Another crappy post on Politics!!!

So I know a lot of people have posted a lot of political junk and I know I’m happy that most of it will be over in a week.

I guess I wanted to through my hat into the mix but first I want to make two disclaimers…

First I’m writing this in class so if the grammar and spelling are bad, my bad…

I AM NOT TRYING TO TELL ANYONE WHO THEY SHOULD VOTE FOR!!!

O.K. lets go!

First I want to share two really great resources that I think everyone should take a look at. The first is www.ontheissues.org. This website is run by a non-partisan organization that wants people to vote based primarily on issues. So you can go on there and look at a ton of candidates and what they have said or how they have voted on a variety of issues. For most candidates it also shows how compliant they are with different organizations from both the left and the right. An example is that McCain was “Rated 75% by the NRLC (National Right to Life Committee), indicating a mixed record on abortion.” And “Rated 0% by NARAL (Pro-Choice America), indicating a pro-life voting record.” The website sites all their sources so you can see where they got their information (newspaper article, or library of congress for voting records).

I love this website I totally recommend checking it out; you can also click on the state, like Minnesota and you can look at different candidates from Minnesota.

The second website is www.myballot.net. This website will show you who is going to be on your ballot. You type in your zip code and then find your street and it will show you what your ballot will look like. So you at least see what you are getting into, every time I go to vote there are like thirty people running for judges seats and they are running against themselves. So you can at least look them up see who you would support. Again I thought it was a nice little tool.

O.K. now a quote that I totally stole from Jared Lorence’s facebook page (I think). It is from John Quincy Adams and it goes like this,

“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”

So the last couple years I have voted for “the lesser of two evils” and I’m determined not to do that this year, so I am probably not voting for either Obama or McCain because I don’t agree with them on a number of issues. If you actually want to know why I can go into more detail, but I probably won’t, mostly because I don’t like you, no wait…

Anyway my amazing wife has really struggled with this idea that “I’m wasting my vote.” I just don’t think I am, I want to vote for someone I believe in, and I don’t really care if they win or lose.

So my Christian worldview has lead me to believe that God is sovereign over everything therefore He is sovereign over the election. God will not be surprised by who wins and I think all that is required of me is to pray about it and vote for who my conscience has lead me to vote for. Which is not a waste of my vote! Again I may not feel this way in two or four years but that is the way I feel right now.

O.K. let the playa hating begin!!!

Cheers,
Caleb

What is this, A post get out of here...

So this is a response to an e-mail Scott sent out, I like my response so I thought I would post it. In the e-mail Scott talked about an article by Frank Schaeffer. So here are my thoughts on it. I am coming from a Christian perspective and am probably talking more about what should motivate a Christian and what bugs me when we Christians talk about politics. Anyway enjoy...


O.K. so I am really torn on the upcoming election, I voted for Bush the last two elections because I really didn't like my other choices, and I hated voting for Bush each time, hated it. I hated it to the point were I am going to have to sike myself up to vote again... I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils.

I enjoy the website on the issues .com, I have found it to be pretty unbiased and a pretty good tool. It lists what people have said and their voting history. I trust it as much as I trust anything in politics...

Speaking of things I don't trust. I don't trust FRANK SCHAEFFER. In this article he talks about the old days when he was so smug, and then rants about the shortcomings of everyone else while proclaiming his vast knowledge of the state of America and the world, he complains about his economic state, and then promptly plugs his book. He is selling something.

He may be right, but that doesn't mean I trust him. His comment about Russia and Georgia is interesting. In the climate of the world we don't blink twice (my words). I think some of his thoughts on McCain are probably true. They are based on observation of the past. But then he says a better education system (which I want), a better economy (which I want), a better health care system (which we need) would result in less abortions. Maybe, possibly, maybe not, who knows? Can he predict the future? I don't think there will ever be fewer abortions. Abortion has become normal; our society has come to accept abortion as a part of life. My opinions about peace in the Middle East and abortion are the same; the only solution is the return of Christ. I pray I'm wrong but revival is the only thing that will decrease or stop abortions in this country. Yet I don't believe we stop "the fight” we don't give up, we don't stop praying and hoping for change... So what do we do? Seriously I'm asking.

I once heard of a Chinese student who said "Someday I want to become Prime Minister." He was then asked, "Won't that be difficult?" And he replied, "Yes, I will have to kill some people." And I'm told he said it all with a straight face. I don't know if either McCain or Obama have killed people, but I have a hard time believing you can be a Christian and run for president. You have to compromise your faith too much. A true God honoring, God fearing, Bible saturated, Christ embracing, walking with the Holy Spirit, heaven focused person can't win the presidential race. This is not a slam on McCain or Obama; it is an observation about America.

Schaeffer says, "As a born-again Christ-centered believer Obama offers a spiritual vision of life founded on the Sermon On the Mount” This is scary. I don't think Obama is a Christian, and yes that is between him and God but his supporters and him I suppose are saying Obama is a Christian, I think that opens it up for comment, even if in the end it is between him and God. He thinks sin is not doing what you believe is right, he does not think homosexuality is morally wrong, he thinks partial birth abortions are O.K. and the list goes on. These all stand in sharp contradiction to God's word. He might be a "good guy" and maybe not as liberal as others but is he a Christian?

What pisses me off about this is Schaeffer is using Obama's faith as a selling point, "Vote for Obama he is a Christian too." No!!! Vote for him because you think he will lead the country well, vote for him because you are tired of Republicans, but if you vote for anyone because you think they are a Christian I think you have been fooled.

Again the idea of McCain in the White House scares me a little too. Education, health care, the environment all suffer when a republican is in the white house. I don't know if we can survive another 4-8 years. In fact the swing back and forth just might be good for the country, every 8 years the political direction of the country will swing back the other way and somewhere in the middle some good things get done. And now it is clear I have no clue what I'm talking about.


What to do, I don't know... I once read this thing about how a Christian should vote and I like it, I will sum it up like this
-We believe that God is sovereign he knows who will win elections and directs who will win the elections. So what is the Christian's responsibility in an elections? Not the outcome. We should vote for who ever we feel will lead the best, who we are convicted to vote for, who best fits our ideals. You may think republican, you may thing democrat, you may think so crazy nut job third party, you may think my dad. It's not about voting for who you don't want, or who you think God doesn't want, it's about voting for who you think is best even if that person loses every time. I like that... Maybe... I'm not sure...

I don't know if I can vote for either of these men...
I think I'm voting for my dad again...
Saarela 08

Godspeed,
Caleb

Well this has to be short

Just a quick post and then it's off to bed. I had this like super busy but super productive weekend. I studied a ton saw my parents hung out with friends got my hair cut studied some more, and went to a congragational meeting. Anyway here are some pictures of my hair cut (below) before and after. Scott my friend cut it he did an amazing job it looks like a profesional, which I can't spell. Anyway I'm amazed at his...

BARBZERDRY

. Here is a link to a Strong Bad e-mail about such things remember to click on barbzerdry in the e-mail and then after the paper comes down remember to click on napping strong sad (the words) and eyebrow style the words you can also click on the poster while the box is dancing and you will find another easter egg. If you understand any of that last sentence you are my new best friend. BFFTW!!! Yes best friend for this week, I can't settle down you know, I am the cat's meow... O.K. just getting weird now, bye...
Caleb