearly shown that he understands how to get things done. 

Franklin Graham's Decision America Tour and Post-Election Recommendations

Putting faith into action and getting involved in the political process was also clearly demonstrated in a very big way by Christian Evangelist, Franklin Graham.

During the general election, I could not help but be impressed with Franklin Graham's Decision America Tour, where he went from coast to coast, and spoke at each state's capital getting the message out to the American people to do three fundamental things: pray, vote, and engage in the political process.

Franklin Graham in Louisiana during the 2016 Decision America Tour

Graham embarked on this tour knowing full well of the great necessity to elect the right person to fix the many problems in America. Now that the election is over with, Graham is calling for unity among all Americans. It is part of his effort to help the country focus on the many problems it faces, and more importantly, the spiritual needs of the country. Here is what he stated on his web site, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, "...[W]ithout Jesus Christ we are the most desperately in need, the poorest of the poor. We cannot ignore His hand and His supreme authority."

Graham's web site further states that the polls may be closed, but the need to pray and engage is just as important now as it was before the election. Graham is quoted on this important point, “One thing is for sure, we need to pray for our new president, vice president, and our other leaders every day—whether we agree with them or not. They need God’s help and direction. It is my prayer that we will truly be ‘one nation under God.' ”

Reading Graham's post-election recommendations, After the Election: 5 Biblical Reminders, further impressed me, especially the point stressing the necessity for godly people to run for public office. Here are the other four reminders: remember the truth; start at home; pray for the new president and all elected leaders; and take a stand. I applaud Graham's efforts, his moral courage and certitude. I couldn't agree with him more; it is high time that we Christians get back into the political arena and undo the moral disorder in society!

"It is not permissible for anyone to remain idle"

Franklin Graham's efforts during and after the general election echoes the sentiments and encouragement that Saint Pope John Paul II expressed to the Catholic Church in 1988, with his post-synodal apostolic exhortation, Christifideles Laici (Christ's Faithful People) on the vocation and mission of the lay faithful in the Church and in the world. 

In Christifideles Laici, St. Pope John Paul II stated that, "It is not permissible for anyone to remain idle." It is a quote whose relevance has increased over time and is a much needed reminder for the Church in today's society. Here is the quote contained in the paragraph it was written in, "A new state of affairs today both in the Church and in social, economic, political and cultural life, calls with a particular urgency for the action of the lay faithful. If lack of commitment is always unacceptable, the present time renders it even more so. It is not permissible for anyone to remain idle." (3)

Saint Pope John Paul II's post-synodal apostolic exhortation, Christifideles Laici (Christ's Faithful People)

Saint Pope John Paul II set out to explain the vocation and mission of the laity with the analogy of the labourers in the vineyard found in Matthew's Gospel 20:1-2, "For the Kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard." (1)

Our "vineyard" is the vast world we live in, one that is to be transformed according to God's plan whereby everyone, both of men and women, are called to labour in anticipation of the final coming of the Kingdom of God.

The importance and necessity for "everyone" to "labour in the vineyard," was spotlighted by Saint Pope John Paul II's further reference to Matthew's Gospel 20:3-4 where the householder saw others standing idle, "And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too.' " (1)

The "you too" is a call to everyone: pastors, clergy, men and women religious and the laity. The laity, as full members of the Mystical Body of Christ, are personally called by the Lord from whom, as St. Pope John Paul II noted, "...[T]hey receive a mission on behalf of the Church and the world." (2) He went on to emphasize how the laity should take the responsibility of this mission seriously by quoting from St. Gregory The Great, " 'Keep watch over your manner of life, dear people, and make sure that you are indeed the Lord's labourers. Each person should take into account what he does and consider if he is labouring in the vineyard of the Lord.' " (2)

Considering the current political landscape here in Canada, it is abundantly clear that "labouring in the vineyard" entails that devout and qualified Catholics get involved in the political process.

The need to have qualified committed Christians to run for public office in Canada

Can conscientious Catholics and Christians alike be satisfied with the Canadian political landscape. The answer to that question is rather obvious, no!

We need not expend any great amount of time or energy determining why that is. The fact that the majority of Canadians voted for the Liberal Party in the Fall'2015 general election, which made Justin Trudeau our next Prime Minister, is an indictment on Canada's morally bankrupt culture.

Many months prior to that election, Justin Trudeau, then the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, made it abundantly clear and explicitly stated that anyone aspiring to become a member of the party must support abortion. What audacity and how outrageous to insist that unwavering support for abortion be a prerequisite for becoming a member of the "gang." 

Several months after his election, Trudeau's government introduced Bill C-14, the euthanasia and assisted suicide bill that was passed by the Senate on June 17, 2016, legalizing both across the nation, further entrenching society into a "Culture of Death."

This is the state of the Canadian political landscape and society as a whole; both are in desperate need of being cultivated into a "Culture of Life." 

To accomplish such a change will require qualified committed Christians who put God back into the government. If our national anthem, which reads, "...God keep our land glorious and free..." means anything, then governing the land at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels will require an acknowledgement of and respect for God's Holy Laws.

If we as Canadians are serious about restoring our Christian heritage, then we need to put faith into action, and seriously and prayerfully consider running for public office, be it in positions in our local school boards, town and city councils, a run for the mayor's job, or becoming a member of the provincial or federal parliaments. Christians need to get back into the political arena!

America has just voted for a truly great leader in Donald Trump. May this reality inspire us here in Canada to seek out common-sense-conservative Christians who are willing to change the political landscape, that begins with a change in leadership at the highest level, a Prime Minister, who would be a perfect compliment to Donald Trump.