WSJ: Cohen paid porn star through private LLC created just weeks before election

[ConstantLearner]

It would be refreshing honesty, anyway. But my real point is that I think for most Trump supporters the answer would be “no”. Which is fine, I just think we should acknowledge that so we can all stop wasting our time talking about his character when for most of his supporters it seems to be irrelevant anyway.

For some odd reason, Trump supporters have blinders on. If one of us posted that we had a “problem” and were a serial liar, a rapist, a person who sexually harasses others, etc., we’d be anathema or told to talk to a priest immediately. Yet the so-called “leader” of the free world (doubt the US will be that much longer) can do all those things and be accepted and even praised. He was, in my opinion, having an affair with Daniels, while Melania was pregnant, and the Catholic Trump supporters seem to have no problem with that. What’s it going to take to open their eyes, to wake them up? I think they realize his moral fiber needs adjusting, but they want to (1) keep their guns, (2) stop immigration, and (3) lower their taxes. They see Trump as some kind of magical guru who is going to make life perfect. The fact that his life is, in almost every respect, anti-Catholic is fine with them. It’s hypocritical.

I just want to add that I’m speaking in general, and I’m not referencing any poster on this board. No “attack” or put-down of any particular person is intended. I just don’r see how Catholics can defend Trump and remain true to their religion.

 

[F_Marturana]

Somewhere Gary Hart must be staring at the news quite confused.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It’s just frustrating because there really is no basis for a conversation, because you can’t simply cite an article from a reputable publication anymore. You apparently now need thousands of pages of primary documents, tax filings, and depositions. Trump supporters set the bar for credibility really, really high when it comes to anything that makes Trump look bad.

Let me just ask you this: if, hypothetically, Trump came out tomorrow and said, “Yeah, I banged Stormy Daniels and my lawyer paid her to be quiet about it, but cats out of the bag now. Whatever. It’s my business, back off.” would that change your opinion of him at all? Would you care?

Of course I would care. But neither did I vote for him for archbishop.

It would not change what I think about his evidenced policies so far, and it certainly wouldn’t motivate me to want a return to the policies and administration of Obama.

 

[Joe_5859]

I just don’r see how Catholics can defend Trump and remain true to their religion.

I think some have simply been so disillusioned with the mainstream media that they simply don’t believe a single accusation.

Now, I don’t have a lot of trust in the mainstream media either. And I’m sure some of the accusations are untrue or overblown. But it seems unlikely that all of it is false.

 

[stinkcat_14]

Of course I would care. But neither did I vote for him for archbishop.

It would not change what I think about his evidenced policies so far, and it certainly wouldn’t motivate me to want a return to the policies and administration of Obama.

I think it depends on whether one thinks that character matters. I would agree that in the 2016 election we had two deeply flawed candidates. Just because one candidate might be a lessor evil does not make that candidate virtuous.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The fact that his life is, in almost every respect, anti-Catholic is fine with them. It’s hypocritical.

Name the ways. If he has committed immoral sexual acts, that’s sinful. But it’s not anti-Catholic.

Let’s look at real anti-Catholicism. Obama compelled Catholic charities, including the Little Sisters of the poor, to provide abortifacients to their workers and themselves under penalty of law. His administration disqualified Catholic charities from receiving funds because they wouldn’t refer for abortions. Obama rescinded the Mexico City Policy, thus causing American taxpayer dollars to support abortions overseas. Obama appointed two pro-abortionists to the Supreme Court. As the Wikileaks disclosures show, the very top levels of the DNC exhibited anti-Catholicism worthy of a 1932 KKK leader and were active (probably still are) in funding bogus “Catholic” organizations whose purpose is to subvert the Church.

And TRUMP is ant-Catholic?

 

[Peebo]

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www.cnn.com

Oh come on people…the Rev. Franklin Graham said Trump is a changed man…he believes God put him in the White House…there are some here on CAF have said the same thing…it has to be true…all else is fake news…who else but a veritable saint would say he doesn’t need to ask God for forgiveness

 

[JoshuaIsLord]

The comments from journalist Sarah Kendzior are very apt: “The idea of Trump having consensual sex is kind of a novelty, given that he’s been accused of sexual assault or rape by over 16 people.”

And yet somehow there are Catholics on this forum who still support this man.

Amazing! Isn’t it?

 

[JoshuaIsLord]

I think some have simply been so disillusioned with the mainstream media that they simply don’t believe a single accusation.

Now, I don’t have a lot of trust in the mainstream media either. And I’m sure some of the accusations are untrue or overblown. But it seems unlikely that all of it is false.

The problem is that the diehard Trumpers believe it is all false. You can’t get past that “Invincible Ignorance”. Would it actually take Trump to actually go to the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone dead for them to have a paradigm shift as it relates to Trump?

 

[tomarin]

Somewhere Gary Hart must be staring at the news quite confused.

I think what shields Trump from a lot of criticism is that he already had a well-established public persona as a kind of ‘folk hero’ who was aggressively impolite and even unapologetically crude. That’s what the voters wanted to shake things up, and that’s what they expect of him. The normal rules for a politician’s behavior simply don’t apply to him.

 

[ConstantLearner]

Name the ways. If he has committed immoral sexual acts, that’s sinful. But it’s not anti-Catholic.

Catholicism is not anti-sin? Anti-adultery? Anti-sexual harassment? Anti-lying? I think it is, and I think Trump is decidedly anti-Catholic.

 

[ConstantLearner]

The problem is that the diehard Trumpers believe it is all false. You can’t get past that “Invincible Ignorance”. Would it actually take Trump to actually go to the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone dead for them to have a paradigm shift as it relates to Trump?

I think even then they would excuse him. They would use the “fake news” excuse, the “it wasn’t really him” excuse, etc., etc.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

This is sort of what I was driving at. You wouldn’t waver in your support for him even if it’s true, so why not just admit that instead of fighting this rearguard action where you (“you” referring to Trump supporters in general) claim that plausible accusations are in fact ridiculous? Why not just, “might be true, might not be, don’t care either way.”

 

[Joyful_Song]

Trump has pushed the idea of fake news in the media to deflect if it’s not to his liking. CNN’s Don Lemon gives us a reality check about the press.

“Fake news” was not a term many people used 18 months ago, but it is now seen as one of the greatest threats to democracy, free debate and the Western order.
Again and again trump says the media is the enemy of the people, just like despots around the world have done.
I read several news sources, not just the ones I agree with.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Catholicism is not anti-sin? Anti-adultery? Anti-sexual harassment? Anti-lying? I think it is, and I think Trump is decidedly anti-Catholic.

And so, then, was John F. Kennedy, St. Augustine, and many another revered Catholic, and far more than Trump, who isn’t even Catholic,

Sinning does not, in itself, imply anti-Catholicism. It merely implies sinning. What implies anti-Catholicism is taking direct action against the Church and its institutions, as the Democrats have done during the last administration and are probably still doing through their support of subversive “Catholic” organizations that teach Catholics to disobey the Church.

 

[Joyful_Song]

now your response begs the question, don’t you hold yourself to a higher standard than that? Many politicians have done the same things as trump, none hurt our country and its citizens as trump is doing now. We are talking about trump here because he is the current president unfortunately.

 

[stinkcat_14]

And so, then, was John F. Kennedy, St. Augustine, and many another revered Catholic, and far more than Trump, who isn’t even Catholic,

The big difference between St Augustine and the others is that we know he was repentant about his sins. There is no evidence to suggest that Donald is in anyway repentant. In fact, one can argue that he seems to be rather proud of his sins.

 

[niceatheist]

What does denial and unrepentant sin imply?

 

[Ridgerunner]

The big difference between St Augustine and the others is that we know he was repentant about his sins. There is no evidence to suggest that Donald is in anyway repentant. In fact, one can argue that he seems to be rather proud of his sins.

And you’re reasonably sure St. Augustine, having once repented, never sinned again? Let’s see, how does that go “…even the just man falls seven times a day…” ? Isn’t that how it goes?

You don’t know, of course, how proud or ashamed (or neither) Trump is for his sins or ever was for any of them. I am, however, reminded again of a statement made by a historian (I believe it was Kenneth Clark). He remarked that, as compared to people of the High Middle Ages or Renaissance, moderns “…neither sin well nor repent well…”

We don’t admit that our sins are sins and therefore don’t see a need for repentance. And even when we do, we’re halfway about it.

I think for people of this age to judge someone like Trump morally unfit generally, the height of mendacity is required as regards our own sins.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What does denial and unrepentant sin imply?

Well, you have no idea what he denies to himself or God. But it’s possible it only implies being a member of a mainline protestant church in the 21st Century. Churches that approve homosexual marriage and abortion on demand don’t really consider many things to be sinful.