OK, this will have to be my final piece on the important US elections which are now only a few days away. The only other thing I will write on this will have to do with the election results – so stay tuned. But here I am putting in my last ditch plea for those who are voting to reconsider any unwise objections to voting for the only man who can dislodge Barack Hussein Obama.
The case against Obama and the case for Romney I have made over and over again, but let me here contribute a few more bits and pieces to my case. While I cannot add much more really new stuff to my previous articles on this, there have been some helpful new pieces which have appeared in the past few days which are well worth drawing your attention to.
Charles Krauthammer explains how high the stakes are here: “Government grows in size and power as the individual shrinks into dependency. Until the tipping point where dependency becomes the new norm — as it is in Europe, where even minor retrenchment of the entitlement state has led to despair and, for the more energetic, rioting.
“An Obama second term means that the movement toward European-style social democracy continues, in part by legislation, in part by executive decree. The American experiment — the more individualistic, energetic, innovative, risk-taking model of democratic governance — continues to recede, yielding to the supervised life of the entitlement state. If Obama loses, however, his presidency becomes a historical parenthesis, a passing interlude of overreaching hyper-liberalism, rejected by a center-right country that is 80 percent nonliberal.
“Should they summon the skill and dexterity, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan could guide the country to the restoration of a more austere and modest government with more restrained entitlements and a more equitable and efficient tax code. Those achievements alone would mark a new trajectory — a return to what Reagan started three decades ago. Every four years we are told that the coming election is the most important of one’s life. This time it might actually be true. At stake is the relation between citizen and state, the very nature of the American social contract.”
Mark Steyn summarises things this way: “I don’t know whether Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan can fix things, but I do know that Barack Obama and Joe Biden won’t even try – and that therefore a vote for Obama is a vote for the certainty of national collapse. Look at Lower Manhattan in the dark, and try to imagine what America might look like after the rest of the planet decides it no longer needs the dollar as global reserve currency. For four years, we have had a president who can spend everything but build nothing. Nothing but debt, dependency, and decay.”
But I again wish to appeal to those believers who keep dragging up lame excuses for not voting for Romney. Joel Beeke begins his very important article by offering a quick case against Obama: “Some Evangelicals and Reformed Christians in the United States show a surprising ambivalence about the election on Tuesday. I am not suggesting that many of them will vote for President Obama. But I do know some godly Christian people who may either not vote at all, or vote for a conservative candidate who has no reasonable possibility of winning the election.
“I would hope that all who love the Scriptures would agree that we should not vote for President Obama. There are compelling reasons why a Christian should be distressed with the current administration. The President’s unqualified support of abortion goes beyond anything we saw from previous Democratic leaders like President Clinton. His public endorsement of same-sex marriage is well known. His fiscal policy has launched the federal government into reckless spending which runs up our deficit at a rate of more than a trillion dollars per year—that is, more than $3250 of additional debt per year for every one of our 312 million people. At present, our government is in debt more than $51,000 for every person living in our nation. People have documented his socialist agenda for the government to use its coercive power to steal wealth from some in order to redistribute it to others as its officials see fit.”
He then deals with the usual objections to voting in the only man who can stop Obama. What about Mormonism? “It is outside the bounds of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It adds other writings and so-called prophecies to Scripture as the Word of God. However, we are not electing a pastor. We are electing the President of the United States. We do not live in a political system where the head of state leads the established religion of the nation. We live in a system of religious liberty where our Constitution says no religious test must be passed by a candidate for public office.
“Christians can in good conscience support the political office of non-Christians. If godly Daniel was able to serve in the administration of the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar, then godly believers can support a President who is not a believer in the God of the Bible. The President’s job is not to teach sound doctrine, but to punish wrongdoers and to protect good citizens (Rom. 13:3–4), as the head of the executive branch of the government. To vote for Mitt Romney is not to endorse his views of religion, but to support him politically.
“I might also point out here that as far as I can see in Mr. Romney’s past political record, at no point has he promoted his Mormon views upon the people he has served. I cannot find a single instance where he has tried to impose unsound Mormon theology on those whom he has governed.”
After looking at other objections, he concludes, “Your vote is precious. Please do not throw it away when you could use it to defend our children against a future of abortion, sexual perversion, socialism, crushing debt, and tyranny. The elections where we must press for solid, biblical, conservatives are the primaries. It is sad that we have so few options in the Republican Party that represent the wisdom of the Word. I personally would have chosen a different man for the Republican candidate. We must remedy that, and we can remedy that. But the 2012 primaries are history now.
“In the election on Tuesday, we have only two realistic options. If you don’t vote for Romney, then you have helped Obama. And if a significant number of evangelical Christians do as you do, Obama will be elected. I could not live with my own conscience if I contributed, even by default, to electing a president who promoted same-sex marriage and baby-killing, which may well lead to the destruction of America. That’s why my conscience won’t allow me not to address this issue, and also won’t allow me not to vote for Mitt Romney. It’s a close race, dear friends. Choose wisely. No election in recent history has been so important as this one. Your vote could make a world of difference.”
Videos, etc.
For those who prefer watching videos or glancing at handy charts, let me recommend a few here before I close.
-Sadly some folks who claim to be Christian and pro-life keep insisting that there is no difference between Romney and Obama on abortion. Why they deliberately bear false witness here I don’t quite know, but it really is inexcusable. Here is a nice comparison chart of where the two men stand on abortion:
-Voting on the basis of principle is carefully discussed here by Bill Whittle – well worth watching:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPjBXufufUU&feature=youtu.be
-Bill Whittle offers more common sense here on this election. This 5-minute video is also important viewing:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5v7QQ5vQWg&feature=youtu.be
-Wild Bill for America gets it quite right here in this brief video clip:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfWIxRrvFy8&feature=share
-And if you need to have an atheist’s case why we must get rid of BHO, here is a short video for you:
-Also, an 80-minute documentary put together by Dinesh D’Sousa on what a second term for Obama will look like:
http://2016themovie.com/
-Here is a 36 minute discussion with D’Sousa and Glenn Beck on the film:
So please be prayerful and careful as you vote on Tuesday. So very much is riding on how you vote. And if you are not an American citizen, you can at least keep this election in your prayers. The results will certainly impact the entire world for good or for ill.
9 Replies to “A Final Word Before the US Election”
If you have a Christian conscience, you will NOT vote for a man who supports abortion, the homosexual lifestyle and is a muslim.
As a Christian, we must be concerned to vote for a person with Christian moral values and principles.
Judith Bond
Hi Bill,
great article. Appreciate your researching the educated opinions of others for us. Also really appreciated your video of our English atheist friend. Apart form his sense of civility in being concerned about the slaughter of Christians in the Middle East and Obama’s total silence (and even indirectly aiding of this) he of course realizes, that if ever the Islamists can get rid of the Christians they will very soon afterwards commence mopping up the atheists.
I am reminded of a page in a book by English writer and Christian statesman, Patrick Sookhdeo, in which he quotes Dawkins (I think) who is truly frightened of Islam taking over England, as he (also) realizes the Islamists would wipe out the atheists quite quickly. Dawkins actually goes on to say words to the affect of the Christian voice being England’s only hope. Dawkins at least respects the fact that it is precisely because of Christianity’s commitment to freedom, that he can espouse his atheistic and even, anti Christian views.
I predict another four years of Obama would pretty much largely see the death of democracy in the USA and perhaps even the establishment of a totalitarian state in which Christians will increasingly go to prison for standing up for Biblical truths and responsibilities – particularly the right to life. Regarding the political perspective, may “God bless America” indeed; but that can only be true, as Christians and objective clear thinking people, understand the issues and appreciate the fact that unless they vote for Romney, they are, by default, voting in a man, who though perhaps well meaning, has the most ungodly and reckless track record I have seen of any US president in my 57 years.
Continuing to do my bit to pray for the people of America, regarding exercising clear minded reason in considering how to vote.
Peter Magee
Bill, to allow someone to suggest, in fact state, that Barack Obama ‘Is a muslim’ is a complete embarassment to you. It is a clear non-truth. Shame.
Aaron Wyllie
Thanks Aaron
It is of course far closer to the truth to state that those secular lefties like yourself you suggested or in fact stated that Obama was the Messiah is a complete embarrassment to you. It is a clear non-truth. Shame.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Just a minor point, but why does the US have elections on a weekday? So people have another reason not to vote?
Michael Watts
The Helper’s of God’s Precious Infants will be praying @ Calvery for Obama to disappear just like Brumby did!! God bless you Bill for your awesome work! Thanks for keeping us up to date re this Election.
Mrs Jane Byrne
Dear Bill,
Over the past few weeks I have followed your remarks on the US election with great interest. To me, as an outsider, the partisan attitudes that emerge during these gladiatorial contests, whether they are in the US, or France, or Venezuela, or any other more or less ‘democratic’ country are natural. Here in New Zealand, as in so many other countries that we can class as ‘Open Societies’ in Karl Popper’s sense, there are people for whom the idea of voting for any other party than that which they and their family have ‘traditionally’ supported is anathema. That unthinking devotion to one side in politics has always seemed unrealistic to me. In my 70 years I have changed political parties with gay abandon… in the original sense of ‘gay’, of course! Moreover, I don’t see these contests between political rivals are an expression of true democracy. Real, true democracy is about making choices between policies, not personalities. Indeed I would much rather have each political party put forward a list of its ten top priorities and we as voters would simply tick policies we like and delete those we don’t. In effect, we would vote on a set of referendums on the major questions of the day. But we are stuck, for now, with these prize-fighters squaring up to one another.
So I have found your strongly partisan views no surprise in one way, but I do think some remarks about Obama are getting a bit intemperate. The notion that because his middle name is “Hossein” he’s some sort of closet Muslim is frankly nonsense! And too frequent references to Hitler in discussions about his policies diminishes the debate. Both Obama and Romney have impeccable democratic credentials, therefore mention of history’s vilest dictator when discussing either man makes no sense to me.
Looking at the two candidates dispassionately, I find both men likeable and reliable family men. I believe that the Obamacare concept is essential in a civilised nation. I recently received excellent treatment for a heart attack from the New Zealand healthcare system. Because I am retired I can no longer afford the medical insurance that I used to have, therefore the NZ state system came to my rescue. Looking at the US situation it would seem logical to have a similar system. Indeed, Governor Mitt Romney instituted a very similar system in his State. So I would have no quarrel with either man over this matter because sooner or later some sort of equivalent to the state-run healthcare systems of the ‘Open Societies’ that prevail in Europe will be put in place in the US.
However, there are things that disappoint me about Obama. The first is that he failed to close down the Guantánamo concentration camp. Frankly, that’s something that saddens friends of the US worldwide, even though we can understand why this has proved so difficult. The second is his acceptance of openly homosexual people in the military, and the third is his support for the absurd notion of ‘equality’ to legitimise extending the meaning of marriage to include same-sex couplings. And on the matter of abortion I take a predominantly conservative stance, but not exclusively so as I accept that it is a necessary medical procedure in some circumstances.
Therefore, on balance, if I had a vote in the forthcoming contest I would come down pretty firmly on the side of Romney. I hope he wins… and that he doesn’t then disappoint me, or you, Bill.
Cheers,
Dominic Baron, NZ
It is in situations such as this that the Australian preferential system shines. Christians could vote for an evangelical independent and give their preference to the best candidate with a chance of winning.
I have given myself to 40 days of prayer. May the sovereign Lord bless America and remove Obama and his administration from office.
If you have a Christian conscience, you will NOT vote for a man who supports abortion, the homosexual lifestyle and is a muslim.
As a Christian, we must be concerned to vote for a person with Christian moral values and principles.
Judith Bond
Hi Bill,
great article. Appreciate your researching the educated opinions of others for us. Also really appreciated your video of our English atheist friend. Apart form his sense of civility in being concerned about the slaughter of Christians in the Middle East and Obama’s total silence (and even indirectly aiding of this) he of course realizes, that if ever the Islamists can get rid of the Christians they will very soon afterwards commence mopping up the atheists.
I am reminded of a page in a book by English writer and Christian statesman, Patrick Sookhdeo, in which he quotes Dawkins (I think) who is truly frightened of Islam taking over England, as he (also) realizes the Islamists would wipe out the atheists quite quickly. Dawkins actually goes on to say words to the affect of the Christian voice being England’s only hope. Dawkins at least respects the fact that it is precisely because of Christianity’s commitment to freedom, that he can espouse his atheistic and even, anti Christian views.
I predict another four years of Obama would pretty much largely see the death of democracy in the USA and perhaps even the establishment of a totalitarian state in which Christians will increasingly go to prison for standing up for Biblical truths and responsibilities – particularly the right to life. Regarding the political perspective, may “God bless America” indeed; but that can only be true, as Christians and objective clear thinking people, understand the issues and appreciate the fact that unless they vote for Romney, they are, by default, voting in a man, who though perhaps well meaning, has the most ungodly and reckless track record I have seen of any US president in my 57 years.
Continuing to do my bit to pray for the people of America, regarding exercising clear minded reason in considering how to vote.
Peter Magee
Bill, to allow someone to suggest, in fact state, that Barack Obama ‘Is a muslim’ is a complete embarassment to you. It is a clear non-truth. Shame.
Aaron Wyllie
Thanks Aaron
It is of course far closer to the truth to state that those secular lefties like yourself you suggested or in fact stated that Obama was the Messiah is a complete embarrassment to you. It is a clear non-truth. Shame.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Just a minor point, but why does the US have elections on a weekday? So people have another reason not to vote?
Michael Watts
The Helper’s of God’s Precious Infants will be praying @ Calvery for Obama to disappear just like Brumby did!! God bless you Bill for your awesome work! Thanks for keeping us up to date re this Election.
Mrs Jane Byrne
Dear Bill,
Over the past few weeks I have followed your remarks on the US election with great interest. To me, as an outsider, the partisan attitudes that emerge during these gladiatorial contests, whether they are in the US, or France, or Venezuela, or any other more or less ‘democratic’ country are natural. Here in New Zealand, as in so many other countries that we can class as ‘Open Societies’ in Karl Popper’s sense, there are people for whom the idea of voting for any other party than that which they and their family have ‘traditionally’ supported is anathema. That unthinking devotion to one side in politics has always seemed unrealistic to me. In my 70 years I have changed political parties with gay abandon… in the original sense of ‘gay’, of course! Moreover, I don’t see these contests between political rivals are an expression of true democracy. Real, true democracy is about making choices between policies, not personalities. Indeed I would much rather have each political party put forward a list of its ten top priorities and we as voters would simply tick policies we like and delete those we don’t. In effect, we would vote on a set of referendums on the major questions of the day. But we are stuck, for now, with these prize-fighters squaring up to one another.
So I have found your strongly partisan views no surprise in one way, but I do think some remarks about Obama are getting a bit intemperate. The notion that because his middle name is “Hossein” he’s some sort of closet Muslim is frankly nonsense! And too frequent references to Hitler in discussions about his policies diminishes the debate. Both Obama and Romney have impeccable democratic credentials, therefore mention of history’s vilest dictator when discussing either man makes no sense to me.
Looking at the two candidates dispassionately, I find both men likeable and reliable family men. I believe that the Obamacare concept is essential in a civilised nation. I recently received excellent treatment for a heart attack from the New Zealand healthcare system. Because I am retired I can no longer afford the medical insurance that I used to have, therefore the NZ state system came to my rescue. Looking at the US situation it would seem logical to have a similar system. Indeed, Governor Mitt Romney instituted a very similar system in his State. So I would have no quarrel with either man over this matter because sooner or later some sort of equivalent to the state-run healthcare systems of the ‘Open Societies’ that prevail in Europe will be put in place in the US.
However, there are things that disappoint me about Obama. The first is that he failed to close down the Guantánamo concentration camp. Frankly, that’s something that saddens friends of the US worldwide, even though we can understand why this has proved so difficult. The second is his acceptance of openly homosexual people in the military, and the third is his support for the absurd notion of ‘equality’ to legitimise extending the meaning of marriage to include same-sex couplings. And on the matter of abortion I take a predominantly conservative stance, but not exclusively so as I accept that it is a necessary medical procedure in some circumstances.
Therefore, on balance, if I had a vote in the forthcoming contest I would come down pretty firmly on the side of Romney. I hope he wins… and that he doesn’t then disappoint me, or you, Bill.
Cheers,
Dominic Baron, NZ
It is in situations such as this that the Australian preferential system shines. Christians could vote for an evangelical independent and give their preference to the best candidate with a chance of winning.
I have given myself to 40 days of prayer. May the sovereign Lord bless America and remove Obama and his administration from office.
Des Morris
My overview of the election results:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2012/11/07/on-the-obama-win/
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch