Election '08 - Concerns

This letter from Pastor Randy Howard appeared in the community newspaper shortly after the election. My response follows his letter.


November 15, 2008
FROM PASTOR RANDY HOWARD
"A SAD DAY"

"I'm just a preacher; I'm not a politician or a pundit. However, I have to say that this election marks the saddest day since the attacks of 9/11. As a nation we have forgotten God and what God desires us to be.

"I certainly held no illusions that John McCain was a great choice for America. Nevertheless, I was equally dissatisfied with Barack Obama from a political standpoint since he obviously and unapologetically has a socialist view of taxing some to give to others. Since neither man was really what the country needed, I had to vote against the man most against my God and His Bible. That decision was clear for at least two reasons.

"Obama is a supporter of every extreme form of abortion ever created by man, including the barbaric act of partial birth abortion. Abortion is clearly a practice that goes directly against my God and His Word.

"Exodus 21:22 -- If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her; and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

"23 -- And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life.

"This scripture speaks of men fighting who accidentally bring harm to a woman's unborn baby that caused her to lose that child. If God felt that men should be punished, even with their life, for an accidental abortion, how do you think He looks at the intentional murder of unborn babies?

"Another issue is Obama's support of and push for the homosexual agenda. This is also clearly against what God states and what His Word commands.

"Romans 1:26 -- For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

"27 -- And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

"28 -- And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.

"God refers to men leaving woman and burning with lust toward one another. God says He gives them up to those "vile affections" and turns them over to a "reprobate mind." It sounds like God considers homosexuality a wicked and perverse sin.

"As I stated, the deciding factor between these men came down to which of them was most against the Lord and His standards. It is more than clear that Obama, just in these two examples is clearly not standing with God. This is not to say that McCain is a godly man, but Obama is certainly more against God than McCain.

"What makes this a sad day for America is that in the people's decision to choose Obama as the leader of this country, we have abandoned all pretense of being a Christian nation. We cannot claim that we are a nation of Christians on Sunday, but vote for those against God on Tuesday. Because we have ignored God's Word and God's Will, America will pay a price.

"God has made a promise to the nations that forgotten [sic] Him:

"Psalm 9:17 -- The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

"It is time we all become more concerned about what God thinks about our nation than what the rest of the world thinks.

"I pray that God gives Barack Obama wisdom as he leads this nation. I also pray that God speaks to the hearts of all politicians and people about the things that America stands for that God stands against.

"May God help our country and awaken our Christians."

RANDY HOWARD


The writer is pastor of Community Baptist Church



My response was published November 26, 2008

Thanks to Pastor Howard for lifting up vital concerns in our community [11/15/08]. I believe President-elect Obama is committed to finding the shared goals toward which people with different convictions can work together.

About abortion, he said: “I think it's always a tragic situation." -- “I am completely supportive of a ban on late-term abortions, partial-birth or otherwise, as long as there's an exception for the mother's health and life.”

He says, “there surely is some common ground when both those who believe in choice and those who are opposed to abortion can come together and say, 'We should try to prevent unintended pregnancies by providing appropriate education to our youth, communicating that sexuality is sacred and that they should not be engaged in cavalier activity, and providing options for adoption, and helping single mothers if they want to choose to keep the baby.’”

Evangelical leader Jim Wallis writes, “Three-fourths of women who have an abortion say a primary reason is that they cannot afford to raise a child....Recent research affirms that social and economic support for women and vulnerable families are effective solutions to lowering the abortion rate, including greater access to health care, poverty reduction, adoption reform, and pre- and postnatal care.” These are Obama’s goals, and reasons why he proposes to reduce taxes on the poor, while, after our economic recovery, reducing the tax cuts on incomes over $250,000 -- which was the context of the phrase “spread the wealth around.” (Rates on those higher incomes would still be lower than in the 1990’s.)

I believe Obama’s concern for the poor is biblical, both in voluntary giving and in structuring society. Jesus strongly warned people not to neglect the poor (e.g. the rich man and Lazarus). Ruth gathered grain behind the reapers, because Leviticus instructed farmers to leave the edges for “the poor and the stranger.” Today we use tools like the graduated income tax and social security. I believe Obama will work for the good of all. He recognizes, for example, that small business is “the engine of job growth in the economy.”

Many pro-life citizens endorsed Obama because they believed his overall policies -- from taxes to war and diplomacy -- best nurture life during the whole lifespan.

President-elect Obama supports full civil unions and federal rights for same-sex couples, saying, “It’s about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect.”

Many people of faith believe that the six places in the Bible said to proscribe homosexuality refer to ritual purity law, violent inhospitality, or promiscuity, not faithful couples.

My deep thanks to Pastor Howard for raising these concerns so vital in our lives together. I wholeheartedly join the prayer for wisdom and direction for our country.

Election '08 - about Who We Are

November 2, 2008
Letter to Editor, area newspaper


This election is about who we are as the United States of America.

Our direction in the past seven years has been toward America as a failing empire, with a bunker mentality that relies most heavily on war or threats of war to attempt to maintain ourselves. We have a president who decides which laws he will follow and which he won't. We have seen the gap widen between rich and poor.

Which candidates best exemplify the values for which our flag has always stood? All are patriotic people of faith.

Who is appealing to "the better angels of our nature," as Lincoln phrased it? Who can restore the American spirit of generosity and working together? Which candidates emphasize proactive diplomacy with war as absolutely last resort? Who will leave no loopholes for the CIA to use the least effective and most spiritually caustic method of intelligence-gathering -- torture and secret rendition? 

Whose economic and tax policies are most just and will best help reduce poverty?

Which candidates best understand that American ingenuity is already prepared to achieve energy security and swiftly end our dangerous dependence on oil?  

Who will appoint public servants on the basis of competence, not loyalty to the neoconservativism that has given us the state of our nation today? 

Who best embodies the open-hearted, fearless America dedicated to liberty and justice for all?

Whomever we elect, may God crown our good with brother- and sister-hood, from sea to shining sea.

Election '08 - Obama in Afghanistan: Fact Checking

August 1, 2008
Letter to community newspaper

[Community members] might be interested to know that a recent email about Afghanistan that's been making the rounds has been disproved by the Department of Defense; and the captain who wrote it told the NY Daily News: "After checking my sources, information that was put out in my email was wrong. This email was meant only for my family. Please respect my wishes and delete the email and if there are any blogs you have my email portrayed on I would ask if you would take it down too. Thanks for your understanding."

Now that we're deep into the season of political spin, fact, and error, I am thankful for careful fact-checkers who dig into ads and email from all parties -- like (1) FactCheck.org from the U. of Pennsylvania; (2) PolitiFact from the Congressional Quarterly and The St. Petersburg Times; and (3) The Fact Checker of the Washington Post.

Truth is indispensable for democracy. As Thomas Jefferson wrote: "Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."  I am thankful that our community rejects rumor and insinuation and insists on being factually well-informed.

For [community members] without internet access or time, I wonder whether questions about ads and mailings could be submitted to the ...Times, with a request that the ...T reprint fact-check summaries? What other ideas would help?

With concern,

Election '08 - Clark on McCain; FactChecking

Cartoon:
http://www.caglepost.com/cartoon/Huffaker/52615/Vietnam+or+Osama+.html

General Wesley Clark on Face the Nation
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/ftn/main3460.shtml

FactCheck Essay
http://www.factcheck.org/specialreports/false_ads_there_oughta_be_a_law.html


July 8, 2008
Letter to Editor, area newspaper:

It was a shock to see Huffaker's July 3 cartoon attribute to General Wesley Clark the exact opposite of Clark’s June 26 statement on Face the Nation. Clark said about John McCain, "He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in the armed forces as a POW." The question was: to what extent does youthful military heroism -- McCain's -- translate into national security policymaking experience or ability?

I realize this is the "Opinion" page, but this cartoon seems to cross a line. The reverse of Clark’s statement appeared presented as the "fact" upon which the opinion -- its effect on bin Laden -- was based. More, the statement attributed to Clark is one people everywhere would regard with revulsion. In today’s swirl of spin, fact, and error, discerning the facts is no easy challenge, but indispensable for democracy. As Jefferson said, "Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."

So -- should editors “fact-check” cartoons?

Interestingly, Washington State’s Supreme Court struck down the state’s “truth-in-political-advertising” law in 1998, saying: “Instead of relying on the State to silence false political speech, the First Amendment requires our dependence on even more speech to bring forth truth.”

General Clark said about McCain as POW: “He was a hero to me...and millions of others.” I am thankful for opportunities for “even more speech” in our free American press -- firsthand transcripts, full videos, sites like FactCheck.org, Herald-Sun’s Letters -- and hope Huffaker can offer his viewpoint.

Election '08 - the Rev. Jeremiah Wright

May 1, 2008
To the Editor [area newspaper]:

I believe the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is a prophet out of the tradition of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Amos. They were known for harsh rhetoric, too: the earlier Jeremiah was accused of treason and thrown into a well; Isaiah, tradition has it, was sawn in two. None of us likes to have our errors spoken of, but Rev. Wright speaks of ours, whatever our shade of skin. Like the prophets of old, he likewise calls for transformation and reconciliation, a term I count 17 times in his prepared remarks at the National Press Club.

I recommend we all read a transcript from the Press Club -- and watch the whole 9/11 sermon, in which he was urging us to respond to 9/11 in a way different from Psalm 137, which revengefully speaks of dashing one's enemies' babies' heads against the rocks -- lashing out, not caring what innocents get hurt. Instead, Wright says, he was hearing from God that these first days are a time of self-examination, starting with himself.

I grant, Rev. Wright does not speak in the measured tones of diplomacy, nor did his forebears -- but I believe he is correct that he stands in the prophetic theological tradition, and we will benefit from his invitations to transformation and reconciliation.


Former chaplain in long-term care