ramblin_ag02 said:
Or I could say that you are being naively credulous. Any charlatan can claim to be sent by God and ask for your money and service. Any person can disengeniously use God as a shield from appropriate criticism. Some people explicity try to tie God to thinks that He is specifically against.
Wasn't Jesus' entire criticism of the Pharisees their false appearance of holiness? Jesus was harsher against false piety than pretty much anything else.
Thus far the debate revolves around public figures who have been investigated and exposed as having a lot of competing motivations (for instance mitt wanting a cabinet position or his son being on foreign boards, like Biden's).
I say no because we get comfortable with the idea that for the vast majority of people we will know enough to say. We won't and don't for most. And that even goes for these two. Biden may die a little inside with every vote to kill babies but doesn't see any conflict in doing it since it isn't his belief he's supporting. I have a neighbor that worked in dc and he said Biden was one of the few guys that greeted the troops and seemed genuinely interested in them, and that he really loves his son and tries to help him as much as he can with his wife dead (it's all he has left along with the grandchildren). He may be absolutely clueless and finding out about this mess as it develops (like his new grandchild from the stripper). I don't believe that's true but it is still possible, meaning I could be wrong. For all I know he had a shouting match with hunter after hunter asked for help in the Ukraine but found out the prosecutor was, legitimately, corrupt and then pushed for the firing.
It is a better use of our time examine the action instead of the person because people are complicated and messy and we never get the whole picture. It is not a question of faith but behavior, and our love for God comes and goes because we are fickle, though He is not