A version of this post originally appeared at Jason Writes About Stuff.
It’s time to stop pretending about Donald Trump, fellow Christians. It’s past time, actually.
I know you think you’re right, I know you think Hillary Clinton is pure evil, but please stop.
Stop rationalizing and stop pretending.
Stop pretending that it’s OK to vote for him simply because he isn’t Hillary.
Stop pretending that picking “the lesser of two evils” is a civic duty.
Stop pretending that voting for him is the only “Christian” thing to do.
Stop pretending that a third-party vote of conscience is a wasted vote.
Stop pretending that his sins are lesser than Hillary’s sins.
Stop pretending that his past doesn’t matter.
Stop pretending that the way he talks, the way he lives his life, and the way he treats people doesn’t matter.
Stop pretending that a man who suggests violence against his opponent has a moral compass.
Stop pretending that he’s not temperamentally unfit to lead the country.
Stop pretending that you can trust a man who’s on his third marriage and who’s bragged about his infidelity.
Stop pretending that he can be counted on to appoint conservative Supreme Court justices.
Stop pretending that many of his proposals and ideas aren’t the opposite of a Christian worldview.
Stop pretending that famous evangelical “leaders” who support him can’t have poor judgment.
Stop pretending that he cares about your principles.
Stop pretending that it’s fine that he never mentioned religious liberty, abortion or traditional marriage during his convention speech.
Stop pretending that a true pro-life candidate would be so willing and eager to use nuclear weapons.
Stop pretending that he’ll “surround himself with good people.”
Stop pretending that he wasn’t essentially a liberal until a couple of years ago.
Stop pretending that it’s OK that he’s been endorsed by North Korea, Russia and the KKK.
Stop pretending that he doesn’t talk and act like someone who wants to be a dictator.
Stop pretending that “telling it like it is” somehow makes him qualified to be president.
Stop pretending that he doesn’t sound downright unintelligible at times when answering policy questions.
Stop pretending that “Believe me!” is the same as having an actual plan.
Stop pretending that name-calling and insults are an effective governing technique.
Stop pretending that some of his proposals aren’t, at best, unconstitutional and, at worst, flat-out dangerous.
Stop pretending that it’s OK to be associated with people who talk and act like this.
Stop pretending that you’re not motivated by the wrong things, at least from a Christian perspective.
Stop pretending that if God allows him to be elected that it will only bring good things and the rise of The Greatest Nation on Earth.
Stop pretending that if God allows Hillary to be elected that it will only mean bad things and a rapid spiral toward an apocalyptic hellscape.
Stop pretending that you know what God’s thinking.
Stop pretending that there’s any evidence whatsoever that Trump would make a good president.
Stop pretending. Please.
