GOD BLESS!!!! (Let the Games Begin…..)

God Bless, everyone!!!!!!

   To note, I'm new to this blogging thing so forgive me if my thoughts are a bit incoherent

at the moment. Prayerfully, that''ll change in time.

There are a myriad of topics I'd like to begin my blog on, but I think I'll begin with the one no wants to adress often: Christianity & how that relates to government.

   

I bring this up becaues I find that too often people approach

Christianity/Government with a "me" first mentality. In other words,

their main frame of reference for whatever stances they have is self,

nevermind that our own viewpoints are limited due to the fact that

we're HUMAN, have a sinful nature, and thus cannot know everything

within ourselves.

This is seen constantly in how we constalty

seem to be labeling people. If someone's a liberal, conservative, for

limited or BIG governmemt, it's an either or mentality.......where only

that paticular label you have is responsible for ALL THE SOLUTIONS or

GUILTY OF ALL THE PROBLEMS.

That, ladies & gentleman, is a

living shame.......for before politics/personal dislikes, we're

CHRISTIANS FIRST.......and everything else should follow second.

Moreover, if we don't adress an issue without making certain we have

all the facts, we're screwed. No one side is THE SAVIOR AT ALL POINTS

That said, I wanted to give everybody some tools on the issue in case this thread soon

closes. I looked into all of them and I think they may be very challenging reads

for us to consider.

On the Separation of Church & State�/GOVERNMENT�S ROLE:

http://www.evangelsociety.org/sherk/charity.html

http://www.reason.com/news/show/119726.html 

http://www.fff.org/freedom/1294e.asp

http://www.request.org.uk/issues/topics/politics/politics08.htm

http://www.strike-the-root.com/62/locke/locke3.html

http://www.rwj.harvard.edu/papers/lynch/Lynch%20Cologne%20Apr%2004.pdf

http://www.lewrockwell.com/rozeff/rozeff109.html

http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north397.html

http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/05/21/rethinking-the-welfare-state/



http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~dlchen/papers/JES.pdf

http://www.questia.com/library/economics-and-business/welfare-state.jsp

http://www.theamericanscene.com/2007/04/03/christianist-dominated-welfare-state

http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/welfare.html

http://www.desiringgod.org/Search/?search=Government&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submi

t=submit

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5176

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5131

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5097

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6695

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5248

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5262

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5279

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5478

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5510

http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5505

On government�s involvement in religion and the extent it should go:

http://tnfarmgirl.christianagrarian.com/?cat=17

http://ombwatch.org/article/articleview/2625/1/84/?TopicID=2

http://projectfairplay.org/brochure/

http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2007/0402time.asp

http://www.icr.org/articles/print/408/

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/08/12/teaching_the_bible_increas

es_at_us_public_schools/

http://www.religioustolerance.org/ps_bibl1.htm

http://www.religioustolerance.org/ps_bibl.htm

http://www.teachingreligion.com/

http://www.khouse.org/enews_article/2006/1134/

http://www.forward.com/articles/3732/

On whether Christians should be Liberal or Conservative with government�.or

which one was Jesus?

http://www.theology.edu/diatribes/diatrib01.htm

http://lindaseger.wordpress.com/category/christian-values/

http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/baldwin/050602

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Christianity

http://firstthings.net/mjp/sermons/sm010121.htm

http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2004/08/06/jesus-was-liberal/

http://www.hostdiva.com/liberalchristians/

http://www.jesusisaliberal.org/index.html

http://www.epm.org/articles/conservx.html

Other Websites on the issue of CHRISTIANITY/RELIGIOUS FRAUD and how they mix

with Politics:

http://www.religionnewsblog.com/category/fraud/

http://www.answers.com/topic/fraud?cat=biz-fin

http://www.lewrockwell.com/carson/carson17.html

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/freeexercise.htm

What should things look like for a Christians involved in Politics?

http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/election/Why%20Should%20Christians%20be%20

involved.pdf

http://www.evangelicalalliance.org.au/election/Why%20Should%20Christians%20be%20

involved.pdf

http://www.frontline.org.za/articles/should_christians.htm

http://www.gospelway.com/christianlife/politics.php

http://www.azpolicy.org/pdf/GFI/PolitAction1WhyShouldChristiansBeInvolvedinPolit

ics.pdf

http://homewithgod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2813

http://christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-g006.html

 http://www.rhsager.com/blog/index.php/2006/10/13/armey-on-christians-and-big-government/

       Again, these are some of the BEST sites I found out there. And IT�S my

hope they�ll help everybody out on the issue of Government�s involvement in

religion. Of course folks may disagree, but it�s still cannon fodder to study &

that�ll get everybody thinking. If nothing else, people will have information to

research on their own and make up their own minds on the issue.

If anyone notices anything interesting in any of the resources I've given, then by all means please point it out.

I'd love to have some honest discussion on it.

Keep in mind please, that Regardless of where you come to stand,  there

are strong points on both sides of the issue......and that we're to be gracious

to those not believing as we do.

When it's apparent that we have  differences of opinion, we should be humbled

since the reality of our sinfulness/limited nature as Christians to fully

understand God's word is shown.

Rather than  maintaining an attitude of pride where one side condemns the

other, being more gracious is a must, acknowledging the possibility of the other

being right, even though we don't think so........&  admiting that our

sinfulness is the problem, and not the other's lack of judgment. As the Word

says,

Rom. 14:1-5,

   "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing

judgment on his opinions. 2 One man has faith that he may eat all things, but he

who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 Let not him who eats regard with contempt

him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for

God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own

master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him

stand. 5 One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike.

Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind."

   Paul allows us to have differences of opinions on various issues, 4 his 

goal was to have unity in the body of Christ and at the same time to allow for

differences on debatable issues. The same is true for today, and I pray you keep

this in mind while researching.

Also,

Proverbs 18:3

13 He who answers before listening�

      that is his folly and his shame

Proverbs 18:15

15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge;

      the ears of the wise seek it out.

Proverbs 18:17

17 The first to present his case seems right,

      till another comes forward and questions him.

Let these principles of wisdom CONTINUE to guide you as you're

seeking answers

As the Word makes clear, our making sound decisions

involves (1) getting the facts before answering, (2) Being open to new ideas,

and (3) making sure you hear both sides of the story before juudging. All three

principles center around seeking additional information......and though this is

difficult/overwhelming work , the only alternative is prejudice---judging/