My "vision" for America?

http://www.change.gov/page/s/yourvision - The Transition website for President - elect Obama is asking for your (and my) "vision for America"

I thought I would include my message and video I sent...

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My vision for America is one where everyone is treated fairly... This includes those who cannot speak for or defend themselves against anyone who might wish to impose their own agenda upon them...

When the issue is economic, I would like to see us, as you put it Mr. Obama, "read our Bibles" and adopt a tax plan at least similar to God's idea where everyone pays the same percentage of what they make - no matter HOW MUCH or how little they earn, everyone puts forth the same portion in order to help build up and sustain America's economic issues...

But BEFORE that, I would like to see an America where the unborn are protected, not just considered to be an inconvenience or a mistake, like some sort of punishment thrust upon those who could not be responsible with the decisions they were making with their bodies in the first place - how is it they can all of the sudden be trusted to make a GOOD decision with their body when it comes to the subject of eliminating another life separate and apart from their own?

Many people I've spoken to on these issues have told me that they are not nearly as concerned about issues of abortion as they are the economy - and I cannot convey to you in this text message how sad that truly makes me. However, while we, as a nation, are considering the lives of "the least of these" as less than valuable, I simply cannot put much value on America's economic woes...

By the grace of God, I am able to support my family - unfortunately, I'll be doing that by going to war... While at the same time, I am proud to serve because I know that I will be fighting for my son's right to live free, and my daughter's right to make decisions that please God Almighty, rather than the whims of popular opinion...

I am not going to call you evil, as others have done - you are no less or more evil than I am. You are my Commander in Chief, and again, I will not be able to express to you in this message, the respect I have for the position you hold. At the same time, my respect for your office comes with certain expectations...

Therefore, while I do not agree with a lot of what you proposed in your campaign, I realize that you are a politician who needed votes in order to win, and therefore, HAD to make certain promises to certain people in order to secure certain groups to your platform.

When, in a speech you gave to Planned Parenthood, you mentioned that "the first thing you'd do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act" - and then today, in your video address, you said that you will make giving the economy the boost it needs your "first order of business as President." - once again, I don't consider the economy to be AS important as the issue of life vs. choice - if your first order of business is going to be something OTHER than signing legislation that gives women the opportunity to make arguably the worst "choice" they could ever make, then I suppose I could get behind you on your first order of business...

I am praying that you will do as you have suggested others do, and read your Bible and see that some of the issues you are fighting for are diametrically opposed to those that Jesus Himself taught. Please do not simply pay lip-service to your Christian faith if that is who you are... I'm not suggesting that you make our Government into some sort of "theocracy" as some fear. Though, what I AM suggesting is that you exemplify what it is you claim to be your faith, or else retract your claim and move on...

As long as we help people to continue to make bad decisions with the lives they are living, we are complicit in the murders of countless children who were never given a chance in the first place. My vision of "change" for America is one where we begin telling people what the Bible tells people, to turn away from evil, and follow after good... Paying close attention to the things that God hates, so as to avoid them at all costs, and embracing the things that God loves, so as to please Him... not just the status quo...

That's my vision...

You are in my prayers...

Sincerely,


-Benjamin

Refuting popular ideas with righteousness

Recently, a college acquaintance of mine found me on Facebook. When I write "recently" that is to say, the day before election day. Now, being a "tolerant" Christian, I'm able to be friends with people NO MATTER WHO they choose to vote for...

Please understand though, that if they choose to vote for someone who would approve of legislation that would allow the indiscriminate murder of pre-born human beings, we probably won't be BFFs, and that's why I previously characterized him as an "acquaintance."

With that said, I'll now bring you up to speed. On election day, the people of California overwhelmingly amended the state constitution by way of Proposition 8. And now there is a movement to subvert the will of the people - AGAIN... Note that in 2000, 61% of Californians voted to establish a definition of marriage that is not long, drawn out and politicized - but rather, simple, easy to understand, fair and only 14 words long...

The entire text of Proposition 8 (the same text as Proposition 22 in 2000) is as follows:

"Only marriage between a man and a woman
is valid and recognized in California."

Earlier this week, my friend joined a "group" on Facebook that is organized to "get one million people to overturn prop 8" which caught my eye, and raised the point that he is from Wisconsin, why would HE care? He didn't respond... no matter, I'll write it off as a rhetorical statement... However, I went on to write...

"...it took a million just to get the prop on the ballot - half a million MORE Californians voted to pass it than voted to bring it down... The bottom line is this - no one's rights have been taken away - men still have the right to marry women - that right has not been taken away, and women still have the right to marry men... The will of the people is what has been taken away when activist judges change the law arbitrarily..."

Once again, my comment went without response - fair enough - I'm willing to scream into a vacuum as long as there is someone with a conscience and ears that work or eyes that can see somewhere in the vicinity that might recognize truth when they hear/see it...

Today, he updated his status... And whether or not it was left-handedly pointed at my comment from the other day the other day - I could not let what he quoted go without pointing toward God's perspective... I'm nowhere NEAR where John the Baptist was in his day, but in the same spirit that he pointed out the sins of those who were in his vicinity... I humbly submit the following:

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My friend's quote...
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Dr. Seuss.



My reply...
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" - Isaiah 5:20

"Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it."
- Psalm 34:14.

"who you are" is a sinner in need of a Savior... and "what you feel" is rooted in a heart that is deceitfully wicked...

Just a thought from someone who doesn't matter...

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Now, I do not write these things in order to be contrarian (regardless of whether or not I AM a contrarian, that is not my motivation) - and I am in no way legalistic in my faith practices... Well, no more than Paul was - and again, as with John above, I am not comparing myself to Paul, rather I am pointing out that Paul is where I get my justification to stand against these issues - and the Word of God is where I get my mandate...

On the contrary (hehehe) I write these things, in order to stand for what is right, when so many are not willing to stand - in order to call evil, "evil" rather than to allow society to slide into hell without any opposition.
Jude 17-23.

Did I mention that I met my friend while in Bible College? Back when I was a false convert - back when I would have fought for Gay Rights and a woman's right to choose what she thinks is best for "her body."

I do not believe that I'll be able to atone for the sins of my time as a false convert - fortunately, Christ has done that for me on the cross - however, I cannot stand by while others who profess faith in Christ promote discrimination, hatred and intolerance while they accuse me of the same...

I've already lost one Facebook friend over this, and I anticipate at least one or two more - though, I've NEVER been popular, and woe to me when the whole world loves me... John 15:18-19, James 4:4

What did he say?!?!?

"We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own."

"Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!"

"It behooves us then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."

-Abraham Lincoln

Life or Death?