An important P.S. to my “Unofficial Poll” email…..
Thanks for reading it! Kerrie
SHARE was founded as a homeschool support group, open to everyone that homeschools, no matter what their beliefs. The majority of families in SHARE are Christians, but all faiths (or non-faiths) and philosophies are welcome. In fact, one reason we started SHARE was to give an alternative to homeschool groups that were becoming more & more "inclusive." We feared those types of groups would destroy the homeschool movement and put people under "judgment." Homeschool groups are not churches. Ed & Cathy Mullins and Pat & I are your homeschool leader volunteers, not pastors or counselors. There are things that we as leaders feel strongly about, but we try to keep the SHARE forum and email loop focused on homeschool/education issues.
There are MANY different opinions in SHARE (and among Christians) about political topics - the 2008 candidates, healthcare, the economy, the war in Iraq, immigration, energy, the environment, etc. There are also lots of different opinions about homeschool/parenting topics - curriculum, teaching philosophies, spanking, dress code, dancing, music, dating, nutrition, dual enrollment, college, movies, video games, etc. SHARE has been a great place to dialogue and learn about other viewpoints. We love and support each other as friends and homeschoolers but sometimes have to "agree to disagree!"
There is one issue that seems to cause more division among us than any other – the topic of abortion, and the rights of the unborn. It is the one thing that is most important to our family during this election. In fact, if someone was the ideal pro-parental rights (pro-homeschooling) candidate, we could not vote for him if he was not also a pro-unborn baby candidate. Let me share why this issue has such a high priority in our family...
My mom was encouraged to have an abortion while carrying me because of taking DES and other anti-miscarriage drugs. My mother-in-law was a young unwed mother when she became pregnant with my husband. My grandmother was also a young unwed mother when she became pregnant with my dad. My doctors wanted me to have abortions with both Tyler and David to save my life and spare them from being born with birth defects (I had a rare pituitary tumor with many complications). My best friend and roommate became pregnant and contracted an STD as the result of a violent rape, but chose to keep her baby. My cousin decided not to abort her Down syndrome baby girl when my parents begged to raise her. We babysit Gideon, whose drug-addicted mom had already had 8 (state-funded) abortions before she unexpectedly delivered him, screaming for a partial birth abortion. For years I taught amazing deaf-blind students whose parents had been almost forced to have an abortion. The list could go on and on….
How different the world would’ve been if the women above had had an abortion. Some say I should be defending a women’s right to choose. I just can’t! I think we should be defending the pre-born baby’s right to live. Who speaks for them? Sounds like a pro-life cliché – but did the 48 million babies aborted since Roe v. Wade have a choice? My mother-in-law and grandmother, both pregnant before Roe v. Wade, say they would’ve had the abortion if it had be easier to obtain. I was in college when Roe v. Wade was passed. It was shocking how things changed once abortion was readily available. How many of my friends have been scarred (physically and mentally) by the abortions they had during those years. What would their babies have grown up to be?
I used to keep quiet about my pro-life convictions, afraid to seem judgmental or “right wing.” But one day that all changed – the day one of my good friends had a semi-late term abortion (unsympathetic boyfriend, angry parents and possible loss of an art school scholarship) while another friend delivered her twins prematurely. All babies were at the same gestation and “born” on the same day, and yet in one room at the hospital they were killing a baby, and in another room they were trying to save babies. It was like a horrific science fiction movie!
We are involved in an American history homeschool co-op that has been discussing the horrors of slavery and how it was allowed to take place in our county. It has been heart-wrenching to read about that time in our country’s history. Why was human life so de-valued and the African Americans (and Native Americans & others) treated so cruelly…even by Christians? What a shameful part of our past. The students have asked – isn’t the issue of abortion going to polarize our country just as the issue of slavery did? Isn’t it even a more important human rights issue? Through abortion, aren’t we devaluing human life just as we did back then? They wonder why more African Americans don’t speak out against abortion, since their babies are a large percentage of the ones being aborted each day. My son Dave (one of the sons they wanted me to abort) just told me that it is estimated that 645,000 African American slaves were first brought to the United States from 1600-1800. By 1860, the census recorded 4 million slaves in the U.S. He wonders how many of the 48 million babies (aborted since Roe v. Wade was passed in 1973) were African American? Sadly, it is a lot more than 4 million!
I was just reading my son Tyler’s posts about “the rights of the unborn” on Facebook.(one of the other sons the doctors said I should abort) He is in his first year of medical school at UAB, studying for genetics, embryology and medical ethics exams. He wonders, as medical technology advances, will we keep changing our definition of when “life” is viable? Does life really begin when a baby can live on its own? If so, shouldn’t a mother be able to kill her 3-month old baby (as Princeton professor Peter Singer believes) if she feels like it? How about someone like 19-year-old Jesse Mullins? Should Cathy have the right to terminate the life of her disabled son? After all, he is dependent on her for his life and would die without her support.
Because of our strong feelings about the rights of the unborn, our family just cannot vote for a candidate – or party – that is “pro-choice.” We don’t like to be “one-issue” voters – but this issue is literally “life and death.” For us, it pales in comparison to all others…even the parental right to homeschool. It doesn’t take a political science major to know which party and candidates make a stand for the rights of the unborn. The Democratic and Republican platforms make it very clear. Barak Obama and John McCain have made it very clear. I guess you can figure out who we will be voting for!
Please forgive me if I’ve offended you by posting this on a homeschool website – but many of you have asked about my views and I would be gutless if I didn’t speak up. I am certainly not trying to judge anyone – I have friends that are strongly pro-choice, have had multiple abortions, and have encouraged their daughters & granddaughters to have abortions (I wonder if their great- granddaughters will find it harder or easier to terminate their unborn babies?). But – in a way this topic does relate to homeschooling. It makes me sad that the same party that wants to restrict our parental rights to homeschool, also wants to restrict the rights of the unborn. PLEASE think about that when you vote on Tuesday.
If you are not sure where the candidates stand on protecting the rights of the unborn, these websites and YouTube videos might be helpful…
http://www.nrlc.org/ National Right to Life – pro-life voting record of candidates and other invaluable info
http://www.missourilife.org/ Missouri Right to Life
www.jillstanek.com/ Website of Illinois nurse and pro-life activist Jill Stanek, who first testified about the Born Alive Infants Protection Act.
http://www.nationalblackprolifeunion.com/African American pro-life organization based n Washington D.C.
http://www.physiciansforlife.org/Physicians pro-life group - good source for reliable statistics
http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/ Info about possible link between abortion and breast cancer
http://www.priestsforlife.org/Lots of info, along with “Portfolio of Aborted Babies” put together by priests and physicians (warning – 100’s of graphic pictures of real aborted babies)
www.democrats.org/agenda.html Democratic Party Platform
www.gop.com/2008Platform Republican Party Platform
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYRpIf2F9NA&feature=related%C2%A0%C2%A0 Jill Stanek talks about Obama and the Illinois Born Alive Infants Protection Act
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mem_xEcZHVY&feature=related McCain & Obama on abortion in 50 seconds - from Saddleback interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xkT_W5l9-k&feature=related Alan Keyes talking about Obama and Infanticide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf0XIRZSTt8&feature=related Obama promising Planned Parenthood that the first thing he'll do as President is sign the FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbZJYWjkAPo&NR=1 Obama says he wouldn't want daughters "punished" with a baby
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Broadway on the Driveway sends this out....
Hello Friends,
Please vote this week first and foremost for life. Our first priority must be to save innocent children. Regardless of our views on the war, economy, healthcare, candidate's personality, etc., protecting a human being's life is far the most important.
Before voting this Tuesday, please listen to Pastor Terry Scheel's message dated November 2, 2008, "The Litmus Test" : http://sermon.net/c/summit/Please note: There are thematic elements in this sermon that are not suitable for children.
Jeremiah 31:15This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more."In the Old Testament we read of child sacrifices and babies being slaughtered. In those days, mothers were weeping at the loss of their children. Today, mothers are fighting for the right to kill their unborn babies.
The Bible tells us life begins at conception:
Psalm 139:13-16 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
"Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little." "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." - Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence
Candidate Concerns
Barack Obama co-sponsored the "Freedom of Choice Act," a bill that would make partial-birth abortion legal again and force taxpayers to pay for abortions.
Barrack Obama has said, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act."
"At what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?"
Obama: "Answering that question is above my pay grade."
Obama voted to block a bill to require an abortionist to notify a parent before performing an abortion on a minor girl from another state.
Obama: "I've got two daughters, 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."
Barack Obama voted 4 times to deny protection to babies born alive after an abortion.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. God bless you as you vote.
Blessings,The Millers
Broadway on the DrivewayP.O. Box 1079Ballwin, MO 63022broadwaydriveway@prodigy.netBroadwayOnTheDriveway.com(636) 541-2813
Please vote this week first and foremost for life. Our first priority must be to save innocent children. Regardless of our views on the war, economy, healthcare, candidate's personality, etc., protecting a human being's life is far the most important.
Before voting this Tuesday, please listen to Pastor Terry Scheel's message dated November 2, 2008, "The Litmus Test" : http://sermon.net/c/summit/Please note: There are thematic elements in this sermon that are not suitable for children.
Jeremiah 31:15This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more."In the Old Testament we read of child sacrifices and babies being slaughtered. In those days, mothers were weeping at the loss of their children. Today, mothers are fighting for the right to kill their unborn babies.
The Bible tells us life begins at conception:
Psalm 139:13-16 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
"Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little." "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." - Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence
Candidate Concerns
Barack Obama co-sponsored the "Freedom of Choice Act," a bill that would make partial-birth abortion legal again and force taxpayers to pay for abortions.
Barrack Obama has said, "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act."
"At what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?"
Obama: "Answering that question is above my pay grade."
Obama voted to block a bill to require an abortionist to notify a parent before performing an abortion on a minor girl from another state.
Obama: "I've got two daughters, 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."
Barack Obama voted 4 times to deny protection to babies born alive after an abortion.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. God bless you as you vote.
Blessings,The Millers
Broadway on the DrivewayP.O. Box 1079Ballwin, MO 63022broadwaydriveway@prodigy.netBroadwayOnTheDriveway.com(636) 541-2813
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Helpful websites from Kerry Messer (our homeschool lobbyist)
Last Minute Election Resources If you still need them.
~ Missouri Family Network ~
Statewide Ballot Questions
Judges
Pro-Life Voters Guide
http://www.missourifamilynetwork.net/
~ Proposition A ~
http://www.votenoona.com/
~ St. Louis Metrovoice Newspaper ~
http://www.metrovoice.net/
~ Party Platform Comparisons ~
http://www.ivotevalues.org/
~ Additional Missouri Resources ~
Missouri Family Policy Council
http://www.missourifamily.org/
Missouri Eagle Forum
http://www.moeagle.org/
~ Presidential Voter Guides ~
American Family Association
http://www.afa.net/pdfs/08VG_print.pdf
- and -
Wallbuilders
http://www.wallbuilders.com/downloads/newsletter/VotersGuide.pdf
Special Reminders
Missouri Family Network ~ Voter’s Guide
November 4, 2008 Missouri General Election
Official English? Infrastructure Bonds?
Casino Expansion? Political Payback? Green Mandates?
GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT QUESTIONS
A Conservative Analysis Of All Five Statewide Ballot Questions!
November 4th, 2008
There are 5 statewide ballot questions on the November 4, 2008 Missouri General Election ballot.
Two are proposed Constitutional Amendments and three are Propositions to change state statutes.
Missouri Family Network endorses the following votes:
Constitutional Amendment 1 English as the Official Language Vote YES
Constitutional Amendment 4 Stormwater Infrastructure Bonds Vote YES
Proposition A Casino Expansion With More False Promises Vote NO
Proposition B Political Payback Threatens Home Healthcare Vote NO
Proposition C Green Mandates Threaten All Utility Services Vote NO
For an analysis of each of the five statewide ballot questions visit
www.MissouriFamilyNetwork.net
Each question is analyzed according to the actual text of the proposed Amendment or Proposition,
not just the summary question (which is all you will see in the voting booth).
To view the full text of any of these measures, please go to the official
web site of the Elections Division of the Missouri Secretary of State's Office:http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2008ballot/
~ Missouri Family Network ~
Statewide Ballot Questions
Judges
Pro-Life Voters Guide
http://www.missourifamilynetwork.net/
~ Proposition A ~
http://www.votenoona.com/
~ St. Louis Metrovoice Newspaper ~
http://www.metrovoice.net/
~ Party Platform Comparisons ~
http://www.ivotevalues.org/
~ Additional Missouri Resources ~
Missouri Family Policy Council
http://www.missourifamily.org/
Missouri Eagle Forum
http://www.moeagle.org/
~ Presidential Voter Guides ~
American Family Association
http://www.afa.net/pdfs/08VG_print.pdf
- and -
Wallbuilders
http://www.wallbuilders.com/downloads/newsletter/VotersGuide.pdf
Special Reminders
Missouri Family Network ~ Voter’s Guide
November 4, 2008 Missouri General Election
Official English? Infrastructure Bonds?
Casino Expansion? Political Payback? Green Mandates?
GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT QUESTIONS
A Conservative Analysis Of All Five Statewide Ballot Questions!
November 4th, 2008
There are 5 statewide ballot questions on the November 4, 2008 Missouri General Election ballot.
Two are proposed Constitutional Amendments and three are Propositions to change state statutes.
Missouri Family Network endorses the following votes:
Constitutional Amendment 1 English as the Official Language Vote YES
Constitutional Amendment 4 Stormwater Infrastructure Bonds Vote YES
Proposition A Casino Expansion With More False Promises Vote NO
Proposition B Political Payback Threatens Home Healthcare Vote NO
Proposition C Green Mandates Threaten All Utility Services Vote NO
For an analysis of each of the five statewide ballot questions visit
www.MissouriFamilyNetwork.net
Each question is analyzed according to the actual text of the proposed Amendment or Proposition,
not just the summary question (which is all you will see in the voting booth).
To view the full text of any of these measures, please go to the official
web site of the Elections Division of the Missouri Secretary of State's Office:http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2008ballot/
This says it all....forwarded from Mary Kay Fulton
Michael Master reports -- you decide.
I know that many of you are sick and tired of all this political stuff, read but if you read just one more thing between now and next month's election, I urge you to the following editorial. I don't know who 'Michael Masters' is or what he does, but he does write cogently and well. A Google search turns up a Michael Masters who is a lawyer in Philadelphia, but he may not be the author of this open letter. There is a 'Michael C. Masters' who lives in McLean, VA. I presume, but do not know, for sure, that he is the author. However, he didn't show up in any Google searches that I conducted, so I guess he isn't 'notorious' enough to be found. I did NOT locate anything on him in Snopes either. I look at that as a good thing, however. On the surface, that suggests he is just another citizen like the rest of us and has no particular ax to grind. However, he HAS done his homework before writing this editorial.
To Barack Hussein Obama,
The New York Times carried a story on Saturday, October 4, 2008, that proved you had a significantly closer relationship with Bill Ayers than what you previously admitted. While the issue of your relationship is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about it.
The Chicago Sun reported on May 8, 2008, that FBI records showed that you had a significantly closer relationship with Tony Rezko than what you previously admitted. In the interview, you said that you only saw Mr. Rezko a couple of times a year. The FBI files showed that you saw him weekly. While the issue of your relationship is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about it.
Your speech in Philadelphia on March 18, 2008, about 'race' contradicted your statement to Anderson Cooper on March 14 when you said that you never heard Reverend Wright make his negative statements about white America. While your attendance at Trinity Church for 20 years is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America on March 14.
In your 1st debate with John McCain, you said that you never said that you would meet with the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and North Korea without 'preparations' at lower levels ... Joe Biden repeated your words in his debate with Sarah Palin ... while the video tape from your debate last February clearly shows that you answered 'I would' to the question of meeting with those leaders within 12 months without 'any' preconditions. While your judgment about meeting with enemies of the USA without pre-conditions is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America in the debate with McCain.
On July 14, 2008, you said that you always knew that the surge would work while the video tapes of you from more than a year ago show that you stated that the surge would not work. While your judgment about military strategy as a potential commander-in-chief is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America on July 14.
You now claim that your reason for voting against funding for the troops was because the bill did not include a time line for withdrawal, while the video tapes of you from more than a year ago show that you voted against additional funding because you wanted our troops to be removed immediately ... not in 16 months after the 2008 election as you now claim. While your judgment about removing our troops unilaterally in 2007 is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about your previous position.
You claim to have a record of working with Republicans while the record shows that the only bill that you sponsored with a Republican was with Chuck Lugar ... and it failed. The record shows that you vote 97% in concert with the Democrat party and that you have the most liberal voting record in the Senate. You joined Republicans only 13% of the time in your votes and those 13% were only after agreement from the Democrat party. While it is of concern that you fail to include conservativ es in your actions and that you are such a liberal, the greater concern is that you distorted the truth.
In the primary debates of last February, 2008, you claimed to have talked with a 'Captain' of a platoon in Afghanistan 'the other day' when in fact you had a discussion in 2003 with a Lieutenant who had just been deployed to Afghanistan. You lied in that debate.
In your debates last spring, you claimed to have been a 'professor of Constitutional law' when in fact you have never been a professor of Constitutional law. In this last debate, you were careful to say that you 'taught a law c lass' and never mentioned being a 'professor of Constitutional law.' You lied last spring.
You and Joe Biden both claimed that John McCain voted against additional funding for our troops when the actual records show the opposite. You distorted the truth.
You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted against funding for alternate energy sources 20 times when the record shows that John McCain specifically voted against funding for bio fuels, especially corn .. and he was right .... corn is too expensive at producing ethanol, and using corn to make ethanol increased the price of corn from $2 a bushel to $6 a bushel for food. You distorted the truth.
You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted like both of you for a tax increase on those making as little as $42,000 per year while the voting record clearly shows that John McCain did not vote as you and Joe Biden. You lied to America.
You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time when you know that Democrats also vote 90% of the time with the President (including Joe Biden) because the vast majority of the votes are procedural. You are one of the few who has not voted 90% of the time with the president because you have been missing from the Senate since the day you got elected. While your absence from your job in the Senate is of concern, the greater concern is that you spin the facts.
Y ou did not take an active role in the rescue plan. You claimed that the Senate did not need you while the real reason that you abstained was because of your close relationships with the executives of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Countrywide, and Acorn ... who all helped cause the financial problems of today ... and they all made major contributions to your campaign. While your relationship with these executives and your protection of them for your brief 3 years in the Senate (along with Barney Frank, Chuck Schumer, Maxine Waters, and Chris Dodd) is of concern, the greater concern is that you are being deceitful.
You forgot to mention that you personally represented Tony Rezko and Acorn. Tony Rezko, an Arab and close friend to you, was convicted of fraud in Chicago real estate transactions that bilked millions of tax dollars from the Illinois government for renovation projects that you sponsored as a state senator ... and Acorn has been convicted of voter fraud, real estate sub prime loan intimidation, and illegal campaign contributions. Tony Rezko has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to your political campaigns. You personally used your political positions to steer money to both Tony Rezko and Acorn and you used Acorn to register thousands of phony voters for Democrats and you. While your relationships with Rezko and Acorn are of concern, the greater concern is that you omitted important facts about your relationships with them to America.
During your campaign, you said: 'typical white person.' 'They cling to their guns and religion.' 'They will say that I am black.' You played the race card. You tried to label any criticism about you as racist. You divide America.
You claim that you will reduce taxes for 95% of America, but you forgot to tell America that those reductions are after you remove the Bush tax reductions. You have requested close to $1 billion in earmarks and several million for Acorn. Your social programs will cost America $1 trillion per year and you claim that a reduction in military spending ($100 billion for Iraq) can pay for it. While your economic plan of adding 30% to the size of our federal government is of concern, the greater concern is that you are deceiving America.
The drain to America's economy by foreign supplied oil is $700 billion per year (5% of GDP) while the war in Iraq is $100 billion (less than 1% of GDP). You voted against any increases to oil exploration for the last 3 years and any expansion of nuclear facilities. Yet today, you say that you have always been for more oil and more nuclear. You are lying to America.
Mr. Obama, you claimed that you 'changed' your mind about public financing for your campaign because of the money spent by Republican PACs in 2004. The truth is that the Democrat PACs in 2004, 2006, and 2008 spent twice as much as the Republican PACs (especially George Soros and MoveOn.org). You are lying to America.
Mr. Obama, you have done nothing to stop the actions of the teachers union and college professors in the USA. They eliminated religion from our history. They teach pro gay agendas and discuss sex with students as young as first grade. They bring their personal politics into the classrooms. They disparage conservatives They brainwash our children. They are in it for themselves ..... not America. Are you reluctant to condemn their actions because teachers/professors and the NEA contribute 25% of all money donated to Democrats and none to Republicans? You are deceiving America.
Oh, Mr. Obama, Teddy Roosevelt said about a hundred years ago that we Americans should first look at the character of our leaders before anything else.
Your character looks horrible. While you make good speeches, motivating speeches, your character does not match your rhetoric. You talk the talk, but do not walk the walk.
1. You lied to America. You lied many times. You distorted facts. You parsed your answers like a lawyer.
2. You distorted the record of John McCain in your words and in your advertisements.
3. You had associations with some very bad people for your personal political gains and then lied about those associations.
4. You divide America about race and about class.
Now let me compare your record of lies, distortions, race baiting, and associations to John McCain: War hero. Annapolis graduate with 'Country first.' Operational leadership experience like all 43 previously elected presidents of the USA as a Navy officer for 22 years. 26 years in the Senate. Straight talk. Maverick. 54% of the time participated on bills with Democrats. Never asked for an earmark. The only blemish on his record is his part in the Keating 5 debacle about 25 years ago.
Mr. Obama, at Harvard Law School, you learned that the end does not justify the means. You learned that perjury, false witness, dishonesty, distortion of truth are never tolerated. Yet, your dishonesty is overwhelming. Your dishonesty is tremendously greater than the dishonesty that caused the impea chment and disbarment of Bill Clinton. Your dishonesty is tremendously greater than the dishonesty of Scooter Libby. You should be ashamed.
Mr. Obama, it is time for us Americans to put aside our differences on political issues and vote against you because of your dishonest character. It is time for all of us Americans to put aside our political issues and vote for America first. It is time for America to vote for honesty.
Any people who vote for you after understanding that you are dishonest should be ashamed of themselves for making their personal political issues more important than character. Would these same people vote for the anti-Christ if the anti-Christ promised them riches? Would they make a golden calf while Moses was up the mountain? Would they hire someone for a job if that someone lied in an interview? Of course not. So why do some of these people justify their votes for you even though they know you are dishonest? Why do they excuse your dishonesty? Because some of these people are frightened about the future, the economy, and their financial security .... and you are preying on their fears with empty promises ... and because some (especially our young people) are consumed by your wonderful style and promises for 'change' like the Germans who voted for Adolf Hitler in 1932. The greed/envy by Germans in 1932 kept them from recognizing Hitler for who he was. They loved his style. Greed and envy are keeping many Americans from recognizing you .. your style has camouflaged your dishonesty .... but many of us see you for who you really are ... and we will not stop exposing who you are every day, forever if it is necessary.
Mr. Obama, you are dishonest. Anyone who votes for you is enabling dishonesty.
Mr. Obama, America cannot trust that you will put America first in your decisions about the future.
Mr. Obama, you are not the 'change' that America deserves. We cannot trust you.
Mr. Obama, You are not ready and not fit to be commander-in-chief.
Mr. Obama, John McCain does not have as much money as your campaign to refute all of your false statements. And for whatever reasons, the mainstream media will not give adequate coverage or research about your lies, distortions, word parsing, bad associations, race baiting, lack of operational leadership experience, and generally dishonest character. The media is diverting our attention from your relationships and ignoring the fact that you lied about those relationships. The fact that you lied is much more important than the relationships themselves .... just like with Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon ... Monica Lewinski and Watergate were not nearly as bad as the fact that those men lied about the events ... false witness ... perjury .. your relationships and bad judgements are bad on their own .... but your lies are even worse.
Therefore, by copy of this memo, all who read this memo are asked to send it to everyone else in America before it is too late. We need to do the job that the media will not do. We need to expose your dishonesty so that every person in America understands who you really are before election day.
Mr. Obama, in a democracy, we get what we deserve. And God help America if we deserve you.
Michael MasterMcLean, Virginia
I know that many of you are sick and tired of all this political stuff, read but if you read just one more thing between now and next month's election, I urge you to the following editorial. I don't know who 'Michael Masters' is or what he does, but he does write cogently and well. A Google search turns up a Michael Masters who is a lawyer in Philadelphia, but he may not be the author of this open letter. There is a 'Michael C. Masters' who lives in McLean, VA. I presume, but do not know, for sure, that he is the author. However, he didn't show up in any Google searches that I conducted, so I guess he isn't 'notorious' enough to be found. I did NOT locate anything on him in Snopes either. I look at that as a good thing, however. On the surface, that suggests he is just another citizen like the rest of us and has no particular ax to grind. However, he HAS done his homework before writing this editorial.
To Barack Hussein Obama,
The New York Times carried a story on Saturday, October 4, 2008, that proved you had a significantly closer relationship with Bill Ayers than what you previously admitted. While the issue of your relationship is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about it.
The Chicago Sun reported on May 8, 2008, that FBI records showed that you had a significantly closer relationship with Tony Rezko than what you previously admitted. In the interview, you said that you only saw Mr. Rezko a couple of times a year. The FBI files showed that you saw him weekly. While the issue of your relationship is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about it.
Your speech in Philadelphia on March 18, 2008, about 'race' contradicted your statement to Anderson Cooper on March 14 when you said that you never heard Reverend Wright make his negative statements about white America. While your attendance at Trinity Church for 20 years is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America on March 14.
In your 1st debate with John McCain, you said that you never said that you would meet with the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and North Korea without 'preparations' at lower levels ... Joe Biden repeated your words in his debate with Sarah Palin ... while the video tape from your debate last February clearly shows that you answered 'I would' to the question of meeting with those leaders within 12 months without 'any' preconditions. While your judgment about meeting with enemies of the USA without pre-conditions is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America in the debate with McCain.
On July 14, 2008, you said that you always knew that the surge would work while the video tapes of you from more than a year ago show that you stated that the surge would not work. While your judgment about military strategy as a potential commander-in-chief is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America on July 14.
You now claim that your reason for voting against funding for the troops was because the bill did not include a time line for withdrawal, while the video tapes of you from more than a year ago show that you voted against additional funding because you wanted our troops to be removed immediately ... not in 16 months after the 2008 election as you now claim. While your judgment about removing our troops unilaterally in 2007 is of concern, the greater concern is that you lied to America about your previous position.
You claim to have a record of working with Republicans while the record shows that the only bill that you sponsored with a Republican was with Chuck Lugar ... and it failed. The record shows that you vote 97% in concert with the Democrat party and that you have the most liberal voting record in the Senate. You joined Republicans only 13% of the time in your votes and those 13% were only after agreement from the Democrat party. While it is of concern that you fail to include conservativ es in your actions and that you are such a liberal, the greater concern is that you distorted the truth.
In the primary debates of last February, 2008, you claimed to have talked with a 'Captain' of a platoon in Afghanistan 'the other day' when in fact you had a discussion in 2003 with a Lieutenant who had just been deployed to Afghanistan. You lied in that debate.
In your debates last spring, you claimed to have been a 'professor of Constitutional law' when in fact you have never been a professor of Constitutional law. In this last debate, you were careful to say that you 'taught a law c lass' and never mentioned being a 'professor of Constitutional law.' You lied last spring.
You and Joe Biden both claimed that John McCain voted against additional funding for our troops when the actual records show the opposite. You distorted the truth.
You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted against funding for alternate energy sources 20 times when the record shows that John McCain specifically voted against funding for bio fuels, especially corn .. and he was right .... corn is too expensive at producing ethanol, and using corn to make ethanol increased the price of corn from $2 a bushel to $6 a bushel for food. You distorted the truth.
You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted like both of you for a tax increase on those making as little as $42,000 per year while the voting record clearly shows that John McCain did not vote as you and Joe Biden. You lied to America.
You and Joe Biden claim that John McCain voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time when you know that Democrats also vote 90% of the time with the President (including Joe Biden) because the vast majority of the votes are procedural. You are one of the few who has not voted 90% of the time with the president because you have been missing from the Senate since the day you got elected. While your absence from your job in the Senate is of concern, the greater concern is that you spin the facts.
Y ou did not take an active role in the rescue plan. You claimed that the Senate did not need you while the real reason that you abstained was because of your close relationships with the executives of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Countrywide, and Acorn ... who all helped cause the financial problems of today ... and they all made major contributions to your campaign. While your relationship with these executives and your protection of them for your brief 3 years in the Senate (along with Barney Frank, Chuck Schumer, Maxine Waters, and Chris Dodd) is of concern, the greater concern is that you are being deceitful.
You forgot to mention that you personally represented Tony Rezko and Acorn. Tony Rezko, an Arab and close friend to you, was convicted of fraud in Chicago real estate transactions that bilked millions of tax dollars from the Illinois government for renovation projects that you sponsored as a state senator ... and Acorn has been convicted of voter fraud, real estate sub prime loan intimidation, and illegal campaign contributions. Tony Rezko has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to your political campaigns. You personally used your political positions to steer money to both Tony Rezko and Acorn and you used Acorn to register thousands of phony voters for Democrats and you. While your relationships with Rezko and Acorn are of concern, the greater concern is that you omitted important facts about your relationships with them to America.
During your campaign, you said: 'typical white person.' 'They cling to their guns and religion.' 'They will say that I am black.' You played the race card. You tried to label any criticism about you as racist. You divide America.
You claim that you will reduce taxes for 95% of America, but you forgot to tell America that those reductions are after you remove the Bush tax reductions. You have requested close to $1 billion in earmarks and several million for Acorn. Your social programs will cost America $1 trillion per year and you claim that a reduction in military spending ($100 billion for Iraq) can pay for it. While your economic plan of adding 30% to the size of our federal government is of concern, the greater concern is that you are deceiving America.
The drain to America's economy by foreign supplied oil is $700 billion per year (5% of GDP) while the war in Iraq is $100 billion (less than 1% of GDP). You voted against any increases to oil exploration for the last 3 years and any expansion of nuclear facilities. Yet today, you say that you have always been for more oil and more nuclear. You are lying to America.
Mr. Obama, you claimed that you 'changed' your mind about public financing for your campaign because of the money spent by Republican PACs in 2004. The truth is that the Democrat PACs in 2004, 2006, and 2008 spent twice as much as the Republican PACs (especially George Soros and MoveOn.org). You are lying to America.
Mr. Obama, you have done nothing to stop the actions of the teachers union and college professors in the USA. They eliminated religion from our history. They teach pro gay agendas and discuss sex with students as young as first grade. They bring their personal politics into the classrooms. They disparage conservatives They brainwash our children. They are in it for themselves ..... not America. Are you reluctant to condemn their actions because teachers/professors and the NEA contribute 25% of all money donated to Democrats and none to Republicans? You are deceiving America.
Oh, Mr. Obama, Teddy Roosevelt said about a hundred years ago that we Americans should first look at the character of our leaders before anything else.
Your character looks horrible. While you make good speeches, motivating speeches, your character does not match your rhetoric. You talk the talk, but do not walk the walk.
1. You lied to America. You lied many times. You distorted facts. You parsed your answers like a lawyer.
2. You distorted the record of John McCain in your words and in your advertisements.
3. You had associations with some very bad people for your personal political gains and then lied about those associations.
4. You divide America about race and about class.
Now let me compare your record of lies, distortions, race baiting, and associations to John McCain: War hero. Annapolis graduate with 'Country first.' Operational leadership experience like all 43 previously elected presidents of the USA as a Navy officer for 22 years. 26 years in the Senate. Straight talk. Maverick. 54% of the time participated on bills with Democrats. Never asked for an earmark. The only blemish on his record is his part in the Keating 5 debacle about 25 years ago.
Mr. Obama, at Harvard Law School, you learned that the end does not justify the means. You learned that perjury, false witness, dishonesty, distortion of truth are never tolerated. Yet, your dishonesty is overwhelming. Your dishonesty is tremendously greater than the dishonesty that caused the impea chment and disbarment of Bill Clinton. Your dishonesty is tremendously greater than the dishonesty of Scooter Libby. You should be ashamed.
Mr. Obama, it is time for us Americans to put aside our differences on political issues and vote against you because of your dishonest character. It is time for all of us Americans to put aside our political issues and vote for America first. It is time for America to vote for honesty.
Any people who vote for you after understanding that you are dishonest should be ashamed of themselves for making their personal political issues more important than character. Would these same people vote for the anti-Christ if the anti-Christ promised them riches? Would they make a golden calf while Moses was up the mountain? Would they hire someone for a job if that someone lied in an interview? Of course not. So why do some of these people justify their votes for you even though they know you are dishonest? Why do they excuse your dishonesty? Because some of these people are frightened about the future, the economy, and their financial security .... and you are preying on their fears with empty promises ... and because some (especially our young people) are consumed by your wonderful style and promises for 'change' like the Germans who voted for Adolf Hitler in 1932. The greed/envy by Germans in 1932 kept them from recognizing Hitler for who he was. They loved his style. Greed and envy are keeping many Americans from recognizing you .. your style has camouflaged your dishonesty .... but many of us see you for who you really are ... and we will not stop exposing who you are every day, forever if it is necessary.
Mr. Obama, you are dishonest. Anyone who votes for you is enabling dishonesty.
Mr. Obama, America cannot trust that you will put America first in your decisions about the future.
Mr. Obama, you are not the 'change' that America deserves. We cannot trust you.
Mr. Obama, You are not ready and not fit to be commander-in-chief.
Mr. Obama, John McCain does not have as much money as your campaign to refute all of your false statements. And for whatever reasons, the mainstream media will not give adequate coverage or research about your lies, distortions, word parsing, bad associations, race baiting, lack of operational leadership experience, and generally dishonest character. The media is diverting our attention from your relationships and ignoring the fact that you lied about those relationships. The fact that you lied is much more important than the relationships themselves .... just like with Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon ... Monica Lewinski and Watergate were not nearly as bad as the fact that those men lied about the events ... false witness ... perjury .. your relationships and bad judgements are bad on their own .... but your lies are even worse.
Therefore, by copy of this memo, all who read this memo are asked to send it to everyone else in America before it is too late. We need to do the job that the media will not do. We need to expose your dishonesty so that every person in America understands who you really are before election day.
Mr. Obama, in a democracy, we get what we deserve. And God help America if we deserve you.
Michael MasterMcLean, Virginia
Here's part of something sent by Zandra Martin....
...You may question whether President Bush was the right choice; obviously, he has made some blunders in his tenure as president. But two of his decisions alone left no doubt he was God's choice: Roberts and Alito. These two Supreme Court Justices have proven critical in the process of breaking the hold of humanism, death and anti-God agendas that have ruled the Court for 50 years.. I assure you that more devastation - the shedding of innocent blood, immorality, decay of the family and an erosion of our godly heritage - has flowed into our nation through that institution than any other door in America . Many times more. The poison allowed into America through their decisions is beyond any of our abilities to articulate.
The reality in America is that you don't need to control Congress or the White House to rule the nation. You only need 5 people - 5 out of 9 on the Supreme Court. And for decades those who disagree with just about everything you and I stand for have been in control! In Bush's two terms, the process of turning this around began with the appointments of Roberts and Alito. Now, we win some cases 5-4 and lose some 4-5. (We barely outlawed partial birth abortion. The vote of one judge saved thousands of babies from this horror.) We need one more conservative Justice for a consistent majority, then more to build a strong majority.
In Obama's own words, "the next president will appoint at least one, perhaps two or more Supreme Court Justices." He's right. Almost certainly two or more older, liberal Justices are waiting until after the elections to retire, in hopes of Obama winning and appointing more liberals to replace them. And he certainly would. He voted against the confirmation of Roberts and Alito. So did Biden. And Biden led the fight against Justice Thomas several years back, another of the 4 solid conservatives. Make no mistake about it, the two of them do have a litmus test for Supreme Court Justices, and a major part of that test is Roe vs. Wade.
McCain and Palin, on the other hand, both have very strong pro-life positions. This alone makes the choice for President simple. To vote for the 2nd and 3rd most liberal senators (Obama and Biden), both of whom are firmly and blatantly pro-abortion, would be unconscionable. Obama has actually said that if he wins, he would like his first action as president to be the signing of the Freedom of Choice Act, which would eliminate every other law against any aspect of abortion (partial birth abortion, parental notification, etc., etc.). And with a democratic majority in the House and Senate, pretty much any legislation he and Biden want to pass will be a slam-dunk. There are many other unrighteous positions they hold but this position alone makes the choice easy. If they win this election, it will set America back decades in the cause of life and the restoration we seek.
The reality in America is that you don't need to control Congress or the White House to rule the nation. You only need 5 people - 5 out of 9 on the Supreme Court. And for decades those who disagree with just about everything you and I stand for have been in control! In Bush's two terms, the process of turning this around began with the appointments of Roberts and Alito. Now, we win some cases 5-4 and lose some 4-5. (We barely outlawed partial birth abortion. The vote of one judge saved thousands of babies from this horror.) We need one more conservative Justice for a consistent majority, then more to build a strong majority.
In Obama's own words, "the next president will appoint at least one, perhaps two or more Supreme Court Justices." He's right. Almost certainly two or more older, liberal Justices are waiting until after the elections to retire, in hopes of Obama winning and appointing more liberals to replace them. And he certainly would. He voted against the confirmation of Roberts and Alito. So did Biden. And Biden led the fight against Justice Thomas several years back, another of the 4 solid conservatives. Make no mistake about it, the two of them do have a litmus test for Supreme Court Justices, and a major part of that test is Roe vs. Wade.
McCain and Palin, on the other hand, both have very strong pro-life positions. This alone makes the choice for President simple. To vote for the 2nd and 3rd most liberal senators (Obama and Biden), both of whom are firmly and blatantly pro-abortion, would be unconscionable. Obama has actually said that if he wins, he would like his first action as president to be the signing of the Freedom of Choice Act, which would eliminate every other law against any aspect of abortion (partial birth abortion, parental notification, etc., etc.). And with a democratic majority in the House and Senate, pretty much any legislation he and Biden want to pass will be a slam-dunk. There are many other unrighteous positions they hold but this position alone makes the choice easy. If they win this election, it will set America back decades in the cause of life and the restoration we seek.
From Lance Vodicka, Homeschool Tennis Instructor.....
I am in great disbelief to learn of many misinformed Christians who are in support of the candidate in this upcoming election who promises Good and Change, when his fundamental value is death (ANTI-LIFE)!
Here is the letter that Bishop Robert Hermann has given to us. Very timely and inspirational for Christians.
October 17, 2008
Bishop Hermann: ‘I thought you should know’Judgment Day is on its way
by Bishop Robert J. Hermann, Archdiocesan Administrator
Judgment Day is on its way. We cannot stop it. We don’t know when it will come, but just as surely as the sun rises daily, the Son of Man will come when we least expect.
Judgment Day is on its way. For many, this coming election may very well be judgment day, for this election will measure us. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us in 10:32-33: "Everyone who acknowledges Me before others, I will acknowledge before My heavenly Father. But whoever denies Me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."
Judgment Day is on its way. When my time comes, I will be measured by my Savior for the decisions I have made. I will either be acknowledged by Jesus or denied by Him in the presence of our heavenly Father. The question I need to ask myself is this: What kind of witness will I give to Him when I go into the voting booth this election day?
The decision I make in the voting booth will reflect my value system. If I value the good of the economy and my current lifestyle more than I do the right to life itself, then I am in trouble. Pope John Paul II, in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Christifideles laici tells us: "Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination."
The right of our children to be protected from destruction is greater than my right to a thriving economy. I am living proof of this, since I am here because my parents believed this priority and lived it. My desire for a good economy cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion. My desire to end the war in Iraq cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion.
My parents got married about one year before the stock market crash of 1929, and yet they raised 15 children in the midst of the Great Depression. They had no money. My mother made her own wedding gown and her own bouquet of flowers. I have my parents’ wedding picture on the wall of my office, and I am reminded every day of the sacrifices they made for life.
We had no money, but we had each other! My parents were at home with us for three meals every day. We had plenty to eat because we raised almost all of our food. We seldom got new clothes, but we wore hand-me-downs, unless my mother would buy materials and make our clothes. We lived in poverty, but we learned the value of hard work. We had no running water or electricity. We had no TV, Internet or cell phone. Yet, we were very happy because we had life! We had each other! Today, all 15 children in my family of origin are most grateful for the sacrifices Mom and Dad made so that we could have life. Making sacrifices for each other brought us incredible joy and enhanced our dignity, because it gave us a chance to participate in serving each other!
In an article written by Pope John Paul I, printed in the current issue of Magnificat, the pope reflected on the life of Andrew Carnegie, who wrote: "I was born in poverty ... but I would not exchange the memories of my childhood with those of a millionaire’s children. What do they know of family joys, of the sweet figure of a mother who combines the duties of nurse, washerwoman, cook, teacher, angel and saint?" Does life get any better than this, when gifts of creativity, generosity and faith are nurtured in the midst of poverty? This is the abundant life on this earth, because it is fueled by faith and sacrifice! Perhaps this is not so much poverty as it is faith-filled luxury.
Judgment Day for us is on its way. Those 47 million children our nation destroyed are still living. We have destroyed their bodies, but their souls are still alive. When our Lord comes again, they may very well be there to judge us. Even worse, Jesus tells us that whatever we do to the least of our brethren, we do to Him. We would truly shudder if we heard the words, "I was in my mother’s womb but you took my life!"
It is quite possible that we might see these children, but, depending upon the choices we have made, we may very well be separated from them by a great chasm which cannot be crossed, much as the rich man who ignored Lazarus, the poor man, during his lifetime here on earth but was separated from him after death. The rich man was in flames, but Lazarus was in the bosom of his heavenly Father.
The Catholic Church teaches, in its catechism, in the works of Pope John Paul II and in the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, that the issue of life is the most basic issue and must be given priority over the issue of the economy, the issue of war or any other issue. These same teachings inform us that when both candidates permit the right to abortion, but unequally so, we must chose to mitigate the evil by choosing the candidate who is less permissive of abortion.
Judgment Day is on its way! I may deny it. I may pretend that it is still far away, I may deny that my actions are sinful, but that will not change God’s judgment of me.
The deepest problem with many of our Catholics is that they have become so accustomed to rationalizing away a life of sinful actions so that they seem to be on cruise control, heading in the wrong direction. "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts."
My goal is not to engage you in some political party way but to engage you with our Savior and His teachings. We need to constantly challenge our accustomed behaviors in the light of the Gospel. We may say that we are following our conscience, but are we informing our consciences with the truth about these issues? Cardinal George Pell of Australia has said that we must follow truth and our conscience, but be steeped in truth so that our consciences be rightly formed.
Perhaps having to face these issues during this coming election can turn out to be a grace that truly awakens our need to learn more about the teachings of the Catholic Church, and then to use the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we can receive His mercy and bring our behavior into conformity with the mind and heart of Christ. It is not too late to admit our sinfulness and turn to the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we do this, both we and the heavens will be filled with joy!
Judgment Day is on its way. Pray your way into conformity with the teachings of Christ and His Church. Pray the family Rosary daily between now and Election Day so that you may not only make the right choice but also have the courage to discuss these issues with others who may have been misled by our materialistic culture. Include the candidates in your prayer intentions. It is my hope that our discussions will bring all of us to our knees to seek help from above.
Some more thoughts that are on my heart to share with you:
If you see nothing else of this letter, please watch this YouTube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYRpIf2F9NA&feature=related ; This is the one to see! Jesus is screaming out about this! We cannot allow this to continue in our country and expect God to Bless Us!No wonder we are experiencing problems throughout our country. Are we obeying and supporting God's Laws?
At least 1.1 million babies are killed each year - This is the Holocaust of our Generation.Will we as Christians have a clear conscience when voting in this election?
Here is Obama's stance on Roe v. Wade:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf0XIRZSTt8 ; Wow, How can we support this as Christians?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mem_xEcZHVY&feature=related ; Basic human rights to the baby? Specificity above his pay-grade?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xkT_W5l9-k&feature=related WWJD? Jesus Christ would not vote for Obama.
Here is Obama's stance on the Partial Birth Abortion Ban: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR1RD2-fabA ; Here is the facts.....! We cannot allow this.
There are several other anti-life issues that Obama supports but none compares to his opposition to the Right to Life!Senator Obama is anti-life, pro-abortion! Bottom-line, How can we as Christians support him! It is a contradiction to who Christ is.
Is your vote Through Him, With Him, and In Him?
Let us pray this prayer each day leading up to the Election on November 4th.
Here is the letter that Bishop Robert Hermann has given to us. Very timely and inspirational for Christians.
October 17, 2008
Bishop Hermann: ‘I thought you should know’Judgment Day is on its way
by Bishop Robert J. Hermann, Archdiocesan Administrator
Judgment Day is on its way. We cannot stop it. We don’t know when it will come, but just as surely as the sun rises daily, the Son of Man will come when we least expect.
Judgment Day is on its way. For many, this coming election may very well be judgment day, for this election will measure us. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us in 10:32-33: "Everyone who acknowledges Me before others, I will acknowledge before My heavenly Father. But whoever denies Me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father."
Judgment Day is on its way. When my time comes, I will be measured by my Savior for the decisions I have made. I will either be acknowledged by Jesus or denied by Him in the presence of our heavenly Father. The question I need to ask myself is this: What kind of witness will I give to Him when I go into the voting booth this election day?
The decision I make in the voting booth will reflect my value system. If I value the good of the economy and my current lifestyle more than I do the right to life itself, then I am in trouble. Pope John Paul II, in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Christifideles laici tells us: "Above all, the common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights — for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture — is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination."
The right of our children to be protected from destruction is greater than my right to a thriving economy. I am living proof of this, since I am here because my parents believed this priority and lived it. My desire for a good economy cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion. My desire to end the war in Iraq cannot justify my voting to remove all current restrictions on abortion.
My parents got married about one year before the stock market crash of 1929, and yet they raised 15 children in the midst of the Great Depression. They had no money. My mother made her own wedding gown and her own bouquet of flowers. I have my parents’ wedding picture on the wall of my office, and I am reminded every day of the sacrifices they made for life.
We had no money, but we had each other! My parents were at home with us for three meals every day. We had plenty to eat because we raised almost all of our food. We seldom got new clothes, but we wore hand-me-downs, unless my mother would buy materials and make our clothes. We lived in poverty, but we learned the value of hard work. We had no running water or electricity. We had no TV, Internet or cell phone. Yet, we were very happy because we had life! We had each other! Today, all 15 children in my family of origin are most grateful for the sacrifices Mom and Dad made so that we could have life. Making sacrifices for each other brought us incredible joy and enhanced our dignity, because it gave us a chance to participate in serving each other!
In an article written by Pope John Paul I, printed in the current issue of Magnificat, the pope reflected on the life of Andrew Carnegie, who wrote: "I was born in poverty ... but I would not exchange the memories of my childhood with those of a millionaire’s children. What do they know of family joys, of the sweet figure of a mother who combines the duties of nurse, washerwoman, cook, teacher, angel and saint?" Does life get any better than this, when gifts of creativity, generosity and faith are nurtured in the midst of poverty? This is the abundant life on this earth, because it is fueled by faith and sacrifice! Perhaps this is not so much poverty as it is faith-filled luxury.
Judgment Day for us is on its way. Those 47 million children our nation destroyed are still living. We have destroyed their bodies, but their souls are still alive. When our Lord comes again, they may very well be there to judge us. Even worse, Jesus tells us that whatever we do to the least of our brethren, we do to Him. We would truly shudder if we heard the words, "I was in my mother’s womb but you took my life!"
It is quite possible that we might see these children, but, depending upon the choices we have made, we may very well be separated from them by a great chasm which cannot be crossed, much as the rich man who ignored Lazarus, the poor man, during his lifetime here on earth but was separated from him after death. The rich man was in flames, but Lazarus was in the bosom of his heavenly Father.
The Catholic Church teaches, in its catechism, in the works of Pope John Paul II and in the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, that the issue of life is the most basic issue and must be given priority over the issue of the economy, the issue of war or any other issue. These same teachings inform us that when both candidates permit the right to abortion, but unequally so, we must chose to mitigate the evil by choosing the candidate who is less permissive of abortion.
Judgment Day is on its way! I may deny it. I may pretend that it is still far away, I may deny that my actions are sinful, but that will not change God’s judgment of me.
The deepest problem with many of our Catholics is that they have become so accustomed to rationalizing away a life of sinful actions so that they seem to be on cruise control, heading in the wrong direction. "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts."
My goal is not to engage you in some political party way but to engage you with our Savior and His teachings. We need to constantly challenge our accustomed behaviors in the light of the Gospel. We may say that we are following our conscience, but are we informing our consciences with the truth about these issues? Cardinal George Pell of Australia has said that we must follow truth and our conscience, but be steeped in truth so that our consciences be rightly formed.
Perhaps having to face these issues during this coming election can turn out to be a grace that truly awakens our need to learn more about the teachings of the Catholic Church, and then to use the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we can receive His mercy and bring our behavior into conformity with the mind and heart of Christ. It is not too late to admit our sinfulness and turn to the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we do this, both we and the heavens will be filled with joy!
Judgment Day is on its way. Pray your way into conformity with the teachings of Christ and His Church. Pray the family Rosary daily between now and Election Day so that you may not only make the right choice but also have the courage to discuss these issues with others who may have been misled by our materialistic culture. Include the candidates in your prayer intentions. It is my hope that our discussions will bring all of us to our knees to seek help from above.
Some more thoughts that are on my heart to share with you:
If you see nothing else of this letter, please watch this YouTube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYRpIf2F9NA&feature=related ; This is the one to see! Jesus is screaming out about this! We cannot allow this to continue in our country and expect God to Bless Us!No wonder we are experiencing problems throughout our country. Are we obeying and supporting God's Laws?
At least 1.1 million babies are killed each year - This is the Holocaust of our Generation.Will we as Christians have a clear conscience when voting in this election?
Here is Obama's stance on Roe v. Wade:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf0XIRZSTt8 ; Wow, How can we support this as Christians?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mem_xEcZHVY&feature=related ; Basic human rights to the baby? Specificity above his pay-grade?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xkT_W5l9-k&feature=related WWJD? Jesus Christ would not vote for Obama.
Here is Obama's stance on the Partial Birth Abortion Ban: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR1RD2-fabA ; Here is the facts.....! We cannot allow this.
There are several other anti-life issues that Obama supports but none compares to his opposition to the Right to Life!Senator Obama is anti-life, pro-abortion! Bottom-line, How can we as Christians support him! It is a contradiction to who Christ is.
Is your vote Through Him, With Him, and In Him?
Let us pray this prayer each day leading up to the Election on November 4th.
Just got this from Eric and Karri Maupin....could not agree with them more!
Dear Friends,
We are writing you with love and concern because we cannot in good conscience keep silent any longer
Not being sure just where you stand at this critical time, we are going to risk offending friends and family. We cannot continue for 3 more days and not do what we can to help defeat Barack Obama from becoming our next President.
Straight to the point. We've heard people say, "We're not just a one issue voter." But, if you take that logic . . . What if your candidate said everything you agreed upon on the economy, on health care, on the war in Iraq, on the environment, etc. but he then said, "And I will bring back the white man's right to own slaves." Would not that one issue make you cringe and say, "No, I can't be a part of that, I can't be a part of allowing one person to own another human being." Wouldn't that one issue turn your vote and show what kind of heart that candidate has? LIFE is that one issue! Life is a critical issue and underlies so much of what our nation is and stands for! Our Declaration of Independence says that "we are endowed by by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Would you vote to deny care and protection to babies born alive after an abortion? Barack Obama did. . . 4 times. (see www.nrlc.org)
Barack Obama co-sponsored the "Freedom of Choice Act," a bill that would make partial-birth abortion legal again and force taxpayers to pay for abortions. He has stated that the FIRST thing he will do as president, is to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act. This shows where his heart is, and what he believes is the critical issue. There are many other issues. If you've read this far we challenge you to take the test at www.barackobamatest.com and see if his values/ideology truly line up with yours.
If you agree and your pastor or priest has been silent or weak on this issue there's only a few days left to encourage them to stand up for life. See www.randallterry.com for some hard hitting messages directed to pastors, Christian lay people, and priests about the realities of casting our votes for Obama.
He has also stated that the Supreme Court should be involved in making decisions as to distribution of wealth ---in other words, socialism. He feels that the constitution is a flawed document (his exact words) and should be loosely interpreted by the courts. He will involve them in decisions that involve taxes, income, and other economic problems. This also would involve future supreme and federal court nominees.
He has also said that McCain's charges about his economic policies being "socialism" are not true---he prefers to think of them as "opportunity". More government control will reduce opportunity.
Ultimately, we know that God is in control. He places kings and leaders in their places and uses them for His good purposes. And we love each and every one of you, whether you agree or disagree!! :) But please take the time to consider what we have said and vote your conscience on November 4th! And if you agree, please pass this on to others you feel need to see it.
Thanks for listening and God bless,
The Maupin Family
Dear Friends,
We are writing you with love and concern because we cannot in good conscience keep silent any longer
Not being sure just where you stand at this critical time, we are going to risk offending friends and family. We cannot continue for 3 more days and not do what we can to help defeat Barack Obama from becoming our next President.
Straight to the point. We've heard people say, "We're not just a one issue voter." But, if you take that logic . . . What if your candidate said everything you agreed upon on the economy, on health care, on the war in Iraq, on the environment, etc. but he then said, "And I will bring back the white man's right to own slaves." Would not that one issue make you cringe and say, "No, I can't be a part of that, I can't be a part of allowing one person to own another human being." Wouldn't that one issue turn your vote and show what kind of heart that candidate has? LIFE is that one issue! Life is a critical issue and underlies so much of what our nation is and stands for! Our Declaration of Independence says that "we are endowed by by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among these are LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Would you vote to deny care and protection to babies born alive after an abortion? Barack Obama did. . . 4 times. (see www.nrlc.org)
Barack Obama co-sponsored the "Freedom of Choice Act," a bill that would make partial-birth abortion legal again and force taxpayers to pay for abortions. He has stated that the FIRST thing he will do as president, is to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act. This shows where his heart is, and what he believes is the critical issue. There are many other issues. If you've read this far we challenge you to take the test at www.barackobamatest.com and see if his values/ideology truly line up with yours.
If you agree and your pastor or priest has been silent or weak on this issue there's only a few days left to encourage them to stand up for life. See www.randallterry.com for some hard hitting messages directed to pastors, Christian lay people, and priests about the realities of casting our votes for Obama.
He has also stated that the Supreme Court should be involved in making decisions as to distribution of wealth ---in other words, socialism. He feels that the constitution is a flawed document (his exact words) and should be loosely interpreted by the courts. He will involve them in decisions that involve taxes, income, and other economic problems. This also would involve future supreme and federal court nominees.
He has also said that McCain's charges about his economic policies being "socialism" are not true---he prefers to think of them as "opportunity". More government control will reduce opportunity.
Ultimately, we know that God is in control. He places kings and leaders in their places and uses them for His good purposes. And we love each and every one of you, whether you agree or disagree!! :) But please take the time to consider what we have said and vote your conscience on November 4th! And if you agree, please pass this on to others you feel need to see it.
Thanks for listening and God bless,
The Maupin Family
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