As a permanent resident alien, unable to vote, I was completely intrigued with the process and with watching how it all unfolded. It was truly amazing to observe. I love this country that we have chosen to live in. Freedom reigns, and the process we went through underscores that. In Marla’s latest post in the coffeshopjournal.com, she really hits on the ‘why’ this country is great.
McCain wrapped up his campaign last night the way I wish he would have run it. He was amazing. I think we saw the real McCain last night. I wish the country would have seen that sooner. The result may very well be different today if we did.
Obama, like his polices and ideology or not, is an amazing leader. It is indeed a great American story. Leadership is influence. His influence is undeniable. Obama’s campaign was nothing short of remarkable. His focus on a singular message, coupled with his use of technology will change the way leaders lead, and they way they communicate with and engage their audience.
As an individual from a more ’social’ country, I probably lack the concern for the perceptions that America is and will be moving to the left. Let me qualify that. Generally yes, it will move more towards the left than it has been in the last 8 years. But even with Obama as President, the USA won’t move to the left of any other G8 nation of the world. Obama’s administration will remain to the right of France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, and Russia. The USA will stay on the right. Maybe not as ‘right’ as Americans have been used to, but from an international context it will still be there. I personally don’t believe that the US will even move left of center. If you believe it will move left of center, I’d appreciate you defining the center for me, and please use a global context for your argument.
I have another 5 years before I even qualify for US citizenship. So I’m at least 2 elections away from being able to cast a ballot. What will define my vote, is not my heritage, background, or family history. What will define my vote is my firmly grounded faith.
This is what I believe…
I believe in the Bible
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the complete, divinely inspired, infallible Word of God. The Bible is the supreme authority and guide for our Christian faith and living.I believe in the Godhead
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.I believe in the Father
The first person of the Godhead orders and directs all things according to His own purpose and pleasure. He authored, created and sustains all things in the universe without any means other than His own pure power. By His grace, He involves Himself in the affairs of men, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all that come to Him through Jesus Christ.I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
He exists eternally as the second person of the Godhead. By His virgin birth, He came to earth as fully God and fully man, living a sinless life. His death on the cross made atonement for man’s sin, evidenced by His bodily resurrection from the dead. He physically ascended to the right hand of God the Father, and He will return in power and glory.I believe in the Holy Spirit
The third person of the Godhead convicts men of sin, regenerates, baptizes, indwells, instructs and sets apart believers unto a holy life. We encourage all believers to seek a life of obedience to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We believe this step is essential for empowering believers for victorious living and ministry through the gifts given by the Holy Spirit.I believe in the nature of man
Man was directly created in God’s image and voluntarily fell into sin by personal disobedience to the will of God; consequently, all men are spiritually dead apart from Jesus Christ. The fall of man was a once-for-all historical fact. Its effect spread to all men, each of whom is born with a sinful nature and is in need of salvation.I believe in salvation
Salvation is by grace, a gift of God apart from works. Salvation requires repentance, a turning away from one’s own way to God’s way. Salvation is through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and all who receive Him are born again, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and become the children of God. We will manifest true salvation by a changed life.I believe in the church
The Church is the body of believers consisting of all born-again persons without respect to race, culture, or background. Directed by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, the Church is taking the good news of salvation to the whole world.
Yes I did copy that from gochristfellowship.com.
The question then, is how do I apply my core foundational beliefs to politics? Well its inseparable, but this how I practically apply it.
I support in the sanctity of life (Pro-Life)
I support marriage as the union of one man and one woman
I support traditional family values
I support biblical morality
I support the idea that the nuclear family is society’s foundational unit
I support in the separation of Church and State
Finally, as a Christian, I am committed to praying for and supporting our President 100%. I will pray that God bless him and his family. I will pray that God draw him close to His heart. I will pray that God protect him. I will pray that God would comfort him, and give him peace, and that His presence would surround him. I will also pray that within our borders and beyond, the testimony of believers will truly impact the world with the love and message of Jesus Christ.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post, David. And it’s good for we Americans to remember that the world won’t stop, fall in, implode or go broke in 4 or 8 years. God is so much bigger than an election, and he says that he uses the rulers of the world to work his purposes. So why in the world would we be afraid? I mean…the “game” of the election is competitive, but once we’re done, it’s back to the real work of both running the country and trying to make an impact for the kingdom.
David,
As I sat in church earlier this evening I considered that if we spend all of our time thinking and talking about the evonomy, the government, the political leanins of our nation etc, we still won’t change one single thing.
Jesus said it pretty well when he asked if we could had a handsbreadth to our height by worry, or change the color of our hair.. Of course the answer is no we cna’t change any of those things, anymore than we can change the economy or the political leanings of our nation by worry and talk.
We can, and should, be fiscally responsible for our own finances. We should, and I hope everyone who was eligable did, vote.
The decision is made, and we shoudl now support our leadership. Support doesn’t mean we agree 100% of the time, or even at all, but we still support the leasdership. If we disagree, work withiin the structure in order to let that disagreement be known.
Pray for the president elect, pray for the new senators and congressmen and women. We as Christians have plenty to pray about, and we should pray. Don’t pray that they will change, don’t pray that they will be more like you, pray that God will draw them close to Him. The only one who can change anyone is God, if we pray with our own motifs in mind, we are not praying to God but at men and women, that only causes pain and suffering, and isn’t faith. Praying to God says God, You know all about this person, I don’t. Work with them the way you want to Father. Draw them close to you, speak to them, show them that you are the one true God.
When we pray to God like that we are not praying with vested self interest, we can pray that exact prayer for ourselves, for our pastors, for our familys, as well as our leaders.
The result of a pray like this is that God is being asked to move in His will, in His way, in His time, and He will answer.
I appreciated your perspective,and I hope this isn’t too much. feel free to delete it if it is.
Jonathan
One of the greatest attributes of the United States is the freedom of speech. The freedom to speak and be heard. The freedom to have an opinion, and to respectfully share that opinion.
Great post David! Glad to have you as a friend and resident of this country. However, the pivotal test of citizenship is… who will you root for in an Olympic Hockey showdown, Canada or US?
Hey, great to have your perspective and have someone stating what I have been thinking the whole way through watching this election from the other side of the world (as someone who also might be living in the US before too long). Socialism is a word that is used so freely to describe any sort of allocation of public money, yet I agree that any move to the left is still a long way off where my country is and we consider ourselves centre right in this country (NZ). We’re not even a social democracy anymore which is the step before socialism if I remember my University studies right.
I am pleased for what Obama has accomplished from his background and I am pleased that so many voters could obviously identify with him and vote, some for the first time. I also am jealous that Americans have a choice of voting for two leaders who are both Believers. Something we don’t have in this country, you just pick the lesser of two evils as I did when I voted yesterday!