Election Day

Tomorrow Americans will be voting concerning various political issues, including who will be the President for the next four years.

I have met a few people who think that Obama is the right choice.  I am amazed at their reasoning when they try to explain.

I have met many more who think that Romney is the lesser of two evils.

In talking with people I have heard many people say that they would consider voting for a third party candidate, but that such a candidate cannot win.

Huh?

I’ve seen polls that indicate that those claiming to be independent of the two lock-step parties are as much as 40%.

If everyone one who claims to be independent really meant it and voted for say, Gary Johnson, he would be the next president elect.

If everyone who said, “He can’t win” voted for him, guess what?

I don’t agree with Gary on everything, but hearing him speak and reading his positions, he seems to me to take the Constitution very seriously.  He has a good record.  He is every bit as pro-Life as Romney.

You think otherwise?

Read what Romney’s site says:

Values: Marriage, Family, Life.

First notice that this is stated in the third person.  This is written by someone other than Romney.

Next notice that he makes no statement of any actual plan for action.

The boldest statement made is:

“He will protect the right of health care workers to follow their conscience in their work.”

How?

Every statement indicates that he intends to point his finger at someone else and claim no responsibility himself.  Read what his propagandist writes for him.  See if he ever actually commits to anything.  Anything at all.

Gary Johnson at least speaks in the first person or simply states the points that he believes.  Johnson says basically the same regarding protecting life that Romney says.  He says that all life is precious and must be protected.  He furthermore limits a woman’s choice to viability of a fetus.  So if this is pressed regarding what viability actually means, then the fetus would be protected from conception.  This is not his current stand, but he indicates protection for those he counts as viable as necessary.  This is actually more than Romney states as his intended actual action.

But then, what Republican president has actually done anything more than claim to be pro-Life.  What president has actually done anything about it?

On the other hand, pro-Life presidents have pressed for the Patriot Act and the TSA and Homeland Security and other horrific acts.

Johnson says: Civil Liberties:

• The PATRIOT Act should be repealed, which would restore proper judicial oversight to federal investigations and again require federal investigators to prove probable cause prior to executing a search.
  
• Habeas corpus should be respected entirely, requiring the government to either charge incarcerated individuals with a crime or release them.
  
• The TSA should take a risk-based approach to airport security. Only high-risk individuals should be subjected to invasive pat-downs and full-body scans.
  
• The TSA should not have a monopoly on airport security. Airports and airlines should be encouraged to seek the most effective methods for screening travelers, including private sector screeners. Screeners outside of government can be held fully accountable for their successes and failures.

This is a very good start.  Imagine if we had a president who actually tried to accomplish these things.

At least pro-Life people would not be labeled as terrorists and arrested for speaking out.

What did either of the Bushes do?  What does Romney actually commit himself to do?

Johnson is on the ballot.  Voting for him is easy.  Voting for him is casting a true NO vote to the way the lockstep parties have been leading us.  That may be a long way from what a great option would be, but it would be a step in the right direction.

If anyone thinks that the Patriot Act is a small issue, wait till that person is arrested without Habeas Corpus.  Suddenly very little else will matter.

Sadly, Johnson admits that he does not know much about the NDAA, but since he desires to repeal the Patriot Act, he would surely also want to repeal its big brother.

At any rate, it will surely be interesting to see how many people are truly independents, and how many are merely noise makers.

Biden Versus Ryan

We don’t watch TV.  We stopped paying for the misinformation and blatant lies in the federally owned and operated so-called local paper.  Radio sources for news are equally untrustworthy.  Internet sources also are suspect, but at least with those we can get a broader perspective.

Today I read an online report regarding the vice-presidential debate last night, entitled Snark, interruptions, 'derisive sneering'.

Of particular note is what is reported about the statements of the two candidates about their faith and what they believe concerning gestational children and what stand they promise to take in the White House.  Both men profess to be Roman Catholics.  Both men profess to believe that life begins at conception.

Both men say that they will do nothing regarding this belief.

Here is what is reported in the article:

Vice President Joe Biden said he personally believes that life begins at conception, but wouldn’t do anything to stop others from taking the lives of the unborn.

The arguments came the only meeting of the two candidates for the No. 2 office.

“Our faith informs us of everything we do,” Ryan said. He said his Catholic faith plays a role in his position, but reason and science complete his position.

“I believe life begins at conception. The policy of a Romney administration would be to oppose abortion except in cases of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother,” he said.

Biden also said he was “practicing Catholic” but he would “refuse to impose his beliefs on equally devout Christians…”

“Unlike my friend here, the congressman, I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people that women can’t control their bodies. That’s a decision between them and their doctor,” Biden said.

According to this report Ryan says, “The policy of a Romney administration would be to oppose abortion ...”

Notice that no mention of any action is included in this statement.  This is what the Republicans have said for decades, yet when in office they do nothing.  They only move legislation on this matter when they know that they are a minority or they move legislation that does so little that it really amounts to nothing.  Nevertheless they boldly tout their opposition to abortion.  They boldly profess to oppose the taking of innocent lives.  They boldly claim to be Pro-Life.

Biden says that he believes that life begins at conception, but, “Unlike my friend here, the congressman, I do not believe that we have a right to tell other people that women can’t control their bodies. That’s a decision between them and their doctor,” Biden said.

I wonder, will the people of the world ever grow weary of this insanely dishonest rhetoric?

Both men are knowingly, deliberately lying and attempting to deceive.  Yet the people from their respective sides close their eyes, ears, hearts and minds to what is being said, choosing rather to believe the lies.

Regarding Biden’s statement, does he apply this notion to driving under the influence of intoxicating chemicals such as alcohol, marijuana, and narcotics?  Does he say that he does not believe in telling people who consume alcoholic beverages that they have the right to control their own bodies and therefore may choose to drink to excess and drive without being held responsible?

What about people who want to own, carry, and use guns?  Does he say that they have a right to control their own bodies and carry guns on their persons without government control?

I could proceed with a very extensive list that would still be noncomprehensive, but surely these two examples make the point adequately.

Moreover, this statement regarding women controlling their own bodies is entirely and deliberately fallacious.  After all, whose body does abortion affect?

Two bodies are affected by abortion.  First is the woman’s body, that is invaded and put at risk by the action of artificial abortion.  This is an entirely unnatural procedure that in every instance puts a woman at risk over and above the already present risks of pregnancy.  Abortion is a dangerous procedure that often has complications that sometimes cause permanent injury to the woman and sometimes even results in her death.

Secondly is the developing body of the conceived child.  The lie of not knowing whether or not this is a living person has been openly debunked.  Even a man like Biden can no longer get away with hiding behind that lie.  Even he must now admit publicly to believe that life begins at conception.  So the fact is now openly admitted that abortion is the attack upon a helpless person in that person’s body.  Abortion is the deliberate ending of a person’s life.  It is a brutal assault upon this helpless person’s body.  Even in the case of abortifacients, it is a brutal separation of the person’s body from its safe haven, a brutal eviction that results in an ignominious death and disposal.  Often the body parts are even sold for disgusting uses that no person would permit if that person were given the choice.

So the issue of abortion is not about telling a woman that she has no choice in the control of her own body.  She is in complete control of her own body.  She can eat and drink as she chooses.  She can partake of any daily activity that she chooses.  She can watch any video or TV program that she chooses.  She can stay up as late as she chooses and go to bed whenever she chooses.  She can arise when she chooses.  She can seek any vocation that she chooses.  She can surf the Internet or Twit or partake of whatever other social networking that she chooses.  She can drive when and where she chooses.  She can exercise as much as she chooses.  She can meditate or pray or refuse to partake of these activities.  She can wear shoes or sandals, socks or pantyhose, a hat, sunglasses, a skirt or pants, a bra or no bra, makeup or no makeup.  She can marry or not marry.

These are not issues related to abortion until she and the abortion industry decide to take these choices and even life itself from another person.  The issue of abortion is one of telling a woman and the abortion industry that they do not have the right to destroy another person for the sake of choice or profit.

If we all faced this issue honestly, there would be no need for laws in this matter.  If women honestly consider what is at stake, they will not need to be told not to kill their own babies or allow them to be killed.  No woman who honestly counts her baby as a precious, living, human being would ever ask for someone to end her baby’s life, nor ask for someone to pay for this horrific atrocity.  No honest person would ever look upon the child with anything but tender and loving compassion and care.

Will the people of this country and the world ever wake up to the truth?  Will people ever see through the smokescreen of the politicians and the abortion industry and those who refuse to act responsibly regarding their own sexual activities?

Life is a wonderful gift.  For those who acknowledge the giver, this is so apparent that it changes the person from the inside out.  But even for those who deny the giver of life, the wonder of life is so immense that it is overpowering.  Even those who deny the gift cannot help but to see that a baby is a person who should be protected and nurtured, especially when the baby is housed within a woman’s own body.

Parenthood is a terrible responsibility.  It is a fearsome thing to face, even for those who eagerly seek it for themselves.  It becomes overwhelmingly fearsome to one who is not seeking it and has it occur without planning, or worse, has it forced upon her.

But the answer is not to count the life of the baby as a choice.  The answer is not to deny the baby any choice ever to be faced.  The answer is not to encourage women to make a choice that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.  The answer is not to encourage women to consider putting themselves at an added heath risk by choosing to permit an invasive and disruptive pseudo-medical procedure.

What is the answer?  The answer is Love.  Love produces compassion.  Love motivates us to look upon women as very special gifts from God to the world, gifts through whom He works the miracle of life for us all.  Love moves us to act with compassion and caring to those frightened by the new and often unexpected responsibilities that they face.  Love moves us to treasure the little ones whom we will meet when they are delivered from Mommy’s body into the world of light and sound and color and friendship and all the wonders that we so often take for granted.  Love moves us to see these little ones as gifts to us all.

This world in which we live is made to be a very frightening place through the selfishness and thoughtlessness that we choose to be our ways.  This is especially true for the helpless, the weak, the ignorant, and the poor.

However, Love changes this.  Love restores hope.  Love restores security.

Laws are necessary when Love does not prevail.  When Love is not King, then laws become necessary to help restrain lovelessness.  Laws have no power to produce Love, but they do help those who know Love and abide in Love to have a little less opposition in the world.

Thus we have laws that condemn and punish murder, stealing, and other acts by one against another.  But what we really need is the restoration of Love.  After all,

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.  (Romans 13:10)

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Disturbing Notion of Religious Freedom

This article disturbs me: Restore Religious Freedom in America

While I agree 100% that what is being foisted upon us in this outrageous regulatory program of the administration is wrong and should be overturned, I find it disturbing that the “religious” imagine that doing so will restore religious freedom in the country. I find it disturbing that they seem to be oblivious to the usurpations of freedoms that span many decades.

For example, I remember when the LC-MS bowed down to certain changes in the IRS code so that the church body actually changed its definition of “ministry” and “minister” so as to keep certain income tax exemptions for teachers. So then, teachers, both male and female teachers, suddenly became ministers, a term previously only used for males connected with the pastoral office. This gave stimulus for many successive new definitions and understandings.

As I have learned regarding the ways of conservatives I have coined a phrase that seems to fit their mantra: “Compromise is absolutely unacceptable until it becomes expedient.”

Who can even count the compromises that have been made by the religious in the name of expediency.

As further example from my former church body, I did a search of the LC-MS web site using their internal search engine, searching for “501 c 3.” Here is the first screen of choices that was displayed.

In my perception the following recurring mantra is powerfully explanative:

We accept Visa, MaterCard, American Express and Discover.

Is this what is really meant by “religious freedom” that must be defended?

After all, has not the biggest ruckus arisen in connection with the regulations that require paying for these abortifacients and such?

If the real concern is the issue of compromising doctrine and especially practice, why did the mainline churches make the other compromises without hardly batting an eye? Why do the church bodies currently promote “fraternal” insurance and financial groups that already provide coverage for abortions and same sex relationships and such?

Why is this important? If I agree that the government is not to interfere with religion, that government is not to sanction and even promote and pay for abortifacients or even contraceptives, why speak with concern about the discontinuity of the religious groups crying out in this matter but not others? Why not simply praise them for this action?

The issue of concern is what is being compromised and lost. The issue of concern is the pure Gospel and the pure administration of the means of grace. The issue of concern is that the true definition of the very power of God unto salvation is being reduced to something that has no power to save and help and heal.

If the pure Gospel is compromised and thereby lost to the churches, what else really matters? Why even bother having churches if the pure Gospel is sacrificed on the altars of expediency?

What positive difference does it make to prevent a baby from being sacrificed to the gods of lust and avoidance of inconvenience and fear and responsibility, if in place of the Gospel they are given a worthless substitute?

Dear pastors and Christians, preach the Gospel as it is given from heaven and it won’t matter whether the government demands coverage for abortions and contraceptives and abortifacients. If the Gospel is preached truly and the Sacraments are administered rightly so that people truly hear and believe the Gospel, the demand for these unholy things will fade to nothing. People who truly hear and believe the Gospel love life and babies and honor marriage. If the Gospel is truly preached so that people live by faith, who will ask for these contraceptives even if insurance does cover them?

Moreover, if the churches were truly united in this Gospel so that the Church was clearly seen standing as one, what politician would dare even to suggest such things let alone to impose them forcefully upon the Church or even upon the populace? Then such a politician would never be elected.

Christians should not cry out as though they are being betrayed by their politicians. They should not cry out as though the politicians are betraying the Gospel. Rather they should look in the mirror and be converted again. Then the freedom that the Scriptures teach would be more than a slogan or political talking point.

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How Do You Spell Defense?

This article Even Defense Contractors Support Ron Paul For President and the accompanying video amaze me. The more that I observe Ron Paul the more that I admire him. I continue to be amazed at his calm responses to the deliberate attempts by media establishment enforcers to misrepresent his statements and positions. I am amazed by his calm yet effective overturning of their blatant fraud.

As I watch or hear or read this man I almost dare to have hope for the country.

Regarding politicians here is a question:

How can one know when a political candidate is being honest?

Answer: When his campaign rhetoric matches his voting record and actions.

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For how many in the last fifty years has this been the case?

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Veterans, Active Military march in D.C. for Ron Paul

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Political Posts

Lately I have posted way more on political issues than I am comfortable doing. Yet as a citizen of this country, I care deeply about what is happening. The reason that I care is twofold. First, I care about the people and how these things affect us all. Secondly, I care about the proclamation of the Gospel, which these things also affect and will affect very powerfully very soon.

But I am tired of these things. Politics, which comes from the word that means “city” and itself means “of, for, or relating to citizens” is rarely understood this way anymore. Today it has become a term that is regarded to be “of, for, or relating to those who control the citizens.”

We often consider the term politician to be a synonym for liar and deceiver and thief. Often the presumption is true.

But why? We have allowed this to become the way.

I, for one do not accept this, and so I sometimes speak out.

I have always spoken out regarding the wrongs that I have observed done to others. Even in Junior High School and High School, I spoke up when I observed bullies tormenting others, especially weaker or less popular ones. On a few occasions I actually stopped them. When I think of these things, it amazes me that I have never been in a fight. Perhaps it is because bullies of this type are really seeking something other than a fight and are somewhat open to reason.

But these political bullies are organized. They have massive clout and wealth behind them. They have been building their infrastructure for a very long time. They have used the media and the educational system to win people’s trust. They have actually convinced most people that their bully ways are actually thoughtful and caring and proper.

Does it really do any good for one little nobody to cry out?

Well, I cannot help it. That is who I am. That is what I do.

But that is not my primary concern. Primarily I am concerned about everlasting matters. I am primarily concerned about people’s souls and their everlasting salvation. My other concerns actually flow from this, but are secondary to this. Thus I desire to return to matters of the Gospel and the life that the Gospel generates. While I have not actually departed from this, the other issues do distract from it.

I much prefer to comfort people with the wonderful good news of the Gospel proclamation.

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NewsMax Lies

Recently NewsMax has resumed bombardment of my e-mail boxes with their propaganda. Propaganda has come to have a negative connotation in our society, even though the word itself is positive. Certainly as I am bombarded with NewsMax propaganda I am left with the negative association that has become common today.

Some years ago we signed up with NewsMax to receive a very worthy newsletter: The Blaylock Report. However, NewsMax also pulled some trickery on my wife (and many others). From that time we stopped trusting NewsMax. Of course, things like what I received in my e-mail today continue to reinforce our distrust of this pretender to the role of a defender of liberty and morality.

Today’s e-mail reminded me of the prophets of old who decried the same kinds of lies and thievery among the Old Testament people. One specific quote came to my mind:

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, Who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, "Bring wine, let us drink!" (Amos 4:1 NKJV)

The e-mail was from the President and CEO of Newsmax Media. In it he claimed to have sent a video to me the previous week and had noticed that I had not viewed it.

What?!!! How could he know whether or not I had viewed the video? I checked the link to see whether a person would have to give an e-mail address or other identification in order to view the video. Nope. So I called customer service to ask. Nope, he lied. The poor customer service lady was required to try to cover for his lie, but he lied.

The video is also loaded with lies and false promises.

How often today do we hear that something will be given “ABSOLUTELY FREE” if only we will call this number watch this video or whatever. Then, the offer is proclaimed to have a shipping fee, or is connected with a subscription to a newsletter, or is a “no risk” trial offer?

This is false advertising. This is raw deception. Even with the “no risk” offer, such as this one, a payment is required, which allows the seller to use our money interest free.

But this is not the ultimate issue of concern regarding this e-mail and what is contained in the video to which it links. The video has promises that are not kept, promises to tell about two amazing investment opportunities but those are not actually revealed. But this, too, is minor contrasted to what is forthrightly promoted.

Now most people are unlikely to respond to this with this concern. Most people will likely respond with desire to be included in what is promoted. But to this the Lord declares:

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, Who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, "Bring wine, let us drink!" (Amos 4:1)

The video tells how we can learn how to profit from the misery that the international bankers, the greedy controllers of the economy, and the corrupt politicians are causing. It tells how we can learn to imitate the ways of those who are destroying the great heritage of America and are taking over America and the world’s nations through economic manipulation.

The video, which can be viewed here, follows the typical way of promoters of hype. The video is set up so that you have no control. You cannot fast forward or back up or pause. If you try to leave the web site it pops us and makes you click more buttons. When you refuse to stay, it gives you another page with the information in page format. Perhaps this is good, as at least one can examine it better.

From that page, here is what is stated regarding the third stock option, one of the two that are promised but not actually revealed without signing up for the trial subscription.

2011 Guaranteed Dividend Stock #3:
A Wall Street Bank Everyone Hates!

My mantra of being greedy when others are fearful lets me recommend another unlikely stock for 2011, one of America's biggest banks and one of the biggest bailed out by the federal government.

The current bogeyman of the Obama administration is Wall Street money center banks like this one. Temporarily, this would seem to be a bad investment.

However, in 2010, this administration also attacked Goldman Sachs, British Petroleum, Berkshire Hathaway, and Johnson & Johnson. All four stocks took turns being the bogeyman, and all four are up HUGE since being attacked. This company is just the latest "villain" for the White House.

The company's revenue sources include credit card services (25%), global corporate banking (18%), global markets (17%), wealth management (14%), home loans and insurance (16%), and deposits (10%).

Just a few years ago, this stock was selling for close to $60 a share. Today you can buy shares for pennies on the dollar — pretty close to what it was selling for in the early 1990s and 11% off of its tangible book value of all its intangible assets.

In plain English, you are buying it for a price less than you would pay if you started a bank from scratch.

And you get all the rest of it — the card services, global corporate banking, global markets, and wealth management businesses — for free.

One last thing: Hedge fund superstar John Paulson, the man who made $20 billion on the subprime debacle is betting HUGE on this stock. His fund has been profitable in 13 of the past 14 years, including an almost 40% gain in 2008.

He has taken his largest equity position in this company's common shares, buying 168 million shares.

I think this stock is a slam-dunk for 2011 . . . and I'll tell you all about it in my brand-new special report, The Best Dividend Machine Stocks for 2011.

Just in case you read past it without noticing, here is the key point again:

My mantra of being greedy when others are fearful lets me recommend another unlikely stock for 2011, one of America's biggest banks and one of the biggest bailed out by the federal government.

Once more for good measure, slightly more condensed:

My mantra of being greedy when others are fearful lets me recommend . . .

Now, NewsMax claims to oppose the bailout and the stimulus spending bill and the raping of people through health care. They promote newsletters for doctors who speak against big pharmaceutical promotion of drugs as the answer for all problems. They promote awareness of the tea party movement and the cry to stand up for what is right and to oppose the big government and big business pillaging of the people and their earnings and of the trampling of the Constitution.

And here they promote investing in the very things that they claim to oppose. They promote profiting from the big drug pushers called health care. They promote profiting from the foreclosure of homes. This mindset is especially promoted in another e-mail sent a few days ago, the first portion of which can be seen below:

And again from the video:

My mantra of being greedy when others are fearful lets me recommend another unlikely stock for 2011, one of America's biggest banks and one of the biggest bailed out by the federal government.

And where is the federal government getting this money to bail out big banks and to give money away in the trillions of dollars? The government swindlers are borrowing the money from the international bankers who own the Federal Reserve. They are borrowing this money in our names. They are stealing this money from you and from me and from all of the future generations who will be bankrupted by this action.

So why should we not follow the advice to get rich from other people’s loss and misery? Why should we not take advantage of the situation and profit from it just as the big boys are doing? Why should we be left behind to suffer the loss?

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, Who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, "Bring wine, let us drink!" The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: "Behold, the days shall come upon you When He will take you away with fishhooks, And your posterity with fishhooks. You will go out through broken walls, Each one straight ahead of her, And you will be cast into Harmon," Says the Lord. (Amos 4:1-3 NKJV)

Is the Lord blind? Does He not see how we join with the evil ways of the world? Were the prophecies of old only concerning the greedy of those times?

More importantly, is this really the way that we want to act? Do we really want to imitate those who take advantage of others unfairly? Is greed the way to happiness? Or is the way to true happiness the way of contentment and of defending the poor and the widows and the fatherless and the oppressed?

Ultimately it comes down to who and what one counts as God. In whom and in what does one trust and rely? In whom and what does one find security and peace and satisfaction? How one answers these matters determines one’s affinity to the ways promoted in the above propaganda.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:24-34)

Money as Debt

The following video is posted at GCNLive, a worthy source of news in this current age.

Paul Grignon's Money As Debt
One Of The Most Important Videos You Will Ever See
(on what is happening in the nation and the world today)

After viewing this and observing the “Why” behind the secularly observed slavery of this age, then compare the current candidates being offered in the mainstream.

Then consider that we actually have candidates who are seeking to Reform the nation and to counter those things that currently rule over the populace.

Are not these men and women worthy of full consideration?


What would happen if every person who believed that it is foolish to vote for the lesser of two evils actually voted for someone who stood for something? What if we all actually voted FOR a candidate rather than voting against a candidate? What would happen if we all voted for candidates who actually tell us what they believe and do so consistently rather than checking the polls to find out what we want them to tell us that they believe?

Believe it or not, such candidates of integrity DO exist and are actually on the ballots.




(In the paragraph above, the secularly observed slavery is meant. Sin is the true cause of the slavery of mankind, and of course, the current matters are manifestations of that total slavery which can only be undone through the grace of God through faith.)

The Christian Vote

In a country where the citizens are given the opportunity to vote, a very special privilege and duty is entrusted to the citizenry and to each citizen. It seems, however, that very few citizens actually remember today what a vote really is.

The first two listings for vote in the American Heritage Dictionary are:

* a. A formal expression of preference for a candidate for office or for a proposed resolution of an issue.
* b. A means by which such a preference is made known, such as a raised hand or a marked ballot.

The vote is the citizen’s voice. It is the citizen’s opportunity to stand publicly for what that citizen believes. The vote is the opportunity to have a say in the way that the nation’s and society’s life is ordered. It is the person’s expression of what is right and good, not only for self, but for family, friends, neighbors, for all.

So what does a citizen actually say when that citizen votes for a person that does not stand with the same principles? What does the citizen say when a vote is cast for the lesser of two evils?

On what does a citizen stand when such a vote is cast?

The answer seems to be “winning.”

So what does the citizenry win when a vote is cast for the lesser of two evils?

Some Christians argue that we always cast a vote for the lesser of two evils since all human beings are sinners and all human beings have faults and make errors in judgment.

Well, isn’t that clever? Since all people are sinners and make bad judgments the conclusion is that no one can ever actually stand for what is right and good.

This is ludicrous reasoning. This is the reasoning that has resulted in the kind of politics and politicians that we have today, politics and politicians who say whatever sounds good at the moment but are never held accountable by the people and so they lie and change their promises from minute to minute.

What is worse is that people have started listening to the voices on the radio, voices that actually encourage the voters to be like the politicians. One such clever strategist has named himself the commander of “operation chaos.” Since his party of choice can no longer be called conservative and no longer stands for anything, now, rather than encouraging people to vote for a candidate with conservative principles, now he encourages people to try to cause chaos in the other party by voting in that party.

Why? Why would someone promote such dishonesty? The answer lies in the title that he has claimed for himself. It is about gathering followers to himself.

The really sad point is that people do follow him and boast of their mischief. They speak of themselves as liars and as dishonest and then pride themselves as taking one for the cause.

What cause?

WHAT CAUSE?

They hate themselves for remaining with a party that is represented by someone they distrust, someone who openly undermines what they believe. So what is their answer? To cause trouble in the other party.

Why not let go of the party and take a stand for what is right? Why not let John McCain have the Republican Party? Why not let the dueling duo have the Democrat Party?

Why not stand back from both parties and regroup? What does anyone win by preserving a party that no longer stands for the principles on which it was founded?

What is worse is that people would rather cause trouble when the nation needs to be reunited in the principles that made this nation strong.

Voting is not about one side or another winning. Voting is the voice of the citizenry. It is that which makes this a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people, rather than a battleground for politicians who care only about being elected at the expense of the citizenry.

Do the American people really want to follow the ways of the politicians, or do they want to have the politicians follow the voice of the people? Once upon a time in this nation the people claimed to follow a voice that was greater than their own, a truly reliable voice. When this was their claim, this nation called itself and was known throughout the world as a Christian nation.

Isn’t it time for the citizenry to remember and hear again the voice by which this nation has been blessed beyond that of any nation in history? Isn’t it time for the people of this nation to stop giving their voice away to leadership that leads us in the opposite direction of what we know to be right and true? Isn’t time for the citizenry of this nation to take back their voice and be heard again over the ruckus of the corruption of the media and the politicians?