Does It Matter If A President 'Sleeps' With A 'Porn Star'?

This is not a 'slam' against Donald Trump, alone.

Sure, the headline suggests the current president; his affair with Stormy Daniel, though not conclusively proven, has been well-documented.  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43334326

But my intent is to include any president (or leader, for that matter) who violates his marriage covenant (or any other moral standard) and still expects to lead.

Does it matter?

There have been a lot of presidents in that category.  In fact, as I stated in a past blog, the majority of presidents since FDR have broken their marriage vows and engaged in extra-marital affairs, of some fashion and/or variety. So, Trump is far from alone; he has lots of 'presidential' company.

Remarkably, there are religious leaders who believe it doesn't matter if presidential leaders break their marriage vows. Prominent among them is Robert Jeffress, Senior Pastor of the influential First Baptist Church of Dallas, TX. Recently, when asked directly about Donald Trump's affair with Stormy Daniels, Reverend Jeffress said:

“...Evangelicals still believe in the commandment: Thou shalt not have sex with a porn star, however, whether this president violated that commandment or not is totally irrelevant to our support of him...Evangelicals knew they weren’t voting for an altar boy...We supported him because of his policies and his strong leadership...Evangelicals understand the concept of sin and forgiveness...We are all sinners. We all need forgiveness...Whether the president needs that forgiveness for this particular allegation, whether he’s asked for it, is between him, his family and his God...[And so, in sum, even if the president's affair with Stormy Daniels is] proven true, it doesn’t matter.” https://baptistnews.com/article/robert-jeffress-alleged-affair-porn-star-totally-irrelevant-trumps-evangelical-base/#.WqZtxmWd-sM

Now in fairness to Reverend Jeffress, his last assertion needs to be put in the context of other presidential extra-marital affairs, that have been proven true.  For example:

• Thomas Jefferson had an affair with his slave Sally Hemings...
• Warren Harding had an affair with his friend's daughter, Nan Briton...
• FDR had an affair with his wife's social secretary, Lucy Mercer...
• John F. Kennedy's had an affair with the famed actress, Marlyn Monroe...
• Bill Clinton's had an affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.

But again, the question:  does it matter -- that these presidents (and others) had affairs, engaging in sexual wrong-doing?

Tough question.  For the majority of these presidents have done significant, life-changing things, nevertheless. 

Take FDR, for example. In visiting his presidential library recently, I was reminded of the wide-ranging impact of his presidency.  Sure, it was not without controversy (even to this day), but it is safe to say that the U.S. economy would not have rebounded after the depression, and the U.S. would not have persevered through the horrific events of WWII, without Roosevelt's inspiring, inventive leadership.  https://www.economist.com/node/12502823  https://fdrlibrary.org/great-depression-facts  https://fdrlibrary.org/wwii-facts

But all the while, FDR was having an affair with Lucy Mercer.  

But does it matter?  

As I have struggled to answer that question, I've decided to answer it through the eyes of my 8-month-year-old grandson, John Dorsey.  What will he observe, think and conclude, as eventually, he sees our highest leaders doing great things, publicly, but doing immoral things, privately?  And then being elevated, esteemed, nevertheless.

I was struck yesterday, by Today host, Savannah Guthrie's penchant to view leadership through a similar lens. After hearing her colleague, Chuck Todd (of Meet the Press) called a '...sleepy SOB..." by Donald Trump over the weekend, in the context of a ruckus Western PA rally -- Guthrie asked Betsy DeVos, the current Secretary of Education:

"...As the cabinet secretary “who’s in charge of what our kids learn, what do you think of that kind of language?”...“Would you wash someone’s mouth out with soap?” “I would probably use different language myself,” DeVos replied. “I think we all have an opportunity and a responsibility to be examples to our kids.”  She then added, when asked: “That would include the president as well..."  https://www.today.com/news/betsy-devos-president-trump-s-rally-vulgarity-i-would-probably-t124828

Betsy DeVos is on to something.  Moral conduct does include the president, as well.  And all leaders.  For our kids are watching.

Recently, I ran across a short quote from Mahatma Gandhi that impacted me.  It simply read: 

"My life is my message."   

I believe that is so true -- reminiscent of a poem by Edgar Guest, that I often read at the funerals of persons of strong, noble character:

“…I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear, Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear; And the best of all preachers
 are the men who live their creeds, For to see good put in action 
is what everybody needs. I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done; I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run. And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true, But I'd rather get my lessons 
by observing what you do..."

My grandson, John Dorsey is observing, watching, concluding.

Along with every other kid.

And so, in due season, they learn, 'how the game is played':  do whatever you like in your personal life -- but if you still do great things in your public life -- you're still a great person.

But the Bible disagrees.  A great person is not a person who is one way privately, and another person publicly.  But a person who is congruent, whole, together -- with little variation between exterior and interior life.

That's why Jesus saves his harshest criticism for the Scribes and Pharisees, who tended to be one way publicly, but another way privately.

“…You hypocritical scribes and Pharisees! You are like white-washed tombs, which look fine on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all kinds of rottenness. For you appear like good men on the outside—but inside you are a mass of pretense and wickedness.  Matthew 23:27-28 (JB Phillips).

It's interesting:  the literal meaning of hypocrite is "...theatrical actor...".  Thus, the Pharisees were not religious leaders (in the best sense of the word), but religious thespians, who majored in looking good, rather than being good.

Have you noticed?  Leaders today love theatrics!  The assumption:   as long as I entertain you, I'll be able to get away with whatever I like, including an affair with a porn star -- or -- worst.

Such an attitude is reminiscent of a classic scene from the movie The Wizard of Oz.   On screen, front and center, the great and mighty Wizard, captivates Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, and Toto, Dorothy's dog.  But then suddenly, Toto, runs toward a curtained-off area, off to the side, and pulls back the curtain, revealing the real wizard:  a feeble, old man.

Exposed, the real wizard exclaims:   “pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”

That's exactly what many of our leaders are saying to us today:  pay no attention to the man or woman behind the curtain!

But pay attention we must.   For our children are watching.  And so must we.

Please don't misunderstand:  immoral men and women do 'great' things.  No doubt. Universities are founded. Economies 'turned around.'  Wars won.  Men sent to the moon.

But true greatness, biblical greatness is more than outer victory and achievement, it's inner victory and achievement -- winning the battle within.  Paul says it best:

"...Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we, an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified..."  (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

Discipline your body.  Keep it under control.  Do not become disqualified.

For what we need are not more 'white-washed' tombs, filled with entertaining pretense,  -- but -- sincere, simple servants, who affirm:  my life is my message.  

"...Get your lessons, by observing what I do..."