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Tag Archives: voting

LIBERTY

04 Monday Jul 2016

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

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America, freedom, liberty, morality, voting

It has been said that “liberty, without wisdom, is license.” A powerful remark when one thinks about it. In what sort of way is the remark powerful? Think about it along these lines. We live in a country where freedom is the norm for each of us; yet, this freedom is not absolute. If it were, then each of us could do what is desired at no risk of arrest or imprisonment. Thus, our freedom has limitations. These limitations, however, are necessary for a civil society, and thoughtful people can easily see the rational and wisdom of this.

The limitations that are placed on society have their origin in one of two sources. They are from God or man. Consider the limitations placed on man (society) by God. First, man’s moral makeup is such that there are certain behaviors that are absolutely wrong at any time and in any context. Murder, for instance. Since murder is the taking of innocent life (or unlawful killing with malice as a motivation), there is never a time in which it is morally warranted to take the innocent life of another person. This is why abortion is an inherent evil. Consider another illustration. Adultery. Adultery is willful (voluntary) sexual intercourse of one with another not his/her spouse. When a man and a woman marry, there exist an implied trust between them both. When a man gives himself to his wife, she trusts him to be loyal to her and to no other. When that trust is broken, then the sabotage of the marriage, if not already completed, has a jump start toward completion. Thus, from the vantage point of God, man has placed on him a limitation. The value of this is obvious to any who think on it.

Consider the limitations placed on civil society by man. If God is not the source of liberty, then man determines what it is that can and ought to be done. With regard to the two previous examples (murder, adultery), it cannot be objectively established that either is morally wrong. We have seen this readily in the last half-century. Many in society have jettisoned God and all things righteous and moral from the local community, even including the larger community. Consequently, we have no earthly idea (as a people) what is right and what is wrong. In this there is no liberty, only confusion.

A perfect illustration of this is the current immoral behavior of transgenderism, especially as our current president and those who think as he does have been promoting it. Transgenderism is a choice between two ways of thinking: natural, unnatural – a lot like homosexual marriage. Unnatural behavior is self-defeating, that is, it can’t procreate, but results in extinction. Neither can it defend itself in a moral universe, not only because it is self-defeating, but also because the moral compass of man is the origin of its morality. What this means is this: man’s moral base has no more of a substantive foundation than his “I thinks.” What is moral today will be considered immoral tomorrow—by the same source.

In our freedom loving country we have liberty, but our liberties are eroded with people in political power who are more loyal to partisan parties than to anything originating with the Lord. No Christian should support such a way of thinking. Paul said in Romans, “Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them” (Romans 1:32, ESV). On a practical level, no Christian can escape their contribution to an immoral society who vote/support such behavior. What about in regards to eternity? RT

 

HE HAS PREPARED US

26 Thursday Dec 2013

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

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armor, battle, Ephesians, fight, morality, satan, voting

                Earlier this week a brother posted a link on Facebook concerning the aggressive nature of Satan’s forces standing opposed to the Lord’s way. Not long before that post on Facebook I received an email concerning the current administration leading us headlong into the future with leaders standing up for immorality. Thursday’s newspaper had a lead news piece and picture concerning homosexual marriage and, finally, a lead news item was that a current television star (on the A&E channel) was suspended because of his remarks in relation to homosexuality and hell.

Joshua said to the men: “Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the LORD” (Joshua 6:7). Thinking about the above paragraph in relation to the words in Joshua, I can’t help but to think about what the Lord said with regard to the armor we are to have on. In part, Paul said this: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:11-13, NKJV).

By the sheer size and force of Satan’s army, the fight ahead of us is monumental, but it’s a fight with which we must be engaged. It is terribly unfortunate (evil) when Christians engage in support of such evil via ignorance and the ballot box (a vote for Satan, not the Lord). Christians must be engaged in this battle; it’s the Lord’s charge and to not be is to be in support of that which the Lord opposes. Be sure, therefore, you are properly armed to face a foe you have no prayer of successfully opposing on your own—you need the Lord. He has prepared us for this battle. RT

What’s Important?

26 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

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morality, politics, voting

Letter to Editor,

I was glad to read the perspectives last week by a representative of the democrats and a representative of the republicans.

Jan Braden, as a representative of the democrats, spoke in generalities about what their party can do to support the middle-class, sharing with us notable democrat leaders of the past with what they have done, and the government’s role in collegiate education. Though Jan may not be in agreement with the national party in all respects (there is agreement with most of what they stand for), Jan thinks what the republicans stand for ought to scare you. The piece closes with an exhortation to all of us to vote.

Dave McCabe, as a representative of the republican position, puts emphasis upon the founding documents of our country, and maintains that the best form of government is left with the states, not the federal government. He illustrates this with two vehicles, one traveling 65 mph (the federal government’s revenue speed), and the other at 5,700 mph (the federal government’s spending speed). The latter will crash shortly. He closes his piece with an exhortation to each of us to vote as well.

It’s is not likely that any particular person will be in agreement with all that the national party of which they are affiliated stands for. I am a conservative man; I have chosen to be that way based on a number of factors. Being conservative, however, does not align me with one party or the other – though, admittedly, I am going to be closer to one than the other. That said, however, I am an independent. I vote issues, not political affiliations.

I am opposed to the murder of innocent children in the womb; thus, I will never knowingly support a candidate that believes in the public policy of doing so (also known as abortion). Moreover, I will never compromise, knowingly, what the Lord said about the sanctity of marriage. Marriage is one man with one woman for life; as the saying goes, God did not join together “Adam and Steve.” These are two hot-button issues in our political discourse, but they need not be the only hot-button issues.

Morality plays an important role in governing. John Adams once said: “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion…Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” (10/11/1798; referenced in America’s God and Country, pages 10-11).

The moral debauchery of society is apparent: many heterosexual unions are not tied together by marriage; drinking and getting drunk is promoted by the alcohol industry and local venders; some people in the business community make it a point to not serve the customer, but get an upper hand on him; greed, lying, stealing, manipulation, and the list goes on and on.

When you vote – what do you consider to be important?

Printed 10/24/2012)

Approving Things Not of God

01 Wednesday Sep 2010

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

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morality, politics, voting

In our secular society, there is a mighty struggle with the voting-block. That struggle consists of those who support godliness and those who oppose. This oversimplification of the categories suggests, nonetheless, where a problem lies. In the media we hear reports that some on the “radical right” want to take us back to a time when there were “morality police.” The people on the “godless left” want to take us into an arena of moral debauchery that Rome, of many years ago, had sown to its own destruction.

It is interesting to note that in Scripture the Lord had condemned many things, and though many things were condemned, it is also worth noting that He condemned those who supported those many condemned things. “Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32, NET). This is stated in a context where the Lord gave up on those who know and practice such evil things. Consequently, it is fair to say that the Lord gives up on both (be sure to read thecontext)!

An interesting question that arises from such a remark is how is it that one supports such things? One can support such evil activities by engaging in them. This we know and no further comment is needed. However, unbeknownst to many people is the fact that one can support such evil activities by promoting those who support the practice. Some of the people who believe such things believe they are the enlightened ones living in an enlightened society, not encumbered by “traditional morality” of the past. They have come to accept a “new” morality, a morality that is judged by the person, not an all-powerful God that condemns (or saves) for all eternity. In fact, this “new” morality is supported by a god of one’s own making. This is our current political environment.

Do you support Democrat or Republican? Do you support Christian or not Christian? Do you support Secular Progressivism (liberals), Don’t Know (moderates), or Traditionalists (conservatives)? On such thoughts as I have expressed, this is where I get into the most trouble; but be that as it may, let us state it plainly.

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