"Jesus wasn’t riding an elephant into town"
There would probably be more believers if more Christians thought this way. I am grateful for the many GOP leaders have done to fight for Christian values in America. Although fine Americans such as Billy Graham,Dr. D. James Kennedy Tony Evans, Joel Osteen, Don Wildmon, Dr. D. James Kennedy, Tony Perkins, Phyllis Schlafly, T.D. Jakes, James Dobson, Franklin Graham, John Hagee, Pat Robertson, Ron Parsaly, Ron Phillips and others have fought the fight as well for the pro-family movement. We all have scars to prove it.
But it is time to build an ark. It is time to leave the Republican Party.
I know that seems like a radical move. But it has become increasingly apparent that the core values of the Republican Party are not Tennessean or Christian values. The Mark Foley Branch of the Log Cabin Republicans has seen to that.
The Republican Party has had success convincing Christians that their party actually is more moral and more sincerely religious than the Democrats. However, the events of the last year have begun to unravel that carefully constructed image. It is time all Christians to ask ourselves if it is possible for God to bless a polluted party.
Make no mistake, the Republican Party is polluted. I have found that out locally here in Bradley County. It's obvious to me that both the Republicans and the leaders of the Religious Right are contemptuous of rank and file conservative Christians, not each other. By forming a new party we cast a new direction united and committed to do the work together. I fear the Mark Foley scandal is only a small part of the problem.
So now is the time to form our own party. It is exactly what this country needs at a time like this, controlling spending, undoing and preventing liberal damage, and presenting a noble and honest agenda. While we still have the influence to do it we must take action. Remember how quickly people got behind Ross Perot? Can’t our Christian leaders like a Ron Phillips do the same? We have the resources and the network. It is time to stop wasting them on Republicanism, even at the local level.
There's a vacuum to be filled in the evangelical leadership by preachers and leaders who eschew worldly, political power for its own sake. The world has gotten smaller. The power of the internet has changed the way Americans communicate. With one click of a mouse, millions can be alerted to truth. A network of churches and ministries already exists. We can override the lunacy of television ads, without spending a dime.
If we focus now on 2008, here is how we can do it:
· Begin now to build the network of partnerships of those who espouse Christian values. Much of it is already in place.
· Draft a quality Christian leader as the 2008 presidential candidate. One that has proven his mettle. We begin working for this election now. Work to get them on the ballot in all fifty states. Stay out of the Republican primary. Build a war-chest for the general election.
· Begin a training program for future candidates in Constitutional government as it relates to God-ordained freedoms. Train up men who will not compromise for personal gain. Courageous men who stand in the face of the anti-god establishment. Men who will restore Constitutional government. Men in the tradition of Madison and Washington. In two years we will have a group of God-fearing men to run in local races.
· Hire experts to create PAC’s that will support the candidates giving opportunities for Christians to donate to Godly candidates, rather than compromised Republicans. Thumb your nose at the IRS. Would Jesus be silent on the great moral issues of the day because he was afraid of losing His tax-exempt status?
· Give no money to Republican or Democratic candidates - only those who join the new party.
· Offer current, God-fearing officials an alternative to status quo politics, and offer an alternative party for them to join.
Things are not looking good for Republicans. It is time to abandon ship, to build an ark, to raise the standard. Republicanism is making Christianity look bad. The Republican leadership mocks us and throws crumbs from the table during election years.
America needs bold new leadership. Christians still have the influence to pull it off. But we must be willing to give up our ceremonial seat at the Republican table? With leadership comes responsibility and the Lord will hold us all accountable for the compromising of His standards.
The detractors will tell us a third-party can’t win, that we will only divide the vote, that Hillary will be president. She might well be. I say God will do something great if we honor His name and His ways. Matthew 19:6 "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
So, America, who will you choose to believe?
Greg Cain
GCAIN14@aol.com
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We do not need another party. We do not even need the parties we have. Candidates need to run as individuals without the confusion of a party platform or machine.
Until that day comes, Christians need to stay with the party whose platform best represents our ideals. The pro-abortion, pro-homosexual Democratic Party remains way out of touch with the average American.
So, despite the failures of a few, the GOP is still our best option.
J. Ross Greer
Ringgold
theplaceofgrace@comcast.net
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Greg Cain's words are worth study and action, but I first add to them:
Agreed those Christians who are in the Republican Party need a home more compatible with their values. The Democratic Party is little more compatible.
Alternate choice: Stay within the Republican Party and do sensible house cleaning - seems even less likely to succeed.
Among the third parties some are better, but we need a place where all sharing basic religious values, including non-Christians, can find a home (e.g., Christianity and Islam have disagreements, but they share enough that it is profitable to work together in this country they share).
Comes to mind that NY Reps and Dems offer only pro-war candidates this year for U.S. Senate and for at least one CD. Those Senate candidates seem unwilling to share a debate platform with the Green pro-peace candidate. For one CD there is no third candidate.
I reject "Thumb your nose at the IRS." We are allowed to give tax-exempt money to religious and other appropriate causes. We should be willing to invest after-tax money in this political effort.
Or "Hillary will be president." Could happen anyway. If our voice is
loud enough, Congress should hear us.
Dave Ketchum
davek@clarityconnect.com
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I think God belongs in our nation, our schools, our government, and on our money. However, I believe there is something far more “polluted” than the Republican party, and it has a Christian base. It is called the Catholic church.
Who is Mark Foley blaming for screwing his head up? A priest. I believe in separation of church and state, as did our founding fathers. I think Islam is a good example of what happens when there is not a healthy separation.
I am not exactly thrilled with the Republican party now either, but it is not for religious reasons. Some years ago, I felt distanced by the Republican party, and therefore voted for Ross Perot. As a result, I had to suffer through eight years of the big fat liar Bill Clinton. I won’t make that mistake again.
Jason Spitler
Fort Payne, Al.
cspitler2@roadrunner.com
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What would this lead to Mr. Cain? Would you then call for separation from other denominations within the Christian faith, such as separating Catholic from protestant, or Baptist from Church of God? Would you then lead a revolt against the Methodist or the Episcopalian?
Decency can and does dwell in other realms besides religion. Decency comes from a good upbringing, or from singular reasons too many to write about, not necessarily from one particular faith or religion.
Would you also invite the Jewish community to join in or would they be excluded as well?
You and those like you are the very best reason for separation of church and state.
James A Bolt
Hixson
jbolt2@bellsouth.net
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There would probably be more believers if Christianity was more believable.
He mentions all these fine men of Christianity who have done so much to
promote that ideology. Yet he forgets to mention the Christians like Paul
and Jan Crouch of TBN, Benny Hinn (the miracle healer), Jim and Tammy Baker, all the preachers accused of stealing from the church and let's not mention the rape and murder. Christians have had so much success convincing innocent people that they are righteous then stabbing them in the back. Christians have done such a good job of making Christianity look bad.
You guys can't agree on anything. Like whether you take the bible as the literal word of god or if it's only a guidebook. Like whether the earth was poofed into existence 8,000 years ago or if the earth has been here a long time and evolution did occur. Yes, I said, "evolution did occur." I know plenty of Christians who acknowledge evolutions occurance but still have faith. That is much more believable than the preacher who stands up there and talks bad about evolution because he believes the story in Genesis. Yet the Smithsonian Institute says we evolved from apes. Let's not forget whether the dinosaurs actually existed or if the devil put them there to make people believe that god didn't exist. I mean, Christians really come up
with some whoppers. Christians are really the "king of spin" with all the different explanations and beliefs.
Yes a "Christian Party" on the ballot would just be splendid. We could then
all be subject to an absolute Christian ideology and have it crammed down our throuts. Maybe we could bring back the cat-o-nine-tails for non-believers. It's not enough to have ten preachers on TV at any given
time. I saw a preacher on TV the other night who said, "we are only offering this covenant of healing for the next three-hundred callers. The next three-hundred callers will be blessed with healing for a love offering of just $59 per month for the next twelve months." If that was a regular company that did business in the United States and advertised something that it could not deliver, it would be sued for false advertisement. It would be sued and lose.
As for your insinuation that our forefathers meant for everyone to be ruled by Christians, use your spin technique on Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli signed in 1797. It unanimously passed the floor of the Senate, was read aloud and signed by John Adams.
Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense (in any sense,in any sense, in any sense, in any sense), founded on the Christian religion. I hear Christians say they just said that because the other party involved was Muslim, Bull!
It is time to raise the standard. It is time for America to have bold, new
leadership. We need to leave religion out of it. Religion seperates people
and those beliefs are antiquated. Religion caused the men to fly the planes into the towers. Why can't people live together and leave religion, racism, hatred, and greed in the past where it belongs?
Marty Shadrick
Harrison