Re: [TruthTalk] Who to Vote for, and WHY?

[Judith H Taylor]

Jonathan: We are on vacation - I am using a laptop and am not online long enough to read articles because we are using someone elses phone line, we mainly send and receive email. By the time we are back in VA and I could read the article you will have lost interest. I have my own opinions about the two candidates for my own reasons.  Bush is against abortion but there is only so much anyone with convictions can do in the political arena, he is not a "one man band".  I don't have access to what I need to write out how Kerry is double minded but if you lived here you would hear it in the media because there is another side to the story you know.   I like the fact that President Bush took a stand when those "terrorists" stole three aeroplanes on 9-11-2001 and destroyed two skyscrapers in New York, killing 3,000 people along with part of the Pengagon and ran the other into a field in PA. He has stayed with the committment he made that day no matter how tough it has been for him politically.  Kerry has been stirring things up against the US by encouraging Australians to turn against Howard and telling them that the US is responsible for the terrorist bombing near their embassy in Jakarta which is really sweet. I don't understand why you and Lance are so opinionated about these issues or why it is important to you who is elected here. Kerry claims to be a RC and has taken a stand against his own Church on the issue of abortion.  Have you checked his voting record in the US Senate lately?   judyt       On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 11:13:37 -0400 "Hughes Jonathan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Judy,   Please read the whole article below and comment on the biblical passages in light of the candidates, not your generalizing without any mention of facts.  It is unlike you to avoid the Bible on issues like this.  And since when did God give you the president?  Don't blame God for your mess.  Did God give Germany Hitler?  How naive.  America elected Gore.  The Supreme Court chose Bush.   Please quote for me how Kerry is for abortion.  Please quote for me exactly what Bush has done to stop abortion even though he personally says he is against it.  Show me the policies he has put through to stop it from occurring.  To help you out here is what Kerry has done and said: http://www.issues2000.org/2004/John_Kerry_Abortion.htm.  Here is what Bush has done and said: http://www.issues2000.org/2004/George_W__Bush_Abortion.htm.  Please read these and determine how Bush actually feels about abortion.  He may be against it (and he is only against it in certain cases mind you) but what has he put into law to stop it?  What good does it do for you and I to have a president in the White House who is against something but does nothing about it and has stated that he will do nothing about it?   Please show me how Kerry is double minded.  Write it out.  I hear the claim all the time but have yet to see one person/newscast prove it.  Show me how being consistent is a trait you like in a President.  I don't view consistency necessarily as a good trait.  One can be consistently wrong just as easily (in fact more easily) than consistently right.  The right has done a good job labeling Kerry as a flip-flopper.  When one looks at the facts it just isn't true (any more than Bush is a flip-flopper).  Why people give up their ability to think critically when politics is on the line is beyond me.   Kerry's wife is definitely unstable but some may think her to be just as attractive as Bush's.   Jonathan    From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Judith H Taylor Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 10:43 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [TruthTalk] Who to Vote for, and WHY? God has given us a Republican president and it appears as though he will be around for another four years. Christ has addressed politics in Romans 13; we are told that Government is instituted by God and to submit to governing authorities.  As individuals we are to vote according to conscience and leave the results with God.  This time I don't see that there is much of a choice. One of these men is consistent - the other is doubleminded.  One is against abortion, the other for it.  One has an attractive and gracious wife, the other woman appears unstable.   I don't see that there is much of a choice for the conscientious believer.  judyt       On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 10:09:50 -0400 "Hughes Jonathan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Izzy in a tizzy.  Shall I understand your answer to be that you will not discuss the issues in light of the Bible?  Should our Christianity infuse our politics?  Is this an area of life that Christ cannot touch?  Does Christ only infuse conservative politics?  Is God a Republican?  Is it not worthwhile looking at our ideas and opinions in light of the Word? Jonathan Hughes     From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of ShieldsFamily Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 9:12 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] Who to Vote for, and WHY? Let’s change our name to “PoliticalTalk”??? Izzy   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jonathan Hughes Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 6:38 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [TruthTalk] Who to Vote for, and WHY?   What is below is taken from www.sojo.net.  Please read it and discuss.  Based upon the criteria below who should you vote for?  Shall we take each issue below and see who is the best candidate?  Is anyone willing to discuss the issues?   "It is the responsibility of every political conservative, every evangelical Christian, every pro-life Catholic, every traditional Jew...to get serious about re-electing President Bush." - Jerry Falwell, The New York Times, July 16, 2004   "I think George Bush is going to win in a walk. I really believe I'm hearing from the Lord it's going to be like a blowout election in 2004. The Lord has just blessed him.... It doesn't make any difference what he does, good or bad." - Pat Robertson, AP/Fox News, January 2, 2004     These leaders of the Religious Right mistakenly claim that God has taken a side in this election, and that Christians should only vote for George W. Bush. We believe that claims of divine appointment for the President, uncritical affirmation of his policies, and assertions that all Christians must vote for his re-election constitute bad theology and dangerous religion. We believe that sincere Christians and other people of faith can choose to vote for President Bush or Senator Kerry - for reasons deeply rooted in their faith. We believe all candidates should be examined by measuring their policies against the complete range of Christian ethics and values. We will measure the candidates by whether they enhance human life, human dignity, and human rights; whether they strengthen family life and protect children; whether they promote racial reconciliation and support gender equality; whether they serve peace and social justice; and whether they advance the common good rather than only individual, national, and special interests.   We are not single-issue voters. We believe that poverty - caring for the poor and vulnerable - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' budget and tax policies reward the rich or show compassion for poor families? Do their foreign policies include fair trade and debt cancellation for the poorest countries? (Matthew 25:35-40, Isaiah 10:1-2) We believe that the environment - caring for God's earth - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' policies protect the creation or serve corporate interests that damage it? (Genesis 2:15, Psalm 24:1) We believe that war - and our call to be peacemakers - is a religious issue. Do the candidates' policies pursue "wars of choice" or respect international law and cooperation in responding to real global threats? (Matthew 5:9) We believe that truth-telling is a religious issue. Do the candidates tell the truth in justifying war and in other foreign and domestic policies? (John 8:32) We believe that human rights - respecting the image of God in every person - is a religious issue. How do the candidates propose to change the attitudes and policies that led to the abuse and torture of Iraqi prisoners? (Genesis 1:27) We believe that our response to terrorism is a religious issue. Do the candidates adopt the dangerous language of righteous empire in the war on terrorism and confuse the roles of God, church, and nation? Do the candidates see evil only in our enemies but never in our own policies? (Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 8:12-13 ) We believe that a consistent ethic of human life is a religious issue. Do the candidates' positions on abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, weapons of mass destruction, HIV/AIDS-and other pandemics-and genocide around the world obey the biblical injunction to choose life? (Deuteronomy 30:19) We also admonish both parties and candidates to avoid the exploitation of religion or our congregations for partisan political purposes. By signing this statement, we call Christians and other people of faith to a more thoughtful involvement in this election, rather than claiming God's endorsement of any candidate. This is the meaning of responsible Christian citizenship.   Jonathan   This e-mail and any attachments contain confidential and privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, delete this e-mail and destroy any copies. 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