Posted on 09/10/2008 5:29:22 PM PDT by 30-06 Springfield
Psalm 15
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, please, please, please stop sending me things trying to convince me that I should vote for John McCain because he has anointed Sarah Palin as his running mate. Please understand this, I am not going to vote for either McCain or Obama.
Now, let me agree with you that Sarah Palin is the best of the four on the ballot for President and Vice President.
It is a sad day for the Republic and it is a sad commentary that the best the two major parties could come up with is Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin. But what is even sadder is the number of Christians who are so desperate for a political saviour that they are willing to put aside conscience, Christianity, and self respect to vote for McCain because he anointed the gal from Alaska. I cannot help but wonder two things, are you that desperate and fooled or is it that you can shave with your eyes closed so that you don’t have to look yourself in the face each morning? Are you not like those who rejected Jesus because He had not come as a warrior king?
Yes, Sarah Palin has been the saviour of the Republican party in Alaska. Yes she has been successful in the male world of politics. But at what cost? Her seventeen year old daughter is pregnant, unmarried and pregnant. While she has been successful as a politician and in a man’s world, how is she doing as a mom? Maybe, if Sarah had been content to be a Christian home schooling mom instead of mayor, political party saviour, governor and prima donna, her daughter might still be a maiden. Perhaps if Sarah had been at home when her kids got home from school her daughter might not be pregnant. Oh maybe she would be, but the odds are really against it.
Sarah is not at the head of the ticket, she is but McCain’s VP choice for the time being. And while you may wish to delude yourself into thinking otherwise, it is McCain, not Sarah who will be commander in chief if elected, just as it will be Obama, not Biden who will be commander in chief if he is elected. And there lies the rub. For the choice is clear, with McCain we get a hard headed, egoistical, hot tempered bully and with Obama we get a communist coward girly boy. And I am in no way convinced that having McCain the fascist bully as CIC is better than having Obama the communist coward as CIC. In either case I see neither as being any help to the Born Again Washed in the Blood of the Lamb Christian community of the world. For both will sign legislation making the preaching of the Biblical view of homosexuality a federal hate crime.
Now before you actually go and make your “X” for either McCain or Obama, I would like you to read a bit of Scripture, ponder it and then make your decision.
LORD, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? Will it not be he that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart. He that does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.
Will it not be he in whose eyes a vile person is contemned; he honors them that fear the LORD. He that swears (makes vows to You) to his own hurt, and changes not. He that does not put out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15, a psalm of David expanded ACP/KJV)
Do you think David would have voted for McCain because he put Palin on the ballot with him? I don’t.
Back about 3500 years ago Israel was faced with a changing way of life. Moses warned them with theses words:
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him.
For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou may dig brass.
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which He hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swear unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 8:5-20 ACP/KJV)
Can you find me a place in the Bible that even hints that you should put aside doing what is right to vote for the lesser of two evils? Can any of you dispute that John McCain is nothing more than the lesser of the two evils? Do you think that John McCain will turn his back on his friends, friends like the Kennedy’s the Kerry’s the Snowe’s and Collins of the Senate to serve you and your best interest once elected? Jesus said: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Instead of voting for the lesser of the two evils, wouldn’t it better to pray God would rescue us or a the very least protect us from the evil of both men?
Jesus further warned us: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Why would you put your faith and trust in a man with the political history of a man like McCain? A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Look, I don’t care how you vote, that is between you and the Holy Spirit that dwells within you, if you are Saved, but stop trying to convince me to compromise my values, to turn from God and His word to vote for the foul mouthed, egoistical, bully by the name of John McCain. For from this point on, with every email I get encouraging me to turn from Christ and to McCain, I am going to send, as a reply, this entire thought.
For I do not consider John McCain a success as a politician or Naval officer nor do I consider Sarah Palin a success as a mother. And I shall not vote for those I consider failures in their God ordained duties.
Well, let the man sit on his hands. That is his right. He seems somewhat narcissistic in his writings that is also his right. My right as an American citizen is to vote for the best that is available. I am not ashamed to do so. To do nothing is foolish...
“While she has been successful as a politician and in a man’s world, how is she doing as a mom? Maybe, if Sarah had been content to be a Christian home schooling mom instead of mayor, political party saviour, governor and prima donna, her daughter might still be a maiden. Perhaps if Sarah had been at home when her kids got home from school her daughter might not be pregnant. Oh maybe she would be, but the odds are really against it.”
1 Samuel 8:1-3
1 And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. 3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.
Ezekiel 18:20
20 The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
John 8:3-11
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. 10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”
“For I do not consider John McCain a success as a politician or Naval officer nor do I consider Sarah Palin a success as a mother. And I shall not vote for those I consider failures in their God ordained duties.”
The bonehead who wrote this is misinformed or a liar, I can only imagine that his banning was based on more misinformation or lies.
I am not really impressed with McCain’s record on SOME issues in the Senate, and have been reluctantly and grudgingly moving towards voting for him.
That said, my father was a mid-level officer for McCain while McCain was XO at VA 174. McCain was a fine Naval officer and worthy of our respect in that aspect.
I’d like to know if the pastor has kids, and if so how they and he, would stand up to the scrutiny that Palin and her kids have been subjected to. For some reason I have visions of the Reverends Swaggert and Bakker. Call me cynical....
Heh. Well done! The only difference being, I’ve not decided yet whether or not I’ll vote for the turd, the bun notwithstanding.
Oh, yeah? Well how about the murder part? (I'm kidding. But, I am interested in the techicality and the murder question. If you think it's too arcane for the forum itself, send me an email)
With all due respect, Pastor Bob is a twit.
Not a chance. She is in the inner sanctum now. He chose her for a purpose and it wasn't to garner conservative votes.
She will carry full weight in policy decisions but he will use her as ambassador plenipotentiary to Congress and, if necessary, to the people. He will not squander her popularity. You will see a lot more of her than you do Cheney.
What kind of an awful mother would raise a teen who gets pregnant? She certainly can't be the good Christian she pretends to be, because every single one of the millions of True Christian Parents I've met (like myself ... you know, the speck-free-eyballs type of Christian) have had not the slightest problem bringing up kids who will never, ever "play around" before marriage, will never listen to a non-Christian pop song, will never smoke or drink or say a cuss word or watch anything worse than a PG movie, even into their adulthood, etc, etc, etc. So obviously this Sarah Palin person is NOT what you can call a "Christian Parent".
So again, how can we be true to our faith and vote for sinners? There's only one solution possible to bring moral purity to America: Every American Christian should rip up their voting cards right now ... permanently! That's the only way to ensure we will never again be tempted to vote for such low-class politicians as Sarah.
Wow! Just think how liberals will tremble in fear if tens of millions of us show how pure we are by refusing to vote!!
SARCASM OFF. In spite of the fact that 90%+ of what Hollywood says about Christians is lies, there nevertheless really ARE a few of my fellow Christians scattered around out there who make me cringe in shame. "Pastor Bob" is one of those.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,
And what does that say about you, Bob, given the nature of the "fruit" produced by your pen?
I read the whole thing, and it is not right, but it is not even wrong. It is utterly, frighteningly, totally insane.
Did I guess right?
Before the deal with Bat-Sheva`, her husband 'Uriyyahu disobeyed and refused to give proper honor to David and so he deserved to be put to death. David just went about it the wrong way.
The adultery part is really technical. In Jewish law men may have as many wives as they can afford to care for (each must be given a residence, a living, and conjugal rights), but a woman is forbidden to have more than one husband. A woman's bond to her husband can be broken only by the death of the husband or else Halakhic divorce.
This creates a problem of husbands who go missing. They cannot be presumed dead, because if the wife remarries and the husband is still alive somewhere she and her new husband become guilty of adultery, a capital offense. Such a situation is very likely in the event of war. Therefore in ancient Israel (and I believe today) Jewish soldiers who go to battle give their wives conditional Halakhic divorces before departing. These divorces take effect retroactively in the event the husband doesn't return. Thus, while 'Uriyyahu was alive at the time of David's liaison with his wife, the conditional divorce he granted his wife went into effect at his death and retroactively covered the period of the liaison. Thus David and Bat-Sheva` escaped adultery by a Halakhic technicality.
Alouette, I'm sure I've over-simplified or gotten something wrong. Can you give more information or ping this to someone who can?
Aha! I think we have another candidate here, in the category of hugh, stuned, beber, ...
Heck, even the Amish are turning out for Palin:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2078674/posts
Maybe you should have stopped at "monk". Guess you didn't see the photos yesterday from a Freeper who attended the PA rally, and took photos of the numerous Amish families who came out to cheer on Sarah and John. Methinks the Amish care deeply about the direction their country is headed.
Since Pastor Bob quoted Psalm 15, I'll go one further and quote Psalm 14:
1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. 2 The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.
It would appear that since no one is perfect, then there is no candidate that fits Pastor Bob's criteria for worthiness of our vote. Therefore, no Christian can in good conscience vote for anyone. The implication is that we should be against democracy itself. What form of government would you prefer? Communism? Theocracy? Dictatorship? Monarchy?
If democracy is worthwhile, what candidate would you recommend?
If you have no answers, only complaints, then I think quoting scriptures to make your point in disingenuous in the least and blasphemous at most. God had a few harsh words for those who would sit on the sidelines while there is work to be done.
Halachically, David was not guilty of the sin of adultery since, as you explained, Bat-Sheva was conditionally divorced and Uriah was a renegade who deserved the death penalty for rebelling against the King.
However, because of David’s exalted spiritual stature and his status as King and ancestor of the future Messiah, he was severely judged by G-D as having committed an unseemly act, because he benefitted personally. Therefore he was punished by not being allowed to build the Temple, and by the rebellion of his own sons against him.
It says he is a pastor, doesn't sound like any Catholic, Orthodox or Episcopalian priest I've ever heard of.
David is a strange model to choose considering his part in adultery and murder. He was definitely a better choice than Saul.
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