--- id: 20160601_differences_of_opinion title: BLOG - Differences of Opinion category: Biblical Life Counsel predicted_narrative_arc: partisan-fear-to-courageous-trust sentiment: Convictional emotions: - Concerned - Courageous - Pastoral keypoints: - Many people treat their own political opinion as the only correct view - Friends threatened to leave America depending on who won the 2016 election - Paul's conversion shows former enemies can be transformed and deserve a hearing - Citizens should endure the winner and hold leaders accountable rather than flee - Trust God more than prejudice; be strong and courageous instead of abandoning society summary: > Writing amid the 2016 presidential race, Dean Rush challenges friends who threaten to leave America if the other party's candidate wins. He recalls Paul's conversion from persecutor to apostle, argues that running away squanders hard-won freedom, and calls believers to trust God more than prejudice — remaining strong and courageous as accountable citizens under "In God We Trust." tags: - blog - policy - politics - 2016-election - courage - acts-9 - trust-god - differences - dean-rush sycophancy: 0 truth_score: 8 entropy: 3 sample: false consent: owner_approved agent: blog created: '2016-06-01' updated: '2026-09-09T00:00:00Z' vault_stage: 07_CODEX headwaters: BLOG prefix: BLOG enrich_status: ok enrich_blockers: [] enrich_method: manual pipeline_filename: BLOG_2016-06-01_differences-of-opinion.md source_kind: blog_article proposed_topic: Wisdom lane: Wisdom voice: desk active_voice: desk voices: - desk routing_source: carbon corpus_topic: Wisdom content_status: active date: '2016-06-01' share_url: https://deanrush.net/blog/differences-of-opinion source_url: https://deanrush.net/blog/differences-of-opinion site_category: Policy archive_month: 2016-06 description: > Dean confronts election-season threats to abandon America, points to Paul's conversion as proof that enemies can change, and calls readers to trust God and stay courageously engaged. --- # Differences of Opinion **Author:** Dean Rush **Original post:** [deanrush.net/blog/differences-of-opinion](https://deanrush.net/blog/differences-of-opinion) **Archive month:** June 2016 · **Site category:** Policy > Voice note: Everything under **Dean's article** is Dean's original prose (lightly cleaned of HTML/image artifacts only). Sections marked **Biblical foundations**, **Scholar sidebar**, **Takeaways**, and **First-time learner** are enrichment for Asker / first readers — not Dean speaking. --- ## Biblical foundations (preface) Dean names a civic wound — treating one's own political opinion as absolute, then threatening to flee if the other side wins — and answers with courage under God rather than partisan self-certainty. The enrichment below does not replace his 2016-election context; it shows the wider biblical frame for a first-time reader. | Dean's claim | Scriptural undercarriage | | --- | --- | | One's own opinion is not the only correct view | "There is a way that seems right to a man" (Proverbs 14:12); be quick to hear, slow to speak (James 1:19) | | Former enemies can be transformed | Paul's conversion (Acts 9:1–22); if anyone is in Christ, new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) | | Do not abandon the hard work of citizenship | Seek the welfare of the city (Jeremiah 29:7); live as free people without using freedom as a cover for evil (1 Peter 2:16) | | Trust God more than prejudice | Trust in the Lord, not your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6); partiality is sin (James 2:1–4, 9) | | Believers are called to be strong and courageous | "Be strong and courageous" (Joshua 1:9); God has not given a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7) | --- ## Dean's article ### People Believe Their Opinion is Correct! ![Courage for the future image from Dean's original post](https://deanrush.net/Portals/0/images/article/courageforthefuture.jpg) Many people have the mistaken impression their view is the best and only correct opinion. Personal viewpoints become especially evident during the period leading up to a Presidential election. I have, recently had friends tell me they will **not stay in America** if Hillary wins the election. I have heard the same thought by people opposing Hillary. I am not certain sure who will win the race in November, but I consider it foolish for educated people to assume they would make a difference by running away. > **Scholar sidebar — Opinion is not omniscience** > Scripture repeatedly checks the reflex that "my view is the only right one." Proverbs 18:17 says the first to state his case seems right until another comes and examines him. James 1:19–20 ties quick anger to failing righteousness. Dean's opening is pastoral, not cynical: election seasons intensify the illusion that disagreement equals darkness. Humility before God loosens the grip of that illusion. ### The Apostle Paul Was Once Considered a Tyrant in his Society! When the Apostle Paul was converted to believe in Jesus in Acts 9 in the bible he had been torturing Christians most of his life. The Christians were afraid of him. Further, they were mortified and untrusting when he appeared after his conversion and began preaching. It took a Miracle of healing and preaching that could be witnessed before his real proof as an apostle was accepted (see Acts 10). We may be in a similar situation in our country when so many people are afraid of the opposing party's candidate. The Republicans don't trust Hillary Clinton and the Democrats feel the same about Donald Trump. I think our country deserves us to endure the challenge of accepting the winning candidate and then hold them accountable if they do not adequately and truthfully govern. What were those oft quoted words again, "In God We Trust"? Maybe, just maybe, we need to trust God more than our own prejudice. Our forefathers have made a lot sacrifices so that we all, ethnicities, races, gender, religions, or lifestyle can enjoy the ability to decide. Running away only squanders the truth. The Bible says, again and again, for believers to be, "Strong and Courageous....". Running from the obligation to be a part of a society is not being courageous. It is avoiding an obligation for future improvement of a society. I pray my friends who are promising to run will take another look at the opportunity to hear and think differently than in the past. In Him Dean > **Scholar sidebar — Courage that stays, accountability that remains** > Joshua 1:9 pairs courage with God's presence, not with winning a contest. Romans 13:1–7 and 1 Timothy 2:1–2 keep civic engagement and prayer for rulers in view even when rulers disappoint. Paul's story (Acts 9) shows that the person you fear most may be mid-conversion — which does not erase accountability; it refuses despair. Dean's counsel is stay, trust God over prejudice, and hold winners to truthful governance — courage as presence, not escape. --- ## Takeaways 1. **Opinion absolutism is a mistake.** Dean opens by naming the habit of treating one's political view as the only correct one. 2. **Threats to flee help no one.** Friends on both sides of 2016 threatened to leave America; he calls that foolish for educated citizens. 3. **Paul's conversion reframes fear of "the other."** A former persecutor became an apostle — enemies can change; fear need not have the last word. 4. **Endure, then hold accountable.** Accept the winner as a civic duty, then insist on adequate and truthful governance. 5. **Trust God more than prejudice.** "In God We Trust" and "be strong and courageous" relocate hope from party outcome to faithful presence. --- ## First-time learner ### What is Dean saying in one sentence? Don't run from America when your candidate loses — trust God more than your prejudice, stay courageous, and hold leaders accountable. ### Why does he bring up the Apostle Paul? Because Paul once terrorized Christians, then preached Christ. If God can remake a persecutor, citizens should not treat political opponents as permanently beyond hope — or treat fleeing as faithfulness. ### Key verses to read with this post - **Acts 9:1–22** — Paul's conversion. - **Joshua 1:9** — Be strong and courageous. - **Proverbs 3:5–6** — Trust the Lord, not your own understanding. - **Proverbs 14:12; 18:17** — Ways that seem right; hearing the other side. - **James 1:19–20** — Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. - **2 Timothy 1:7** — Not a spirit of fear. - **1 Timothy 2:1–2** — Pray for those in authority. - **Jeremiah 29:7** — Seek the city's welfare. ### A simple practice When election talk makes you want to quit on neighbors or country: (1) refuse the "only my side is sane" reflex, (2) pray Joshua 1:9 aloud, (3) name one concrete act of local civic or neighborly good you will do this week instead of rehearsing exit fantasies. ### How this feeds Ask Dean Seed material for questions such as: *What does Dean say about leaving the country after an election? How should Christians handle political fear? Why mention Paul in Acts 9?* Answers should keep Dean's 2016 voice primary and use scholar notes only as biblical scaffolding — without updating his candidates into later cycles unless the asker asks.