An open letter to the GOP RE: John McCain

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Let me cut to the bottom line – if McCain is the Republican nominee I will not vote for him for the following reasons:

He is not a true conservative and no longer supports traditional Republican (Reagan) principles – he has become a lefty-lite.

He does not support making the Bush tax cuts permanent

McCain-Lieberman on the environment

McCain-Feingold on free speech

McCain-Kennedy on amnesty

McCain-Kennedy-Edwards on patient ‘rights’

His hatred of evangelical Christians

His temper and his ego

His unwillingness to appoint strict constructionists to the Supreme Court

His endorsement by the New York Times – he works well with liberals because he is one.

His position on Gitmo detainees

His standing with Kerry against the Swift Boat truth

Let me be even more clear. If McCain is the nominee I will contribute no money to any GOP candidates at any level. I am a life long Republican and a card carrying Reagan conservative. My party has left its base and deserves to lose and lose big time if its leftward drift continues.

I will either vote for Hillary and see the blame for our country’s demise fall entirely on the Democrats, or I will sit out the election. But I will never vote for McCain, electability be is not the issue, conservative principles must hold sway.

Christian Witness to a Pagan Planet (CWiPP)

I'm off to Escondido, CA on Monday January 21, 2008 to take part in a symposium hosted by Dr. Peter Jones and CWiPP. You can find the web site and more information here. I'll post some follow-up material when I return

A Long Obedience

In our monthly small groups we are slowly working our way through Eugene Peterson's A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society a wonderful study of the Psalms of Ascents (120-134). I highly recommend it. This week I am preparing the study guide for Psalm 125 "Security." Peterson has been commenting on how Israel and the believer can become "saw-toothed;" up one day, down the next in a endless cycle. There is a way out.

"We learn to live not by our feeling about God but by the facts of God... My feelings are important for many things. They are essential and valuable. They keep me aware of much that is true and real. But they tell me next to nothing about God or my relation to God. My security come from who God is, not how I feel. Discipleship is a decision to live by what I know about God, not by what I feel about him or myself or my neighbors. "As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people." The image that announces the dependable, unchanging, safe, secure existence of God's people comes from geology, not psychology." (Page 87).

Read also Psalm 46.

The Persecuted Church

Since 2002 Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians have been persecuted for their unsanctioned faith. The only faiths sanctioned by the government are Orthodox, Catholic, Islam and Lutheran. Some 2000 persons are reportedly held because of their beliefs, most of them Christians.

Then comes a report out of Canada that a town is moving against churches by taxing 'non-religious' space - whatever that is - and limiting usage space and exactly where churches may build or locate.

Can't happen here you say? Watch out if the radical Democrats carry the election!

The Dance of Democracy

R. Albert Mohler is the President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. He is a frequent guest of Larry King, High Hewitt and others. His cogent remarks about the Iowa caucus and the race for the Presidency and what evangelicals ought to think can be found here.