Let us respect tbe moderators request

Well said...

Only those "threads that edify." This is something to remember!

Bear, I agree! it's become a sad state here, the political threads have breed a lot of strife. Heck your the only one that responded to my "good news" thread, it's like "good news" is not welcomed anymore. I know I will get a lot of "hate" mail because of this, but I don't care, but I personally feel that FB has a lot to do with the changes in "some" Christians attitudes, I think God everyday I dropped it like a lead balloon. 79 views and 2 replies on my good news thread, Mr. Bear something has gone terribly wrong in the Christian community. We all need to pray that God help us all get our eyes back on him, and not FB or politics, I was always taught that we were called to spread the "GOOD NEWS".

"How beautiful is the person who comes to bring good news." Do you want people to like you, most do? Do people like you when you bring bad news? The greatest news of all is the News we have. God calls us to go out into the world and spread the Good News. God is sending you...and me. So we tell the people the Good News. They will hear the Good News. They will believe in Him, their Lord. Then they will be able to ask Him for help. Romans 10:17 sums it up.

I am respecting the moderators' request to not discuss political issues, and I agree with most of their reasoning in doing so.

I always hesitate to share my opinion on this forum, b/c I usually get jumped on. But something is stirring in my heart to share, and that is that the discussions that HAVE already taken place on this forum about the coming election have been VERY HELPFUL to me. I do not believe this election is "normal" in any sense. Almost everyone I talk to out in the world (mostly unbelievers) agree that the world is in a sad state, and that our country is at a crossroads. As I think I have mentioned before, I have 6 young adult children who will be voting in this election. I don't want to be divisive, and I HATE that there is always strife over this, but I think as Christians, we have a responsibility to act on our conscience before God in the matter of whether or not to vote at all, and in the issue of whether it would be sin to vote for a Mormon.

IT IS THE CHRISTIAN ASPECT of our response to civil matters that I think is helpful to discuss with other people who are following hard after God. I have shared several times at our dinner table with my children, the different responses to this question which is before us in several weeks. I hope I am coming across in the right spirit. I am not trying to go against the moderators, or the forum rules, nor trying to start up the discussion again. I just had to say that the discussions up to this point have been helpful to me in considering various aspects. Not everyone has a good group of church people to take this issue to. In that sense, I think this forum is more than helpful. I am only sad to see that it so often gets into debate out of a wrong spirit.

I hope I am not coming across to the moderators as breaking the rules with my post - that is not my intent.

As Christians we better get our heads out of the sand and wake up to what is going on in this nation. The Church is called to be salt and light, and when the salt looses it's savor, then corruption sets in. When the light is allowed to go out because men's mouths are shut from proclaiming the truth then darkness is the result.

We are instructed in the Word to pray for our leaders. Yes, God is concerned about our leaders. The ACLU would love nothing better than to take the name of God out of every area of our society. They have done it already in the schools. They have done it in banning public prayer in many governmental activites. This has happened because of the false notion that Christians should not get invovled in these issues. We pray for revival, and if there is a true revival that takes place, it is going to affect every area of our society for the good. As a nation, we deserve to be judged. We deserve for the wrath of God to be poured out, but we stand in the gap, and pray: Oh God, in your wrath remember mercy.

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs 29:2).

Mike

I am not political person but I am guilty of not speaking with clarity, so I do appreciate the moderators and their concerns for the forum. My concern is not for a candidate but for the many brothers and sister I have conversed with that seem perplexed and concerned as to how they, being believers, should participate in the government of this world. I am learning not to be so concerned about what happens behind a curtain in a voting booth. I care that the Saint remember that God has raised assorted types of leaders since the creation of man and regardless of what results from that raising of a leader, whether for blessing or for wrath or for whatever God's purpose, a Christian's voting booth is and always will be his prayer closet. We should trust in an election beyond the one that most men occupy themselves with. If the church can flourish and grow under great oppression and persecution at the hands of ruthless leaders, and we know it does, who are we to get so caught up in politics that we neglect the Commander in Chief who is always in total control. Is my vote greater than my prayer? This I must remember.

Greg, I have not seen any political debates on any forum I am a member of, that have not lead to personal attacks, this is usually the end result of these type discussions. Thanks! for keeping the strife level down on SI, trust me, there are plenty of other forums folks can join to vent their opinions.

Thank you, Abide, for your response. I agree wholeheartily. I did not read the past political posts, so am not sure what was said. I just think of hitler germany and how the Christians were passive servants of the government. We do need to be a voice in our nation.