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| Strong families are the essential building blocks of a strong, moral and just community. But America’s families today are under constant attack by federally funded programs that are dangerous and unconstitutional. Government schools are drugging and “dumbing-down” our children making them dependent and compliant.
The Constitution Party encourages faithful fathers and mothers to train their children to love God and serve others according to their own conscience and without the interference of unConstitutional federal programs |
What Others Say: On Wasting your vote By Robert Bird
“True conservatives should jump while they still can.”
Conservatives (which is becoming an increasingly murky term) are almost unanimous, if they are honest, in their agreement that their cause is currently dead in the water. The reasons are complex, but a few might be possible to identify.
First of all, they have a president who is sometimes called “far-right” by his enemies, but which less-government citizens know better. This is a man who has never wielded his veto pen to stop runaway spending by a Congress controlled by his own party — spending that would make LBJ and his Great Society welfare state envious. This president has increased the power of the federal government with a tyrannical No Child Left Behind Act (it’s Ted Kennedy’s brainchild), where the feds are now a bull-in-the-china-shop in the area of one of the most hallowed premises of American democracy: local control of education.
This is a man who actually signed the McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act saying, “It’s probably unconstitutional,” creating the biggest threat of freedom of speech and press since the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. Someone must have forgotten to remind this president that his oath of office compels him to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” But, he instead abdicated his sacred duty and turned it over to the despotic gurus of the Supreme Court, a court still firmly in control by the liberal consensus by which both major parties subscribe.
He has increased the power of the police state while waging a war overseas, a war which arguably is wrong on both constitutional and moral grounds.
This guy’s a conservative?
Then we have Lisa Murkowski, a Republican with a decidedly liberal voting record during her tenure in the state Legislature, and who as a U.S. Senator voted in favor of a resolution accepting Roe v. Wade as “rightly decided.” Notwithstanding the local bishop’s weak excuses on her behalf, this is a Catholic pro-abortion politician.
So, now we come to Alaskan Republicans’ conundrum: Who the hell to vote for? Principled third-party candidates exist, but the stock answer is usually, “OK, I know that X is a better candidate, but they have no chance of winning. If I vote for them, it will only help the Democrats to win, and they’re worse. I can’t waste my vote.”
This is the conventional wisdom, to be sure, but it is wrong. Continuing to vote for wrong-headed Republicans is the real “wasted vote,” and I will attempt to demonstrate why.
Ask yourself, fellow conservatives, which is better: short-term gain versus long-term loss, or short-term loss versus long-term gain? Most people would admit that, however painful it might be, the latter option is the better.
Unless and until Republicans are punished for acting like socialist, more-government Democrats, we are going to continue being given the same sordid options. What the fake two-party system now offers us is this: The Democrats and Republicans are both speeding toward a cliff in pickup trucks, the Democrats at 110 mph and the Republicans at 55, with the voters riding in back. So, the “thoughtful” Republican voter jumps from the back of the Democratic pickup onto the Republican one, knowing full well that this option is only delaying the calamity that awaits on the horizon.
As for me, I’m going to jump the truck, bounce and roll a bit, pick myself up and walk in the opposite direction. And if the jump kills me, well, I’d rather be dead than fall down a cliff into the black pit of slavery.
There isn’t a conservative I know that doesn’t admit that if we all did this, two things would happen: Either the Republican truck would turn around and head the other direction, or a different car will come along and take us to where we want to go — to the freedom side of the cliff.
That is why I am voting for Jerry Sanders for the U.S. Senate and Michael A. Peroutka for president.
A long journey, my friends, begins with one simple jump from the pickup.
What about the unborn?
I surely wasn’t expecting all the e-mails on this last blog. It seems that if you don’t vote for Bush then you are not on God’s side. Listen, it’s not about the votes, it’s about principles.
Covenantnews.com top story relates the following:
An independent study by an ethics professor at Fuller Theological Seminary who is also trained in statistical analysis finds that, contrary to popular assumption, abortion has risen in the U.S. during George W. Bush’s presidency and that the increase is linked to Bush’s economic policy.” Under President Bush, the decade-long trend of declining abortion rates appears to have reversed,” said Glen Stassen, Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary, a leading evangelical divinity school.
Is this what you want for four more years? You have 11 more days to reconsider and vote for a man who will defend those who can’t defend themselves.
Michael Peroutka as President. Why not?
I can’t tell you how many people have told me to not vote for Peroutka because voting for him is worthless. In fact, just last night a dear friend e-mailed me and said in essence, “he seems to be a good option but voting for him is fruitless.” The heart of the question is usually, why vote for someone who doesn’t have a chance to win? These types of questions I believe are antithetical to the Christian message and even to the Christian conscience. Has there ever been a time when you voted or have chosen something not because of its popularity but because it was the best option? Further, the concept of the lesser of two evils (pragmatism) is not a Christian position as it is Deweynian. As Gary North once stated: “The lesser of two evils usually is.” Your vote will not be wasted in Michael Peroutka!
Take for example Rhinehold’s argument concerning these voters who believe their vote is wasted:
What they fail to realize is that no vote for a candidate of your choice is ever ‘wasted’, even if it doesn’t end up electing a candidate. For example, if you live in Oklahoma where Bush is ahead in the polls 65% – 27% and you are thinking of voting for Kerry. Does that mean you are ‘throwing your vote away’ if you vote for him? Of course not. But time and time again people who are not happy with either current candidate or the way the two big parties have been treating them and putting candidates up for election are told not to vote their conscience and pull the lever against the lesser of two evils.
One further example will suffice. Suppose your father was running for mayor in a big city. The polls indicated that the top candidate had 70% of the votes and your father only had 3% of the vote. Now you knew that your father would make a better candidate. After all, he is honest and you have seen him in action every day. You know him to be a man of character and integrity. Beyond all that, he is a great Christian who upholds the Scriptures as his final authority in every area of life. Now, would you consider voting for your dad a “wasted vote?” Please reconsider your decision, I have.
Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. –John Adams
Visit the Constitution Party website and learn more: GOD FAMILY AND REPUBLIC
To my two Brazilian readers…
In another emotionally draining game, Sao Paulo couldn’t maintain its score to eliminate Santos from the South American tournament. With the 1 x 1 tie we were eliminated. The positive aspect of this defeat is that we can focus 100 % of our attention on the National Tournament. Oh, guess who we play this Sunday? You guessed it: Santos again. This time for a brand new start! We have 62 points… 6 behind Santos and 7 behind the number 1 Atletico PR. With 9 rounds to go we can still score 27 points. Remember also that the top four will make it to the prestigious Libertadores of America. However, we’re still aiming at the title. Sao Paulo has won the last four games establishing a very decent record. After Sunday’s 5 x 0 victory I think we have also gained national respect. Even Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazil’s head coach) praised Sao Paulo for their performance. Well, it seems we have all the right ingredients to approach and even surpass the top two.
VIVA SAO PAULO!
Peculiar Christianity in the Love of God’s People
There are sociological reasons/factors that contributed to the spread of Christianity in the 1st century. Among them is the Pax Romana, which facilitated the message to be preached in Rome. Also, the advantage of the formation of Koine Greek. It was the language of commerce. The disciples were able to communicate in the language of the people. There is however, one substantial concept that outweighed all other ingredients to the success of the gospel in the years following Christ’s ascension, and it was the love of God’s people. I am aware that this concept has a bad connotation in our Christian environment, which can even at times be equated with anti-intellectualism. But allow me to dismantle that concept and prove the strength of love in bringing the pagan to Christ. It was out of all people Julian the Apostate who wrote that “the Christians support their own poor but also the poor pagan.” Notice that their love even compelled pagans to admit the unthinkable. Remember that to hear Julian say that is equivalent to hearing Marilyn Manson praising Christianity. It is a fearful thing to love those who hate you, because in turn God’s grace may operate in powerful ways.
Reflections On Developing A Spiritual Pattern
In a time when discipline is pushed aside due to pragmatism, spiritual theology is pushed aside due to evangelical lethargy. It is a daunting task to set spiritual goals when they may be in a near future altered by our schedules, children, and completing the list, we have our fallenness, which only directs our circumstances away from spirituality.
The Christian life is less than appealing when we consider that the usual outcome of spirituality may be the ever powerful attack of evil forces (Satan) on the godly. Similar to Lewis’ works on spirituality, the Evil One never ceases to attack the godly. It appears that the better prepared a Christian is to face temptations, the more intense is the bombardment. On the other hand, Spiritual Theology by Simon Chan has significantly helped me to wrestle with these tensions. Digesting this work has encouraged me with a list of viable options to enhance my experience and to harmonize the struggles with the exhilarating moments of joy in my Christian life.
It is my desire to pursue goals that are realistic rather than forceful. Chan writes similarly when he speaks of those who in the beginning found contentment with their new goals, but with time found them to be overwhelming and abandoned the practice altogether.
Another difficulty in establishing a rule of life is that as Chan puts it, “embracing the rule of life means allowing our lives to be reconstituted by this new pattern” (pg.150). There are severe implications to a new pattern of living. Nevertheless, embracing a simple life is an art by which with proper exercising life will resemble more and more the image of Christ. In thinking about these profound issues I have sought aid in the idea of submission to Christ. In submission there is comfort in knowing that my errors in this process will only lead me to depend even more on Christ.
Regarding a plan for developing a spiritual life I have considered a similar pattern to what Chan offers:
I. A period of heart preparation seems necessary. This I call the “cleansing process” which I liken to the washings of the priests before they entered the tabernacle.
II. After cleansing, I have chosen to continue my annual reading of the Scriptures rather than the one or two chapters divorced from its redemptive history. Sometimes during this year I may choose to read a book with a devotional nature such as Jerry Bridges or John Piper. I prefer to call this transition “Spiritual Nourishment.”
III. Further, I have set a time for short meditation on the spiritual significance of what was read and what may be its direct application to my life. This is called “Holy Reflection.”
IV. Then, a time of prayer which would follow common liturgy. A) Praise/Adoration, B) Thanksgiving, C) Petition, D) Praying for consistency in my devotional life. This is entitled: “Holy Conversation.” This is a genuine interaction with God.
V. Finally, singing should be the “Response of Gratitude.” This could be a hymn or a Psalm that expresses my present sentiments. It may be about an attribute of God or the regular Christian experience.
This seems to be an attainable pattern of life. It should take approximately 20-25 minutes. By God’s grace with proficiency it may increase. In time I pray it may become as natural as my academic pursuits or my daily interactions with my wife.
This is the most profound and substantial foundation for my new rule (pattern) of life. Therefore, it seems only logical that all other forms of spiritualities should be a compliment to this rather than an additional exercise. For example, one way of implementing another idea to this foundation is found in the common theological area of general revelation. Perhaps my devotional time would be enhanced in content if it were done in the context of nature. Whether in the woods or near a lake (which I have access) or on a location where my eyes could visibly engage the mountains and valleys. All these experiences will accentuate and heighten the spiritual capacity to adorn my soul with God’s aroma and presence.
A final observation regards the remainder activities of the day. It is a fact that when the business of my academic life begins I quickly lose sight or even forget the experience I have had. One way to eliminate this difficulty is to reserve the spiritual devotion to the end of the day. However, this does not seem like a possible alternative since I function better in the early part of the day. In order to help in this dilemma I have proposed a few ideas used primarily by early saints. These ideas will solidify Paul’s command to pray without ceasing. Chan calls these “ejaculatory prayers.” These are prayers that can be uttered or consciously thought about throughout the day. To make this practice vivid I have committed to read and memorize certain portions of the Book of Common Prayer which I have found to be an invaluable treasure.
It is my prayer that this new rule of life may be light rather a legalistic burden. I have hope that in God’s grace He may find mercy on me, a sinner, and permit me to enjoy the richness of the Christian faith.
Books I am reading and read in the last 2 weeks
Here is a sample list of some of the books I am currently reading and some I have read in the last two weeks.
Currently reading: The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson
Doctrine of the Knowledge of God by John Frame
Books I have read in the last 14 days:
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer
Tell the Truth by Will Metzger
Spiritual Theology by Simon Chan
The Theological Controversy by J. Patout Burns
Developing a Spiritual Pattern
The more we approach the topic of spirituality the farther we seem to grasp it. This is the essence of a genuine form of sanctification: to increase in complexity. I have found this to be the case in pursuing spirituality in my devotional life. Human existence, as we all know, can be a hindrance in itself, since our lives are remarkably connected with the mandates of our day to day. However, a biblical spirituality will teach us to use our daily hindrances to our advantage. It is a simple task to set rules and regulations to govern our lives. But as some of us have already experienced, this leads only to legalism. We must be cautious of this when we consider a biblical form of spirituality. In this journey we will be constantly struggling with this tension as we develop a rule of life.
In the next few days I will give a sample of what I mean by a rule of life or a spiritual pattern. This will be only an example of how to build a proper system. Of course, there is much liberty in this!
Recommended reading: Spiritual Theology by Simon Chan
Doug Wilson on current events
87 Billion
Topic: Current Events
Part of the slipperyness of this presidential campaign can be seen in the taunts registered against John Kerry by the Republicans — “he voted for the 87 billion before he voted against it!” And I agree that Kerry’s explanations are lame, and that he is a flip-flopper, and so on.
But none of this erases the fact that if the war in Iraq is in fact a war, then it is unconstitutional. It is unconstitutional because Congress did not declare it. If Congress had declared war, as is their constitutional prerogative, then we would not be dealing with any of this nonsense. Kerry would have voted for or against the war. Period.
Voting for or against 87 billion is neither here nor there. Such bills and riders do not have the focus that declarations of war have. Representatives and senators may vote a particular way because of this item or that in any omnibus package. But after Pearl Harbor, the declaration of war against Japan did not have any pork barrel provisions that would bring electricity to remote sections of West Virginia. It was a straight up or down vote.
So this 87 billion debate is bogus. The president has usurped one of the constitutional prerogatives of Congress, and Congress has abdicated. Consequently, they deserve each other.