Tuesday
CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL MOVEMENT
`
IT IS VERY ENCOURAGING to read your messages each
week, and we continue to say "Thank you" for your reaction
to what we are trying to do . . . and also for your forwarding
your copy to friends, and urging them to subscribe. That is the
only way we can grow -- we have no funds for promotional
purposes. But our message continues to be important -- the
review of current events from a Christian Evangelical viewpoint.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
LET'S PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND RETHINK
THE FACT THAT WE WHO REPRESENT THE
CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL
MOVEMENT IN AMERICA ARE LEADERLESS
The concept of "leader" or "leadership" is not a major theme of Scripture;
"Leadership" is never mentioned, and the word "leader" occurs only three
times, and the plural, "leaders" only three times. So for definition we have
to turn to secular sources, and we find very generalized definitions like:
"Leader: a person who rules, guides, or inspires others;" or "To lead is
essentially to move ahead of others; to guide and to show the way." But
a more perceptive definition introduces a new aspect, defining leadership
as "the capacity to inspire a group of people to pursue an articulated
vision, and to ensure their continuous cooperation for the realization of
that vision."
The introduction of the concept of a vision as being an integral part of
leadership directs us to a Scriptural admonition on that subject. It has been
said that we should read the Psalms to learn how to get along with God,
and we should read the Proverbs to learn how to get along with fellow-
man. Thus in Proverbs 29:20 we read: "Where there is no vision the
people perish."
It is a logical conclusion that we who hold to the Christian Conservative
Evangelical position are in need of visionary leadership. Louay Safi, the
Muslim reformer, and opponent of Islamic radicalism, authored this
thought which expresses the concept of visionary leadership in a
pragmatic manner, “Leaders are visionaries who have the capacity to
communicate their vision with clarity, translate it into a set of concrete
actions, and inspire others to follow their lead.” This concept of
leadership points to the importance of the leader’s personal convictions
and their personal abilities. No clearer expression of the need which we
Christian Conservative Evangelicals share could be stated.
Ten days ago one of the largest "marches on Washington" demonstrated
the strong views of the majority of the American people that the liberal
trends of the Obama administration do not represent what America wants
to happen. This past weekend a much smaller but more intense conference
-- the Annual Value Voters Summit -- brought together the principal
spokespersons for the Conservative position. Apparent throughout the
very perceptive and important considerations was the fact that at the
present time the Christian Conservative Evangelical movement (Hillary
Clintons dreaded "vast right wing conspiracy") is, in fact, leaderless.
In the year 2007 we lost two important figures in the deaths of James
Kennedy, pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, and founder of the
"Center for Reclaiming America for Christ" to encourage Christians to
become involved in politics, and Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road
Baptist Church, president of Liberty University and founder of the
"Moral Majority." For the past quarter century, the theologically sound
political views of Jim Kennedy, and the powerfully effective public
presentations of Jerry Falwell, provided the Christian Conservative
Evangelical cause with the leadership this nation needed.
In their absence, with no leadership voice to proclaim the strong moral
convictions they so unwaveringly expressed, in the last election we saw the
nation swayed by the empty promise of "change you can believe in," and
the total federal government turned over to a liberal president and an
equally liberal Congress.
If national polls mean anything, the present reports should offer us some
hope for the elections of 2010 and 2012. After the president's speech to a
joint session of Congress, and its frequent replays on TV, it appeared that
his controversial health reform plan had generated a modest bounce of
support, but within a few days the opposition to the plan had risen to a
new high with 56% of American voters against it. And at the same time the
president's daily approval rating index rose to a -3, but just as quickly
dropped back to the higher negative numbers where it has been stuck for
some time.
From a Christian standpoint, opposition to the president's health reform
plan focuses on the abortion funding issue, concerning which widely
varying reports have emerged from the plan's supporters. From a voter's
standpoint 48% believe no government-subsidized health care plan should
cover abortion procedures, while only 13% support such coverage.
On the plan's proposed coverage of illegal immigrants, again widely
differing views have been expressed by the supporters, but among the
nation's voters, 83% believe that people should have to prove their
citizenship to receive government subsidized health benefits.
The obvious point is that the president and the Congress are determined to
force upon the American people a health reform program which does not
meet their wants and needs. Upon this very strong expression of rejection
of the administration's present course, the Christian Conservative
Evangelical movement should be building toward success in the next two
national elections.
But at the moment we are without leadership from the Evangelical cause,
and the Republican party, which is normally supportive of these moral
issues, is virtually dead. The Conservative element seems to have some
strength, but here, as in the other aspects, there is no strong leader to
achieve fulfillment of the moral vision for this nation. Lacking such a
leader in the 2008 election, Mr. Obama received approximately 25% of
the Evangelical vote, approximately 54% of the Catholic vote, and cut in
half the previous election's Republican advantage among Protestants.
These facts help answer the question as to who elected Barack Obama.
Our readers represent wide views of the American scene. Here
is a question for our readers -- an unofficial poll, if you will: Who would
you suggest as a possible leader for the Christian Conservative
Evangelical cause in the near or immediate future? Send your replies to:
american_news_2008@yahoo.com/ Thank you.
Again: no peace solution in the Middle East. Only hours after
President Obama's peace envoy to the Middle East returned from a futile
effort to reach agreement between Palestine and Israel, Hassan Nasrallah,
the Hizbullah leader in Lebanon, called Israel an "illegitimate cancerous
entity," and added "we will not recognize, deal or normalize with Israel
even if the whole world recognize it." In the eyes of international
observers, Senator Mitchell's failure is seen as representing President
Obama's first major foreign policy setback. The next step appears to be a
meeting between Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian
President Abbas at the UN this week, but officials there acknowledge that
a photograph and handshake will not be enough to restart the peace
process without substantial shifts in positions so firmly held by both sides.
This week's Muslim prayer rally at the nation's capitol. Muslims who
are working to stage the “Our Day has come Muslim day of Prayer” at the
US Capitol on Friday, say that President Obama provided their inspiration
for the event through his inaugural address and his speech to Muslims
from Egypt in June. One Islamic cleric said in a sermon, "We are going to
the White House, so that Islam will be victorious, Allah willing, and the
White House will become the Muslim house." Organizers expect at least
50,000 Muslims will be in attendance for the day long event. At the time
of publication of this commentary, no announcement as to the extent of
President Obama's participation has been released by the White House.
We are facing some difficult and dangerous times; perhaps the
most dangerous to all that America has stood for in the 233 years since our
founding fathers declared our independence. We continue to urge
obedience to the Scriptural injunction to pray for all that are in authority.
(I Tim. 2:2) This doesn't mean that all those in authority are right, but it is
our clear responsibility as Christians to pray for them to see the right, and
to do it, and for God to give them wisdom in fulfilling the responsibilities
of their office. And it is our right as well as our responsibility to inform our
elected officials as to how we want them to govern our nation. America is,
and has always been, a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles. It is
so easy to phone the capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121 and speak to
your Senators and Representatives. That call may never have been more
urgent than it is today.
This Founding Father understood what is most important:
"Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection,
safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor,
or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the
people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right
to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same,
when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it."
-- John Adams, 1798
Some Random Afterthoughts . . .
Forgive us, one more time: but here are a few more "one liners" ...
"We say that this fake regime [Israel] cannot logically continue to live."
(Iran president Ahmadinejad)
"A majority in the American mainstream media have what amounts to
an adolescent crush on President Obama." (Kelly Boggs, Baptist Press)
Around this time every year, “everybody in Washington gets all wee-
weed up,” (President Barack Obama)
"Six months ago, Obama's approval rating was 70 percent. Does Carter
think that number has sunk to 50 percent because tens of millions of
Americans suddenly discovered Obama was black? (Pat Buchanan)
"What Pelosi and others are doing is simple: if you are on the losing side
of a debate, stop debating and start attacking." (Bobby Eberle)
"Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans." (Anonymous)
Here's a "change" Americans agree on: Rasmussen Reports
periodically asks adults their views of nine major professions. In the
latest report, Members of Congress have now surpassed corporate CEOs
as holding the least favorably regarded profession in America. It is about
time Congress got some recognition! And a new Gallup poll shows that
the number of people who believe government has its hand in too many
areas of American life has reached its highest point in more than a decade.
57% of those surveyed say government is doing too much, while 38%
say it should do more.That unfavorable number is up sharply from March
when 47 percent said government was doing too much and 42 percent said
it should do more. The last time the number of people who believe our
government is doing too much hit 57% was in October 1994, just before
voters threw Democrats out of power in both the House and the Senate.
A startling analysis of the world's great civilizations, attributed to
Alexander Fraser Tyler (also spelled Tytler) in 1770. Edinburgh University
has record of there being a Scottish historian by that name who wrote
some books in the 19th century but no record of this quote was found in
any of his writings. However the exact source does not mitigate the value
of the analysis. Consider carefully "The Cycle of Democracy:"
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can
only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse
from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always
voted for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public
treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over lousy
fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average of the
world's great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These
nations have progressed in this sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty (rule of law);
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage (rule of men)."
It does not require any comments from us to point out the line on which
our nation, the United States of America, finds itself today . . . or to
indicate where we will be in the very near future.
What would he say today? "I think we have more machinery of
government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of
the industrious." -- Thomas Jefferson, 1824
IT IS VERY ENCOURAGING to read your messages each
week, and we continue to say "Thank you" for your reaction
to what we are trying to do . . . and also for your forwarding
your copy to friends, and urging them to subscribe. That is the
only way we can grow -- we have no funds for promotional
purposes. But our message continues to be important -- the
review of current events from a Christian Evangelical viewpoint.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
LET'S PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND RETHINK
THE FACT THAT WE WHO REPRESENT THE
CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL
MOVEMENT IN AMERICA ARE LEADERLESS
The concept of "leader" or "leadership" is not a major theme of Scripture;
"Leadership" is never mentioned, and the word "leader" occurs only three
times, and the plural, "leaders" only three times. So for definition we have
to turn to secular sources, and we find very generalized definitions like:
"Leader: a person who rules, guides, or inspires others;" or "To lead is
essentially to move ahead of others; to guide and to show the way." But
a more perceptive definition introduces a new aspect, defining leadership
as "the capacity to inspire a group of people to pursue an articulated
vision, and to ensure their continuous cooperation for the realization of
that vision."
The introduction of the concept of a vision as being an integral part of
leadership directs us to a Scriptural admonition on that subject. It has been
said that we should read the Psalms to learn how to get along with God,
and we should read the Proverbs to learn how to get along with fellow-
man. Thus in Proverbs 29:20 we read: "Where there is no vision the
people perish."
It is a logical conclusion that we who hold to the Christian Conservative
Evangelical position are in need of visionary leadership. Louay Safi, the
Muslim reformer, and opponent of Islamic radicalism, authored this
thought which expresses the concept of visionary leadership in a
pragmatic manner, “Leaders are visionaries who have the capacity to
communicate their vision with clarity, translate it into a set of concrete
actions, and inspire others to follow their lead.” This concept of
leadership points to the importance of the leader’s personal convictions
and their personal abilities. No clearer expression of the need which we
Christian Conservative Evangelicals share could be stated.
Ten days ago one of the largest "marches on Washington" demonstrated
the strong views of the majority of the American people that the liberal
trends of the Obama administration do not represent what America wants
to happen. This past weekend a much smaller but more intense conference
-- the Annual Value Voters Summit -- brought together the principal
spokespersons for the Conservative position. Apparent throughout the
very perceptive and important considerations was the fact that at the
present time the Christian Conservative Evangelical movement (Hillary
Clintons dreaded "vast right wing conspiracy") is, in fact, leaderless.
In the year 2007 we lost two important figures in the deaths of James
Kennedy, pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, and founder of the
"Center for Reclaiming America for Christ" to encourage Christians to
become involved in politics, and Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road
Baptist Church, president of Liberty University and founder of the
"Moral Majority." For the past quarter century, the theologically sound
political views of Jim Kennedy, and the powerfully effective public
presentations of Jerry Falwell, provided the Christian Conservative
Evangelical cause with the leadership this nation needed.
In their absence, with no leadership voice to proclaim the strong moral
convictions they so unwaveringly expressed, in the last election we saw the
nation swayed by the empty promise of "change you can believe in," and
the total federal government turned over to a liberal president and an
equally liberal Congress.
If national polls mean anything, the present reports should offer us some
hope for the elections of 2010 and 2012. After the president's speech to a
joint session of Congress, and its frequent replays on TV, it appeared that
his controversial health reform plan had generated a modest bounce of
support, but within a few days the opposition to the plan had risen to a
new high with 56% of American voters against it. And at the same time the
president's daily approval rating index rose to a -3, but just as quickly
dropped back to the higher negative numbers where it has been stuck for
some time.
From a Christian standpoint, opposition to the president's health reform
plan focuses on the abortion funding issue, concerning which widely
varying reports have emerged from the plan's supporters. From a voter's
standpoint 48% believe no government-subsidized health care plan should
cover abortion procedures, while only 13% support such coverage.
On the plan's proposed coverage of illegal immigrants, again widely
differing views have been expressed by the supporters, but among the
nation's voters, 83% believe that people should have to prove their
citizenship to receive government subsidized health benefits.
The obvious point is that the president and the Congress are determined to
force upon the American people a health reform program which does not
meet their wants and needs. Upon this very strong expression of rejection
of the administration's present course, the Christian Conservative
Evangelical movement should be building toward success in the next two
national elections.
But at the moment we are without leadership from the Evangelical cause,
and the Republican party, which is normally supportive of these moral
issues, is virtually dead. The Conservative element seems to have some
strength, but here, as in the other aspects, there is no strong leader to
achieve fulfillment of the moral vision for this nation. Lacking such a
leader in the 2008 election, Mr. Obama received approximately 25% of
the Evangelical vote, approximately 54% of the Catholic vote, and cut in
half the previous election's Republican advantage among Protestants.
These facts help answer the question as to who elected Barack Obama.
Our readers represent wide views of the American scene. Here
is a question for our readers -- an unofficial poll, if you will: Who would
you suggest as a possible leader for the Christian Conservative
Evangelical cause in the near or immediate future? Send your replies to:
american_news_2008@yahoo.com/ Thank you.
Again: no peace solution in the Middle East. Only hours after
President Obama's peace envoy to the Middle East returned from a futile
effort to reach agreement between Palestine and Israel, Hassan Nasrallah,
the Hizbullah leader in Lebanon, called Israel an "illegitimate cancerous
entity," and added "we will not recognize, deal or normalize with Israel
even if the whole world recognize it." In the eyes of international
observers, Senator Mitchell's failure is seen as representing President
Obama's first major foreign policy setback. The next step appears to be a
meeting between Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian
President Abbas at the UN this week, but officials there acknowledge that
a photograph and handshake will not be enough to restart the peace
process without substantial shifts in positions so firmly held by both sides.
This week's Muslim prayer rally at the nation's capitol. Muslims who
are working to stage the “Our Day has come Muslim day of Prayer” at the
US Capitol on Friday, say that President Obama provided their inspiration
for the event through his inaugural address and his speech to Muslims
from Egypt in June. One Islamic cleric said in a sermon, "We are going to
the White House, so that Islam will be victorious, Allah willing, and the
White House will become the Muslim house." Organizers expect at least
50,000 Muslims will be in attendance for the day long event. At the time
of publication of this commentary, no announcement as to the extent of
President Obama's participation has been released by the White House.
We are facing some difficult and dangerous times; perhaps the
most dangerous to all that America has stood for in the 233 years since our
founding fathers declared our independence. We continue to urge
obedience to the Scriptural injunction to pray for all that are in authority.
(I Tim. 2:2) This doesn't mean that all those in authority are right, but it is
our clear responsibility as Christians to pray for them to see the right, and
to do it, and for God to give them wisdom in fulfilling the responsibilities
of their office. And it is our right as well as our responsibility to inform our
elected officials as to how we want them to govern our nation. America is,
and has always been, a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles. It is
so easy to phone the capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121 and speak to
your Senators and Representatives. That call may never have been more
urgent than it is today.
This Founding Father understood what is most important:
"Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection,
safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor,
or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the
people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right
to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same,
when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it."
-- John Adams, 1798
Some Random Afterthoughts . . .
Forgive us, one more time: but here are a few more "one liners" ...
"We say that this fake regime [Israel] cannot logically continue to live."
(Iran president Ahmadinejad)
"A majority in the American mainstream media have what amounts to
an adolescent crush on President Obama." (Kelly Boggs, Baptist Press)
Around this time every year, “everybody in Washington gets all wee-
weed up,” (President Barack Obama)
"Six months ago, Obama's approval rating was 70 percent. Does Carter
think that number has sunk to 50 percent because tens of millions of
Americans suddenly discovered Obama was black? (Pat Buchanan)
"What Pelosi and others are doing is simple: if you are on the losing side
of a debate, stop debating and start attacking." (Bobby Eberle)
"Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans." (Anonymous)
Here's a "change" Americans agree on: Rasmussen Reports
periodically asks adults their views of nine major professions. In the
latest report, Members of Congress have now surpassed corporate CEOs
as holding the least favorably regarded profession in America. It is about
time Congress got some recognition! And a new Gallup poll shows that
the number of people who believe government has its hand in too many
areas of American life has reached its highest point in more than a decade.
57% of those surveyed say government is doing too much, while 38%
say it should do more.That unfavorable number is up sharply from March
when 47 percent said government was doing too much and 42 percent said
it should do more. The last time the number of people who believe our
government is doing too much hit 57% was in October 1994, just before
voters threw Democrats out of power in both the House and the Senate.
A startling analysis of the world's great civilizations, attributed to
Alexander Fraser Tyler (also spelled Tytler) in 1770. Edinburgh University
has record of there being a Scottish historian by that name who wrote
some books in the 19th century but no record of this quote was found in
any of his writings. However the exact source does not mitigate the value
of the analysis. Consider carefully "The Cycle of Democracy:"
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can
only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse
from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always
voted for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public
treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over lousy
fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average of the
world's great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These
nations have progressed in this sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty (rule of law);
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage (rule of men)."
It does not require any comments from us to point out the line on which
our nation, the United States of America, finds itself today . . . or to
indicate where we will be in the very near future.
What would he say today? "I think we have more machinery of
government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of
the industrious." -- Thomas Jefferson, 1824
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