By Jim Nichols

Character counts. Personal morality counts. Truthfulness counts. Influence for God counts. For me, these count a lot.

Writer and Christian thinker Henri Nouwen said succinctly: “There are no times or places without choices.” Most of the choices we make are of low consequence—a choice to get up today, a choice to stay home or go somewhere, a choice where to sit in the room, a choice to read this or not. However, even small choices can add up to large consequences and sometimes the choices themselves involve significant consequences, perhaps even eternal.

Consequences result from our decisions. How do you and I make decisions? On what basis do we choose for this direction or another with our comments, movements, or attitudes? A standard ethics book outlines several decision-making processes of which these four are prominent.

1. Consider the consequences. This is what officially would be considered as a utilitarian approach. The logic of this decision-making process is that we consider the advantages and disadvantages of the various answers. We weigh those and try to choose the answer that has advantages that outweigh the disadvantages. The idea is to create “. . . the greatest good for the most people.” There are flaws in this approach, but you and I frequently employ this.
2. Consider my duty or obligation. The approach here is to suggest that I make decisions based on my moral responsibilities or obligations. My actions should be based on some sort of basic moral understandings I have. This reliance on a moral standard is particularly attractive to Bible believers or believers in others religious traditions. This allows little ambiguity but is often workable and usable to us.
3. Consider the rights of the parties involved. This position states that moral claims of individuals (their rights) are taken most seriously. Individual rights are of prime importance. A hierarchy of rights resolves dilemmas—whose rights are more important than others? This is an attractive approach in American society because we are a very “rights” oriented country. 
4. Consider what my intuition says. Here the decider calls upon his or her sense of right and wrong. It does not depend on consequences or the rights of someone else, but on one’s own moral sense. We should focus on what kind of people we are and let that aid us in making decisions. The questions we ask ourselves are “By making this decision that way, is this who I am?”  “Is that the kind of person I want to be?”  I use my own personal moral compass to make decisions. 

I am not particularly satisfied by my use of the word “intuition” here since it seems too soft and common. Maybe “conscience” communicates better. My Christian thought is that this is really the Holy Spirit. Explaining how and what the Spirit does is beyond my understanding, but I believe that the more in tune my life is with God, the more the Spirit informs my life, including the decisions I make.

I am attracted to this fourth option. It is helpful to me to ask myself before a decision, “Does this decision arise from the type of person I want to be?”

************

When we enter a voting booth we can ask a question of the candidates. “Is this candidate the type of person I want to have in that office?” By supporting a specific candidate, what does that say about me? Even potentially regardless of the candidate’s policies, does this candidate represent the type of person I want in that slot? Does this person show high integrity?

There are many reasons not to vote for Donald Trump. There is, however, one at the top. This man shows a broad lack of character; the illustrations are myriad. Even more important is that he and his followers have chosen to connect him with being a Christian leader. I cannot allow that to go unchallenged. This is not the kind of person I want to lead the country. To vote for him would say something about me that I do not like.

The former President is a gross liar. He is a bully. He calls people degrading names and ridicules whole cultures. Several key members of his previous administration resigned after recognizing him for who he is and do not support him now. Can you imagine how many extramarital sexual relationships he has had? He clearly had a role in promoting an insurrection following the election. Apparently, his financial history is deeply questionable. His level of degrading language about his adversaries is deep and insulting.

Most important of all to me, however, is the connection made between him and the Christian faith. John Fea of Messiah University reflected that “. . . not only is Trump bad for the country, but also really damaging the witness of the church.” Every Christian should shout an alarm at a recognizable public figure who represents the faith in such an incorrect and debasing manner.

As Christians, we may wish that non-Christians would not look at us as representatives of the faith. They do, however. Whenever we are angry, unreasonable, untruthful, and foul-mouthed, it is a clear reflection on the work of God in his followers.

I believe Donald Trump is a human being created by God and that God loves him and wants me to love him. Trump, however, is not fit to be President. He shows himself to be unworthy of common decency.

This election is not about culture wars, the economy, foreign policy, or immigration. It is about the morality and character of our country’s leaders.

Christian friends, if I were to vote for Donald Trump that would say certain things about me and that is not the person I want to be.

Jim Nichols is a retired Abilene Christian University biology professor and current hospital chaplain