Oh and Christian, Be Sure and Vote for Mitt

Are you serious? You would actually think Jefferson could have been a Christian? He virtually denied all the miracles of the New Testament, any type of miracle, and while he was inconsistent as a deist, he was much closer to deism than to Christianity. I have read much on Jefferson and I have read the Constitution (I don't know where that came from, Jefferson wasn't even in the country for the writing of the Constitution). Rather, you should read Jefferson. Come on over to my state of Virginia and I would love to take you to Charlottesville and we can explore first had Jefferson's views of life and religion. He may not have been a consistent Deist, but he was overtaken by the enlightenment. If you read about his election, the major problem people had with Jefferson was that he was a part of a cultic deistic view, he was not a Christian. This election may be the most fascinating in history where the young country battled with a person they knew was not a Christian. I recommend that you read up on that election.

Secondly, Kennedy was for cutting taxes, but his stimulus was based upon Keynesian ideas. The fallacy of today's conservatives is that because someone advocates for tax cuts means they are conservative economically. Kennedy is the prime example of how this is not true. In fact, I can take you to several Keynesian economists who voted and support Obama, but they believe he was wrong by not cutting taxes. Their view is that cutting taxes is a part of the circular flow espoused by Keynes. I would place Newt Gingrich into this category as well.

Bringing up that you are older than me is irrelevant. First, I am probably older than you think since you could not have voted for Nixon in '72. Secondly, what does that have to do with the topic? The issue is two-fold, mainly dealing with Romney's Mormonism and also economics. I think I have expertise in both areas.

To claim that anyone can deny essential tenets of the Christian faith and still be a Christian is a fallacy and contradicts the Bible. Can you deny the Bible is God's Word? Traditionally, no! Can you deny that Christ is the only way of salvation? Traditionally, no! Can you rely upon mysticism, psychics, and embrace the occult? No! Can your view of the Gospel be merely social liberation instead of the true gospel? No! Each of our last few Presidents have embraced these heretical stands which causes me to question whether they are a Christian or not. Kennedy, for instance, was not a Christian. Catholicism is not Christian centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Romney is not a Christian. However, I would vote for Romney against Obama, a man who claims to be a Christian just like I would have voted for Jefferson.

Mormonism is a cult, but it is a theological cult not a social cult. I also reject that Catholicism is truly Christian. They are opposed to us, and their theology is detrimental to the true Gospel. However, I would vote for a Catholic as President like Santorum.

I am not a fan of Romney (I endorse Ron Paul), but I would vote for him, Santorum, or others over a man who confesses to be a Christian, Obama. Why? I am not voting for a Theologian and Chief, but a Commander and Chief.

 

Interesting article on Mormonism and voters linked above. Romney's deplorable record in Massachusetts on abortion issues, his hypocritical statement of "I've always been pro-life" and the fact that he refuses to sign the Pro-Life/ Personhood Pledge was enough for me to know that as a Christian, I could never vote for him. I never even made it as far as his religious beliefs. However I did go to the Republican website to check on exactly what their platform says on life/abortion. I can't find a thing. I don't know if I'm not navigating the site correctly, but I did do a search on abortion and nothing came up. Does anyone know anything about that? So I guess if everything is as it seems at the moment, Romney can't even be accused of having been/being too far off his party's platform. Very convenient. If he becomes the nominee, my affiliation is finished.

 

My facts on Kennedy are false? What falsehood have I advanced? He was for cutting taxes as a part of his Keynesian model of economics. How is that a falsehood? Rather, that is fact and rooted in his entire philosophy of economics. Please, I am perfectly willing to engage on the economic philosophy of Kennedy. As noted, because he was for cutting taxes he was not conservative. The fallacy in our modern economic system is that because you are for cutting taxes means you are a conservative. W., for instance, cut taxes but was very liberal economically. Clinton was more conservative than W.

As for my expertise, I have an MBA and I am getting a Ph.D. in business. I am also a college professor of business. In other words, I teach this stuff for a living and am recognized as competent and a respected authority. You can attack me, but I suspect on economics/finance/business, my expertise far exceeds your own.

Secondly, I also have an MDiv and an MA in Religion and my hope is to get my Doctorate in Historic Theology after my Ph.D. in business. I am ordained

Where are your economic/business credentials? Where are your religion authority.

Sorry I got your age wrong, but you implied that if you could have voted for Nixon, you would have.

Finally, a Catholic is not considered a Christian. They deny essentials of the Christian faith, the whole reason for the Reformation. The views I express about theology, they are traditionally shown to be anti-Christian. I do not doubt Mormonism is a religious cult, not a social cult. However, calling it a cult does not make it anti-cultish

As for Jefferson, I would encourage you to read much of Dr. Mark Noll. Dr. Noll is considered one of the premiere Christian Historians in the world. I think he can help you see that Jefferson, while not a consistent deist, was not a Christian. I am not going to argue with you on this issue because, to be frank, you would rather attack me and my credentials than truly engage in the discussion. As well, you have stated you wanted to show "quotes" against my quotes, which is not a rational means for debate. I am not a historian, but Noll and others are. I will merely cite them and let you argue with Noll.

 

I have read much of Jefferson as the Revolutionary times are a favorite of mine. Patrick Henry is one of my heroes, and so the oppositions between Jefferson and Henry have been of interest to me.

As for the Catholic Theology, I was a Catholic and in the thread on Catholicism I outline my disagreements with the Catholic doctrine. You seem to think the Pope is less of a threat to true Christianity than Mormonism, I would like to remind you of the Reformation and the Reformers. They believed the Pope to be the Anti-Christ... now I wouldn't go as far as they did, but you clearly are picky on what you choose as acceptable and not acceptable. I would ask what is your basis for your inconsistency.

The point I am making is that I do not vote for someone based upon their religion. I, for instance, do not believe Lincoln was a Christian when he took office. Reading Lincoln's works, I believe he may have become a Christian while in office and he made the most theologically astute arguments for ending slavery of any president on any issue. However, he was not a Christian. Would that have prevented me from voting for him? No!

As for Jefferson, I am not going to debate you on this issue. He was clearly engaged more in Hume and Locke than in theology and while he spoke some of the language of Christianity, his ideas were antithetical to Christianity. I have sent you to resources from established scholars, but you seem to disdain anything or anyone who disagrees with you.

Now, instead of attacking the issues, you still want to go after me and even question why I am no longer in the ministry. Yes, I am ordained and was once in ministry. Several years ago I was granted a sabbatical to study under a theologian/scholar and gladly accepted. While there, I was told I didn't have long to live; my heart was in terrible shape and I could die. Yes, that was a horrible time in my life. Fortunately, the doctors were wrong but that was after many tests resulted in discovering that I have a very minor birth defect that is extremely rare. Going back into the ministry was mostly not an option considering my health issue. Thus, I stepped out into the business world and try to free up most of my time to continue work in the ministry, my true love.

Truthfully, I loved the ministry but did not enjoy the stress of the ministry. Had I remained in the ministry, I would have obtained my Ph.D. in Historic Theology, my true passion. However, in God's providence He moved me out of the ministry where I believe I have a more broad ministry to people than ever when in the ministry. There is a possibility where I will go back into the ministry in a couple of years, but it probably will never be full time until I retire.

 

Ok, I finally found the following link. The Republican Party supports a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution, and yet Romney, with his history, and his refusal to sign a pro-life/personhood pledge, is their supposed "frontrunner". He shouldn't even be allowed to run as a Republican! I think every Christian who is a registered Republican should write the committee. I will be drafting my letter as soon as I can.

http://whitehouse2012.wordpress.com/republican-party-platform/