Charles June 17th, 2008

What? Obama? Asland?

Did I miss something? Maybe Google or Wikipedia will assist (I'll try to avoid Screwtape). I always thought he was a nice guy and all…but….really? Maybe for hosting The View or Meet the Press, but national savior?

No…seriously…really?

mikeM June 24th, 2008

Okay, here goes. I'm gonna call myself out on this one, and throw myself to the wolves. Kennedy said politics is a choice between bad and worse. I've always heard Christians vote for "the lesser of two evils". In politics, there are 2 grab bags. One has traditional family values, and legalized torture. Right to life for unborn children, and no medical care or economic help for poor mothers and families. Freedom to keep what you earn, and denial of the oldest of modern human rights, writ of habeus corpus. War on drugs, dismal drug treament and prevention programs, with the highest percentage of our population incarcerated than in any other country in the western world. And an ever increasing eye on every aspect of your life.
Bag number 2 has healthcare for the impoverished and working poor, and caring for the poor and homeless, and abortion. Fair taxation of the super-wealthy, and stem cell research. Care for the enviornment, and dipmatic relations, and gay marriage. And an ever increasing blurring of the difference between "right" and "wrong" in the fabric of our society. That being said, I'm for Obama. The "War on Terror" is long lost. In the last 8 years we've brewed an entire generation of "enemy combatants" because of the worldwide public display of foriegn policy blundering and failure. He's an American, with an international face (his ethnicity) and the power to motivate and get people to work together. There are no shortages of great ideas in Washington. That's what Washington thinktanks are for. The problem is getting everyone together to stop wining and bickering amongst themselves and get something done. And besides, Republicans have had the government for 8 years, and they've really messed things up. BAD. There's no excuse for torture. The war was not about national security, it was about protecting our strategic energy interests in the Middle East, a US foriegn policy dating back 30+ years. I will vote against anyone who suspends the most basic tennets of our Constitution. Those pricipals we're created to account for extenuating circumstances. In the guise of security, we will be like those who said, "when they came for the gypsies, I did not care, because I was not a gypsy…" You know the rest. Alright there it is. Once those pressing issues are dealt with in government, then I'll re-address the moral issues that face us. Won't this be fun…..Let's get ready to RRRRRRUMMMMBLE!

Thomas June 24th, 2008

I think Steve said it best when he said be informed on the issues and then vote for the whore that suites you best. And I'm voting for Obama.I think he's he's the more willing whore and McCain is too old of a whore who just wants to stay in the missionary position.

Hurk June 24th, 2008

HEEEYYY-OOOO!

*Insert rim-shot sound effect here*

G-rock June 25th, 2008

"too old of a whore who just wants to stay in the missionary position"

That would be a great campaign promo:

"Vote for me! I'm not some old whore who stays in the missionary position. I am all about the change."

Jim June 25th, 2008

You're right on Mike. I think I might just sit this next one out and wait four more years. Besides we're so in debt I don't suppose either candidate can do much. I'm more interested in the banks and the fed at this stage.

mikeM June 26th, 2008

Ohhh you know, there going to devalue the dollar to the point that to fix it they're just going to have to introduce and switch over to the Amero. Seriously. In 20 years. Mark my words. It's easy. You keep interest rates at a level that makes predatory lending practices very easy, creating an unstable credit bubble destined to crash, start a war that destablizes the most important energy supply region in the world, driving up the cost of oil expenentially, driving up the cost of food worldwide, and borrow trillions of dollars for an endless war from our #1 importer (Where, by the way, a vast majority of our manufacturing jobs have been outsourced to) and turn around and spend that borrowed money, loaned at interest, on products made in the very same country that loaned the money, manufactured for pennys on the dollar. Pure genius!!!!! If that won't crash a currency, I don't know what will. Those architects need a nobel prize in economics. They should write a book on "How to Economically Enslave an Entire Country". I'm sure it will be #1 on the "Evil Diabolical Plans to Take Over the World" best seller list.

Thomas June 26th, 2008

Mike, my boss who happens to be a Christian, found it unusual that I supported government regulations on free markets. He responded by saying "Markets wouldn't be free if they are regulated." Now I'm not an economist, not by a long shot, but common sense tells me, no I'm sorry, the doctrine of total depravity tells me, that without some kind of laws to regulate a system, person or institution it will inevitably will run amok and corruption will ensue, to put it mildly. Because at our core no good thing lives in us and that includes transnational companies. The problem is, is that many Christians have an arminian worldview when it comes to capitalism. I'm not a marxist, not by any stretch, but my crazy boss mildly insinuated that I was because I didn't support" totally free markets". Oh and by the way, my boss happens to be the CFO of a world renowned mega church that happens to have no financial transparency. I like your spin on the state of the country by the way.

mikeM June 27th, 2008

The best way to discredit a good idea or point is to label it and put it in a familiar catagory that induces fear and mis-trust. Like Communism. Or Emergent. Or Christian. Christianity is apolitical. When politicized, and polarized it is the faith that gets watered down to the point of ineffectiveness. Christianity in it's essence is a religion of free thinking and free ideas within the confines of love for each other (yes, even the ones we disagree with) and peaceable living with all men. Economics are amoral. A totally free market says "lets let how people spend and invest their money dictate economic policy all over the world, and determine what is right and what is wrong when it comes to resources and how they're used". Which means those with money call the shots (in a system easily manipulated, because it says $=power), and that impoverishes entire countries and regions for the benefit of a few. Economics rely on usury. Interest %. C'mon, everyone knows what the Bible says about it, but we conveniently ignore that right? There is alot of shakey doctrine in the scope of Christiandom that sit on much more obscure (and interpretable) passages than that. The Bible is pretty clear on usury. Love of money is the root of all evil, can't serve two masters, love money, and despise God, or love God and despise money, you know, all that stuff. "Free Market Christian" is an oxymoron. But we live in a fallen world, that we all gotta deal with. God is not a Politician, or an Economist, or a Theologian. And he judges us on our hearts, not our faulty points of view or theological doctrine. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mormon. Mormon was the correct answer"