Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Donald Miller and Voting, et al...

This kind of sums up how I've been feeling this year personally regarding the election. I know that doesn't make me super popular with some peeps who read this blog, but it's how I feel.

And this is how I feel about how we should behave no matter who is elected into the presidency.

I pray that God will bless this nation through whoever is elected president and I will be praying just that for the next 4 years until the next election, and will continue doing so for each consecutive president.

Let it also be said that I do respect differing political opinions. :) I'm not against anyone who feels differently from me. I've read, researched, thought and prayed and I feel at peace with my decision. If I've made a mistake, then I'll realize when the time comes, but I'm not sure at this point that I have.

We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.
-Abraham Lincoln

Happy Voting!

16 comments:

Marian Briscoe said...

I agree that after we find out who is president, we should honor and support whoever he is (unlike how we have treated our current president). We need to teach the next generation what it means to honor people in power even if we don't agree with them.


And as for everything else, I love you anyway ;-) haha!

becki said...

BAH HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! Thank you very much Marian! That means a lot to me and you're the best!

bullets said...

i love that he touched on the fear issue. with most people i think fear is what drives their vote.

Michael said...

I think the main reason people our age are voting for Obama is because they haven't experienced what the democrats have been offering in our lifetime. There was a rejection of liberalism thirty years ago that was based on a body of experience that the voting public had at the time. Since then, there has been an entire generation with no experience of how liberals govern.

So we've been stuck "listening to Rush Limbaugh telling us what to think." And besides, who is to say that Obama wouldn't govern better than President Johnson? Or Bush, for that matter?

I'm excited at the prospect of an Obama presidency. I think it would give an entire generation the experience (for better or worse) of what it's like being ruled by a liberal.

I think many will enjoy this experience and feel like they've reached some new plateau of existence. Many more, I believe, will be disheartened that it's not what it's cracked up to be. And so you'll have a backlash in 4-8 years, similar to the backlash against Republicans right now.

At that point, you'll be left with something better because we will have experience with both sides and can, without fear driving us, make good decisions.

becki said...

Very good and interesting point!

Justin Ransom said...

It sounds like Donald Miller had a pretty crapy experience early on in his life in the Church. I can understand his desire to rebel against all that crap. He's right the fear mongering that goes on in Church is terrible and unnecessary, but it's not entirely one sided. If you don't know what I mean by that just ask a poor black church goer who supports McCain/Palin. I talked to one just the other day, they do exist.
My vote is not driven by fear, it's driven by my worldview and fear does not influences my worldview. I think Michael put it very well, and I also believe we will se a backlash in 4-8 years. To me this election, presidential and congressional feels like a massive over correction. But, I will respect and honor whoever is president and point out things that I agree and disagree with.
Becky, I really respect the way you have handled yourself and I will continue to keep an open mind with you.

becki said...

Thank you Justin and I with you as well! :)

Justin Ransom said...

BTW I find it a bit disingenuous for Donald Miller rail against lies being spread about Obama and his faith then turn around and say McCain is not a Christian. It's a bit hypocritical don't you think?

becki said...

I must have missed that. Where did he say that McCain wasn't a Christian?

Justin Ransom said...

In a previous post titled "On the Campaign Trail in MI, IN, NC, VA and OH This Week" he says, "I don’t dislike John McCain. I think he is a good man and a drastic improvement over Republican candidates in the past. I do wish he were a Christian, or would talk about faith, Jesus, Redemption or the Cross."

becki said...

True that is a little extreme sounding, but to be fair, he added an addendum later at the bottom of the post:

"An addendum: My comments about the candidates personal faith were in reference to pre-presidential politics. Every Presidential candidate that I know of has claimed to be a Christian, and even told folksy stories about conversion. More about Barack’s faith can be found in the new release by Thomas Nelson Publishers entitled “The Faith of Barack Obama” or you can check out his speech at the “Call to Renewal” conference or his Fathers Day speech. Barack has given a half dozen addresses about faith. Will somebody provide me links to McCain’s major addresses on his personal faith and how it will guide his policies? I will gladly post them. I am sure there is something out there. I know he spoke of it at the Saddleback forum on faith. Thanks again."

At the very least he's asking for links and references to John McCain being vocal about his faith pre-presidential election. I'm not one to say either way, I'm just noting that at least he made an amendment. :)

Justin Ransom said...

I'm all about pre-presidential politics. I base my vote way more on record than I do on campaign rhetoric. I believe if all voters did that McCain would win in a landslide, because he is the only one with a record of accomplishment and reform who has stood up to his own party and worked across the isle. Obama was all about his pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright until it was costing him politically. I'd rather have a president without a pastor, than one with a pastor for twenty years that has a warped theology, stirs up hate and gives lifetime achievement awards to Louis Farrakhan.

Justin Ransom said...

I'm sorry if I'm sounding argumentative. That was not my intent. I just felt like his claim crossed the line. A line he himself was touting and a line I agree with.

becki said...

No worries at all. I know you're passionate about it and I know you take time to educate yourself, and I admire that and I respect your opinion.

Lolly said...

I agree with Donald Miller in regards to not making fear based decisions or jumping on anyone's bandwagon based on a common pew. Nor should one choose a president based upon the opinions of the people who star in the movies they like to watch or who sing the songs they like to listen to. Which is what I think is happening way more than it should.
I think Don Miller would not think of me as much of a person. I only get that after reading that article and how he describes his own mother. I read Blue like Jazz and enjoyed it.

becki said...

Aww!!! I think you're a great mom, even though you aren't mine!! How could he not like you if he met you!? Answer me that! :)