P.S. I can’t say Trump is remotely operated by extradimensional beings from the planet Eddore and derives sustenance from chlorine trifluoride and live babies, but there’s no proof he’s not, and I think it’s important to consider both sides of the controversy.
Yes it’s true, we should pray, and Jesus taught us even to pray for our enemies. Also Jesus shows us how to pray and even what government we are loyal to and we are to pray for 'Father … Your Kingdom Come."
We can pray for Trump, that God leads Trump in His ways, but lets not forget who is in control of it all. God is sovereign over the nations and over all, God tells us not to worry, let us be thankful to God.
If prayer has the ability to change anything then it’s the people who are praying, not God, who are in control of the outcome.
Let’s say God decided who won the 2016 election based on prayers. More people prayed for Trump to win than prayed for Clinton to win. So God fixed the election so Trump won. If enough people had switched their prayers to Clinton, she would have won instead. It was the prayers and the people who prayed them that decided the outcome of the election.
If God was in control than the prayers wouldn’t have mattered. God would have decided that Trump was going to win. And it wouldn’t have mattered if people prayed for Trump or prayed against Trump or didn’t pray at all.
This makes a lot of assumptions and is just logically wrong.
OK, that’s your assumption, one that I would not be making.
Ever hear of a strawman argument?
Again you assume a lot. Poor poor strawman 
and you don’t seem to have responded to my post you quote.
You dislike Little Nemo’s interpretation of your post, it seems.
My interpretation of your post is that you’re saying that God is directly controlling the actions of all leaders (as their sovereign) and thus we can deduce things about God’s character by looking at those leaders. Which is to say your post would seem to imply that God is a Trump supporter and approves of all of Trump’s political actions.
Suffice to say the message that God is guiding Trump in all things doesn’t make me worry less - it makes me wonder if there’s a palatable alternative destination to heaven since I suspect I wouldn’t like the management there.
You are reading things into what I posted, which I assume and appears to be the stock arguments atheists generally use, most of the time without thought.
A sovereign ruler does not mean that this ruler controls all, but it does mean he has the final say and the ability to set limits.
To answer your question I would say God allows trump to be president and has allowed Trump to exercise some power and authority. Does that mean God supports Trump?
I can allow things I don’t necessarily support, I would think God can too.
That’s Jerry Garcia.
Right, and Dogbutler will mail me a box of poop.
As for why God allowed Trump to be elected. Here is my reasoning, and with that said I’m not claiming divine knowledge, but it does explain how and why something can be allowed but not supported.
The US is getting to a enlightened position as a people or so we like to think, overcoming the trappings of religion and traditions that have held people back and oppressed many. But the US has a problem we normally chose to ignore. There is hatred, bigotry and xenophobia still at the core of the US population. With God allowing Trump and Trump’s action it is impossible to ignore this hatful core of the US, and it is God exposing this so we can pray and act to heal these people’s hearts. To show us where God sees we are as a nation. So God does not support Trump as I see it, but God does support us knowing that this ugly core of the US not only exists but is so prevalent in the hearts and minds of so many.
You said “We can pray for Trump, that God leads Trump in His ways, but lets not forget who is in control of it all. God is sovereign over the nations and over all, God tells us not to worry, let us be thankful to God.”
How does “don’t worry” mesh with “God let Trump be elected because we’re not worrying enough”?
How did you get we are not worrying enough from what I said? That we are not addressing the hatred in the US? We are to address that, not to worry about it.
What, exactly, are you telling us not to worry about then? I say to myself, “Hmm, Trump is a huge problem, and his supporters are a huge problem, and the very literal damage Trump is doing to this country is a problem. Should I worry about that?” You seem to be answering with something like, ‘Nope! Lets not forget who is in control of it all. God is sovereign over the nations and over all, God tells us not to worry, let us be thankful to God.’
My question to God would be why is He allowing this evil to happen. What could be the reason why that would overcome this disaster with a better good. My answer would be that we have work to do and hearts to reach of people who have been forgotten and left behind in cycles of hatred and violence - That is the work of God’s Kingdom. That hatred that Trump has stirred up has been ongoing much longer then Trump and it is so easy to ignore when things are advancing and seemingly going in good directions. God needed to call those people to our attention.
In the end, though, prayer is not an extensive act. You pray for yourself, to improve your relationship with your oddly tinted narhorse… It only involves you. Any preacher who tells you otherwise, that the effects of prayer are beyond personal, is a charlatan. Prayer is akin to meditation, and there have been no calls (that I know of) from any gurus urging us to meditate for a better America.
Prayer in the biblical sense is communication with God (or gods), so not by definition just in oneself, but always involved more then one entity.
Happens all the time
Kanicbird - The ONLY reason that GOD would have allowed Trump to be elected (if, indeed he did [or if god exists]) is for GOD to see who are the really terrible horrible people that would vote for such a ‘thing’ that goes against every good thing that GOD supports and represents. Perhaps his spreadsheet is full, and he needs to see for himself. What better way than to see who votes for one of the worst assholes on the planet? Eh?
OK. So, Trump is Gods way of exposing all the assholes in this world. As an atheist to you, I’ll buy that. So what should we do about them?
And, kanicbird. Did you vote for Trump? (I should know this)
I voted for her, too. The OP asked for a snarky reply to a SIL, though, and my “pray to make him a better man,” though gentle, is about as snarky as I get to religious folks such as my own SIL.
[quote=“enipla, post:77, topic:828133”]
Kanicbird - The ONLY reason that GOD would have allowed Trump to be elected (if, indeed he did [or if god exists]) is for GOD to see who are the really terrible horrible people that would vote for such a ‘thing’ …
[quote]
Point taken and that is exactly my point. God did allow Trump to expose those people.