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Christian pollster George Barna published a survey yesterday that shows 86% of committed Christians in the so-called "battleground" states---Arizona, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin--- are voting for Trump.
The secular press is in a state of hysteria in their attempt to "explain" why biblical Christians could vote for Trump, rather than Hillary.
Their explanations range from amusing to creatively uninformed about the Christian faith, to downright troubling and deceptive.
George Barna, highly respected and trusted among conservative Christians---he is one of us---and the general population, published a survey yesterday showing extremely strong support for Trump in the battleground states mentioned above---states that most believe will actually decide who becomes president.
Barna uses the acronym "SAGE Cons" to define a specific group within the Christian community. He defines them as "spiritually active, governance engaged conservatives who are registered voters," or "SAGE Cons."
He further defines them as conservative on political matters; have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior; are actively engaged in politics and government."
This group is more definitive than the term "evangelicals" and represents about 12% of the general population, or 30 million individuals.
Yesterday he reported finding these results:
Across all six of the battleground states in which the opinions of SAGE Cons were researched, Donald Trump holds a commanding lead over Hillary Clinton, generating support among Christian conservatives ranging from a low of 76% in Iowa to a high of 95% in Florida. His average base in the six states is 86%.
In general, about three out of every four Trump supporters say they are “totally committed” to voting for him on November 8. Most of the rest – typically about one out of every five – say they are “mostly committed” to voting for him.
He also found that "most of the Christian conservatives backing Trump do not care for him as a person."
And Barna found that "The Republican candidates have landslide margins among Christian conservatives in each state.
How can this be, when pundits keep telling us Trump will cause all these GOP "public servants" to lose their jobs---and many of the GOP "public servants" have been avoiding him like the plague?
Enter the secular press to make sense of it all.
Jack Jenkins, a secular progressive writing for the far Left secular progressive "Think Progress" site, was wondering out loud just how Christians could vote for someone like Trump who isn't at all like them.
His lengthy conclusion was that the real answer lies in the fact that "they" (that would be us) "are not really values voters" and they are not "more religious" than everyone else even though they go to church all the time.
He concludes that they (us) are "hypocrites."
The Left wing publications: Atlantic, Right Wing Watch and a host of other similar voices are saying essentially the same thing.
However, Real Clear Politics say they have figured it out.
They say one of the interesting questions about the 2016 election is "why evangelical Christians are voting for Donald Trump."
They say their own polling has shown, among other things, that "abortion was not the prime motivator for evangelical Christians. "In fact," they say, they have found that "33% of evangelicals are pro-choice."
That, of course, would be the so-called "religious Left."
They eventually get to the bottom of the matter with this: "Third, we found out what did draw this group toward politics: strong, decisive leaders, not issues. They got involved in politics for the same reason they got involved with their church---because they were looking for someone to help 'show them the way'. Evangelicals were drawn into politics by messianic leaders."
They suggest Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton were "messianic" leaders, and that's why evangelicals voted for them.
Real Clear Politics also "discovers" that's why Ted Cruz didn't win. Trump is more "messianic" than Cruz.
They say, "Trump is the 'liberator' and 'defender' they (we) believe really will 'Make America Great Again'."
What is missed by RCP and all secular progressives is that while we prefer strong leadership to weak or no leadership-----we already have a Messiah.
The Prophet Isaiah predicted, "The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light..." (Is 9:2).
I'm, reminded of John's words in John 1:5: "And the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend."
George Barna, who has seen the Light John spoke of---and does comprehend, says. "Although there is a wide range of issues that SAGE Cons characterize as vitally important to the future of the United States, the battle ground-state research found that two issues, in particular, drive the decisions of Christian conservatives."
The first, Barna says, is abortion.
He says it is the most important to SAGE Cons in the states of Arizona, Iowa, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. Their brothers and sisters in Pennsylvania and Florida agreed that abortion is critically important, but told Barna that nominees to the Supreme Court are equally important to them.
Clearly the 2 issues---abortion and Supreme Court nominations, are linked.
Barna found that "The other highly-rated issues across all six states were: religious freedom, the size and influence of government, rule of law, moral decline, government spending, the economy and immigration policies."
I suspect this reflects the views of Christian conservatives across not only these 6 states, but across America.
And it may be that citizens who have not seen the Light that John and Isaiah spoke of, have figured out that we are truly "walking in darkness" in today's America.
Isaiah, speaking to God's people, also said, "Arise, Shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you..."
It's pretty clear that conservative Christians know the difference between a politician and the Messiah.
It's also pretty clear that conservative Christians know the difference between a politician who will work against us in our deeply held biblical beliefs and values---punishing us when we live out those beliefs, and one who will not.
Arise. Shine.