Republicans And Pharisees

Religious people are very moralistic. They talked about right and wrong. They behaved morally and expect the same good moral behaviour from those who followed their religion. It is also the same for many Christian pastors. They expect Christians to be very best of moral people, exhibiting the best of characters, light of the world, salt of the earth.

Then came Christians who voted for Donald Trump, who is really not a paragon of virtue. Some guy by the name of Bruce Gerencser had this to say in his blog "Donald Trump's Bible | The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser":

QUOTE
In November 2015, [my note on 2020-04-24 at 18:00, wrong year, should be 2016] eighty-two percent of voting white Evangelicals helped elect Donald Trump as the forty-fifth president of the United States. Finally, Evangelicals believed they had a Christian president. Never mind the fact that Trump is a narcissistic liar who bragged about grabbing women by their genitals, a man who has been repeatedly accused of sex crimes. In his blessed heart-of-hearts, Evangelicals believe Trump is a Christian. James Dobson says that Trump is a "baby-Christian." Instead of looking at the character of the man, Evangelicals divert attention to the president's agenda. It is here that we see that Trump plays Santa Claus for Evangelical culture warriors. His policies, cabinet, and judicial appointments make it clear that Evangelicals are ruling the White House. It's hard to walk down the halls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue without running into Evangelicals either praying, going to Bible study, or trying to subvert the U.S. Constitution.
UNQUOTE

Bruce Gerencser was a former pastor who left the ministry in 2005 and Christianity in 2008. Obviously disappointed by bad Christians and the Christian God, Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

Bruce should have read the Bible which said that the republican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. While the moral Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this republican. Okay. It is publican, not republican (Luke 18:9-14). But I hope you get the point. God preferred the sinful publican to the moral Pharisee.

I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Luke 18:14 NLT)

Finally, God does not always use good characters to run a country. God chose Samson to be a judge of Israel. God used King Jeroboam II to save northern Israel from its political enemies. King Cyrus, who allowed the Jews to return to their homeland, was not even a believer. But the cruel King Nebuchadnezzar, who exiled the Jews to Babylon, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, became a believer. So did Paul the Apostle. What more can I say?