Re-inventing Godvernment?

I imagine being at a Baptist conference in Salt Lake, Huck hit one out of the cheap pews with this. Heck, his Iowa and SC numbers might just go up.

"I didn't get into politics because I thought government had a better answer. I got into politics because I knew government didn't have the real answers, that the real answers lie in accepting Jesus Christ into our lives."

"I hope we answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ."

And on taxes and pardons:

"I'm often asked why taxes are so high and government is so big. It's because the faith we have in local churches has become so small. If we'd been doing what we should have -- giving a dime from every dollar to help the widows, the orphans and the poor -- we now wouldn't be giving nearly 50 cents of every dollar to a government that's doing ... what we should have been doing all along."

Huckabee recalled the five occasions he's had to sit by the phone on the eve of an execution.

"It's the greatest sense of helplessness and despair you can imagine to know we've exhausted all help and hope here on earth for that person."

Comments

[seekeronos]

I'm not buying this.

"--- I hope we answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ. ---"

This would be nice, if in theory, the majority of the nation's population were Bible-believing Christians who practice what they hear preached to them, and indeed, what they preached as well. Disobedience to God's Word is what kills a nation. Repentance, and restoration begin in the Body of Christ; and it is first to the household of God (the church) to whom Judgment comes.

As beautiful as the idea of an entire nation (or at the very least, a very large percentage of its population) being zealous for the Lord and eager to do good deeds and spread His love, and the goodness of His Name abroad is... this nation's Christians will really need to get on their knees, confess their sins before God through Jesus, and ask Him to fire them up with some Holy Ghost power to reach the lost in this country for Jesus.

Otherwise, we will remain a nation with an ever-increasing population of secularists who are at best, indifferent to the Gospel, as well as the more aggressive, "strong" atheists who despise the very Name of their Creator, and seek to see the name of Christ as well as His followers extirpated from the face of American society.

We cannot "take back" this nation for Christ, if in fact the hearts of the men and women who compose the nation are set against Him and His love, nor if those who are called by His Name refuse to spend time with Him and also investing time into reaching the lost.

Isaiah 55 teaches us that the Word of God does not return void, nor does it fail in the matter for which it is sent. Therefore, if you (Christian) are called by His Name, the work of God to claim this nation for His possession begins NOT from the government - but from you, to your church community, out to the lost souls around you. It is in this manner that the Kingdom of God grows like the mustard seed Jesus taught us about.

Not by attempting to foist a Christian construct upon an unwilling an ostensibly popular government. God hasn't chosen to work that way: He doesn't _force_ our obedience, but He sure does appreciate it, and shall surely reward us according to our deeds (I speak apart from salvation, which cannot be earned by works, but rather to the eternal reward of the believers).

And on (Huckabee's take on) taxes and pardons:

"--- I'm often asked why taxes are so high and government is so big. It's because the faith we have in local churches has become so small. If we'd been doing what we should have -- giving a dime from every dollar to help the widows, the orphans and the poor -- we now wouldn't be giving nearly 50 cents of every dollar to a government that's doing ... what we should have been doing all along. ---"

Amen! This would be nice - but again, it works best from a bottom-up model of churches assisting their communities. Those tax breaks to churches and religious organizations do have a reason behind them. But moreover, we need a candidate who won't be looking to feed the government coffers first (as Gov. Huckabee did in Arkansas) - but rather, find a way to reduce government spending, and to gradually appeal to the obedience of the churches to use their tithes to strengthen the communities around them. Offer tax incentives to local businesses that work with churches engaged in good works for the community.

On Pardons and Executions:

"--- It's the greatest sense of helplessness and despair you can imagine to know we've exhausted all help and hope here on earth for that person. ---"

Has the jury indeed found the convict guilty of a grievous crime? Is there some late-hour evidence that has emerged which establishes that the convict is in fact, innocent of his charged crime?

Otherwise, a governor should have no reservation whatsoever about the engines of justice carrying out God's mandate of death against such a one who has spilled the blood of his fellow man.

For a governor to do otherwise leaves the people in doubt as to his ability to exercise faithful judgment in light of other matters of such severe gravity. How shall we trust such a double-minded man, who, as the Bible says, is "unstable in all his ways", and is such a one that wavers "like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." (James 1:6,8 paraphrased KJV)

Therefore, Christians, and other good citizens:

Let me implore you to reconsider your vote for Gov. Huckabee - and consider instead the true conservative candidate:

Former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson.

He may not be a minister, nor might he even be firmly grounded in his faith as a Christian, but his walk and testimony thus far betray no such weakness as we can clearly see with Governor Huckabee.

It is with Fred Thompson that we shall see powers rightfully returned to state and then local jurisdiction, and government reduced, save only for the appointed functions of each level of local, state, and federal government, as constitutionally appointed.

Moreover, he shall bring no premise nor promise of trying to apply an ungainly measure of Christ's rule to a people not willing nor ready to receive Him as their rightful King: for the Kingdom of Heaven first begins in each believer's heart.

[jj]

seek, how many times do I have to say this? Fred apparently doesn't want the nomination. His lackluster performance in the debates, his lack of campaigning and his lack of energy confirm to me that he doesn't really want to be President. I would gladly vote for him if he would work for my vote, but the man just doesn't seem to care.

[Yoda]

Despicable creatures only, with gusto, the presidency seek.

[seekeronos]

"--- seek, how many times do I have to say this? Fred apparently doesn't want the nomination. ---"

Based upon the way things currently stans, this may well be the case.

The possibility also remains that Fred is a kind of spoiler to pull hard core conservative votes off kilter (although I am not exactly sure how) from McCain, who aside from his immigration issues, is more palatably conservative than the three disguised liberal GOP frontrunners. With the hard conservative vote mulled out with (a presumably unelectable/disinterested) Fred... that leaves the evangelical faction and the moderate/social-liberal faction to rally behind the Rudy-Huckabee axis or Romney-(possibly McCain team).

And the Paulbots were irrelevant from day one anyway - they were there to keep the paleoconservative/libertarian faction pleasantly distracted.

I hope that this is not the case...because this would be cause for us to be afraid - actually, VERY afraid - for our futures.

[nichevo]

I guess a Giuliani/Thompson ticket is no good for you, seek? I myself as a native New Yorker am for Rudy, having seen what he has done; would have said so long before 9/11. Yes, he has unlikable social positions - am particularly incensed about his stance on guns - but IMHO this will have to be managed through usual checks and balances.

If I were a one-issue voter - well, I guess I am; my issue is GWOT. I have faith in Rudy's willingness and ability to pound the enemy, smartly and savagely, and not to apologize for it. I also like the SOB factor - I don't expect too many unrevenged CIA leaks on his watch, nor (shudder) 'Good job, Brownies' and Medals of Freedom for Tenets.

And if that's how he treats his people (though not inhumanly like Romney), wait till you see how he treats his foes. Maybe none of the other candidates had the chance, but none of them (other than McCain in his way) ever told the enemy where to get off, as with ejecting Arafat from the Philharmonic and sending the Saudi princeling's tainted $10M back. Or giving the race merchants (Sharpton et al) the bum's rush.

Oh yeah, and did I mention he kind of kicked the Mafia's ass? Cleaned up Times Square? Rehabbed New York's crumbling infrastructure? Ride the freaking subways and sneer at the difference he made.

If New York City were a state it would I think be 6th? 12? biggest in the USA. Being Mayor of New York is a bigger credential than some realize. The fact is that only recently, and as if by a freak, have Republicans got in at all there, for a very long time. If they have to do it by soft-pedaling some issues that are perceived differently in New York than elsewhere, well maybe you'd rather have a Dinkins or a Freddy Ferrer or a Mark Green in there, because those are your choices.

All I am saying....is give G a chance!