Thursday, October 30, 2008

McCain and Obama - global poverty commitments

Here.

As a Christian, I am encouraged that both candidates are committed to addressing issues of global poverty. As a Christian supporter of McCain, I submit that a vote for McCain is more than just a vote against abortion. The GOP is not the party of heartless greed and closed-minded nationalism. (That's not to say there are zero negative influences in the Republican Party; politics is dirty, and you'll find the dirt in both parties.)

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Pray for followers of Isa al Masih

Thinking Christians Talking Politics

Audio from the dialogue between Dan (supporting McCain) and Craig (supporting Obama) is available here.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

More musings - sports & a sermon

Well, the Brewers have decided not to hang on to Dale Sveum as their manager for next year. I'm a little bummed... Attanasio brings a commitment to winning to the organization, but he also brings that L.A. attitude - loyalty is not priority 1-A.

In other news, I had a grand time last night at the Badger hockey game here in Denver. What a wild one! Very entertaining, but a little bit of a heartbreaker - Wisconsin lost to DU, 6-5. Bucky's 0-3-0 to start the season; they can score, but their defense is suspect, and their goalie is hot-and-cold. Also, they've blown a lead in all three games, which doesn't bode well for the season. At any rate, many thanks to Jeremiah Heiser (who plans to date the gal who sang the national anthem) and Andrew Vitek (the greatest D-III college hockey player ever to come out of Hawaii) for making it fun.

And, my sermon from last weekend is online. You can find it here in video or audio. (If you're using this link after a week or so, the sermon will be down the list - week 26 in the Acts series.)

Friday, October 17, 2008

Confession

Hello, my name is Ben. I'm an evangelical Christian, a Republican... and I enjoy public radio.

A lot.

And I'm not just talking about the classical and jazz stations - gimme those two and the news and talk station.

What's wrong with me? Don't I know that 95% of the news media in this country is controlled by the left, and that NPR is basically a socialist propaganda machine? Well, I guess I've chosen to listen for myself. And you know what I've found? I've found public radio news and talk to be the most thorough, thoughtful news and talk on the airwaves. I think their journalistic integrity is second-to-none.

Here's a solid example - today I heard a review of Oliver Stone's new movie, W., a biopic about our current president. Of course, if you believe the hype, like one of my friends at church who calls NPR "NCR" (from his tone of voice, I'm guessing the C stands for "commie"), you'd expect a glowing review. Well, the critic found a few positive elements, then proceeded to tear it down, calling it Stone's "shallowest" film to date. (If you'd like to hear it, go to this page and click the "Listen Now" link to hear it; the text given is incomplete.) It was a thoughtful review from a thoughtful critic who didn't feel a need to scream or call Stone a pinkie to make his point.

You know what else I like about public radio? (Ooh, this one could get me in trouble...) Their fund drives are far more realistic than Christian radio fund drives. In a public radio fund drive, the DJ usually says, "Support public radio because you like to listen to us." On Christian radio, the DJ usually says, "Support our station because people who would never darken the door of a church are coming to know Jesus through our ministry." Really? You think a lot of non-Christians listen to Christian radio? You think they don't pass it right over when they're scanning through the stations? You think the radio is a good evangelistic investment in our country? I'm skeptical. Why can't the Christian stations ask for money on the same basis as the public stations? "Support us because you like listening to Christian music/news/talk/sermons."

So, all that to say - my fellow conservatives (politically and religiously), please give public radio another chance.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Friday musings

We voted! Meggan and I got our ballots in the mail yesterday, did some research, filled 'em out, and handed 'em in today. Some observations:

Voting in Colorado is a lot of work. We voted on nine national, state, and local races; chose whether to retain or reject seventeen justices; and made up our mind on eighteen state and two local referenda. Fourteen of the statewide issues are amendments to the state constitution - that's a big deal to me; you don't amend a constitution on a whim. On another complicating note, four of the eighteen statewide referenda have been pulled by the unions that proposed them as a result of successful negotiations with certain business leaders, so those votes don't matter. Is it possible to be an educated voter? Yes. Will the vast majority of voters be deciding many significant issues on a whim? I'm afraid so...

So, out of 46 choices, we voted the same on 42. (Not bad...?) I don't consider myself to be an expert on all 46 issues, but I'll offer my opinion on one race and two Colorado constitutional amendments:
President: John McCain. McCain is the right kind of moderate - he swings to the center on the very issues where he should disagree with his Republican counterparts. In particular, his approach to immigration is realistic and compassionate. (Sidenote - I was discouraged to see how many Republican candidates I could vote for see the immigration issue as black-and-white. But, hey, I live in Tom Tancredo's old congressional district - what did I expect?) In addition, I have hopes that McCain could nominate Supreme Court justices that might overturn Roe v. Wade. On the other hand, Obama would be a move far to the left on many issues; he is not a moderate; on the rare occasions that he disagrees with his Democratic counterparts, it's in the radical direction. On abortion, he's as pro-choice as you can get. Don't get me wrong - if Obama were to get elected, I think he would make a good president. As an American living in Europe, people might like me better knowing that Obama is my president. Certainly, if Obama wins, my life will not fall apart... but he didn't receive my vote. At any rate, I urge you to pray for both candidates.
Amendment 48: Yes. This is one of only two constitutional amendments that I voted for. A person is a person.
Amendment 50: No. Generally speaking, an expansion of the gambling industry exploits the poor.

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Speaking of politics, things are all set for the upcoming dialogue on campus between my friends Craig and Dan:


Come join us on October 23 - bring your rotten eggs and tomatoes! See this post for more details.

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It's bittersweet, but I'm cheering for the Phillies in the NLCS. (How 'bout that Brett Myers at the plate? But I'll tell you what, Brad Lidge is gonna blow a save before the postseason is over.)

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Credimus

We believe in God the Father, Lord of heaven and earth. He is not like human beings, yet he cares deeply for us.

We believe in Jesus the Messiah, who is God in the flesh - sent by the Father as an expression of compassion, truth, and justice. He heals the sick, gives sight to the blind, and proclaims freedom to the oppressed. He was unjustly tortured and executed, and he rose from the dead on the third day. He calls us to follow him in life with God and love of others.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who lives within us individually and among us as the church. He empowers us to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, and he plants within us the Father's love for the people around us.

We believe the world is broken, fallen, and yet beautiful. God desires to redeem his creation, and he chooses to use his people, the church, as his ambassadors in this mission.

We submit ourselves to our loving Father God.

We commit to following Jesus in word and deed.

We will speak words of truth and life to our family of faith and to the world around us. We give ourselves to serve God and others in all we do.