Religion in Government...

Good Evening Everyone,

The topic of religion and government is always bound to start a heated discussion. However, the fear of inciting an arguement should not prevent us from examining this topic.

Now, allow me to make my position very clear. Religion should have no major role in the execution of our governmental duties. With that said, religion should and must have a major role in our local communities activities. What does this mean?

Well, there was a time when the church had tremendous influence on public policy development. Our elected officials, gave great credence to the beliefs and mores of the Christian communities. Often times, officials were elected to office based not necessarily on political beliefs but on their positions in accordance to their Christian faith.

Over time however, our society has drifted from the firm moral teachings of the church and have drifted into the realm of 'anything goes'. Our society has forsaken the moral fiber that lends itself to community growth through a common belief system. Instead our social structure has degraded to a belief system that a person is free to do whatever he/she wishes regardless of the consequences that it may have on the society as a whole. As a result, we have allowed an element of destructive behavior to run freely among our communities. What was once considered aborrhent behavior is now embraced as admirable. Sinful and immoral behavior is now the standard. Our communities are falling apart because we have failed to stand firm on our Christian beliefs and we have allowed those who say that the Christian faith is irrelevant to prevail.

How can this be? 7 out of 10 people in America claim to be Christians, yet we are moving away from those very principle that we profess. So, why is this happening?

Well, I believe that we have become afraid to profess our faith. To stand up for what we believe. We accept the sad truth that we are allowed to express our faith in church on Sunday, yet we need to keep our opinions to ourselves during the rest of the week. Frankly, we fail to really live the Christian faith in our public lives.

I am reminded of the deal that the Lord made with Abraham concerning Sodom. He said find me one righteous man in Sodom and I will spare the city. As you know, no one righteous could be found. Now, I am not saying that their is no one righteous in America but what is similar is that the people of Sodom allowed sin to permeate every aspect of their society to the point where even children could not be considered righteous. I believe we are following along the same path as those citizens of Sodom.

So, what to do? Well, the first step to rectifying any problem is to realize that a problem exist in the first place. Christians have to realize that our communities are drifting further and further from the Lord's will. I believe that our churches need outward thinking. Over the last 20 years or so, our churches have been focused inwardly. We have spent a great deal of time and energy on our church buildings and on our own flock that we have failed to look out at the needs of our community. Sure we have benevolence and we donate to charities but we have lost our influence in the local management of our community's governmental bodies.

I think that we need to rethink our approach to the Christian role in government. Christians need to get out and attend city council meetings. We need to run for political office. We need to vote and support candidates that uphold Christian values. We need to re-establish our influence at a local level and then, I believe that the higher levels of government will follow suit.

Now, I know that I said earlier that religion should have no real role in government and I still support that ideology. But what a Christian, a true, uncomprimising, Christian brings to the table are strong moral values and ethics. Our religious faith aside, the idea that families are important and that the values outlined by the ten commandments are essential to the functioning of a healthy society does not need to be religious based but morally based. A society with strong moral values does not have to be guided by Christian faith but by an idealogy that states that ethical and moral behavior is going to be the standard. Fortunately, these values are exactly the principles of Christ. We do not need to insert Christianity into government, but we do need to interject sound ethical mores into our communities.

I truly believe that a society that has no standards of moral behavior is doomed to collapse in on itself. It is simply a matter of time before it self-destructs. What can save us?

I believe we need to take an active role in ensuring that our influence in our community is felt. We need to uphold the standards of strong families; that marriage is between one man and one woman; that pornography and other vile practices are destructive and should be abolished; that honesty and fair business practices are implemented; that people pull their weight and earn their keep; that crime will not go unpunished; that people respect eachothers property; and that kindness and caring for one's neighbor is encouraged. These are solid principles that do nothing but strengthen a community. To allow moral standards to erode, we risk losing any hope of keeping our society intact.

I pray that the Lord doesn't turn us over to our sinful nature. I pray that we can all step up and be proud of our relationship with Christ. I pray that the Lord doesn't give up on us.

Our hope is in Jesus and the stronger our relationship is with Him the stronger our communities will be. Get out and become involved in your community. It is through you that Christ works. If you don't go out into the fields that are ripe for harvest, then who will?

God Bless You All,

Jeff

From My Cold, Dead Hands...

Good Evening All,

Well tonight I want to briefly look at the topic of Gun Rights. The right to bear arms is a constitutional right granted to us from those who fought to create this wonderful nation. However, over the years the right to bear arms has been under assault.

Now, when our founding father's instituted this right, they wanted to make sure that individuals had the ability to defend themselves from those who would do them harm, even if the harm is coming from the government. Our founding fathers also understood that families needed to eat and guns were necessary to hunt. But times have changed and the use of a gun has taken a tragic change of course. The CDC estimated last year that over 50,000 people were a victim of a gun shot wound. Out of that number 10,100 people died. Additionally, over 16,000 suicides are committed every year by the use of a gun. These are troubling statistics and I am certain that our founding fathers could have foreseen this incredible abuse of the right to bear arms.

So, what is the compromise between those who want to ban guns and the violence that goes along with these weapons and those who want unrestricted access to any weapon that they desire?

I think common sense here should prevail. Firstly, let me say that registered gun owners are not the problem here. In fact, these responsible gun owners are upstanding and responsible part of our community. Registered gun owners are not the people out committing crimes and so any legislation to take guns away from these fine individuals would be criminal in my opinion. The problem of gun violence stems from those who are in the business of purchasing and utilizing guns that they are not legally allowed to possess. Gang bangers, drug dealers, and criminals are the individuals that are threatening the right to bear arms. There is an assault on our cities by those who have no respect for the law.

So, how do we limit access to those who are intent on criminal behavior and those who are responsible?

Well, I think a middle ground should be considered. Firstly, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to possess an automatic weapon. People do not use machine gun or high caliber pistols to go hunting. Assault weapons have no place in our society and most gun owners would agree that these weapons have no role in keeping our communities safe. Secondly, the right to bear arms does not necessarily mean that you can bear these weapons everywhere. I support the idea of allowing an individual to own a weapon for use on their property for protection, collection, or hunting. However, real and effective legislation needs to be enacted to prevent these weapons from being used in our towns and cities.

There is a group of folks who are in favor of a concealed gun permits. I am against this. However, I am in favor of individuals carrying weapons that are open and visible to everyone. Here is Iraq we all carry a M-16 or a 9mm. We carry them in a holster that is strapped over our shoulder and everyone has visibility. I think that a person would be less likely to be come a target for criminals if these criminals see that their victim is packing heat.

I would also advocate for more strict punishment for those who violate the law with a hand gun. In my opinion, if someone brandishes a weapon in a threatening manner they should be charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, and false imprisonment in addition to armed robbery charge. There needs to be a minimum sentence of twenty years without the possibility of parole for any first offense. A message needs to be sent that we are serious about ending the irresponsible use of a gun. Additionally, I believe that anyone who shoots a gun at another person should be charged with murder. Even if the shooter misses or fails to kill their victim, their intent was deadly and should be charged as such. Just because a criminal is a bad shot doesn't take away the fact that he had the intent to murder. These laws need to be harsh and uncompromising.

It is the criminal element that is causing trouble for those who are responsible gun owners. We are a nation of thinkers and we are able to work in the gray areas. The gun debate has always been black and white. Gun owners want unlimited access and gun control people want a complete ban. Certainly a compromise that would include the changes I mentioned above can be agreed upon by both sides.

We are an enlightened and intelligent nation. We should be able to set up laws that will allow those who are responsible gun owners to exercise their right and still ensure that our citizens are safe from those thugs who brandish a weapon with deadly intent.

This is a tough topic and I pray that the Lord provides guidance on this issue. We are losing a generation of young men from gun violence; this simply should not be.

God Bless You All,

Jeff

The Tough Topic of Abortion...

I am so very reluctant tonight to discuss the topic of abortion, but, in light of the recent shooting of Dr. Tiller, a physician who performed late term abortions, I wanted to briefly address this subject.

Let me start by saying that abortion is murder. Is this a strong statement? Yes, it is but what else do you call a procedure that terminates a human life? So, I want to make sure I reveal my stance immediately. Now, I don’t want to spend a great deal of time debating the ethics of legal abortion. What I would like to discuss is the issue of late term abortions.
Late term abortions are now illegal in the United States unless the abortion is to save the life of the mother. Now, on the surface we all understand that if a pregnant woman’s life is in danger and the only thing that can save her life is to abort her baby, then we understand the very tough decision to proceed with the abortion.

The problem with this issue is that rarely is aborting a child necessary to save the life of the mother. In those rare cases, where the life of the mother is in question, the late term abortion procedure is and should never, ever, be utilized. If a woman is in an emergency life or death situation where he life needs to be spared, then an emergency C-section would be performed.
The late term abortion procedure that Dr. Tiller and other abortion doctors perform would never be performed by a competent physician who is working to save the life of the mother.

To understand the late term abortion procedure you have to understand that a woman is placed on the table. The physician ruptures the amniotic sac in the uterus. He then has to turn the baby so that it is delivered feet first. Once the legs and body are out of the vaginal canal the delivery is suddenly stopped with the head still in the vaginal vault. A hollowed trochar needle is then inserted into the base of the babies head and the brain is then evacuated from the skull. The dead fetus is delivered and discarded with the placenta.

This process is not a very efficient method to remove a child if the life of the mother is hanging in the balance. Additionally, if the life of the mother is in question, then why is it necessary to stick a trochar into the child’s brain to kill it, if the physician is simply concerned about saving the mother’s life?

Any pregnancy that may be threatening the life of the mother would be ended by a competent physician through a C-section and an attempt would me made to save the life of the child as well as the mother. Additionally, life of the mother issues should never be performed in a room, in a store in a strip mall.There is never, ever, ever, a medical indication to perform late term abortion in any woman. It simply is malpractice to use such a procedure and is absolutely never indicated to spare the life of the mother. This is why the procedure has been banned.

Unfortunately, Dr. Tiller and a few others, forged medical notes stating that the woman’s pregnancy is putting the mother at risk. This is a lie and any first year medical student should be able to see through this ruse. Late term abortions as advocated by organizations like Planned Parenthood are illegal and are flat out murder. These physicians should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

I know that this sounds like a tough stance and it is, but someone has to advocate for the unborn.Now, I want to make it clear that as much as I hate abortion, I absolutely condemn any violence to abortion rights believers. This is simply not the route in which change will come. As a Christian, I believe that the power of prayer and organized public efforts are the way in which change will come.

Now, I want to take a little deeper look at those young ladies who are seeking abortions. I am very sensitive to rough situations that can overwhelm a person. A young lady who finds herself pregnant faces incredible pressures. Often times, a woman who does become pregnant is abandoned by the man who caused her condition. They feel alone and isolated. Now, this may not be true of every pregnancy, but each woman has to deal with her pregnancy in her own way.As abhorrent as I think abortion is, I truly understand the temptation to consider abortion. It is a very tough decision and in a young lady’s mind an abortion is a logical step in relieving her life of an unwanted stressor. So, please understand that I do not have animosity against women who have taken the abortion route. In fact, I understand their feelings and have great compassion for them. I wish for nothing more than peace and comfort for them.

Because the problem of unwanted pregnancies is not going to go away, we need to stop dealing with this problem by arguing about abortion. An abortion is a branch of a problem that has much deeper roots. No one likes abortion. No one wants to go through the tough decision to have an abortion, but an abortion is a by product of an unwanted pregnancy. The question we should be asking is, ‘Why are so many women getting pregnant who don’t wish to become pregnant?’ This is where our energies and resources should be focused and is the area where both pro-life and pro-choice people can work together to decrease the number of abortions that are performed.

It is to idealistic to assume that abstinence is the solution. As much as I pray that young people will abstain from intercourse, the simple fact is that this is pie in the sky thinking. I would really like to see Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice groups get together with pro-life organizations and focus on pregnancy prevention. I realize that Planned Parenthood does encourage pregnancy prevention through birth control and education. Unfortunately, Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice groups look at pro-life groups as the enemy and visa/versa. This needs to end. It is my prayer that we unite our resources and encourage our young people to practice more responsible behavior. Pro-life groups need to drop their opposition to birth control methods and relax their beliefs that the only way to deal with unwanted pregnancies is through prevention via abstinence.

I believe that appropriate societal pressures, unfettered access to reproductive education such birth control methods, adoption options etc.., and a united front from both pro-life and pro-choice groups can and will decrease the number of abortions that are performed in the United States.

I would like to ask you all to pray for Godly intervention in this matter and to pray for these young ladies that are faced with an unwanted pregnancy. Abortion is an important and highly volatile subject that needs to be taken head on for the good of our society.
I pray that you are all well. May God bless your day.

Jeff