On Michele Bachmann
Michele who? Some of you might be asking this question. If you live in the US you would probably know of her, for at least two reasons. She is one of a number of Republicans seeking the nomination for the presidential race in 2012. But most likely she is fairly well known because of the incredible demonization job being directed at her.
She must be doing something right if she is receiving so much bad press. Indeed, it can almost be taken as a rule of thumb that the more the secular left mainstream media attacks a person, the more likely it is that this person is worth supporting.
Indeed, the more hate the MSM showers on someone, the more likely such a person is worth being aware of. And if there is one thing the left in general and their MSM colleagues hate with a passion, it is conservative, pro-life, pro-faith and pro-family women.
There is probably no greater animus to be found amongst the secular leftists than women who hold to Christian and conservative values. That is why Sarah Palin has been absolutely crucified by the left and their media allies. They hate her with a passion.
But while Palin has not yet announced whether she will run for the presidential race, another conservative Christian woman has: Michele Bachmann. And like Palin, she is not afraid to speak her mind, and she is proud to champion her pro-faith and pro-family credentials.
So she too is being attacked mercilessly by the left. She stands for everything they can’t stand. She thinks marriage and family are vitally important. She is decidedly pro-life. She thinks the Judeo-Christian worldview is what made America and the West great.
Thus she is now public enemy number one in the eyes of the left. I can almost guarantee that if you hear anything about her here in Australia, it will most likely be negative and critical. The leftist MSM here are just as bigoted and biased as they are in the US.
Thus as her name becomes more famous, the more she will be wildly attacked in the Australian media, just like she already is back in her home country. So as I already asked, who is she? She is a 55-year-old politician who was elected to the US House of Representatives in 2006.
Prior to that she was a Republican Senator in the Minnesota State Senate. Last month she announced her Republican presidential nomination bid. And she has been under a tremendous attack ever since. She now knows full well what Palin has had to go through.
It is still early days in terms of which Republicans will be involved in this race, but she has already pipped frontrunner Mitt Romney in some polls. So even though it remains to be seen what the final field will be, I mention all this because of a piece in today’s religious press.
I have already been impressed by Bachmann. She is of course not perfect, and like all the candidates she has various strengths and weaknesses, but what I read today further confirmed in my mind that she may be the best Republican on offer thus far for the top job.
The headline of this story runs as follows: “Christian Writer Francis Schaeffer Shaped Pro-Life Views”. Here is how the report goes: “Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is one of the several pro-life advocates seeking the Republican nomination to face pro-abortion President Barack Obama and she cites Christian writer Francis Schaeffer as an influence on her pro-life views.
“In a campaign stop to speak to local residents at a church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bachmann shared her testimony and talked about the Christian faith she and her husband share. That faith, which has matured thanks to the writings of Schaeffer, has led Bachman to a pro-life view that has seen her compile a 100% pro-life voting record in Congress and adopt dozens of foster children.
“‘One thing that Dr. Schaeffer said is that [God is] not just the God of theology. He’s not just the God of the Bible,’ Bachmann said, according to the Des Moines Register. ‘Since he is the Creator God, he’s the father of biology, sociology, of political science, of you name the subject. … And that altered our way of thinking, that God had something to say about our career.’
“‘Francis Schaeffer also said that life is the watershed issue of our time, and how we come down on how we view human life will impact all other issues,’ she said. ‘And so Marcus and I decided we didn’t want to be pro-life only, just as speaking… We wanted to live a life of being about pro-life’.
“The Register indicates Bachmann told the audience that, upon the encouragement to put her pro-life views into action, she and her husband began counseling and praying with single mothers and helping them get to pregnancy and adoption centers to provide further practical support instead of abortion.”
Wow, there are not too many presidential candidates who unashamedly acknowledge such Christian heavyweights as Francis Schaeffer and the influence they had. And her willingness to actually get involved in pro-life activism is impressive as well. It is good to see not just pro-life talk here, but pro-life action as well.
For those not familiar with the life and work of Schaeffer, he was a leading Christian pastor, apologist, thinker, and activist, who had a huge influence on the evangelical world for the past half century or so. His ministry in the Swiss Alps called L’Abri had a tremendous impact on countless religious seekers. I wrote up this incredible man and his incredible ministry here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2009/10/14/notable-christians-francis-schaeffer/
Thus to learn that Bachmann is so heavily influenced by this important Christian is most pleasing, although not really surprising. Bachmann has stuck to her guns despite a tsunami of opposition and criticism, and it is refreshing to find someone not ashamed of her faith and her pro-life commitments.
As stated, we must await to learn of the final field of candidates who are seeking to win the right to stand against Obama. But in terms of important key values, there could not be a greater contrast than between Michele Bachmann and Barack Hussein Obama.
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/07/26/bachmann-christian-writer-francis-schaeffer-shaped-pro-life-views/
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Great. Shame we cant find one here. Oh well, God will send one at the right time.
Brian Carrick
Thanks Brian
Yes we could use a few dozen Bachmanns over here about now.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Palin has not yet announced her candidature – well, not officially. She has been doing all manner of things which are only consistent with a candidature, e.g. the bus tour up the East Coast through America’ historic sites, in a bus deliberately labelled with an image of the Declaration of Independence and other slogans relevant to a presidential run. Now Tim Pawlenty, after first dismissing such a bus as a stunt, has now constructed his own version of the same for his official run. What’s that old adage, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”?
Sarah Palin is running all right; she’s just not doing things the conventional way. But then, she never has in all the political campaigns she has engaged in. That’s what has made the GOP, the Democrats, and most especially the MSM, just beside themselves with both fascination – and fury.
Murray R. Adamthwaite
In church on Sunday we were challenged with the task of praying for our leaders. What sort of an impact would it have if President Obama or closer to home Prime Minister Gillard turned to God, repented and called on Jesus to be their Lord and saviour? We need to spend as much time praying for the salvation of our current leaders as we do praying for God fearing leaders to be raised up.
Alan Boddington
Shame she’s thick as a brick.
Isaac Cox
I follow US politics with great interest. I believe both Bachmann and Palin would make excellent presidents. Palin’s handicap would be the effects of the Satanic onslaughts on the woman by the shame stream media. Bachmann’s main handicap is that it is many years since any candidate won from the House of Representatives. Presidents mainly come from the Senate or from governorships, in which they attain an enormous amount of experience. I think Bachmann, apart from her own children has fostered 35 children. She’s a wonderful woman, as is Palin. I’m not fussed on Mitt Romney. He was once pro-abortion and switched to pro-life, not because of a change of heart but rather through change of political goal. I have no use for those types. A genuine pro-life person, including those who have had a change of heart, believe aborting a helpless baby is killing a human being in cold blood.
Frank Bellet, Petrie Qld
Thanks Isaac
It’s a shame your comment adds absolutely nothing to this debate. But I guess it does at least illustrate and confirm what I was talking about: throwing mud and engaging in name-calling is what the demonisers are all about. They offer no constructive arguments, just hatred and ad hominem attacks.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
“Shame she’s thick as a brick. -Isaac Cox”
Back to the sandbox for you, I suggest, Isaac, until you can engage in adult debate in an adult manner.
John Angelico
Bill,
You refer to the MSM here as being leftist, yet 70% of Australian media is owned by NewsCorp. Could you please explain?
George Populos, Melbourne
Thanks George
Sorry, but telling porkies with pseudo-statistics is not how real debate is conducted, although I realise that it is a favourite pastime of the left. So let me call your bluff.
The closest we can even get to your wild figure is 68%, and that is the percentage of daily capital city newspaper circulation which News Corp has. This has nothing to do with entire media ownership, or even with total newspaper ownership, but simply select newspaper circulation figures (the Herald Sun for example is Australia’s most widely circulated newspaper, with 1 ½ million readers each week day). The media of course comprises far more than just daily newspapers and their circulation figures.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Thanks guys
To see just how bad Obama’s culture of death is (and as a stark contrast to the vision of Bachmann), see this piece:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/21/obamas-culture-of-death/
A few quotes from this important piece:
“Abortion is liberalism’s genocide. Since Roe v. Wade, nearly 50 million babies have been killed – lives exterminated in the womb of their mothers. Abortion clinics are the Gulag Archipelago of the modern left – a vast system of death camps underpinning the liberal regime’s secular hedonism. For a godless society predicated upon consequence-free sex, pregnancy is an unwanted nuisance – and a barrier – that must be eliminated. If lives are destroyed, then that is the price of sexual utopia.”
“President Obama is on the verge of achieving his liberal revolution. His goal is to destroy our Judeo-Christian culture and replace it with European-style radical secularism.”
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
I saw a reasonable account of Michelle Bachmann by the BBC US correspondent about a month ago.
What impressed me was that as well as raising her own children she had been a foster mother for others – now there is a woman (and husband) with heart.
She is also a lawyer and quite articulate which helps in this world – much as Paul used his oratory skills to good use in the public domain.
Stephen White
Thanks guys
Any and every pathetic little excuse will do for the loony left to seek to discredit Bachmann, including her problem with migraine headaches. See this great response:
http://patriotpost.us/opinion/jeff-jacoby/2011/07/27/a-president-with-migraines-ask-thomas-jefferson/
“John F. Kennedy. who suffered from Addison’s disease, colitis, urinary tract infections, and the near-crippling pain of degenerative back problems, took an astonishing array of medications, including steroids, painkillers, antibiotics, and anti-spasmodics. Yet with the help of a friendly press, the Kennedy machine easily downplayed JFK’s afflictions; one New York Times article described him as being in ‘superb physical condition’.”
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
To Brian Carrick
Although I don’t know of any specific potential politician who publically makes a stand for pro-life etc, there is a group called Catch the Fire Ministries based in Hallam, Melbourne. Under this ‘banner’ there is a new political party called Rise up Australia – Keep Australia Australian. You may already know of them but if not go their website Catch the Fire Ministries and you will be able to get all the background of both. Catch the Fire Ministries is part of RUA and they have a congregation at Hallam.
Christine Nielson
Thanks Christine
Actually there are four smaller pro-life parties (or at least four smaller parties that take a pro-life position) in Australia. In addition to RUA, there is the CDP, the DLP, and FF.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Speaking of Mitt Romney, do you think his Mormon beliefs will affect his candidacy?
Ross McPhee
Thanks Ross
That fact will certainly trouble some conservatives – certainly most evangelical Christians will be bothered by it to some extent. But of equal concern is how he has tended to flip flop on some key issues such as abortion and special rights for homosexuals. Someone like Bachmann seems to have been far more consistent on these sorts of issues.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
What about Rick Perry with Michele Bachmann as his vice President?
Carl Strehlow
Ron Paul all the way I say. The best thing that happen to the US at the moment would be the election of Ron Paul to the White House. A Christian libertarian, he represents about the best combination of views you can get.
Lee Herridge
Thanks Carl
All the potential candidates have strengths and weaknesses. What do we make of Perry for example? Remember what he said about the New York same-sex marriage decision?: “That’s their call; it’s fine with me.” Hardly a ringing endorsement of traditional marriage and family.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Thanks Lee
But some, including myself, might ask whether a Christian libertarian is a contradiction in terms. Of course it depends on how one defines the second term in that phrase. I am all in favour of limited government and allowing the free market to operate, but if by libertarian we mean having governments legalise all drugs, all sexual preferences, all porn, all lifestyles, and so on, then I am not with the libertarians. So it comes down to what exactly we mean by this.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
And Ron Paul made an appalling statement in response to a question about same-sex marriage. He basically said that the state should have no interest in the definition of marriage!
And of bigger concern than Mitt Romney’s Mormonism is the fact that when Governor of Massachusetts he introduced ‘Romneycare’ a socialist model of healthcare not dissimilar to ‘Obamacare’, and as Bill has already said, his flip-flopping on abortion and same-sex marriage.
Ewan McDonald, Victoria
As far as I see it, libertarianism is an attitude towards government – that individuals can make the best decisions for themselves and therefore individual freedoms should be maximised, being be skeptical of governmental action and limiting its power. I don’t think this is incompatible with Christianity per se and I actually think that Christians, having a biblical insight into the true nature of government in this world, should by default be more on the libertarian side, not the statist side, of the political spectrum.
A brief read of church history will find that the coercive powers of government have been used to oppose the spread of the gospel, even in countries that have an established (theoretically) evangelical church like England. Christians should resist the urge to invite state intervention on issues of individual choice because all we do is embolden those who would use that power against us.
Evan, I don’t see any biblical reason for the state to regulate marriage. I oppose same-sex marriage and I would like to see the current wording of the relevant federal legislation but that is my personal preference, not any biblical mandate. I don’t see the Bible giving any particular authority to government to get involved. By letting them get involved in the first place, it increases the incentives for homosexual activitists to make political hay out of it.
Lee Herridge
I will add Michelle to my prayer list as of today and ask other intercessors to please do the same. May she be strengthened to endure trials with unfailing courage and hope and may she accomplish whatever God calls her to in the future.
Anna Cook
Thanks Lee
What I said earlier should suffice, but I here seek to lay out my political leanings and some of the biblical basis for it: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2010/08/24/what-is-conservatism/
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Great idea Anna.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
I am pretty happy to say I would more or less agree with that definition of conservatism Bill.
Lee Herridge
Thanks Lee
While there can be a case for some forms of Christian libertarianism, I have no room for atheistic libertarianism, as I explain here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2010/09/03/why-i-am-not-a-randian/
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
There is a spectrum for libertarian ideas. While I would find it difficult to imagine a Christian being on the Left end of the spectrum, I think the Right end of the spectrum isn’t particularly hostile to Christians. I think it is a different model for thinking about political issues than what most Christians are probably used to to though. My experience is that most Christians are happy for the state to intervene in some issues but not in others. To take the position that as far as possible, the state should be constrained from interfering the choices of the individual is quite a radical break from current thinking, even if it isn’t a particularly radical position in and of itself.
Lee Herridge
George Populos quotes an alleged percentage of media owned by News Ltd, suggesting that the biggest percentage of the media are to the right of centre. It doesn’t work that way. From memory I think News Ltd supported Kevin Rudd for prime minister in a recent election. They have a mixture of journalists with different political views. Most journalists in this country and in the English speaking world are left of centre. A poll taken in the US capital Washington D.C.a couple of years ago, found that 85% voted for the Democrats.
I was in radio broadcasting for over 33 years. In that time the number of journalists I came across who were considered conservative in their opinions, I could count on one hand.
Frank Bellet, Petrei Qld
Thanks Lee
Yes I state in my articles that there is a spectrum here. The more radical rightwing libertarians are barely distinguishable from the leftwing anarchists. And we must recall that God created and ordained the state, so it is not evil in itself, but tainted like everything else in a fallen world. And we must also affirm truths like Prov: 13:34: “righteousness exalts a nation”.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
I’m not sure if the lefties are barely distinguishable from the righties. From my basic understanding, I think the primary difference comes down to how each side approaches culutral institutions and capitalism. From what I understand, left-libertarianism is an anti-state version of socialism, which inevitably seeks to overturn cultural cornerstones as they seek a better society. Right-libertarians are generally constitutionalists and see that society progresses from precedent to precedent, which isn’t to say they don’t support things like homosexual marriage but its more that they won’t try to throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. Right-libertarians are also big on things like individual property rights so won’t try to socialise every aspect of society.
I guess in the end, pipedreams are worthless so although there might be anarcho-capitalists out there, I think many right-libertarians wouldn’t see that as a reasonable goal and are just more happy to reduce the sphere of influence that government is constantly trying to extend over us. Just as those who espouse Christian theocracy (as I oppose and I know you have opposed) are not representative of the wider movement of politically involved Christians, the far end of the spectrum doesn’t really represent what most of the libertarian discussion I have encountered.
Lee Herridge
I follow with interest the political and economic situation in America and I am fascinated by the influence of Francis Schaeffer on Michele Bachmann.
I was in a conference in Seattle in 1984 when they announced that Francis Schaeffer had just died. The meeting was quiet as they honored this Christian statesman and his stand for biblical truth. His work continues through his books and L’Abri Fellowships throughout the world, including Australia. I attended a L’Abri conference in Sydney in 1986 – what a banquet. The Summit Ministries conferences in Australia with Dr. David Noebel has also served Australia well in recent years. At the first conference in Toowoomba Dr Noebel honoured the Australian Dr. Fred Schwartz and distributed, at minimal cost, his 599 page autobiography, “Beating the Unbeatable Foe”. This book is Dr. Schwarz’s first-hand account of his lifelong battle against communism, particularly in America, his devotion to truth and freedom and his vibrant Christina faith. Like Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin he was vilified by the left wing media in America but was not intimidated.
A contemporary of Dr Schwartz in Australia was B. A. Santamaria whose strong voice on the issue of communist infiltration in Australian unions and politics helped to change the political landscape in Australia at the time. Today we face the onslaught of secular humanism, a green agenda and a left wing media.
It is interesting to note the report that the President of the Czech Republic, during his address at the National Press Club concerning global warming, said, “We experienced communism, central planning and all kinds of attempts to organise the society from above. I feel obliged to warn against the arguments and ambitions which sound very similar to those we had to resist decades ago,”
We are blessed in Australia to have people and organisations like CultureWatch taking a Biblical stand on critical issues facing our nation. We also can ‘beat the unbeatable foe’ and reclaim the territory taken by the enemy in our families, churches, schools, politics, media etc.
Brad Salisbury