Trump Speaking in Des Moines to a huge crowd (October 9, 2021)

Witnessed Trump's speech at the Des Moines fairgrounds with thousands, perhaps 20K+ (based on a talk to a vendor that travels to all the events). It was a major event just based on the number of vendors and porta-potties (counted 40 in one of the two rows). Trump said his rallies are now bigger than ever, after the election. I know why. It's unusual for people to be engaged right after an election, but times are desperate.

Trump is as sharp as ever, and support what I heard. He talked about the election being stolen in detail (which I love all the details, which makes me a nerd I guess). He went over the AZ Maricopa County audit where they found a thousands of different classifications of possible illegal ballots, more than enough to overturn the state. He talked about most of the other contested states too. It is clear that election was stolen and laws need to be changed / enforced to make sure it doesn't happen again. He's keeping the heat on the Republicans, as he must, to make elections are secure and trustworthy. This might need to be the number one issue, simply because many people won't vote again if they don't think their vote counts. He knows that (and so do the Democrats with HR1 and sneaking stuff into the funding bills) and so this must be fought now, or we will be one-party-ruled socialist (or really communist) state.

He talked about the Afghanistan surrender and said it the worst debacle in American history (it is so infuriating and I can see it, foreign policy-wise as it could go down after we see an uptick in terrorism and major 911 events). He said we shouldn't give the Taliban billions of aid, at least, not until they return all our military equipment and our hostages. Wow, that is something you don't hear and it's very important, since when do we not care about hundreds of Americans trapped behind enemy lines? The Taliban are using them, and/or will, as leverage.

He talked about the Biden economy, energy independence (which we had and now lost under Biden), and restoring our schools and military (to replace CRT with patriotic American teachings). He addressed protecting the unborn (opposing federal funding of abortion) too. He said we have lost our first amendment, which if you consider the public square is online, he's right for many. We need to get that back!

When the volume dropped before Trump came out, I was a part of a my 1st "Let's Go Brandon" chant! I even tried to start my own "Let's Go Brandon" chant but just got a lot of laughs as I only yelled it once.

He did criticize Biden for his handling of Covid as we have more deaths under him with the vaccine than before. I didn't know that. I didn't like that he didn't specifically talk about the Biden EO and vaccine mandates for companies and government, but he did make some general statements about people should be free. We should not be dictated to by the government or big tech companies. That ending part sent us off very encouraged and hopeful that we have to fight for our rights, and we have a leader.

Sounds like he will run again in 2024 (but I guess can't announce for campaign laws). I do want him to be primared but those would be probably going for VP. So since I think he's running, I got some cheap 2020 Trump shirts and a Trump 2024 hat (I hadn't bought any gear before that).

What a sunset!

My Response to Ron Paul Supporters

I have some strong feeling about Ron Paul and his positions as I have been very much into politics since 2007.  I'm been involved in the political process here in Iowa and have come out and spoke at my precinct recently for Rick Santorum. There was a large majority of those in my precinct who supported Ron Paul in the caucus, and I wish I could have known and prepared my speech  better before that.  What I'm sharing below is very much in line with what I would have shared with them if I only knew how things would go.  I've also talked to a couple other Facebook friends that are supporters, one a Christian and the other an atheist.  The argument shared to me why I should support Ron Paul was basically we don't want the government to have the power to govern us morally because they may not support your values.  I'm not willing to concede that the US is no longer able to the nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles and have the proper moral compass but I can see where they are coming from.  I'm curious how you came to support Ron Paul.  I'm going to share a bit of my research so you know where I'm coming from and I welcome you to respond.

I've listened to a lot of conservative and some Libertarian talk radio and I've determined that I can not be a Libertarian but am a conservative and a very strong conservative who believes is the social conservative issues most passionately.  Life, and the protection of innocent unborn children, is my chief passion with the others being religious, individual and family freedom, and the support of the Biblical role of government.  I'm in believe that the government should maintain moral laws in keeping with the Biblical role of government (Romans 13:1-5, 1 Peter 2:13-17).  Also the federal government has the duty to allow the citizen to prosper and they must protect its citizens from threats (foreign and domestic) to their life and liberty.  I also agree with John Adams "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”. I'm in belief that we need to have politicians that must understand this, support this basic conservative understanding, and through a proper fear of God, respect his endowed rights of life, liberty, and basic freedoms (as in the rights from God as enumerated in the Declaration of Independence). 

Ron Paul may have some good ideas in line with the founders, and have ideas to help fix the fiscal problems, but he doesn't seem to come out on much of my main concerns as I would.  While he says he personally agrees with social conservative views he only talks about states rights to do what they will... that must mean his Libertarianism trumps his private social conservatism.  In regards to Marriage this article explains it, for example: "Senator Rick Santorum has strongly challenged Paul, saying: “It sounds to me like Rep. Paul would actually say polygamous marriages are OK…We can’t have 50 marriage laws.” "Ron Paul: Personally opposed to same-sex ‘marriage,’ but…."

Regards to the sanctity of human life, it's the same exact thing, though this could have a positive effect in many states that do not want abortion, they could outlaw it.  I could see an executive order making it the states right to do as they will (that could only last for the term of Ron Paul), but I believe murder of life should be a federal issue and it should be illegal in the union.  Some states would probably still provide it and that would be a national tragedy, allowing murder of the most innocent.

What if states want legalizing prostitution, drugs, pedophilia... this all seems fine to him... in fact he has spoken about legalized drugs and prostitution ("Why Ron Paul Can Never Be President In 12 Quotes").  Where does this end?  This Biblical based article from Faith Facts says that it ends with anarchy ("The Bible and Government").

Now, in regards to providing a national defense, and specifically the threat of a nuclear Iran, this would cause me to probably keep me from voting against Barrack Obama if Ron Paul was nominated:  "Frankly, there isn't much daylight between Ron Paul's theory of foreign policy and that of the radical left.  As much as I agree with Paul on other issues, he's wrong on this one."
Read more: "Ron Paul Is Wrong about Iran"

To understand the threat of a Nuclear armed Iran see the FAQ at UNAI that says:

WHAT IS SO BAD ABOUT A NUCLEAR IRAN?
A nuclear Iran would be a major threat to American security interests, regional stability, and world peace. Since 1979 the Iranian regime, most recently under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s leadership, has demonstrated increasingly threatening behavior and rhetoric toward the US and the

West. Iran continues to defy the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations in their attempts to monitor its nuclear activities. A number of Arab states have warned that Iran’s development of nuclear weapons poses a threat to Middle East stability and could provoke a regional nuclear arms race. In short, the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran is a threat of the highest magnitude. Iran is led by radical Islamic clerics with history of hostile behavior including a willingness to wage war and to battle the United States and its allies. With a nuclear weapon, Iran would be able to project its power throughout the region, threaten key US allies as well as American troops, and share the technology or the weapons with terrorist groups that target the United States. 

WHEN WILL IRAN HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON?
In unusually blunt language, a February 2010 IAEA report suggested for the first time that Iran was actively pursuing nuclear weapons capability, corroborating suspicions long held by the U.S. and Western intelligence agencies. The report acknowledges that Iran has already honed explosives expertise relevant to a workable nuclear weapon. A May 2010 IAEA Report stated that Iran has amassed more than two tons of enriched uranium, which is enough material to construct two nuclear bombs. This is a frightening development, and it means that Iran now has a “possible breakout capacity.” According to nuclear experts, Iran is now capable of enriching its stockpile of low enriched uranium to a higher level, and could convert the material into a nuclear weapon within three to six months. The official American estimate is that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon between 2010 and 2015. Whoever you believe, the point is clear that Iran is very close to creating a nuclear weapon.

Regarding his electability, there is no way that he would be able to survive Barrack Obama's campaign given these things and some of his other beliefs: ("Why Ron Paul Can Never Be President In 12 Quotes").  I'm sure I could make a better case but this seems quite adequate for the time being that Ron Paul is the worst of the candidates for president, and reinforces the others as being better, and definitely, to me, it's clear the best in these regards is Rick Santorum.

"Social Justice Christianity" and Crisis of My Faith

Tonight I saw Glenn Beck's TV special about the Social Justice and it's history which triggered some thoughts I wanted to share. By the way, I thought this TV special was excellent with some very helpful and accurate information about government and the church being allied for "social justice". I really liked Peter Lillback's (of Westminster Seminary) thoughts. It was assuring to my understanding even though I know Glenn Beck is a Mormon and his church has a different Gospel than mine. It addressed Salvation, is it individual or corporate and the understanding of the Gospel and Bible that seems to be almost always associated with politics and redistribution of wealth. I do not hold that the Bible or Gospel empowers the secular government to redistribute wealth through seizing it.

Last year I had a discussion with a friend of mine, rather a fellow I knew from the past that I have been friends with on Facebook. We were arguing (or correcting and rebuking one another) in regards to differences in politics and faith. It seemed he could have been open to discussion but turned out to be not so much. He was correcting and rebuking me based on his understanding of things. I was hoping to be of one mind with him in the faith in the lines of Bible verses I have in the bottom of this post but I'm not sure we were able to get there. We both claim to be Christians so we are called to have a common mind and be harmonious with one another but I believe in reasoning from the Biblical. Correction and admonition can be applied if needed and I was engaged in this at points during our discussion. In our discussion he was telling me that I had got my facts wrong and I was basically mislead by deceived and corrupt leaders (in the church, in politics, and the media). Even though he mischaracterized my beliefs, I focused on the most concerning thing to me, which was how he saw the Gospel.

Even though he claimed to be orthodox theologically as a Christian he told me that the Gospel is all about the Kingdom, doesn't require an understanding of sin as is traditionally understood, that God isn't interested in individual salvation, and that repentance isn't needed to be a believer but was a "down the road feature". This lead to me posted a blog post on the Gospel with my a Bible Study on the need for repentance in Salvation. He also said that a focus on ones eternal state is not Biblical. The facts, when focusing on correctly interpreted Scripture, I believe are clearly not on his side. I did considered his words, argued from the Bible with him while trying to find common ground. I even brought other mature Christians into the conversation and tried to see if we could have correction or some mediation but ultimately I wasn't seemingly able to get anywhere with him. He unilaterally put the discussion on hold claiming to be too busy.

This discussion, perhaps with another recent conflict, triggered a significant crisis of faith where I began to seriously doubt my own salvation. This has never happened to me since I knew was a saved Christian believer (in 1993). After all, I didn't understand how he and I could both be orthodox believers and both be saved if we have seemingly vastly different Gospels. It begged the questions, could one of us, think we are true believers but really aren't? If I just looked at my own self for my present evidence, or fruits, of salvation I found that I had very good reason to doubt my salvation. BTW: I don't believe one can loose their salvation but perhaps one may not be a true convert. Ultimately I have returned to my assurance of salvation. My Christian testimony and Christian story has helped me, and most importantly, I believe the Holy Spirit can and has assured me that I am indeed saved. As Paul wrote, “These Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16; cf. 1 John 5:5-7, 10).

Some of the issues still remain outstanding as I haven't been able to talk to my friend about these things and I think of my friend frequently when I hear teaching on the Kingdom, social justice, politics, and other related topics (as happened again tonight). Is my friend a "Social Justice" Christian or what? I don't know but I would invite prayers for him, as I will try to pray for him when I think of him, and continue to consider these topics when perhaps I talk to him or someone else in the "Social Justice Christianity" camp.

Verses on Christians living harmoniously and having a common mind with each other:
* Romans 12:16 - Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
* 1 Corinthians 1:10 - I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
* 1 Peter 3:8 - Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
* Acts 4:32a - All the believers were one in heart and mind.

Verse on examining yourself:
2 Corinthians 13:5 (New International Version) Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

For more on Politics and the Christian, or the State and the Church, see my blog post.