A Christian pro-family group readily acknowledged Sen. Barack Obama’s star status, but pointed out that the Democratic presidential candidate is still not that far ahead of Republican John McCain in election polls.
“Let’s face it. Barack Obama has the election to win or lose. He is the rock star of presidential candidates, by all rights he should be way ahead of John McCain,” said Tom Minnery, Focus on the Family Action’s senior vice president of government and public policy, in a special webcast on Wednesday.
“You would think Obama would be farther ahead but he’s not. He’s barely tied with John McCain and I think that is something for the Democrats to sweat,” he noted.
The latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update shows Obama at 46 percent and McCain 44 percent for the general election, giving him only a lean two percent lead on his Republican rival. The poll was taken based on a three-day average of national registered voters between Aug. 3 and 5.
The conservative public policy expert suggested that the energy issue, particularly off-shore drilling, is a key factor in getting voters on McCain’s side.
Republicans and Democrats are currently in a bitter conflict over the issue of off-shore drilling. Republican representatives are refusing to leave the Capitol and demanding a vote on allowing off-shore drilling to offset high oil prices despite House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)’s adjournment of the House.
McCain, like fellow Republicans, supports off-shore drilling, but only if the state governor also approves. Obama, meanwhile, has switched from being against the activity to recently saying he is open to some offshore drilling.
During Wednesday’s webcast, guest Bishop Harry Jackson, an African-American church leader and chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, urged voters to look carefully at each candidate’s stance on energy, state marriage amendment, hate crimes legislation, fairness doctrine, and abortion before making their presidential pick.
The pro-life leader advised values voters to look beyond appealing rhetoric and at candidates’ stance on issues.
Jackson, who is a registered Democrat, says he hopes to present to his Obama-leaning black congregation in the Washington, D.C.-area the issue of life in an upcoming event and urge them to carefully consider where the candidates stand on this moral matter.
“[T]here are certain policies that will attract the blessing of God on the nation and you don’t have to be a genius to understand that the nation is not blessed now and we’re under pressure,” Jackson said to the FOTF Action host.
“[W]hat has to happen is we have to align ourselves with the Word of God,” he prescribed.
During the Q&A segment of the program, a viewer brought up FOTF founder Dr. James Dobson’s recent comments stating that he might endorse McCain despite claiming earlier that he would rather stay home than vote for the Arizona senator. The viewer requested an explanation on Dobson’s “flip-flop.”
“Any election is not a choice about one person, for example, is John McCain good enough or not good enough to merit a person’s vote,” top FOTF policy official Tom Minnery responded. “The question is a choice between two – who is a better choice.”
Over time, Dobson and FOTF staff have “gradually understood” Obama to be a “fundamental left-wing” and McCain, as a result, “comes off the better in that equation,” he explained.
“Dr. Dobson gave the surprising statement that he isn’t endorsing John McCain but he might, given that where he (McCain) stands on certain very important issue such as judicial selection, selection of judges, is a whole lot better than where Sen. Obama would take the country by his appointment to federal courts. So that is what led Dr. Dobson to the point where he now is,” Minnery said.
The FOTF webcast took place just weeks ahead of the political parties’ national convention. The Democratic National Convention will be held Aug. 25-28 in Denver, while the Republican National Convention will be held Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis.
Comments
But you are right about one thing. I'm not Jesus. I am far from perfect, and my failings haunt me. But I don't justify my sin or shortcomings. I get back up, dust myself off, and say "This time, through His Spirit and by His grace, I will succeed!!" only to fall again. And again, I pick myself up and keep walking. I won't quit trying to attain the image of Christ in my life. I will not stop crucifying my fleshly wants and desires.
I won't wallow in the muck of sin whining "It's too hard! I can't make it!" I'll die trying if I have to. It's too important. It's all or none. It's all of God, or none at all. I won't settle for mediocrity or status quo.
Mike2685,
Jesus never expected anyone to understand Him either. He spoke of spiritual things, which were not easily understood by the carnally minded. He even spoke in parables to help people understand, but many were so carnally minded that they still couldn't grasp the message. Even His own disciples had that problem.
A letter to God.
Dear Father , how i have asked for many years for a cure for cancer, and Aids, and Diseases of all kinds. How i have begged night after night for help on Famine and Drought. How i have asked for Righteous leaders to stand up for you and bring our Nation to you and away from UnRighteousness. Why O Lord have you not helped and heard my crys??
Dear Son i have sent help many times, in 1977 i sent one who would one day grow up to be a Doctor and cure all Cancer. But the mother didnt want him, the Precious love i sent in her Womb, and had him killed. Again in 1998 i sent another, Who would be greater than the first and cure both Cancer and Aids and many Diseases, a Woman who's Faith would be Great and do many things in my name. But her mother hated the Child because the Child was seen as a burden and no love was in her heart for her Daughter.
Time and Again i moved on your Prayers and sent help unto you, Famine would have been done away with, new ways to farm would grow enough crops for all the world easily, Drought would have been done away with by purifying salt water , Leaders who in my name would stand on my Sons Word he brought to them, even to giving there lifes when called upon to bring your nation to me.
But when they were being killed where were you?
i understand prophet, not coming down on you, we just need to be the hands, feet, and voice of Christ. and i am honest, i fall short continually, but i try, and i am thankful that the spirit of Christ in me shows me this. you are very well versed in scripture, and mike 2685, i hope you sincerely seek the truth, remember, knock and the door will be opened
But you're not exactly Jesus, are you? You say something and just expect everyone to understand it.
Jesus got annoyed a few time with even His own disciples at their lack of understanding.
Mikeymike,
I understand your concern for my being "condescending." I'll try to be more tolerant. Like when Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 9:54-55 "54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of."
Or when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about salvation? And he said "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"
I wasn't being condescending. Just making an observation.
I'm not sure I should be telling you this, but I experienced the rapture before the rapture. There was a woman I fell in love with by accident. I say by accident because I didn't know she was married. The story is too long for me to get into all the specifics. I invited her and her husband(my boss/office manager) to a restaurant/bar for a employee who was leaving. Only the woman showed up. I had half a beer, but because I never drink, I was buzzed. I'm seated right next to her and leaning in I could see how perfectly her teeth and mouth were made. It made me want to kiss her. Because my love and fear of the Lord is greater I pulled away and she begged me stay three times. The third time she shouted "PLEASE DON'T GO" I subsequently saw the crucified head of Christ descend into her head and felt a love so powerful that it would be almost impossible to describe. It cracked open something at the center of me that spread out and filled me.
a vote for obama is a vote for killing babies, a woman's right to choose- you gotta be kidding me! well we had sex and didnt realize we would get pregnant and well im not ready to be a parent i have other aspirations so i'm just gonna kill the baby. abortion is a sugar coated word for the shedding of innocent blood. maybe the baby should be given the choice to live huh? you know if your mom said she wasnt ready then you wouldnt even be here and get to live, but by the grace of God you are here. womans right to choose, you gotta be kidding me!
prophet, that comment " maybe thats why you have such a hard time w/ the things of the Spirit". being condescending is not Christlike, you may be the only Jesus someone gets to meet
mike 2685- with an open heart, pray to God before you open your bible, the old testament, ask him to speak to your heart, and for him to open your mind, then read isaiah 53. i hope He speaks to your heart. you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free, if you want truth, seek and you shall find, ask and you shall recieve, may God bless you and reveal the truth to you as YOU seek for it.
I'm sorry Mike. I didn't realize I had to explain the Scriptures to you. Maybe that's why you have such a hard time with the things of the Spirit. Next time I'll explain it, even if I think it's obvious.
Prophet, I want more than just scripture, that's not what I have a problem with! You post it and then said "that should suffice," and when I said it didn't you got indignant. Post scripture, but then explain how [you believe] that ties into the discussion. Saying "that will suffice" sounds very smug, almost as if "well that should shut him up."
once again: Dear Mike2685:
That is a really pertinent and serious question. I am very glad you've posted it. This is a very big discussion and I will barely do it any justice in this short reply. The plain answer to your question is YES. Anyone who does not accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior has absolutely no place in the Kingdom of Heaven, and will be cast down to Hell. This includes professing Christians too, who are merely Christian by culture or association and not by faith. It doesn't matter how pious or perfect you are, or of what religion you are. The Jews you speak of read the OT which points to Jesus as the Messiah. He has already come, and we await His second coming. When He does return, he will wipe the world clean of its God-hating population, and claim what is His: those who worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
If you would like scriptural proof of this, please let me know. It sounds hard- but it must be known that God is Holy, He is Love, and He is also a Consuming Fire.
Kind regards,
Brother Aaron
Mike, don't fret! I hope you both are forgiving...
Mike, the offer still stands to have this discussion over a few emails... just let me know, and I will post my email address for just enough time that you can copy it down.